Abstract: A head gimbal assembly (HGA) of a hard disk drive (HDD) includes a flexure, a slider attached to the flexure and including a magnetic head, a plurality of pads at a side of the slider, a plurality of traces attached to and supported by the flexure and respectively bonded to the pads to form an electrically continuous circuit therebetween, and an insulating support element covering a bonding region between the pads and the traces.

Abstract: A suspension assembly of an actuator for a disk drive to support a slider, on which a read/write head is mounted, elastically biased toward a surface of a disk. The suspension assembly includes: a load beam coupled to an end of a swing arm of the actuator; a flexure supporting the slider and having a fixed end fixed to a surface of the load beam facing the disk and a free end disposed close to a leading end of the load beam; an extender extending from the free end of the flexure; and a limiter limiting a range of up and down vibrations of the extender.

Abstract: A disk drive comprises a cover plate with preload tension formed across the cover plate for increasing the stiffness of the cover plate. The preload tension is formed across the cover plate after the cover plate that was warped is secured to a base member of the disk drive to become un-warped. Such a cover plate with increased stiffness is not easily deformed and effectively minimizes propagation of noise generated from operation of the disk drive.

Abstract: An end-tab extends from a suspension for an actuator within a data storage device such as a HDD (hard disk drive). A suspension body supports a read/write head, and the end-tab extends from the suspension body. At least one dimension, such as the width and/or the height, of the end-tab increases from toward a front end of the end-tab to toward the suspension body. Thus, the weight of the end-tab is minimized, and yet the stiffness of the end-tab is enhanced.

Abstract: A particle remover for a data storage device that removes particles attached to a surface of a disk, the particle remover including a fixed portion installed on a base plate of the data storage device; and pressure plates extending from the fixed portion toward the disk and respectively overlapping an upper surface and a lower surface of the disk, and having disk opposing surfaces with shapes that are convex toward the disk to form a space between the disk opposing surfaces and the surface of the disk that becomes narrower and then wider along a rotational direction of the disk.

Abstract: An actuator latch mechanism of a hard disk drive locks an actuator when the hard disk drive is not operating, and the actuator includes a swing arm rotatably installed to a base member, a VCM coil coupled to one end portion of the swing arm, and a magnet facing the VCM coil. The actuator latch mechanism includes a notch portion protruding from the end portion of the swing arm; a latch lever pivotally installed to the base member and having a hook engaging the notch portion at one end thereof when the actuator is locked; a protrusion protruding from an edge of the magnet toward the latch lever; a first iron core installed to the end portion of the swing arm and applying a first torque to the swing arm by a flux generated from the protrusions; and a second iron core installed to the other end of the latch lever and applying a second torque to the latch lever by the flux generated from the protrusion.

Abstract: An actuator of a hard disk drive moves a magnetic head to record and reproduce data with respect to a disk to a predetermined position on the disk. The actuator includes a suspension supporting a slider where the magnetic head is mounted, and an arm included on a base plate of the hard disk drive to be capable of pivoting and having the suspension included at a leading end portion of the arm and a coil of a voice coil motor coupled to a rear end portion of the arm. The coil is coupled to the rear end portion of the arm by an outer mold formed to encompass an outer circumference of the coil, an inner mold formed inside the coil, and a connection mold connecting the outer mold and the inner mold is formed at least part of a surface of a non-effective portion of the coil except for an effective portion arranged to be perpendicular to a direction in which the arm pivots.

Abstract: An actuator apparatus used with a hard disk drive. The actuator apparatus includes a pivotable actuator arm, a magnetic head mounted onto a first end of the actuator arm, an overmold connected to a second end of the actuator arm and including a metal piece, a voice coil motor (VCM) having a coil coupled to the overmold and at least one magnet positioned to face the coil, and a stopper positioned to be spaced apart at a predetermined interval from the overmold of the actuator arm when the magnetic head is positioned at a parked position, to limit pivoting of the actuator arm. Specifically, the stopper may be positioned to be spaced at the interval from the overmold of the actuator arm positioned at a position where a torque acting on the actuator arm due to the metal piece and the magnet is substantially 0.

Abstract: An actuator latch for a disk drive comprises at least one damping structure disposed at a wall within a recess of a latch body. Such a damping structure absorbs impact force between the latch body and a distal end of the actuator to minimize noise at a transducer on the actuator and to preserve the integrity of the transducer and actuator over time. The recess of the latch body engages with the distal end of the actuator for maintaining the position of the transducer within a parking zone. The damping structure exerts force on the distal end of the actuator with the force being used toward stopping rotation of the actuator.

Abstract: A hard disk drive and a method of fabricating the same. The hard disk drive includes a base member and a cover member of which outer circumferences are combined with each other and which form an internal space, an actuator mounted on the base member to be pivoted, a voice coil motor (VCM) including a lower VCM block and an upper VCM block which are separated from each other so that a rear portion of the actuator is interposed therebetween, and a crash stopper to collide with the rear portion of the actuator and to restrict a pivot range of the actuator, having an upper-end to be accommodated in the upper VCM block so that a location change of the upper VCM block caused by an external disturbance is prevented.

Abstract: An actuator latch device for locking an actuator of a hard disk drive, the actuator having a swing arm rotatably installed at a base member, a voice coil motor (VCM) coil provided at one end of the swing arm, and magnets oppositely arranged at the VCM coil. The actuator latch device includes a notch provided at one end of the swing arm; a latch lever, which is rotatably installed at a base member, having at a first end thereof a hook interfering with the notch to restrict one way rotation of the swing arm, and a counterbalance device at a second end thereof; and a stopper provided in the base member to block the counterbalance device to restrict a rotation of the latch lever.

