Trace Gimbal Strut Segmentation for High Torsion Frequencies
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Solution Overview
Problem
As disk drive manufacturers strive to create smaller yet higher storage capacity drives, the increased track density makes it challenging for the motor and servo control system to quickly and accurately position the read/write head over the desired track.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a trace gimbal with outer struts, a middle strut, and an inner strut, which supports a microactuator mounted on the slider tongue, enhances the gimbal's torsional frequencies and maintains roll stiffness, thereby improving head slider positioning and tracking accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If track density is increased to achieve higher storage capacity, then storage capacity increases, but positioning accuracy and speed of the read/write head deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gimbal is divided into multiple functional struts (outer struts, middle strut, inner strut) with distinct roles. The outer struts provide primary structural support, the middle strut connects to the microactuator for fine positioning, and the inner strut provides additional stiffness. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, enabling high track density while maintaining positioning accuracy through coordinated action of the segmented elements.
2Quantity of substance
If track density is increased to achieve higher storage capacity, then storage capacity increases, but response speed of the read/write head positioning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gimbal design incorporates a microactuator mounted on the slider tongue that dynamically adjusts the position of the read/write head. This dynamic actuation system, combined with the optimized strut configuration, enables rapid response to positioning commands, allowing the system to quickly adapt to high track density requirements without sacrificing positioning speed.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the gimbal structure is made stiffer to maintain roll stiffness, then positioning stability improves, but torsion frequencies increase which may cause vibration issues
Solution Approach 1:
The gimbal employs local quality optimization where different regions have different structural properties. The outer struts are designed with specific thicknesses and lengths to provide overall roll stiffness, while the middle and inner struts are configured to locally manage torsional characteristics. This localized optimization allows the gimbal to maintain necessary roll stiffness for stable positioning while controlling torsion frequencies to avoid problematic vibrations.
Data Source
AI summary
A trace gimbal is described herein. In some embodiments, the trace gimbal includes outer struts including a front outrigger at a distal end of the trace gimbal and a rear outrigger at a proximal end of the trace gimbal. The front outrigger includes a distal front outrigger and a proximal front outrigger, and the rear outrigger includes a distal rear outrigger and a proximal rear outrigger. The trace gimbal further includes a middle strut extending in a width direction of the trace gimbal and adjoining the proximal front outrigger to the rear outrigger, and an inner strut connecting the middle strut to a slider tongue. The inner strut and the middle strut adjoin the outer gimbal struts to the slider tongue.