Abstract: Measuring ramp friction in a disk drive including receiving a lift tab ramp load time profile for a voice coil motor and determining a load torque profile for a lift tab on the ramp based at least on the received ramp load time profile. The measuring also includes receiving a lift tab ramp unload time profile for the voice coil motor and determining an unload torque profile for the lift tab on the ramp based at least on the received ramp unload time profile. The measuring also includes calculating a ramp friction torque component based on the determined load torque profile and unload torque profile.

Abstract: A ramp for hard discs which is obtained by molding a resin composition containing (A) a polyoxymethylene resin, and (B) at least one polymeric lubricant selected from the group consisting of (b-1) a polyolefin resin, and (b-2) a polymer obtained by polymerizing an isocyanate compound and a polyalkylene oxide, and which has an excellent sliding property and no deterioration of sliding property due to solvent washing.

Abstract: A method for assembling a disk drive includes providing a head stack assembly (HSA), providing a shipping comb for assembling the disk drive, inserting a comb pin of the shipping comb into a locating holes in a HSA to assemble the shipping comb with the HSA together, positioning the HSA and shipping comb on a base cover of the disk drive, installing the HSA on the base cover via a bearing device thereof, rotating the assembled HSA and shipping comb to park the HSA on the ramp and aligning the comb pin with the securing hole, pushing the comb pin into a securing hole to lock the HSA in the base cover, assembling a latch device and a top voice coil magnet on the base cover, and rotating out the shipping comb to a position where the shipping comb is not interfered with the disk drive.

Abstract: In certain example embodiments, a shipping comb for assembling a disk drive is provided. The shipping comb has a comb block which includes a locking portion having a comb pin hole formed therein, at least one spacer, and a connecting beam to connect the locking portion and the at least one spacer. A comb pin is received in the comb pin hole of the locking portion. The comb pin includes at least two engaging portions. A controlling system has a comb latch selectively engagable with the at least two engaging portions so as to control the comb pin to move in the comb pin hole. In certain example embodiments, a method for assembling a disk drive using the shipping comb is provided.

Abstract: A method for creating a hard drive includes installing a slider in a disk drive having at least one disk lubricated with a first stage lubricant. The slider is designed to be in contact with the disk at initial use. The slider is burnished. A second stage lubricant is added to the disk after the burnishing step. The first stage lubricant provides less lubrication than the second stage lubricant, allowing the slider to be burnished in a controllable manner during the burnishing step. The second stage lubricant then provides lubrication to the disk during use by the end consumer.

Abstract: A disk drive has a rigid head cleaner with a textured surface. The texture lines are primarily orthogonal to the direction of movement of the read/write heads as they move across the head cleaner. The head cleaner may be coated with a diamond-like carbon protective coating or a lubricant. A soft head cleaning element may be placed next to the rigid head cleaner.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing device having a magnetic head unit includes a slider having a magnetic head element fitted to the front end thereof, a head support arm carrying the slider fitted to the front end thereof and urged toward a disk and a ramp member for guiding the slider fitted to the head support arm from a stand-by position to a recording/reproducing position for recording information signals on or reproducing information signals from the disk and is adapted to record information signals on or reproduce information signals from the rotating disk. The ramp member pushes up the head support arm in a twisted state, so as to make the end of the slider located upstream relative to the other end in the sense of rotation of the disk to face upward relative to the disk when the slider is driven to move between the stand-by position and the recording/reproducing position.

Abstract: A novel ramp loading scheme minimizes wear and friction between the rubbing surfaces (typically the flexure and the ramp surface) where both the ramp assembly and the actuator arm are coated with a hard, low-friction fluoropolymer compound. Tests conducted with this coating-on-coating scheme demonstrated that, after multiple load/unload cycles, the coefficient of friction along the rubbing surfaces was low and did not change appreciably. To minimize flying debris, if any, from contacting sensitive disc drive parts, a lubricant is coated on the stationary part (i.e., the ramp assembly).

Abstract: A disk drive of the type that receives a removable disk cartridge containing a disk-shaped storage medium, includes an actuator for carrying a pair of opposed read/write heads into engagement with respective opposite surfaces of the disk-shaped storage medium, and a pair of opposed projections disposed adjacent the read/write heads when they are in a retracted position. The opposed projections have opposed angled surfaces that deflect and capture the edge of the disk-shaped storage medium during cartridge insertion to prevent the edge of the storage medium from damaging the read/write heads. The opposed projections are preferably formed as part of a load ramp member that is snap-fit to another structure within the disk drive to facilitate assembly of the disk drive.