Magnetic disk storage apparatus with multiple sets of actuator arms for read/write operations at different circumferential locations within the disk stack

• US 5,343,345 A
• Filed: 05/01/1992
• Issued: 08/30/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Delphi Memory Technologies
• Original Assignee: Paul A. Gilovich
• Inventors: Gilovich, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): HEINZ, ALLEN J
• Application Number:
  US07/877,092
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 360/104, 360/106
• US Class Current: 360/264.7
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4813 Mounting or aligning of arm assemblies, e.g. actuator arm supported by bearings, multiple arm assemblies, arm stacks or multiple heads on single arm G11B5/484 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4886 relative to rotating disc
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5521 across disk tracks spiral track following G11B5/596
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5578 Multiple actuators addressing the same disk, e.g. to improve data rate or access rate

Abstract

A hard disk drive for providing memory storage for a computer includes a rotatable stack of disks and a plurality of rotary actuator arms mounting magnetic heads for movement radially of the disks to read/write magnetically encoded data on each surface thereof. The actuator arms which extend between adjacent spaced disks are pivotally mounted in a scissor-like arrangement so that the radial tracking movement of the heads thereon occurs in angularly spaced locations in the disk stack. The rotary actuators are driven by a pair of drive arms extending in opposed relationship from the actuator pivot axis.

Claims

1. Magnetic disk storage apparatus comprising a stack of closely spaced magnetic disks each having opposed flat faces for carrying magnetically encoded data, means for rotating said disks, a plurality of actuator arms each mounted for pivotal movement at one end thereof about an actuator pivot axis extending adjacent said stack of disks and parallel to the axis of rotation of the disks so that the arms extend within the stack between the spaced disks, each of said arms having a distal end opposite to said one end, a magnetic transducer head carried by each of the arms at its distal end, means for jointly pivoting said arms so that each of said heads traverses an arcuate path adjacent one of said faces of a disk with each disk having one head traversing a path adjacent each of its faces, the arms of each pair of actuator arms which extend between a pair of adjacent disks to traverse the opposed faces thereof being angularly offset from each other about the pivot axis in a plane parallel to the planes of the disks so that the paths traversed by the magnetic heads carried by such actuator arms are located on opposite sides of a plane through the actuator pivot axis and the axis of rotation of the stack of disks, said plane of the actuator arms between adjacent disks being parallel to the planes of the disks and passing through both arms so as to minimize the required spacing between disks in the disk stack, a pair of motors positioned at opposite sides of said plane through the actuator pivot axis and the axis of rotation of the stack of disks, a drive arm connected between each motor and said actuator arms for moving said heads on their arcuate paths across said disk faces, each drive arm being affixed to the actuator arms to rotate therewith about said pivot axis, and each of said motors being operatively connected to its respective drive arms at a position spaced from said actuator pivot axis so that the line of applied force of the motor passes through the center of percussion of those actuator arms located on the same side of said plane through the actuator pivot axis.

2. Magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said angle between the longitudinal axis of the drive arm and the longitudinal axes of the actuator arms to which it is connected is less than 90 degrees.

3. Magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said angle between the longitudinal axis of the drive arm and the longitudinal axes of the actuator arms from which it projects is approximately 50 degrees.

4. Magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 1 including a second plurality of actuator arms, said second plurality of actuator arms carrying magnetic heads and having a pair of drive arms and motors connected thereto similarly to the first-described plurality of actuator arms, said second plurality of actuator arms being mounted for rotation about a second actuator pivot axis, both of said actuator pivot axes lying generally in said plane extending through the axis of rotation of the disks so that the first and second plurality of actuator arms are mounted for pivotal movement at directly opposite sides of the stack of disks.

