Disk Drive Arm Protrusion for Flexible Substrate Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Designing a thin arm in a disk device, such as a hard disk drive, is challenging due to the difficulty in securely holding a flexible substrate, which affects the stability and functionality of the magnetic head.
Innovation Solution
The arm is designed with a protruding body that includes a first and second surface parallel to the end surfaces, and a flexible substrate with a strip extending along the side surface, allowing the flexible substrate to be securely attached and positioned between the end surfaces, thereby facilitating the thinning of the arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If a thin arm is designed, then the overall device size is reduced, but the difficulty of securely holding the flexible substrate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from planar attachment to three-dimensional positioning by introducing a protrusion that extends in the thickness direction of the arm. This protrusion creates multiple surfaces (first surface facing the flexible substrate, second surface opposite to it) that enable secure holding of the flexible substrate through multi-directional contact, effectively solving the attachment difficulty in thin-arm configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The protrusion acts as an intermediary structure between the arm and the flexible substrate. It provides a dedicated attachment interface that mediates the connection, allowing the flexible substrate to be securely held without requiring the entire arm structure to be thick. The protrusion includes positioning features that facilitate precise and reliable attachment.
2Length of moving object
If a thin arm is designed, then the device size is reduced, but the stability of the magnetic head is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
By introducing the protrusion that extends in the thickness direction, the invention creates a three-dimensional attachment structure. This protrusion has a first surface that contacts the flexible substrate and a second surface opposite to it, enabling multi-directional support. This dimensional enhancement provides adequate stability for the magnetic head while maintaining the thin profile of the arm.
3Length of moving object
If a thin arm is designed, then the device size is reduced, but the functionality of the magnetic head is affected
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusion serves as an intermediary structure that preserves magnetic head functionality in a thin-arm design. It includes a positioning portion that ensures proper positioning of the flexible substrate, and a holding portion that secures it in place. This intermediary structure maintains the electrical and mechanical functionality of the magnetic head while enabling the arm to be thin.
Data Source
AI summary
A disk device includes magnetic disks, a magnetic head, a suspension, and a carriage. The suspension includes a flexible substrate on which the magnetic head is mounted. The carriage includes an arm to which the suspension is attached. The arm includes opposing first and second end surfaces, a side surface extending between the first end surface and the second end surface, and a protruding body that protrudes from the side surface and has a first surface parallel to and spaced apart from the first end surface and a second surface parallel to and spaced apart from the second end surface. The flexible substrate includes a strip extending along the side surface. The strip includes a portion positioned between the first end surface and the protruding body in the axial direction and is positioned between the first end surface and the second end surface in the axial direction.