Multiple actuator assemblies for data storage devices

• US 6,057,990 A
• Filed: 05/26/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delphi Memory Technologies
• Original Assignee: Paul A. Gilovich
• Inventors: Gilovich, Paul A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cao, Allen T.
• Application Number:
  US09/084,509
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 360/104-106
• US Class Current: 360/246.7
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 11/1055 Disposition or mounting of transducers relative to record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 21/00 Head arrangements not specific to the method of recording or reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 21/08 Track changing or selecting G11B21/12 takes precedenceduring transducing operation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4886 relative to rotating disc
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4893 relative to moving tape
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4976 Disposition of heads, e.g. matrix arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5578 Multiple actuators addressing the same disk, e.g. to improve data rate or access rate
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/08576 Swinging-arm positioners
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 7/14 specially adapted to record on, or to reproduce from, more than one track simultaneously

Abstract

A data storage device having a first data storage disk and a first actuator arm assembly having at least one arm is provided. Each of the arms have a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head for reading information from and writing information to only the first data storage disk. The data storage device comprises a second data storage disk and a second actuator arm assembly having at least one arm. Each arm has a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head with the read/write transducer head reading information from and writing information to only the second data storage disk.

Claims

1. A data storage device having a first data storage disk rotating either clockwise or counterclockwise and a first actuator arm assembly having at least one arm, each of the arms have a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head for reading information from and writing information to only the first data storage disk, the device comprising:

a second data storage disk rotating in the same general direction as the first data storage disk; and

a second actuator arm assembly having at least one arm, each arm having a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head, the read/write transducer head reading information from and writing information to only the second data storage disk;

wherein the first data storage disk is free from having information read from and written to by the second actuator arm assembly and wherein the second data storage disk is free from having information read from and written to by the first actuator arm assembly.

2. The data storage device of claim 1 and further comprising a third data storage disk rotating in the same general direction as the first data storage disk and a third actuator arm assembly having at least one arm, each arm having a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head, the read/write transducer head reading information from and writing information to only the third data storage disk wherein the third data storage disk is free from having information read from and written to by the first and second actuator arm assemblies.

3. The data storage device of claim 2 and further comprising a fourth data storage disk rotating in the same general direction as the first data storage disk and a fourth actuator arm assembly having at least one arm, each arm having a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head, the read/write transducer head reading information from and writing information to only the fourth data storage disk wherein the third data storage disk is free from having information read from and written to by the first, second, and third actuator arm assemblies.

4. The data storage device of claim 3 and further comprising a fifth data storage disk rotating in the same general direction as the first data storage disk and a fifth actuator arm assembly having at least one arm, each arm having a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head, the read/write transducer head reading information from and writing information to only the fifth data storage disk wherein the fourth data storage disk is free from having information read from and written to by the first, second, third, and fourth actuator arm assemblies.

5. The data storage device of claim 4 and further comprising a sixth data storage disk rotating in the same general direction as the first data storage disk and a sixth actuator arm assembly having at least one arm, each arm having a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head, the read/write transducer head reading information from and writing information to only the sixth data storage disk wherein the fifth data storage disk is free from having information read from and written to by the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth actuator arm assemblies.

6. The data storage device of claim 5 and further comprising `n` data storage disks rotating in the same general direction as the first data storage disk and `n` actuator arm assemblies having at least one arm each, each arm having a distal end carrying a read/write transducer head, the read/write transducer head of each actuator arm assembly reading information from and writing information to a respective one of the data storage disks wherein the `n` data storage disk is free from having information read from and written to by the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth actuator arm assemblies.

7. The data storage device of claim 1 wherein each data storage disk has a first side and a second side, the read/write transducer heads on the first actuator assembly being heads up and the read/write transducer heads on the second actuator assembly being heads down.

8. The data storage device of claim 1 and further comprising a housing surrounding the data storage disks and the actuator assemblies, the housing comprising a top plate, a bottom plate, a middle connecting portion, the disk spindle shaft, and the actuator spindle shafts constructed from a material stiffer than aluminum.

9. The data storage device of claim 1 wherein the spacing between the disks is minimized.

10. The data storage device of claim 1 wherein each read/write transducer head is constructed substantially identical and interchangeable with each other read/write transducer head.

11. A data storage device having at least one disk rotating about a spindle, the device comprising:

at least two actuator arm assemblies, a first actuator arm assembly and a second actuator arm assembly, each actuator arm assembly having at least one read/write transducer head, each read/write transducer head on the first actuator arm assembly being constructed substantially identical to and following the disk in the same direction as each read/write transducer head on the second actuator arm assembly, wherein the first actuator arm assembly and the second actuator arm assembly are positioned on the same side of the spindle.

12. The data storage device of claim 11 and further comprising a third actuator arm assembly, the third actuator arm assembly having at least one read/write transducer head, each read/write head being constructed substantially identical to each read/write transducer head of the first and second actuator arm assemblies to follow the disk in the same direction.

13. The data storage device of claim 11 and further comprising a fourth actuator arm assembly, the fourth actuator arm assembly having at least one read/write transducer head, each read/write head being constructed substantially identical to each read/write transducer head of the first, second, and third actuator arm assemblies to follow the disk in the same direction.

14. The data storage device of claim 11 and further comprising a fifth actuator arm assembly, the fifth actuator arm assembly having at least one read/write transducer head, each read/write head being constructed substantially identical to each read/write transducer head of the first, second, third, and fourth actuator arm assemblies to follow the disk in the same direction.

15. The data storage device of claim 11 and further comprising a sixth actuator arm assembly, the sixth actuator arm assembly having at least one read/write transducer head, each read/write head being constructed substantially identical to each read/write transducer head of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth actuator arm assemblies to follow the disk in the same direction.

16. The data storage device of claim 11 and further comprising an `nth` actuator arm assembly the `nth` actuator arm assembly having at least one read/write transducer head, each read/write head being constructed substantially identical to each other read/write transducer head to follow the disk in the same direction.

17. The data storage device of claim 11 wherein the data storage device requires no servo clock head to write servo clock track information to the disks.

18. The data storage device of claim 17 wherein the first actuator assembly has a first read/write transducer head and a second read/write transducer head and the second actuator assembly has a first read/write transducer head and a second read/write transducer head, the first or second read/write transducer head of the first actuator assembly writing clock track on the first data storage disk while the first or second read/write transducer head of the second actuator assembly writing servo information on the second data storage disk.

19. The data storage device of claim 17 wherein the first actuator assembly has a first read/write transducer head and a second read/write transducer head and the second actuator assembly has a first read/write transducer head and a second read/write transducer head, the first or second read/write transducer head of the second actuator assembly writing clock track on the first data storage disk while the first or second read/write transducer head of the first actuator assembly writing servo information on the second data storage disk.

20. The data storage device of claim 11 wherein each read/write transducer head on the first actuator arm assembly is positioned on a first side of the disk and each read/write transducer head on the second actuator arm assembly is positioned on a second side of the disk.