Abstract: A slider support structure is disclosed for minimizing off-rack due to disk flutter. In one embodiment, the slider support structure includes a gimbal assembly (306). The assembly (306) includes an outer ring (500) and an inner ring (502). The outer ring (500) is connected to the inner ring (502) via narrow strips (504 and 506) adjacent to the front (508) and back (510) surfaces of the slider body (512). The inner ring (502) is attached to the left (514) and right (516) surfaces of the slider body (512) via narrow strips (518 and 520). The strips (504 and 506) interconnecting the inner ring (502) and outer ring (500) define a flexible hinge that allows the slider body (512) to pivot relative to the assembly (306) about an axis (522) which, in this case, is the roll axis. Similarly, the strips (518 and 520) define a flexible hinge which allows the slider to pivot relative to the assembly (306) about another axis (524) which, in this case, is the pitch axis.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a disk drive that utilizes a multi-stage actuator associated with two or more heads that are each associated with a separate disk surface to realize high speed data transfers. In one embodiment, the multi-stage actuator is used to simultaneously transfer portions of a data file between the heads and the associated disk surfaces and to perform simultaneous seek operations for the heads between data transfer operations. In another embodiment, the multi-stage actuator is used to alternatingly transfer portions of a data file between the heads and the associated disk surfaces and to perform alternating seek operations for the heads such that one head is transferring data while another head is performing a seek operation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the position of a computer hard disk drive transducer head are provided. According to the invention, an initial value compensation scheme is applied to a signal derived from available states of the transducer head when the control mode of the disk drive switches from a track seek mode to a settling mode. In particular, at least portions of a the compensation signal are provided to both a coarse actuator and a microactuator associated with the transducer head. According to one embodiment of the present invention, high frequency components of the compensation signal are generally provided to the microactuator, while low frequency components of the compensation signal are generally provided to the coarse actuator. The method and apparatus of the present invention provide a computer hard disk drive having improved performance due to reduced settling times and improved audible characteristics.

Abstract: A magnetic storage system having one or more rotating disks is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, each rotating disk has two magnetic surfaces which each contain a number of tracks. Each track has one or more data regions and one or more embedded servo sectors. First and second transducers are respectively suspended over first and second tracks corresponding to first and second magnetic surfaces. The second transducer determines an off-track position with respect to the second track by reading from the data region of the second track. Once the off-track position is determined for the second transducer, that information is used to position the first transducer with respect to the first track and position the second transducer with respect to the second track as the first transducer writes to the first track. Furthermore, the first transducer is positioned at a correction rate that exceeds the rate at which the first transducer encounters embedded servo sectors in the first track.

Abstract: An apparatus for directly measuring an angular displacement of an actuator arm relative to a reference position is disclosed, wherein the actuator arm is rotatable about a fixed axis. The apparatus includes a reflection-type diffraction grating, a light source, a transmission-type diffraction grating and a detector. The reflection-type diffraction grating is mounted on the actuator arm. The light source emits a generally rectangularly-shaped laser beam that is aligned to strike the reflection-type diffraction grating to produce reflected beams. The transmission-type diffraction grating, through which the reflected beams pass, causes the reflected beams to converge and form an interference pattern. The detector is positioned to detect the interference pattern and generate a signal representative of the angular displacement of the actuator arm relative to the reference position.