Disk device

Abstract

To provide a disk device capable of reducing the amount of displacement of an actuator assembly when colliding with a stopper.SOLUTION: According to an embodiment, a disk device includes: a disk-shaped storage medium; an actuator assembly rotatably mounted; a magnetic head supported by the actuator assembly; a first stopper disposed to be capable of coming into contact with the actuator assembly and configured to restrict movement of the actuator assembly in a first direction; and a first auxiliary stopper disposed at a position where the actuator assembly comes into contact after contacting the first stopper, the first auxiliary stopper being configured to restrict movement of the actuator assembly in the first direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a disk device. [Background technology]

[0002] As an example of a disk device, a hard disk drive (HDD) includes a rotatable magnetic disk mounted within a housing and a rotatable actuator assembly (sometimes called a head stack assembly (HSA)) that supports a magnetic head. The housing is provided with inner and outer stoppers that limit the range of movement of the actuator assembly. The actuator assembly is stopped by colliding with the stoppers, and movement beyond a predetermined range is limited. This prevents the magnetic head from colliding with other components or from falling off the ramp. To mitigate the impact when the actuator assembly collides, each stopper has an elastically deformable buffer member.

[0003] When the actuator assembly collides with the stopper, the stopper undergoes elastic deformation, but the amount of displacement (deformation) varies depending on the stopper's material, contact position, and collision speed. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure sufficient contact margin between the actuator assembly and other components, such as the magnetic circuit and recording medium, in accordance with the maximum amount of displacement. Increasing the contact margin leads to a reduction in the data area of ​​the recording medium and design constraints for other components. Furthermore, the stopper's buffer material can be a source of outgassing, potentially contaminating the magnetic head and magnetic disk. These problems adversely affect the reliability and lifespan of magnetic disk drives. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-124661 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 7,061,723 [Patent Document 3] U.S. Patent No. 6,125,017 [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-344497 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a disk device that can reduce the amount of displacement of a stopper in the event of a collision. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an embodiment, the disk device comprises a disk-shaped recording medium, a rotatably arranged actuator assembly, a magnetic head supported by the actuator assembly, a first stopper arranged to be able to abut against the actuator assembly and restricting movement of the actuator assembly in a first direction, and a first auxiliary stopper arranged at a position where the actuator assembly abuts after the actuator assembly abuts against the first stopper and restricting movement of the actuator assembly in the first direction. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a hard disk drive (HDD) according to a first embodiment, showing the top cover exploded. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the HDD. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a head actuator assembly and an FPC unit of the HDD. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the HDD with the head actuator assembly, FPC unit, and upper yoke removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the inner stopper (second stopper). [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the outer stopper (first stopper) and a longitudinal sectional view of the outer stopper (first stopper). [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature and the amount of overtravel when the inner stopper collides according to the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature and the amount of overtravel when the outer stopper according to the embodiment hits. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the inner surface of the top cover, the head actuator, and the auxiliary stopper. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the top cover and the auxiliary stopper. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with the actuator stopper. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the actuator assembly, the outer stopper, and the auxiliary stopper. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with the inner stopper. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the positional relationship between the inner surface of the top cover, the actuator assembly, the inner stopper, and the auxiliary inner stopper. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relationship between the behavioral displacement of the actuator assembly and time when it collides with the outer stopper. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a plan view schematically showing the behavior and displacement of the actuator assembly when it collides with the inner stopper and the auxiliary stopper. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with the outer stopper in the HDD according to the second embodiment. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the actuator assembly, the outer stopper, and the auxiliary stopper in the second embodiment. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of an auxiliary stopper according to a modified example. [Figure 20]FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with the outer stopper in the HDD according to the third embodiment. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with an inner stopper in the HDD according to the third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] A disk device according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The disclosure is merely an example, and appropriate modifications that are easily conceivable by those skilled in the art while maintaining the gist of the invention are naturally included within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the drawings may be schematic in size, shape, etc., of each part compared to the actual embodiment for clarity of explanation, but these are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention. Furthermore, in this specification and each drawing, elements similar to those previously described with reference to the previous drawings may be designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions may be omitted as appropriate.

[0009] (First embodiment) A hard disk drive (HDD) according to a first embodiment will be described in detail as a disk device. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the HDD according to the first embodiment with the cover disassembled, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the HDD with the cover removed. As shown in FIG. 1, the HDD includes a substantially rectangular housing 10. The housing 10 has a rectangular box-shaped base 12 with an open top, and a cover (top cover) 14 that is fastened to the base 12 with a plurality of screws 13 and closes the top opening of the base 12. The base 12 has a rectangular bottom wall 12a that faces the cover 14 with a gap therebetween, and side walls 12b that extend along the periphery of the bottom wall 12a. The base 12 is integrally molded from, for example, an aluminum alloy. The side walls 12b include a pair of long side walls facing each other and a pair of short side walls facing each other. The cover 14 is formed into a rectangular plate shape from, for example, stainless steel. The periphery of the cover 14 is fastened to the top surfaces of the side walls 12b with the screws 13.

