A latching apparatus of hard disk drive using bimetal

Abstract: Disclosed is a latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal member, the apparatus including locking/releasing means (31-33) for selectively locking/releasing an actuator (4) for protecting a magnetic disk from being damaged by a magnetic head (6); a bimetal member (B) for operating the locking/releasing means (31-33) by heat expanding and shrinking according to whether an electric power is applied or not; and heating means (H) for operating the bimetal member (B). Preferably, the heating means (H) is made of tantalum-aluminum(TaAl) alloy or nickel-chrome(NiCr) alloy.

Description: The present invention relates to a hard disk drive (HDD), and more particularly relates to a latching apparatus of an HDD using a bimetal in which a magnetic disk is prevented from being damaged by external vibration or impact by firmly fixing an actuator in a state where the magnetic head is being parked, using expansion and shrinkage of bimetal. Generally, computers equip an auxiliary memory as a subsidiary means of a main memory for recording much data which exceeds memory capacity of the main memory. A magnetic disk, a magnetic tape, a magnetic drum, a floppy disk and an optical disk are known as auxiliary memories. A hard disk drive having at least more than one magnetic disk is widely used as an auxiliary memory in a personal computer. A conventional embodiment of the magnetic disk drive will be described hereinafter with reference to attached drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, at least one magnetic disk 2 is rotatably fixed by a spindle motor (not shown) in a main body 1. Both sides of the magnetic disk 2 can memorize or read information. An actuator is installed on one edge portion in the main body 1. The actuator includes: an arm 4 which is rotatably supported by a pivot bearing 3; a suspension 5 which is combined with and fixed to an end portion of the arm 4 in parallel with the magnetic disk 2; a pair of magnetic heads 6 which are supported by the end portion of the suspension 5 for facing each other; and a voice coil motor 7 which consists of a coil and a magnet and is installed on the arm 3. When a pair of magnetic heads 6 access each side of the magnetic disk 2, the pivot bearing 3 defines the rotational center of movement of the actuator and the rotational power is generated by the voice coil motor 7. A slider which is raised by the rotational power of the magnetic disk 2 and magnetic circuits which can memorize or read information in the magnetic disk 2 is formed as a single body in the magnetic head 6. Moreover, when main power of the hard disk drive is turned off, as set by a system, an actuator locking apparatus automatically moves the magnetic head 6 into a parking zone in the magnetic disk 2 and prevents actuator shake by external vibration or impact. For example, an automatic locking magnet 8 is attached to one edge portion of the main body 1, an automatic locking arm 9 is fixed to an end portion of the arm 4 and a latch pin 10 is fixed to the automatic locking arm 9. As above-mentioned, in the hard disk drive generally used, when the power is turned off, the magnetic disk 2 keeps at a stop state because the spindle motor is not driven. Accordingly, the magnetic head 6 loses rising power and is in the parking zone in the magnetic disk 2 by the inputted signal in the system. Then, the latch pin 10 of the actuator is absorptively fixed to the automatic locking magnet 8 by the strong magnetic force, the shaking of the actuator by the external vibration or impact is prevented. Consequently, the magnetic head 6 cannot intrude into a data zone of the magnetic disk 2. In the meantime, when the power of the hard disk drive is turned on, the spindle motor rotates and the magnetic disk 2 connected to the spindle motor rotates. Consequently, the magnetic head 6 rises to a predetermined height according to the rotational pneumatic pressure of the magnetic disk 2. The raised magnetic head 6 moves from the inside to the outside of the magnetic disk 2 and memorizes or reads data by the driving of the actuator according to a system signal. Then, when the driving power of the voice coil motor 7 exceeds the magnetic force of the automatic locking magnet 8 which restricts the latch pin 10 in the turning off the hard disk drive, the locking state is released. Accordingly, the data is memorized or read by current strength flown in the voice coil motor 7 by moving the magnetic head 6 to a desired position. But, in the generally used hard disk drive as above-mentioned, the magnetic force of the automatic locking magnet 8 is determined within the range which is not affected by precise position control in case that the magnetic head 6 seeks and follows a predetermined track in the magnetic disk 2. Accordingly, the magnetic force is determined by the driving power and control of the voice coil motor 7. Consequently, locking force of the actuator has a predetermined value because magnetic force of the automatic locking magnet 8 is limited to some extent. Therefore, if an external vibration or impact is higher than the magnet force of the automatic locking magnet 8, the magnet head 6 goes beyond the data zone of the magnet disk 2, to thereby cause a hard defect the data zone of the magnetic disk 2. As a result, the data memorized on the magnetic disk 2 is damaged. Some of the problems associated with conventional embodiments of HDDs can be overcome by applying the teachings of Patent Abstracts of Japan number 02267786 which discloses a carriage mechanism for a magnetic disk device utilising a bimetal. This document has been used to delimit the two- part form of claim 1. Therefore, it is an aim of preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide a latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal means for locking an actuator firmly in parking state of the magnetic head by using heat expansion and shrinkage of the bimetal according to whether an electric power is applied or not that overcomes some or all of the disadvantages of known latching apparatus. It is another aim of embodiments of the present invention to provide a latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal means for preventing data damage of a magnet disk by firmly fixing the actuator regardless of external vibration or impact that overcomes some or all of the disadvantages of known latching apparatus. According to the