Falling sensor and the information processing device making use of it

• US 6,995,939 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Japan Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Japan Limited (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Takahashi, Tsuyoshi, Ito, Tatsuya, Yuki, Tetsuo, Ishikawa, Masatoshi, Nishimura, Yuji, Okumura, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hudspeth, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): OLSON, JASON C
• Application Number:
  US10/882,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20040240098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 360/75, 360/69
• US Class Current: 360/75
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/0891 with indication of predetermined acceleration values G01P15/135 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/04 Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against double recording on the same blank or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 21/12 Raising and lowering; Back-spacing or forward-spacing along track; Returning to starting position otherwise than during transducing operation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/54 with provision for moving the head into or out of its operative position or across tracks

Abstract

A falling sensor is provided, which detects a falling of a magnetic disk drive or an information processing device installed with the magnetic disk drive and which is effective for avoiding physical damage of magnetic heads and magnetic disk media. The magnetic disk drive or the information processing device, include an unload mechanism moving or evacuating the magnetic head from a surface of the magnetic disk media, and a falling sensor comprising a conductive flexible beam or member having a compatible function, a conductive weight supported by these beams and a conductive wall arranged to be made in contact or non-contact with the weight. The sensor can detect a falling of the magnetic disk drive or the information processing device, which is typically a notebook personal computer installed with the magnetic disk drive, and evacuate the magnetic head by the unload mechanism.

Claims

1. A control method of a magnetic disk drive, said magnetic disk drive having:

an information recording or reproducing magnetic disk,

a magnetic head which read from or write to said magnetic disk,

an unload mechanism which evacuates said magnetic head from the surface of said magnetic disk, and

a falling sensor which is provided with a conductive weight,

a flexible elastic member deformed by said weight, and

a conductive member which is arranged to be placed in contact or non-contact with said weight,

wherein said weight contacts said conductive member at the deflected state of said elastic member by said weight, said control method comprising the steps of;

monitoring whether an output of said falling sensor shows a falling state, in which said weight is caused to be in non-contact with said conductive member;

keeping said monitoring state for a predetermined time period;

evacuating said magnetic head from the surface of said magnetic disk after said predetermined time period;

keeping said evacuating state for a second predetermined time period to wait residual vibrations after getting shock are settled; and

restarting said falling sensor to monitor whether said output shows a falling state.

2. A control method of an information processing device, said information processing device including a magnetic disk drive comprising:

an information recording or reproducing magnetic disk,

a magnetic head which read from or write to said magnetic disk,

an unload mechanism which evacuates said magnetic head from the surface of said magnetic disk, and

a falling sensor comprising a conductive weight, a flexible elastic member deformed by said weight, and a conductive member which is arranged to be placed in contact or non-contact with said weight, wherein said weight contacts said conductive member at the deflected state of said elastic member, said control method comprising the steps of;

monitoring whether an output of said falling sensor shows a falling state, in which said weight becomes to be non-contact with said conductive member;

keeping said monitoring state for a predetermined time period if said output shows said falling state;

evacuating said magnetic head from the surface of said magnetic disk after said predetermined time period;

keeping said evacuating state for a second predetermined time period to wait residual vibrations after getting shock are settled; and

restarting said falling sensor to monitor whether said output shows a falling state.

3. A control method of an information processing device, said information processing device including:

a falling sensor comprising a conductive weight,

a flexible elastic member deformed by said weight, and

a conductive member which is arranged to be placed in contact or non-contact with said weight,

wherein said weight contacts said conductive member at the deflected state of said elastic member, and

a shock-resistant means for performing a shock-resistant operation, comprising the steps of;

monitoring whether an output of said falling sensor shows a falling state, in which said weight becomes to be in non-contact with said conductive member;

keeping said monitoring state for a predetermined time period;

evacuating said magnetic head from the surface of said magnetic disk after said predetermined time period;

keeping said evacuating state for a second predetermined time period to wait residual vibrations after getting shock are settled; and

restarting said falling sensor to monitor whether said output shows a falling state.