[0010] The housing 10 contains a plurality of magnetic disks 18 (e.g., ten) as disk-shaped recording media, and a spindle motor 19 that supports and rotates the magnetic disks 18. The spindle motor 19 is disposed on the bottom wall 12a. Each magnetic disk 18 is formed in a disk shape, e.g., 96 mm (3.5 inches) in diameter, and includes a substrate made of a non-magnetic material, e.g., glass or aluminum, and magnetic recording layers formed on the upper surface (first surface) and lower surface (second surface) of the substrate. The magnetic disks 18 are coaxially fitted to the hub of the spindle motor 19 and further clamped by a clamp spring 20. This supports the magnetic disks 18 in a state parallel to the bottom wall 12a of the base 12. The plurality of magnetic disks 18 are rotated at a predetermined rotation speed by the spindle motor 19. The number of magnetic disks 18 mounted is not limited to ten, and may be nine or fewer, or eleven or more.

[0011] 1 and 2, housing 10 contains a plurality of magnetic heads 17 that record and reproduce information on magnetic disks 18, and an actuator assembly (sometimes referred to as a head stack assembly (HSA)) 22 that supports these magnetic heads 17 so that they can move freely relative to magnetic disks 18. Housing 10 also contains a voice coil motor (VCM) 24 that rotates and positions actuator assembly 22, a ramp load mechanism 25 that holds magnetic heads 17 in an unload position spaced apart from magnetic disks 18 when they move to the outermost periphery of magnetic disks 18, a board unit (FPC unit) 21 on which electronic components such as a conversion connector are mounted, and a spoiler 70. Actuator assembly 22 and VCM 24 constitute a head actuator. A printed circuit board 27 is screwed to the outer surface of the bottom wall 12a of the base 12. The printed circuit board 27 constitutes a control unit. This control unit controls the operation of the spindle motor 19, and also controls the operation of the VCM 24 and the magnetic head 17 via the board unit 21.

[0012] 3 is a perspective view showing the actuator assembly and the board unit. As shown in the figure, the actuator assembly 22 includes an actuator block 29 having a through-hole 26, a bearing unit (unit bearing) 28 provided in the through-hole 26, a plurality of (e.g., eleven) arms 32 extending from the actuator block 29, a suspension assembly (sometimes referred to as a head gimbal assembly: HGA) 30 attached to each arm 32, and a magnetic head 17 supported by the suspension assembly 30. A support shaft (pivot) 31 stands on the bottom wall 12a of the base 12. The support shaft 31 stands approximately parallel to the rotation axis of the spindle motor 19. The actuator block 29 is supported by the bearing unit 28 so as to be rotatable around the support shaft 31.

[0013] In this embodiment, the actuator block 29 and the eleven arms 32 are integrally formed from aluminum or the like, constituting a so-called E-block. The arms 32 are formed, for example, in the shape of long, narrow flat plates, and extend from the actuator block 29 in a direction perpendicular to the support shaft 31. The eleven arms 32 are arranged parallel to one another with gaps between them. According to this embodiment, the corners of the actuator block 29 on the top cover side and on the support frame 33 side are chamfered to form flat contact surfaces 29a.

[0014] The actuator assembly 22 has a bifurcated support frame 33 that extends from the actuator block 29 in the direction opposite to the arm 32. The support frame 33 supports a voice coil 34 that constitutes a part of the VCM 24. The support frame 33 has a first contact portion 33a that can come into contact with an inner stopper (described later) and a second contact portion 33b that can come into contact with an outer stopper (described later). As shown in FIG. 2, the voice coil 34 is located between a pair of yokes 37a, 37b, one of which is fixed on the base 12, and constitutes the VCM 24 together with these yokes 37a, 37b and a magnet fixed to one of the yokes.

[0015] 3, the actuator assembly 22 has 20 suspension assemblies 30, each supporting a magnetic head 17. The suspension assemblies 30 are attached to the extending end 32a of each arm 32. The multiple suspension assemblies 30 include up-head suspension assemblies that support the magnetic heads 17 facing upward, and down-head suspension assemblies that support the magnetic heads 17 facing downward. These up-head suspension assemblies and down-head suspension assemblies are constructed by arranging suspension assemblies 30 of the same structure facing upside down. 3, in this embodiment, the down head suspension assembly 30 is attached to the uppermost arm 32, and the up head suspension assembly 30 is attached to the lowermost arm 32. An up head suspension assembly 30 and a down head suspension assembly 30 are attached to each of the nine intermediate arms 32.