invention, there is provided a latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal, according to claim 1 to 12. For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a hard disk drive including a latching apparatus according to the conventional art; Figure 2 is a plan view of a hard disk drive including a latching apparatus using a bimetal means not part of the invention; Figure 3 is a plan view showing a structure of the latching apparatus using a bimetal means not part of the invention; Figures 4A and 4B are views of a structure of a latching apparatus using a bimetal means according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which Figure 4A shows the latching apparatus of which an actuator is in a locking state and Figure 4B shows the latching apparatus of which the actuator is in a releasing state; Figure 5 is a sectional view of an actuator of a latching apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention, in which a bimetal member is in a normal state; Figure 6 is a sectional view of the actuator of the latching apparatus in Figure 5, in which the bimetal member is subjected to an application of an electric power to be expanded; Figures 7 to 10 are plan views showing various types of the bimetal applied to the actuator of the latching apparatus in Figure 5; Figure 11 is a sectional view of an actuator of a latching apparatus according to still further embodiment of the present invention, in which a bimetal member is in a normal state; Figure 12 is a sectional view of the actuator of the latching apparatus in Figure 11, which shows the bimetal member expanded by an electric power applied thereto; Figures 13 to 16 are views respectively showing a base member used in the actuator according to embodiments of the present invention, in which Figures 13 and 14 show the base member having a single heater and in which Figures 15 and 16 show the base member having a cell type of a heater; and Figure 17 is a sectional view of a base member made from a metal according to still further embodiment of the present invention. The objects, characteristics and advantages of the above-described invention will be more clearly understood through the preferred embodiments referring to the attached drawings. Figure 2 is a plan view of a hard disk drive equipped with a latching apparatus using a bimetal means and Figure 3 is a plan view showing structure of the latching apparatus using a bimetal. The embodiment shown on these figures is not part of the invention. The latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal means includes: locking/releasing means for selectively locking/releasing the actuator 20 for protecting a magnetic disk 2 from being damaged by a magnetic head 6; a bimetal member B for operating the locking/releasing means by heat expanding and shrinking according to applied power; and a heater H for operating the bimetal member B. The heater H of the latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal means is made of tantalum-aluminum(TaAl) alloy or nickel-chrome(NiCr) alloy. The locking/releasing means includes: a moving latch 31 formed on one end portion of an arm 4 which forms the actuator 20; a rotational latch 31 which is rotatably combined with one side of the actuator 20 by a hinge pin 32 and forms a hooking protrusion 33a for hooking by the moving latch 31; and an elastic member 34 such as a compression coil spring for elastically supporting the rotational latch 33 constantly to one direction. The locking/releasing means is not restricted to the preferred embodiments shown in attached drawings and can be modified to various shapes. The bimetal member B is supported by a supporting arm 21 fixed to a main body 21 and drives the rotational latch 33 by expanding or shrinking by the heater H. A numeral 22 (not described) in drawings is a power supply line. In the following description, when elements relating to the present invention are the same or equivalent to elements of the prior art, the same numerals will be used. According to the described embodiments of latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal means, the magnetic head 6 of the actuator 20 is in a parking zone when the hard disk drive is turned off. That is, the hooking protrusion 33a of the rotational latch 33 is hooked by the moving latch 31 of the arm 4. Accordingly, the actuator 20 does not move anymore regardless of external vibration or impacts. When the power of the hard disk drive is turned on, the power is applied to the heater H via the power supply line 22. When the temperature of the heater H reaches a predetermined temperature, the bimetal member B is rising to bimetal force direction, as shown by the arrow. Accordingly, the rotational latch 33 ovecomes the resilient elasticity force of the elastic member 34 and rotates in an anti-clockwise direction with respect to, and centering on, the hinge pin 32. Consequently, the locking state is released because the hooking protrusion 33a of the rotational latch 33 is deviated from the moving latch 31 of the actuator 20 and the data on the magnetic disk 12 is read or memorized by system command. In the mean time, when the power of the hard disk drive is turned off, the magnetic head 6 is in the parking zone of the magnetic disk 2 by a signal inputted into the system. Then, the bimetal member B is shrunken to an initial shape because the power is not applied to the heater H anymore and simultaneously, the rotational latch 33 is rotated in a clockwise direction by the elastic force of the elastic member 34. Consequently, the hooking protrusion 33a of the rotational latch 33 is hooked to the moving latch 31 of the arm 4 and the actuator 20 is re-fixed. A preferred embodiment of the present invention which embodies the latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal in detail will be described hereinafter. As shown in Figures 4A to 6, the latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal according to another preferred embodiment includes: the locking/releasing means for selectively locking/releasing the actuator 20 for protecting the magnetic disk 2 from being damaged by the magnetic head 6; the bimetal member B for operating the locking/releasing means by heat expanding and shrinking according to whether the electric power is applied or not; a housing 40 for receiving the bimetal member B; an operating member 50 which is supported by the housing 40 to be exposed outwardly, interlocked with heat expanding