Peizoelectric microactuator and sensor failure detection in disk drives

Abstract

A test device and method for testing one of a disk drive microactuator and a disk drive sensor that includes two piezoelectric elements. The test device includes a signal generator, signal analyzer, and a user interface. The test device is operational to provide a reference signal (e.g. an electrical signal) to one of the piezoelectric elements in the microactuator and obtain a test measure from the other one of the piezoelectric elements. The test measure is then utilized to assess a performance parameter for the microactuator. The test measure is generated by the other one of the piezoelectric elements in response to the reference signal provided to the first one of the piezoelectric elements. In one embodiment of the invention, the test measure is a signal generated in response to the reference signal that may be compared to a known response signal of an operational microactuator to determine operational characteristics of a subject microactuator such as circuitry operation and/or damage to the microactuator.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001] This patent application claims priority from U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 345,037, that was filed on Oct. 23, 2001, and that is entitled "PZT MICROACTUATOR FAILURE DETECTION BY MEASURING PZT GENERATED VOLTAGE." The entire disclosure of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 60 / 345,037 is incorporated by reference herein.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002] The present invention generally relates to testing of disk drives, and more particularly, to testing and detecting failures in piezoelectric microactuators and piezoelectric sensors of disk drives.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003] Conventional disk drives typically include a base plate and a cover that is detachably connected to the base plate to define an enclosure for various disk drive components. One or more data storage disks are generally mounted on a spindle which is rotatably interconnected with the base plate and / or cover so as to allow the data storage disk(s) to rotate relative to both the base p...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

0009] In view of the foregoing, a broad objective of the present invention is to provide a test device and method for testing PZT microactuators and / or sensors to detect failures in the same. Another object of the present invention is to provide a reliable yet efficient test device and method for testing PZT microactuators and / or sensors in disk drives prior to shipping the drives to a customer(s). A related objective is to provide a test device and method for measuring the mechanical resonance of PZT microactuators and / or sensors for comparison to a predetermined mechanical resonance for an operational PZT microactuator and / or sensor.

Problems solved by technology

Further, if no test measure is received in response to providing the reference signal to the first one of the PZT elements, it is known that a connection and / or the circuitry in the closed loop system is faulty.

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