[0016] The suspension assembly 30 has a substantially rectangular base plate 38, a load beam 42 made of a long, thin leaf spring, and a long, thin, strip-shaped flexure (wiring member) 40. The flexure 40 has a freely displaceable gimbal portion on which the magnetic head 17 is mounted. The base end of the base plate 38 is fixed to the extending end 32a of the arm 32. The load beam 42 extends from the base plate 38 and tapers toward the extending end. The base plate 38 and the load beam 42 are made of, for example, stainless steel. The load beam 42 generates a spring force (reaction force) that urges the magnetic head 17 toward the surface of the magnetic disk 18. A tab 44 protrudes from the tip of the load beam 42. The tab 44 can be engaged with a ramp 74 (described later) and constitutes a ramp load mechanism 25 together with the ramp 74.

[0017] 3, the FPC unit 21 integrally includes a substantially rectangular base portion 21a bent into an L-shape, a narrow strip-shaped relay portion 21b extending from one side edge of the base portion 21a, and a joint portion 21c provided continuously with the tip of the relay portion 21b. The base portion 21a, the relay portion 21b, and the joint portion 21c are formed of a flexible printed circuit board (FPC). The flexible printed circuit board has an insulating layer such as polyimide, a conductive layer formed on the insulating layer and having a plurality of wirings, connection pads, etc., and a protective layer covering the conductive layer.

[0018] Electronic components such as a conversion connector (not shown) and multiple capacitors are mounted on the base portion 21a and electrically connected to wiring (not shown). A metal plate that functions as a reinforcing plate is affixed to the base portion 21a. The base portion 21a is installed on the bottom wall 12a of the base 12. The relay portion 21b extends from the side edge of the base portion 21a toward the actuator block 29 of the actuator assembly 22. A joint portion 21c provided at the extending end of the relay portion 21b is affixed to the installation surface of the actuator block 29 and further fixed to the installation surface with fixing screws 72. A number of connection pads are provided on the joint portion 21c. For example, one head IC (head amplifier) ​​67 is mounted on the joint portion 21c, and this head IC 67 is connected to the connection pads and the base portion 21a via wiring. Furthermore, a voice coil 34 is connected to the joint portion 21c.

[0019] The flexure 40 of each suspension assembly 30 has one end electrically connected to the magnetic head 17, the other end extending to the actuator block 29 through a groove formed in the side edge of the arm 32, and a connection end (tail connection terminal portion) 48c provided at the other end. The connection end 48c is formed in an elongated rectangular shape. The connection end 48c is provided with a plurality of connection terminals (connection pads) 45, for example, thirteen connection terminals 45. These connection terminals 45 are respectively connected to the wiring of the flexure 40. That is, the plurality of wirings of the flexure 40 extend over substantially the entire length of the flexure 40, one end is electrically connected to the magnetic head 17, and the other end is connected to the connection terminals (connection pads) 45. The connection terminals 45 provided on the connection end 48c are joined to the connection pads of the joint 21c and are electrically connected to the wiring of the joint 21c via the connection pads. As a result, the 20 magnetic heads 17 of the actuator assembly 22 are electrically connected to the base portion 21a through the wiring of the flexure 40, the connection end 48c, the joint 21c of the FPC unit 21, and the relay portion 21b.

[0020] 1 and 2, when the actuator assembly 22 is installed in the base 12, the support shaft 31 stands upright and is approximately parallel to the spindle of the spindle motor 19. The actuator assembly 22 is rotatably supported around the support shaft 31 and can rotate between an unload position (position shown by a solid line in FIG. 2) where the magnetic head 17 is unloaded outside the outermost periphery of the magnetic disk 18 and an inner peripheral position (position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2) where the magnetic head 17 is located on the innermost periphery of the magnetic disk 18. Each magnetic disk 18 is positioned between two suspension assemblies 30. When the HDD is in operation, the magnetic head 17 supported by the two suspension assemblies 30 faces the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetic disk 18, respectively.