5. In a magnetic storage apparatus including a stack of hard disks in superimposed spaced relationship each having read/write surfaces on both sides thereof, an actuator arm assembly comprising a plurality of actuator arms mounted in spaced relationship adjacent said stack of disks so that the arms extend within the stack between the spaced disks, means for fixedly connecting said actuator arms for joint pivotal movement about an actuator pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the disks, a magnetic transducer head mounted at the distal end of each of said actuator arms, a drive arm projecting from at least one of said actuator arms along a longitudinal drive arm axis at an angle about said actuator pivot axis from the longitudinal axis of said one actuator arm through the magnetic head supported thereby, said drive arm having a distal end spaced from the pivot axis, and a motor operatively connected to the distal end of the drive arm for pivoting said drive arm about the actuator pivot axis so as to selectively move the magnetic heads radially of the read/write surfaces of the disks, said actuator arms including at least one pair of actuator arms extending between a pair of adjacent disks for communication with the opposed read/write surfaces thereof with the actuator arms of said pair being angularly offset from each other about the pivot axis in a plane parallel to the planes of the disks so that the paths traversed by the magnetic heads carried by such actuator arms are located on opposite sides of a plane through the actuator pivot axis and the axis of rotation of the stack of disks, said plane of the actuator arms between adjacent disks passing through both arms so as to minimize the required spacing between the disks in the disk stack, the line of applied force of the drive arm passing through the center of percussion of the actuator arms.

6. In a magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 5 including a pair of motors and a pair of drive arms with each motor being connected to the distal end of one of the drive arms, said motors being positioned at opposite sides of said plane through the actuator pivot axis and the axis of rotation of the stack of disks, and the line of applied force of each drive arm passing through the center of percussion of those actuator arms on the same side of said plane through the actuator pivot axis.

7. In a magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said angle between each drive arm longitudinal axis and the longitudinal axis of the actuator arm to which it is connected is less than 90 degrees.

8. In a magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said angle between the longitudinal axis of the drive arm and the longitudinal axis of the actuator arm from which it projects is less than 90 degrees.

9. In a magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said angle between the longitudinal axis of the drive arm and the longitudinal axis of the actuator arm from which it projects is approximately 50 degrees.

10. In a magnetic disk storage apparatus according to claim 5 including a second actuator arm assembly, said second actuator arm assembly including magnetic transducer heads, drive arm, motor and mounting means similarly to the first-described actuator arm assembly, said second actuator arm assembly being mounted for rotation about a second actuator pivot axis, both of said actuator pivot axes lying generally in said plane extending through the axis of rotation of the disks so that the first and second actuator arm assemblies are mounted for pivotal movement at directly opposite sides of the stack of disks.

11. A magnetic disk storage module comprising a base of rectangular shape, a stack of closely spaced magnetic disks each having opposed flat faces for carrying magnetically encoded data, means for rotating said disks, a first set of actuator arms each being mounted for joint pivotal movement at one end thereof adjacent said stack of disks about a first actuator pivot axis so that the arms extend within the stack between the spaced disks, said first pivot axis being located at one end of said base, each of said arms having a distal end opposite said one end thereof, a magnetic transducer head carried by each of the arms at its distal end, first means for jointly pivoting said arms so that each of said heads traverses an arcuate path adjacent one of said faces of a disk with each disk having one head traversing a path adjacent each of its faces, the arms of each pair of actuator arms which extend between a pair of adjacent disks to traverse the opposed faces thereof being angularly offset from each other about the first pivot axis in a plane parallel to the planes of the disks so that the paths traversed by the magnetic heads carried by such actuator arms are of identical length and curvature adjacent the opposed faces of the disks but are located on opposite sides of a plane through said first pivot axis and the axis of rotation of the disks, said plane through the disk axis of rotation longitudinally bisecting the base, said plane of the actuator arms between adjacent disks being parallel to the planes of the disks and passing through both arms so as to minimize the required spacing between disks in the disk stack, said first means for pivoting comprising a first pair of drive arms connected to the actuator arms for movement therewith and extending therefrom in opposed directions from said plane through the axis of rotation of the disks, each of said drive arms having a distal end spaced from the actuator pivot axis, and a first pair of motors positioned at opposite sides of said plane through the axis of rotation of the stack of disks and directly adjacent the opposed longitudinal sides of the base, each motor being operatively connected to the distal end of one of the drive arms, a second set of actuator arms mounted for joint pivotal movement about a second actuator pivot axis located at the opposite end of the base from said first end thereof and on said plane through the disk axis of rotation, and a second means for jointly pivoting said second set of actuator arms including a second pair of drive arms and a second pair of motors connected to the second set of actuator arms in the same manner as the first set of actuator arms and first means for jointly pivoting are connected, sad second set of motors being positioned directly adjacent to the opposed longitudinal sides of the base but at the opposite ends thereof from the first set of motors.

12. A magnetic disk storage module according to claim 11 wherein the lines of force applied by each of said first and second sets of motors through the first and second sets of drive arms passes through the centers of percussion of the first and second sets of actuator arms respectively.