Magnetic disk unit

• US 5,627,699 A
• Filed: 02/07/1995
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ota, Shunichiro, Watanuki, Osaaki, Kanamaru, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): OMETZ, DAVID LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US08/385,008
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 360/97.01, 360/97.02, 360/97.03, 360/102, 360/103
• US Class Current: 360/97.02
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/32 Maintaining desired spacing between record carrier and head, e.g. by fluid-dynamic spacing damping of vibrations of record carriers on turntables by fluid-dynamic means G11B19/2018
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/507 combined with means for reducing influence of physical parameters, e.g. temperature change, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/148 Reducing friction, adhesion, drag

Abstract

To provide a lubricant supply being capable of supplying adequate lubricant over a long period in a magnetic disk unit comprising a lubricant supply to reduce friction between a magnetic disk and magnetic head. A unit of the invention can supply lubricant uniformly to a magnetic disk, and easily controls supply volume. This comprises a material impregnated with lubricant having sufficient lubricant to supply over a long period, a thin film to supply predetermined lubricant to a disk surface, the film permeable by lubricant from the material impregnated with lubricant, and a clamp assembly to fix the material impregnated with lubricant and the thin film to the disk. The thin film is fixed on the disk and compressed by a compression part formed at the edge of the clamp assembly. The degree of compression controls lubricant supply to the disk.

Claims

1. A magnetic disk unit comprising:

a spindle motor;

a magnetic disk;

a clamp assembly to secure the magnetic disk to the spindle motor the clamp assembly having a plurality of convex parts formed on it;

a material impregnated with lubricant located between the clamp assembly and the magnetic disk;

a porous film permeable by the lubricant and located between the material impregnated with lubricant and the disk, the porous film having notches formed on its outer circumference in accordance with the convex parts; and

an assembly to hold and fix the material impregnated with lubricant and the porous film between the clamp assembly and the disk, wherein the porous film is secured on the disk by the clamp assembly through mating of the notches of the porous film with the convex parts of the clamp assembly, and the lubricant in the material impregnated with lubricant is supplied on the disk surface through the porous film.

2. A magnetic disk unit according to claim 1 wherein the holding assembly is a holding structure in the spindle motor of the clamp assembly.

3. A magnetic disk unit according to claim 1 further comprising an adjustment mechanism to adjust pressure to the disk by the clamp assembly to adjust the lubricant supply to the disk surface.

4. A magnetic disk unit according to claim 1 further comprising:

a magnetic head carrier having sliding legs contacting the lubricant film on the magnetic disk surface, the lubricant film being supplied by lubricant from the impregnated material.

5. A magnetic disk unit according to claim 1 wherein the porous film is made of porous plastic or a porous sintered metal.

6. A magnetic disk unit according to claim 1 wherein the material impregnated with lubricant is made of porous plastic or a porous sintered metal.

7. A magnetic disk unit comprising:

a spindle motor;

a magnetic disk;

a clamp assembly to secure the magnetic disk to the spindle motor, the clamp assembly having a plurality of convex parts formed on it;

a material impregnated with lubricant located between the clamp assembly and the magnetic disk;

a porous film permeable by the lubricant and located between the material impregnated with lubricant and the disk, the porous film having a plurality of through-holes formed on it for mating with the convex parts of the clamp assembly; and

an assembly to hold and fix the material impregnated with lubricant and the porous film between the clamp assembly and the disk, wherein the porous film is secured on the disk by the clamp assembly through mating of the through-holes of the porous film with the convex parts of the clamp assembly, and the lubricant in the material impregnated with lubricant is supplied on the disk surface through the porous film.