[0021] The ramp load mechanism 25 includes a ramp 74. As shown in FIG. 1, the ramp 74 is fixed to the base 12 and is located near the periphery of the magnetic disk 18. When the HDD is not in operation, when the magnetic head 17 moves away from the outer periphery of the magnetic disk 18 and moves to a predetermined unload position, the tab 44 of the suspension assembly 30 climbs onto the ramp 74. This keeps the magnetic head 17 at the unload position away from the magnetic disk 18.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the HDD with the actuator assembly, FPC unit, and upper yoke 37b removed. As shown in the figure, of the pair of yokes constituting the VCM 24, the lower yoke 37a is disposed on the bottom wall 12a of the base 12 and fixed to the bottom wall 12a. The lower yoke 37a is, for example, a substantially L-shaped flat plate and is disposed along a corner of the bottom wall 12a. Support sleeves 38a and 38b are erected at one end and the other end of the lower yoke 37a. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper yoke 37b has a flat plate having substantially the same shape as the lower yoke 37a and a pair of legs extending from both ends of the flat plate. The upper yoke 37b is disposed overlapping the lower yoke 37a. Furthermore, the upper yoke 37b is fixed to the lower yoke 37a and the bottom wall 12a by two fixing screws 40a, 40b that are screwed into the bottom wall 12a through the cover 14, the upper yoke 37b, the support sleeves 38a, 38b, and the lower yoke 37a, respectively. In one example, permanent magnets (not shown) are provided on the upper surface of the lower yoke 37a and the lower surface of the upper yoke 37b.

[0023] 2 and 4, the HDD includes an inner stopper (first stopper) 50 and an outer stopper (second stopper) 60 that define the movement range (rotation range) of the actuator assembly 22. In one example, the inner stopper 50 is provided upright on the lower yoke 37a. In another example, the outer stopper 60 is provided upright on the bottom wall 12a near the lower yoke 37a.

[0024] 2, the inner stopper 50 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the first contact portion 33a of the support frame 33 of the actuator assembly 22 when the magnetic head 17 moves toward the inner periphery (first direction) of the magnetic disk 18 and reaches the innermost periphery of the magnetic disk 18. In other words, the inner stopper 50 limits the range of movement of the magnetic head 17 and the actuator assembly 22 toward the inner periphery (first direction). The outer stopper 60 is provided at a position where the second abutment portion 33b of the support frame 33 abuts against the outer stopper 60 when the magnetic head 17 moves toward the outer periphery of the magnetic disk 18 (in the second direction) and retreats to a parking area (unload position) on the ramp 74 and is positioned at the innermost periphery of the magnetic disk 18. In other words, the outer stopper 60 limits the range of movement of the magnetic head 17 and the actuator assembly 22 toward the outer periphery (in the second direction). This prevents the magnetic head 17 from falling off the ramp 74. In this way, the movement range (rotation range) of the actuator assembly 22 and the magnetic head 17 is defined by the inner stopper 50 and the outer stopper 60.

[0025] An example of the inner stopper 50 and the outer stopper 60 will be described. 5 is a perspective view showing the inner stopper. As shown in the figure, the inner stopper 50 has a stopper pin 51 and a buffer member 52 attached to the stopper pin 51. The stopper pin 51 has one end that engages with a through hole in the lower yoke 37a and the other end that engages with a through hole in the upper yoke 37b, and is provided upright approximately perpendicular to the lower yoke 37a. In one example, the buffer member 52 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The buffer member 52 is attached to the stopper pin 51 with its inner peripheral surface in close contact with the peripheral surface of the stopper pin 51. A portion of the outer peripheral surface of the buffer member 52 forms a contact surface with which the first contact portion 33a of the actuator assembly 22 comes into contact. The buffer member 52 is formed of an elastic buffer material such as rubber or elastomer. The shape of the buffer member 52 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and various shapes can be used.

[0026] FIG. 6A is a perspective view of the outer stopper, and FIG. 6B is a vertical end view thereof. As shown in the figure, the outer stopper 60 includes a stopper pin 61 and a buffer member 62 attached to the stopper pin 61. The stopper pin 61 has one end that engages with a recess in the bottom wall 12a and the other end that engages with the cover 14, and is provided so as to stand approximately perpendicular to the bottom wall 12a. In one example, the buffer member 62 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The buffer member 62 is attached to the stopper pin 61 with its inner peripheral surface in close contact with the peripheral surface of the stopper pin 61. A portion of the outer peripheral surface of the buffer member 62 forms a contact surface with which the second contact portion 33b of the actuator assembly 22 comes into contact. The buffer member 62 is formed of an elastic buffer material such as rubber or elastomer. The shape of the buffer member 62 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and various shapes can be used.

[0027] 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature and the amount of overtravel (stopper displacement) of the inner stopper during a collision according to the embodiment. In the illustrated example, the buffer member 52 of the inner stopper 50 is made of a resin, for example, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). From FIG. 7, it can be seen that the higher the temperature, the greater the amount of displacement (deformation) (amount of overtravel) of the inner stopper (buffer member 52) during a collision.

