Trace Gimbal Strut Layout for Higher Yaw Frequency
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Solution Overview
Problem
As track density in disk drives increases, it becomes difficult for motor and servo control systems to quickly and accurately position the read/write head over the desired track, necessitating improved tracking and head slider positioning control.
Innovation Solution
A trace gimbal design with specific strut configurations, including outer struts, a connecting strut with increased width, and an inner strut, which enhances the gimbal's flexibility and stiffness to allow precise head positioning.
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 it becomes increasingly difficult for the motor and servo control system to quickly and accurately position the read/write head over the desired track
Solution Approach 1:
The suspension system is segmented into multiple functional components: a load beam for mounting and rigid support, a flexure with gimbal region for resilient movement, and an actuator mounted on the flexure for fine tracking adjustments. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function while working together to solve the positioning problem at high track densities.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexure gimbal region is designed to be resiliently moveable, allowing dynamic adaptation to aerodynamic forces and disk surface fluctuations. The gimbal can move in pitch and roll directions to follow disk surface variations, providing dynamic positioning capability that maintains accuracy despite increased track density.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a resilient gimbal region is used to allow head slider movement, then the head slider can follow disk surface fluctuations, but the gimbal may experience excessive movement or instability under high aerodynamic forces
Solution Approach 1:
The flexure structure incorporates local quality variations through its gimbal region design, where specific geometric features and material properties are optimized to provide resilient movement in desired directions (pitch and roll) while maintaining stability. The load beam provides rigid support where needed, while the flexure provides compliance where required, creating a non-uniform structural quality distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring region of the load beam is pre-configured to provide a spring force that counteracts aerodynamic lift forces before they cause excessive gimbal movement. This preliminary counterbalancing action stabilizes the gimbal by compensating for expected aerodynamic loads, allowing the resilient gimbal region to follow disk surface fluctuations without excessive movement.
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
The new strut configuration improves the gimbal's ability to pitch and roll, increasing yaw frequency and reducing the need for deep notch filters, thereby enhancing servo bandwidth and head positioning accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
the air above the disk also rotates, thus creating an air bearing which acts with an aerodynamic design of the head slider to create a lift force on the head slider
Implementation Method 2
The spring region provides a spring force to counteract the aerodynamic lift force generated on the head slider during the drive operation
Implementation Method 3
The gimbal region is resiliently moveable with respect to the remainder of the flexure in response to the aerodynamic forces generated by the air bearing
Data Source
AI summary
A trace gimbal is described. 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 trace gimbal also includes a connecting strut connecting to the front outrigger and the rear outrigger. The connecting strut can have a width greater than a width of the outriggers. An inner strut can be connected to the connecting strut at a first end and a slider tongue at a second end.