Abstract: An exemplary data storage device includes an actuator arm assembly, a top guide rail, a bottom guide rail, and a first ball bearing. The actuator arm assembly includes a first post defining a pivot axis that is inclined between about 5 degrees and about 25 degrees from a horizontal plane defined by a data storage disk surface. The top guide rail includes a first rolling surface that is parallel to the pivot axis. The bottom guide rail is spaced from the top guide rail and includes a second rolling surface that is parallel to the first rolling surface. The first ball bearing includes a first inner race and a first outer race, the first inner race surrounding the first post, and the first outer race in contact with the first rolling surface or the second rolling surface. An exemplary method of assembling a data storage device is also described.

Abstract: A data storage device including non-volatile storage is initialized from initialization information stored in an information initialization area. A pointer area is also provided on the non-volatile storage for storing initialization pointer information. Pointer information includes a sequence identifier. A processor is configured to read the storage locations in the pointer area and used the information to locate and read initialization information from the located initialization information area to initialize the data storage device. In one embodiment, sequence identifiers are examined to locate most recent sequence identifier for initialization. In other embodiments, more than one initialization area and/or pointer area may be used for robustness.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a slider having a constant flying height for an optical drive which is operated at a constant angular velocity. It is an object of the invention to propose a simple and cost-effective solution to allow the flying height of the slider to be kept virtually constant over the entire area of a storage medium, despite a variable linear velocity during operation at a constant angular velocity. According to the invention, this object is achieved by a drive for a storage medium which is driven at a constant angular velocity, having a slider which is attached by means of a spring arm to a carriage and floats on an air cushion above or under the rotating storage medium, and having a guide which guides the carriage relative to the storage medium, in which the guide is arranged such that the attachment point of the spring arm to the carriage is guided closer to the surface of the storage medium as the radius of the storage medium increases.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to reduce out-of-plane excitation force exerted on a coil in a voice coil motor of a magnetic disk drive, so that vibration of a magnetic head is suppressed. According to one embodiment, a voice coil motor has a flat magnet that faces a coil, and generates a magnetic field, and yokes that apply the magnetic field generated by the magnet to the coil. The magnet is provided with a magnetic flux guiding section, absorbing leakage flux from the magnet, on a most distal end of the magnet as viewed from a pivot axis. A most distal part of the coil as viewed from the pivot axis, may be situated in an outer side with respect to the most distal end of the magnet, and the magnetic flux guiding section is provided between the most distal end of the magnet and the most distal part of the coil.

Abstract: A flexible disk drive comprises a main frame, a magnetic head, a head assembly supporting the magnetic head so as to move the magnetic head in a tracking direction, and a guide rod fixedly attached onto the main frame by a metal fitting to guide the head assembly in the tracking direction. The main frame is made of a sheet metal and is provided with a recessed portion having a sidewall. The sidewall is faced to an end face of the guide rod with a small space left therebetween so that the recessed portion restricts the movement of the guide rod in the tracking direction.

Abstract: Brackets 9, 9 for supporting respective opposite ends of a guide rod 4 are provided with respective cam faces 95, 95 approximately symmetric about an approximate longitudinal midportion C of the guide rod 4, and at least one of the brackets 9 is provided with an adjusting member for moving the guide rod 4 longitudinally thereof. The cam faces 9 guide the guide rod 4 toward a direction in which the guide rod 4 pivotally moves about the approximate longitudinal midportion C, as the guide rod 4 is moved longitudinally thereof by the adjusting member.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information storage apparatus in which movement of a carriage is smooth, and precision of a recording reproduction position is high. Both a gravity center G of a carriage 120, and an application point H at which a slider 126 receives a force exist inside a triangle T whose respective vertexes are formed by a first support member 122 and second support members 123, 124.

Abstract: This invention provides a disk drive having an actuator for engaging and disengaging read/write heads with a recording medium, where the actuator comprises a head stack assembly, on which the heads are mounted, a guide track on which the head stack assembly slides, and a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating on at least a portion of the guide track, wherein reduced actuator friction and increased wear resistance is achieved. The invention also provides an actuator, for mounting in a disk drive and for communicating with a recording medium, a head stack assembly having read/write heads thereon, a corrosion resistant, heat dissipating guide track on which the head stack assembly slides, and a DLC coating on at least a portion of the guide track, for reducing actuator friction and wear and wherein corrosion resistance and heat dissipation is achieved.

Abstract: There is disclosed an information storage apparatus in which movement of a carriage is smooth, and precision of a recording reproduction position is high. Both a gravity center G of a carriage 120, and an application point H at which a slider 126 receives a force exist inside a triangle T whose respective vertexes are formed by a first support member 122 and second support members 123, 124.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a head carriage movable in a radial direction of a disk mounted on the disk drive, a guide rod fixed on a frame of th disk drive for guiding the head carriage, a voice coil motor including a magnetic circuit screwed on the frame and a drive coil mounted on the head carriage, a guide-rod catching member provided on the frame so as to catch the guide rod, and a resilient guide-rod urging member resiliently urging the guide rod against the guide-rod catching member, wherein the resilient guide-rod urging member is screwed on the frame together with the magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A drive section is disposed on only one side of a moving member. In the drive section, a coil is disposed sideways of a support portion so as to be in a vertically long state, and a guide portion is provided on an upper surface of the coil so as to extend from the coil onto a U-shaped yoke disposed on the side opposed to the coil. One side of the yoke is inserted into the coil. On an upper surface of the yoke is disposed a guide receiving portion which supports the tip end of the guide portion slidably. The yoke can be utilized to prevent rotation of the moving member, whereby it is possible to attain the simplification of structure.

Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a read/write head which reads information from or writes information to a recording disk. A movable head carriage supports the head thereon. The head carriage is movably supported on a guide shaft, and the guide shaft guides a movement of the head carriage. A head actuator exerts an actuating force on the head carriage to move the head, supported on the head carriage, in a radial direction of the disk. In the disk apparatus, the head carriage has a center of gravity at a position biased from a centerline of the head carriage and adjacent to the guide shaft, and the head actuator is attached to a side of the head carriage and has a centerline at a position adjacent to the guide shaft.

Abstract: A head carriage supports a head which performs recording and reproducing on a recording medium. A guide shaft guides a movement of the head carriage. A guide-shaft holding member holds an end portion of the guide shaft at a predetermined position of a frame. A driving portion moves the head carriage along the guide shaft. The guide-shaft holding member includes a fixed portion fixed on the frame, a leaf spring portion extending from the fixed portion and pushing the end portion of the guide shaft to the frame, and a supporting portion projecting from the fixed portion so as to support an intermediate portion in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring portion.