[0028] Fig. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature and the amount of over-travel (stopper displacement) of the outer stopper during a collision according to this embodiment. In the illustrated example, the buffer member 62 of the outer stopper 60 is made of rubber, for example, fluororubber. From Fig. 8, it can be seen that the higher the temperature, the greater the amount of displacement (deformation) (amount of over-travel) of the outer stopper (buffer member 62) during a collision.

[0029] The HDD according to this embodiment further includes an auxiliary inner stopper (first auxiliary stopper) 54 and an auxiliary outer stopper (second auxiliary stopper) 64 that define the movement range (rotation range) of the actuator assembly 22. The auxiliary stoppers 54 and 64 will be described in detail below. FIG. 9 is a perspective view that schematically shows the inner surface of the cover, the actuator assembly, and the outer stopper, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the auxiliary outer stopper.

[0030] 9, the top cover 14 of the housing 10 has a gasket 15 provided along the periphery of its inner surface. When the top cover 14 is fixed to the base 12, the gasket 15 comes into close contact with the end surface of the side wall 12b of the base 12. The gasket 15 is formed by applying a liquid gasket (FIPG) such as a resin-based, rubber-based, or silicone-based gasket.

[0031] An auxiliary inner stopper 54 and an auxiliary outer stopper 64 are provided on the inner surface of the top cover 14. The auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64 are formed, for example, from a liquid gasket (FIPG) similar to the gasket 15, and are adhered to the inner surface of the cover 14. As shown in FIG. 10 , the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64 are formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape and have a central axis and an outer circumferential surface that are perpendicular to the inner surface of the cover 14.

[0032] In this embodiment, as an example, if the hardness (hardness measured with a type A durometer, the same applies below) of the buffer member 62 of the outer stopper 60 is 90 and the hardness of the buffer member 52 of the inner stopper 50 is 60, the hardness of the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is 30. That is, in this embodiment, the auxiliary stoppers 54, 64 are formed of a material that is lower in hardness than the inner stopper 50 and the outer stopper 60.

[0033] Fig. 11 is a plan view of the housing, schematically showing the actuator assembly in contact with the outer stopper 60 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the actuator assembly, the outer stopper, and the auxiliary outer stopper 64. 9, 11, and 12, if the counterclockwise direction (toward the inner periphery) around pivot 31, which is the rotation center of actuator assembly 22, is defined as first direction A and the clockwise direction (toward the outer periphery) is defined as second direction B, outer stopper 60 is provided at a position where second contact portion 33b of frame 33 abuts when actuator assembly 22 rotates within the maximum rotation range in second direction B. As will be described later, when second contact portion 33b collides, buffer member 62 of outer stopper 60 is pushed in second direction B and elastically deforms in the second direction. As a result, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 11, actuator assembly 22 including magnetic head 17 moves in second direction B by the amount of elastic deformation of buffer member 62 after hitting outer stopper 60.

[0034] The auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided at a position where the actuator assembly 22 will come into contact when the actuator assembly 22 moves further in the second direction after coming into contact with the outer stopper 60, and limits the movement of the actuator assembly 22 in the second direction B. In this embodiment, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the tip end, side edge of the arm 32 at the top (on the cover 14 side).

[0035] FIG. 15 shows the behavior of the actuator assembly when the actuator assembly 22 collides with the outer stopper 60, and the behavior of the actuator assembly when an auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided. In FIG. 15, the dashed line shows the behavior of the actuator assembly when only the outer stopper 60 is provided. When the actuator assembly collides with the outer stopper 60 at a speed of, for example, 2 (m / s) (line B: collision position), the actuator assembly further moves in the second direction B from line B to the position of line A. The maximum displacement amount at this time is defined as MS. Due to the rebound of the buffer member 62, the actuator assembly is temporarily returned from the position of line A to the side of line B, and then moves again to the side of line A. The actuator assembly repeats this operation multiple times, converging to the position of line B.

[0036] 15, the solid line indicates the behavior of the actuator assembly when the outer stopper 60 and auxiliary outer stopper 64 are provided, as in this embodiment. The actuator assembly collides with the outer stopper 60 at the position of line B at a speed of, for example, 2 (m / s), and then collides with the auxiliary outer stopper 64 at the position of line C. The actuator assembly moves slightly from the collision position C in the second direction B due to the elastic deformation of the auxiliary outer stopper 64, and then returns to the side of line B due to the repulsion of the auxiliary outer stopper 64, and then moves again to the side of line C. The actuator assembly repeats this operation multiple times, converging to the position of line B.

