Abstract: A head suspension assembly for a hard disk drive data storage device which prevents contact between the head portion of the mechanism and the surface of the data storage media. An arm member includes a head assembly secured to one end and a bushing at the other end for engaging a rotatable positioning shaft. The arm member applies a resilient beam loading force to urge the arm member away from the media, and includes an aerodynamic airfoil that interacts with the air flow adjacent to the media surface to oppose the beam loading force and move the arm member toward the media to a proper flying height. When the disk is spinning, the negative lift of the airfoil opposes the resilient loading of the arm member and urges the arm member closer to the surface of the rotating media. As the head approaches the rotating surface, the positive lift of the air bearing counterbalances the negative lift from the airfoil such that a dynamic equilibrium is established at a predetermined flying height.

Abstract: A compact disk drive useful with a laptop computer comprises at least one glass disk, thin film read/write heads and a head actuator preferably made of magnesium material. The drive motor hub and hub flange are made of steel and the magnet housing for the actuator is made from an integral steel unit. A flexible cable assembly, which is connected to the read/write head circuits and to external circuitry for data processing and for providing control signals, is formed with two flexible sections. Each section is attached to the head actuator and to stationary posts of the disk drive housing thereby balancing the forces applied to the actuator when it is moved for head accessing. A clamp for holding the disk to the motor hub is designed to minimize distortion and to prevent shifting and misalignment of the disk relative to the center of the motor hub.

Abstract: A servosystem for controlling position of a magnetic head relative to a magnetic storage disk in a disk drive includes first and second feedback loops which provide head position error signals. The first feedback loop includes a head position circuit that processes different recorded Gray coded binary expressions that identify the data tracks on the disk during a track seek mode. The second feedback loop includes a head position circuit which, during the seek and track following modes, processes recorded quadrature servo signals that are interleaved with the data tracks.

Abstract: Tooling for assembling a compact disk drive useful for laptop computers includes a ball swaging fixture for joining head flexures to a head arm/actuator subassembly; and a motor/disk platform and disk clamping means for joining a drive motor to magnetic disks. The ball swaging fixture comprises a ball staking fixture for securing the flexures to the head arm/actuator subassembly. The disk clamping means includes a torque gage for assembling a clamp to the drive motor and motor hub. The tooling allows assembly of a compact disk drive at a single station by a single operator.

Abstract: A compact disk drive includes a rotary head actuator or voice coil motor for a head arm assembly formed with flexures. The baseplate for the drive is formed with recesses to contain the voice coil motor and a lower flexure whereby the depth of the drive is reduced. The magnet housing for the voice coil motor is contoured and located in a corner of the baseplate, and the head arms are oriented so that the length of the drive is reduced.

Abstract: An axial gap motor for use in a disk drive includes a rotatable magnet rotor and fixed first and second windings closely spaced from the rotor. The rotor and windings are disposed coaxially about a rotatable spindle to which the rotor is mounted. Current supplied to one winding actuates the rotor to rotate in a run mode. Current supplied to the other winding positions the rotor for maximum torque for starting the motor, and enables the sensing of the speed of the rotating rotor.

Abstract: A portable computer having an associated disk drive includes a voltage multiplier coupled between a microprocessor and a head positioning actuator that operates in two modes. In a moderate performance mode, the dual mode actuator operates with the power supplied by a storage battery or by a commercial power source with the voltage multiplier turned off. In a high performance mode, the voltage multiplier under control of the microprocessor boosts the voltage supplied to the actuator so that more power is made available for fast head positioning and job execution with an improvement in computer performance.