Opposing Laser Emitters for HDD Head Suspension Attitude Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing attitude correction apparatuses for hard disk drive head suspensions face damage due to accidental laser beam emission from one laser emitter to another, particularly when using high-gain fiber lasers, which can intensify and damage optical isolators and light sources.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus includes a pair of opposing laser emitters with their optical axes displaced in a standby state to prevent laser beams from intersecting, ensuring that a laser beam emitted from one emitter does not reach the light source of the other emitter, thereby protecting the optical system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a pair of laser emitters are arranged to face each other for attitude correction, then attitude correction speed and accuracy are improved, but the risk of laser beam damage to the opposing emitter's optical system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally displacing the optical axes of the two laser emitters relative to each other. Instead of arranging the emitters with perfectly aligned optical axes facing each other, the optical axis of at least one laser emitter is displaced in the vertical direction, creating an asymmetric configuration that prevents the laser beam from reaching the opposing emitter's optical components while maintaining the corrective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by pre-positioning the optical axes in a displaced configuration before operation. This preliminary arrangement ensures that even if one laser emitter accidentally emits a beam during standby or operation, the beam will not reach the opposing emitter's optical system, thus preventing damage before it can occur.
2Measurement precision
If high-gain fiber lasers are used for attitude correction, then correction accuracy is improved, but the damage intensity to optical components from accidental beam emission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric displacement of optical axes serves as a protective measure against the high gain of fiber lasers. By creating a geometric offset between the emitting beam path and the receiving optical components, the system neutralizes the potential harm from high-intensity accidental emission while preserving the high accuracy benefits of fiber laser technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harmful effect of high-gain laser emission into a beneficial protective feature. The same high-gain property that could cause damage is harnessed by using the displaced optical axis configuration to ensure that the intense beam, if accidentally emitted, will miss the optical components entirely, thus transforming a hazard into a safety mechanism.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively prevents damage to the optical systems of the laser emitters while allowing for precise attitude correction of the head suspension, improving accuracy and reducing correction time.
Implementation Method 1
emits a laser beam to a correction object, i.e., a head suspension to thermally deform the laser-irradiated part and correct the attitude of the head suspension
Data Source
AI summary
An attitude correction apparatus includes a pair of opposing laser emitters that face each other. Each of the laser emitters includes a laser oscillator to generate a laser beam, a condenser lens to emit the laser beam toward the head suspension, and galvanomirrors to adjust the directivity of an optical axis of the laser beam from a standby state toward a spot on the head suspension. The condenser lens of each laser emitter is positioned so that the directivity of the optical axis of the laser beam in the standby state disagrees with an optical path that passes through the condenser lens and laser oscillator of the other laser emitter.