[0037] As described above, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the actuator assembly 22 within the range of the maximum displacement MS of the outer stopper 60, for example, at the position of line C. In other words, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the actuator assembly 22 before the outer stopper 60 is fully elastically displaced. It can also be seen that providing the auxiliary outer stopper 64 reduces the displacement of the actuator assembly 22 when it collides with the outer stopper, and allows the behavior of the actuator assembly to converge in a shorter time.

[0038] Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and housing when colliding with the inner stopper, Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing the relative positions of the inner surface of the top cover, the actuator assembly, the inner stopper, and the auxiliary inner stopper, and Fig. 16 is a plan view schematically showing the behavioral displacement of the actuator assembly when it collides with the inner stopper and the auxiliary inner stopper. 13 and 14, the inner stopper 50 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the first contact portion 33a of the frame 33 when the actuator assembly 22 rotates within the maximum rotation range in the first direction A. When the first contact portion 33a collides with the inner stopper 50, the buffer member 52 of the inner stopper 50 is pushed in the first direction A and elastically deforms in the first direction. As a result, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 13, after the actuator assembly 22 including the magnetic head 17 hits the inner stopper 50, it moves in the first direction A by the amount of elastic deformation of the buffer member 52.

[0039] 13, 14, and 16, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 is provided at a position where the actuator assembly 22 will come into contact with the inner stopper 50 when the actuator assembly 22 moves further in the first direction A after coming into contact with the inner stopper 50, thereby restricting the movement of the actuator assembly 22 in the first direction A. In this embodiment, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the tip end, side edge of the arm 32 at the top (on the cover 14 side).

[0040] Like the auxiliary outer stopper 64, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the actuator assembly 22 within the range of the maximum displacement of the inner stopper 50, for example, at an intermediate position of the displacement. In other words, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the actuator assembly 22 before the inner stopper 50 is fully elastically displaced. As with the behavior of the actuator assembly when the outer stopper collides with the inner stopper 50 shown in Fig. 15, by providing the auxiliary inner stopper 54, the amount of displacement of the actuator assembly 22 when it collides with the inner stopper 50 is reduced, and the behavior of the actuator assembly converges in a shorter time.

[0041] In the HDD according to the first embodiment configured as described above, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and auxiliary outer stopper 64 are provided, which significantly reduces the amount of displacement of the actuator assembly 22 and magnetic head 17 when they collide with the stoppers. This makes it possible to reduce the contact margin between the actuator assembly 22 and magnetic head 17 and other components, such as the magnetic circuit and recording medium, thereby expanding the data area of ​​the recording medium. At the same time, this increases the degree of freedom in the design of other components. Furthermore, because the auxiliary stoppers 54, 64 can reduce the amount of displacement of the actuator assembly 22, it becomes possible to expand the range of materials that can be used for the buffer members 52, 62 of the outer stopper 60 or inner stopper 50, making it possible to select, for example, materials that generate less outgassing. By using such materials, the effects of outgassing can be reduced, and the reliability and lifespan of the magnetic disk drive can be improved. As described above, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to obtain a disk device that can reduce the amount of displacement of the stopper during a collision.

[0042] Although the HDD according to the embodiment is configured to have both an auxiliary inner stopper and an auxiliary outer stopper, the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured to have only one of the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64. Even in this case, it is possible to reduce the amount of displacement of the inner or outer actuator assembly upon collision and reduce the margin setting amount. Furthermore, the auxiliary inner stopper and the auxiliary outer stopper are not limited to being configured to have a lower hardness than the outer stopper and the inner stopper, and may be formed of a material having a higher hardness than the outer stopper and the inner stopper.

[0043] Next, an HDD according to another embodiment will be described. In the following description of the other embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted or simplified. The following description will focus on the parts that differ from the first embodiment.

[0044] (Second embodiment) Fig. 17 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with the outer stopper in the HDD according to the second embodiment, and Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing the actuator assembly, outer stopper, and auxiliary stopper in the second embodiment. As shown in the drawings, in the second embodiment, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 provided on the inner surface of the top cover 14 is positioned so as to be able to abut against the abutment surface 29a of the actuator block 29, rather than the arm 32 of the actuator assembly 22. More specifically, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape using a liquid gasket dispensed onto the inner surface of the top cover 14, and has a central axis and an outer peripheral surface that are perpendicular to the inner surface of the cover 14. The auxiliary outer stopper 64 is positioned so as to be able to abut against the abutment surface 29a of the actuator assembly 22 when the actuator assembly 22 moves further in the second direction B after abutting against the outer stopper 60, thereby limiting the movement of the actuator assembly 22 in the second direction B. In other words, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is positioned so as to abut against the abutment surface 29a of the actuator assembly 22 before the outer stopper 60 is fully elastically deformed.