Abstract: An actuator supporting apparatus of a hard disk drive includes a pivot bearing including an inner ring, an outer ring, and a rolling member, which are installed coaxially, to support an actuator arm to pivot. The actuator supporting apparatus also includes a support structure to support upper and lower surfaces of the inner ring, and a buffer member interposed between at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the inner ring and the support structure, to buffer vibrations and impacts. Thus, a feature of buffering vibrations and impacts by the buffer member is not changed and is constantly maintained, regardless of accumulation of manufacture allowance or a change in the environment. Also, a problem in reliability of a product due to deterioration of structural strength, which occurs in the conventional actuator supporting apparatus, does not occur in the actuator supporting apparatus of the present invention.

Abstract: A method for controlling a disk drive includes: detecting an amount of an impact applied to the disk drive, and determining whether the detected amount exceeds a critical value; reading position information of a cylinder, over which a head is positioned, when the detected amount exceeds the critical value, and suspending a command being implemented; determining whether the read cylinder number exceeds a reference cylinder number; and moving the head in an innermost peripheral direction of the disk when the read cylinder number exceeds the reference cylinder number, and moving the head in an outermost peripheral direction of the disk when the read cylinder number does not exceed the reference cylinder number.

Abstract: A hard disk drive (HDD) with an efficient connection between a flexible printed circuit and an actuator arm. The structure includes a flexible printed circuit having the flexible printed circuit and a stiffener for supporting the flexible printed circuit, and an actuator arm to which the flexible printed circuit is connected. An alignment hole, an alignment pin inserted into the alignment hole, a guide groove having one opened side, and a guide protrusion fitted into the guide groove are formed in the flexible printed circuit and the actuator arm, and the alignment hole and the alignment pin are fixed to each other through a soldering process.

Abstract: A head parking ramp for a hard disk drive (HDD). The head parking ramp is designed to park a read/write head off a disk of the HDD when the disk stops rotating. The head parking ramp includes a fixed part fixed to a base member, a support part having a support surface and supporting an end-tab, and a flexure limiter limiting a vertical movement of a flexure due to an external shock. Among both longitudinal ends of each of top and bottom surfaces of the flexure limiter facing the flexure, first inclined surfaces are formed on at least the ends opposite to the disk. Accordingly, even though the flexure contacts the flexure limiter when an actuator is assembled with the ramp, the flexure is prevented from being deformed.

Abstract: An HGA protecting method and member and method of implementing the protecting method and member in a hard disk drive. The HGA includes an actuator, at least one pair of suspensions coupled to the actuator, a flexure having a stationary end fixed to each of the suspensions and a free end, and a slider attached between the stationary end and the free end of the flexure. The HGA protecting member may include a finger restricting excessive movement of the suspension. The finger may further have a flexure supporting portion supporting the free end of the flexure.

Abstract: A head parking ramp for a data storage device to park a read/write head at a position out of a disk when the disk stops rotating. The head parking ramp includes a fixed portion fixed to a base member, a support portion extending from the fixed portion toward the disk and supporting an end portion of an actuator where the read/write head is installed, an extended portion extending from the fixed portion toward the disk, having a lead end portion overlapping each of an upper surface and a lower surface of an outer circumferential portion of the disk, and having a plurality of disk facing surfaces facing each of the upper and lower surfaces of the disk, and a protruding surface protruding from each of the disk facing surfaces of the extended portion at a position corresponding to an edge portion of the disk and restricting a vibration of the disk as the edge portion of the disk contacts the protrusion surface when the disk vibrates.

Abstract: Provided are a disk spacer for an information storage device and a spindle motor assembly employing the disk spacer. The spindle motor assembly includes a spindle motor, one or more data storage disks mounted around the spindle motor, a disk clamp coupled to the spindle motor and fixing the disk clamp, and a disk spacer mounted around the spindle motor and supporting the disk, wherein the disk spacer has a groove of a predetermined depth formed along an outer peripheral surface thereof, which does not contact the disks, and the groove is tapered as it is closer to an inner peripheral surface of the disk spacer away from the outer peripheral surface of the disk spacer. Since impacts and vibrations delivered to the disks are scattered by the disk spacer, the wobble of the disk due to the impacts and vibrations is reduced.

Abstract: An actuator supporting apparatus of a hard disk drive includes a pivot bearing including an inner ring, an outer ring, and a rolling member, which are installed coaxially, to support an actuator arm to pivot. The actuator supporting apparatus also includes a support structure to support upper and lower surfaces of the inner ring, and a buffer member interposed between at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the inner ring and the support structure, to buffer vibrations and impacts. Thus, a feature of buffering vibrations and impacts by the buffer member is not changed and is constantly maintained, regardless of accumulation of manufacture allowance or a change in the environment. Also, a problem in reliability of a product due to deterioration of structural strength, which occurs in the conventional actuator supporting apparatus, does not occur in the actuator supporting apparatus of the present invention.

Abstract: A method for controlling a disk drive includes: detecting an amount of an impact applied to the disk drive, and determining whether the detected amount exceeds a critical value; reading position information of a cylinder, over which a head is positioned, when the detected amount exceeds the critical value, and suspending a command being implemented; determining whether the read cylinder number exceeds a reference cylinder number; and moving the head in an innermost peripheral direction of the disk when the read cylinder number exceeds the reference cylinder number, and moving the head in an outermost peripheral direction of the disk when the read cylinder number does not exceed the reference cylinder number.