[0045] In the second embodiment, the other configurations of the HDD are the same as those of the HDD according to the first embodiment. The second embodiment also provides the same advantageous effects as those of the first embodiment. That is, a disk drive is provided that can significantly reduce the amount of displacement of the actuator assembly 22 and the magnetic head 17 when the actuator assembly 22 collides with the stopper.

[0046] (Variation) FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of an auxiliary stopper according to a modified example. As shown in the figure, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and / or the auxiliary outer stopper 64 may include a stopper pin 55 as a core material. The stopper pin 55 is molded integrally with the top cover 14 and stands upright approximately perpendicular to the top cover 14. The auxiliary inner stopper 54 and / or the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is also formed to overlap the stopper pin 55 and cover it. By providing the stopper pin 55, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and / or the auxiliary outer stopper 64 can be fixed to the top cover 14 with greater strength.

[0047] (Third embodiment) Figure 20 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with the outer stopper in the HDD according to the third embodiment. Figure 21 is a plan view showing the actuator assembly and the housing in a state where they collide with the inner stopper in the HDD according to the third embodiment. As shown in the figure, in the HDD according to the third embodiment, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64 are provided on the base 12 of the housing 10, in this case, on the bottom wall 12a.

[0048] As shown in Figure 20, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 has a stopper pin 65 erected on the bottom wall 12a and a buffer member 66 attached to the stopper pin 65. In one example, the buffer member 66 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The buffer member 66 is formed from an elastic buffer material such as rubber or elastomer. The shape of the buffer member 66 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and various shapes are applicable. Furthermore, the buffer member 66 is not limited to being made of the same material as the buffer members 52, 62 of the inner stopper 50 and the outer stopper 60, and may be made of a different material.

[0049] The auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided at a position where the actuator assembly 22 will abut against it when the actuator assembly 22 moves further in the second direction B after abutting against the outer stopper 60, thereby limiting the movement of the actuator assembly 22 in the second direction B. In this embodiment, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided at a position where it will abut against the fourth abutment portion 33d located on the outer surface of the extending end of the support frame 33. In other words, the auxiliary outer stopper 64 is provided at a position where it will abut against the fourth abutment portion 33d of the actuator assembly 22 before the outer stopper 60 is completely elastically displaced.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 21 , the auxiliary inner stopper 54 has a stopper pin 56 erected on the bottom wall 12 a or a lower yoke (not shown), and a buffer member 57 attached to the stopper pin 56. In one example, the buffer member 57 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The buffer member 57 is formed from an elastic buffer material such as rubber or elastomer. The shape of the buffer member 57 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and various shapes can be applied. Furthermore, the buffer member 57 is not limited to being made of the same material as the buffer members 52, 62 of the inner stopper 50 and the outer stopper 60, and may be made of a different material.

[0051] The auxiliary inner stopper 54 is provided at a position where the actuator assembly 22 will abut against it when the actuator assembly 22 moves further in the first direction A after abutting against the inner stopper 50, thereby limiting the movement of the actuator assembly 22 in the first direction A. In this embodiment, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 is provided at a position where it will abut against the third abutment portion 33c located on the inner surface of the extending end of the support frame 33. In other words, the auxiliary inner stopper 54 is provided at a position where it will abut against the third abutment portion 33c of the actuator assembly 22 before the inner stopper 50 is completely elastically displaced.

[0052] In the third embodiment, the other configurations of the HDD are the same as those of the HDD according to the first embodiment. The third embodiment also provides the same advantageous effects as those of the first embodiment. That is, a disk drive is provided that can significantly reduce the amount of displacement of the actuator assembly 22 and the magnetic head 17 when the actuator assembly 22 collides with the stopper. Although the HDD according to the third embodiment is configured to have both the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64, the present invention is not limited to this and may be configured to have only one of the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64. Even in this case, it is possible to reduce the amount of displacement of the inner or outer actuator assembly upon collision and reduce the margin setting amount. Moreover, a configuration may be adopted in which the third embodiment and the first embodiment are combined, that is, one of the auxiliary inner stopper 54 and the auxiliary outer stopper 64 may be provided on the base 12 side, and the other may be provided on the top cover 14.

[0053] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining multiple components disclosed in the above embodiments. For example, some components may be omitted from all the components shown in the embodiments. Furthermore, components from different embodiments may be appropriately combined.

[0054] In the various embodiments described above, the buffer member is not limited to a cylindrical shape and various shapes can be selected. It is sufficient that the buffer member has an abutment portion that abuts against the actuator assembly. Furthermore, the adsorbent or adsorption unit is not limited to being provided on both the inner stopper and the outer stopper, but may be provided on only one of the stoppers. Even in this case, the effect of reducing the amount of outgassing can be obtained. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 10... housing, 12... base, 12a... bottom wall, 12b... side wall, 14... top cover, 17...magnetic head, 18...magnetic disk, 19...spindle motor, 22...Actuator assembly, 29-point actuator block, 30... suspension assembly, 32... arm, 33... support frame, 33a...first contact part, 33b...second contact part, 33c...third contact part, 33d...fourth contact portion, 37a...lower yoke, 37b...upper yoke, 50...inner stopper (first stopper), 51, 61...stopper pin, 54... Auxiliary inner stopper (first auxiliary stopper), 52, 62... Cushioning member, 60...Outer stopper (second stopper), 64...Auxiliary outer stopper (second auxiliary stopper)

Claims

1. a disk-shaped recording medium; a pivotally mounted actuator assembly; a magnetic head supported by the actuator assembly; a first stopper that is disposed so as to be able to come into contact with the actuator assembly and that restricts movement of the actuator assembly in a first direction; a first auxiliary stopper that is disposed at a position where the actuator assembly comes into contact with the first stopper after the actuator assembly comes into contact with the first stopper, and that restricts movement of the actuator assembly in the first direction; A disk device comprising:

2. the first stopper includes an elastic buffer member that is provided so as to be able to come into contact with the actuator assembly; 2. The disk drive according to claim 1, wherein the first auxiliary stopper is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the actuator assembly before the buffer member is fully elastically deformed in the first direction.

3. a housing having a base on which the recording medium and the actuator assembly are arranged, and a top cover that closes an opening of the base; 2. The disk device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper is provided on the base, and the first auxiliary stopper is provided on the top cover.

4. the housing has a gasket sandwiched between the base and the top cover, 4. The disk drive according to claim 3, wherein the first auxiliary stopper is made of the same material as the gasket and is disposed on the inner surface of the top cover.

5. the actuator assembly includes an actuator block rotatably supported on the base, an arm and a suspension extending from the actuator block toward the recording medium, the magnetic head supported on an extending end of the suspension, and a support frame extending from the actuator block in a direction opposite to the arm, the first stopper is disposed at a position capable of contacting the support frame, 4. The disk device according to claim 3, wherein the first auxiliary stopper is disposed at a position where it can come into contact with the arm.

6. the actuator assembly includes an actuator block having a contact surface and rotatably supported on the base, an arm and a suspension extending from the actuator block toward the recording medium, the magnetic head supported on an extending end of the suspension, and a support frame extending from the actuator block in a direction opposite to the arm, the first stopper is disposed at a position capable of contacting the support frame, 4. The disk device according to claim 3, wherein the first auxiliary stopper is disposed at a position where it can come into contact with the contact surface of the actuator block.

7. a housing having a base on which the recording medium and the actuator assembly are arranged, and a top cover that closes an opening of the base; 2. The disk device according to claim 1, wherein the first stopper is provided on the base, and the first auxiliary stopper is provided on the base.

8. a second stopper that is disposed so as to be able to come into contact with the actuator assembly and that restricts movement of the actuator assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction; 2. The disk device according to claim 1, further comprising: a second auxiliary stopper that is positioned at a position where the actuator assembly abuts after the actuator assembly abuts against the second stopper, and that restricts movement of the actuator assembly in the second direction.

9. the second stopper includes an elastic buffer member that is provided so as to be able to come into contact with the actuator assembly; 9. The disk drive according to claim 8, wherein the second auxiliary stopper is provided at a position where it comes into contact with the actuator assembly before the buffer member is fully elastically deformed in the second direction.

10. a housing having a base on which the recording medium and the actuator assembly are arranged, and a top cover that closes an opening of the base; 9. The disk device according to claim 8, wherein the second stopper is provided on the base, and the second auxiliary stopper is provided on the top cover.

11. the actuator assembly includes an actuator block rotatably supported on the base, an arm and a suspension extending from the actuator block toward the recording medium, the magnetic head supported on an extending end of the suspension, and a support frame extending from the actuator block in a direction opposite to the arm, the second stopper is disposed at a position capable of contacting the support frame, 11. The disk device according to claim 10, wherein the second auxiliary stopper is disposed at a position where it can come into contact with the arm.

12. a housing having a base on which the recording medium and the actuator assembly are arranged, and a top cover that closes an opening of the base; 9. The disk device according to claim 8, wherein the second stopper is provided on the base, and the second auxiliary stopper is provided on the base.

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