and shrinking operation of the bimetal member B and interlocks with the locking/releasing means; and the heater H for operating the bimetal member B by being formed as a single body with the bimetal member. That is, the heater H is integrally formed to the bimetal member B in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. First, the structure of the housing 40 will be described hereinafter. A bimetal holder 41 is formed on an inside wall of the housing 40 for supporting the bimetal member B. And, a guiding hole 42 is formed in an upper portion of the housing 40 for withdrawing the operating member 50. A lower side end portion of the operating member 50 is contacted to a center portion of the bimetal member B for interlocking with the operation of the bimetal member B. The operating member 50 is elastically supported to one direction by inserting the elastic member 51 such as a compression coil spring. A protrusion 52 is formed on the lower portion of the operating member 50 for preventing deviation of the elastic member 51. As shown in Figures 7 through 10, the bimetal member B can be formed as a circular, quadrilateral, triangular, bar or any other types. The heater H which is cell-typed TaAl alloy or NiCr alloy is directly formed on the bimetal member B. The cell-typed heater H is continuously connected each other for preventing electric shortage. As above-mentioned, by forming a plurality of cell-typed heaters H on the bimetal member B having a predetermined shape, heat is simultaneously transmitted to the bimetal member B and the bimetal member B can be operated exactly. In the following description, when the detailed description related to preferred embodiments of the present invention has already been detailed in relation to another preferred embodiment of the present invention any further, detailed description will be omitted. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention having above-mentioned structure, when the hard disk drive is turned off, as shown in Figure 4a, the magnetic head 6 of the actuator 20 is in the parking zone of the magnetic disk 2(shown in Figure 2). In this state, the hooking protrusion 33a of the rotational latch 33 is hooked on the moving latch 31 of the arm 4 and the actuator 20 keeps at a stop state regardless of external vibration or impacts. Then, as shown in Figure 5, the bimetal member B keeps its initial state and the moving member 50 is received in the housing 40 by the rotational latch 33 because the power is not supplied by the power supply line 22. When the hard disk drive is turned on in this state, the power is applied to the cell type heater H via the power supply line 22 and the heat by the heater H is simultaneously and evenly transmitted to the bimetal member B. Then, when the temperature of the heater H reaches a predetermined temperature, as shown in Figure 6, the bimetal member B is heat-expanded and accordingly, the operating member 50 moves to the bimetal force direction which is indicated by using an arrow and rotates the rotational latch 33 to in a counter clockwise direction. Accordingly, as shown in Figure 4B, according to the rotational operation of the rotational latch 33, the hooking protrusion 33a of the rotational latch 33 is deviated from the moving latch 31 of the actuator 20. Consequently, the locking state is released and the data of the magnetic disk 12 can be read or memorized by the system command. Moreover, when the hard disk drive is turned off, the magnetic head 6 is received in the parking zone of the magnetic disk 2 by the inputted signal in the system. Then, the bimetal member B is restored to the initial state because the power is not supplied to the heater H and simultaneously, the rotational latch 33 rotates in the clockwise direction by dynamic stability of the elastic member 34. Accordingly, the hooking protrusion 33a of the rotational latch 33 is hooked to the moving latch 31 of the arm 4. Consequently, the actuator 20 is re-fixed and as shown in Figure 5, the operating member 50 is restored to the initial state. In the mean time, Figures 11 and 12 show still another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The heater H is formed not directly on the bimetal member B but on the separate base metal 60 is the characteristic of still another preferred embodiment of the present invention. That is, the latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal, according to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention, includes: the locking/releasing means for selectively locking/releasing the actuator 20 for protecting the magnetic disk 2(with reference to Figure 2) from being damaged by the magnetic head 6(with reference to Figures 4A and 4B); the bimetal member B for operating the locking/releasing means by heat expanding and shrinking according to the power supply; the housing 40 for receiving the bimetal member B; the operating member 50 which is supported by the housing 40 to be exposed outwardly, interlocked with heat expanding and shrinking operation of the bimetal member B and interlocks with the locking/releasing means; the base metal 60 which is fixed to inside of the housing 40; and the heater H for operating the bimetal member B by being formed on the base metal 60. The heater H is made of tantalum-aluminum(TaAl) alloy or nickel-chrome(NiCr) alloy. The method for forming the heater H on the base metal 60 is shown in Figures 13 through 16. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the integrally formed heater H having a predetermined size is formed on the base metal 60 and both power supply lines 22 are respectively withdrawn and extended downward in both sides of the base metal 60. Or as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the heater H having a plurality of cells is formed on the base metal 60 and each heater H is continuously connected by the power supply line 22. Preferably, the base metal 60 is made of nonconducting substance 61 such as aluminum oxide(Al 2 O 3 ), ceramic, glass and so on and the shape of the base metal 60 is a disk or a quadrilateral having a predetermined thickness. The shape of the base metal 60 is not restricted to the preferred embodiments shown attached drawings. According to still another preferred embodiment of the present invention having above-mentioned structure, when the hard disk drive is turned off, the hooking protrusion 33a of the rotational latch 33 is hooked on the moving latch 31 of the arm 4 and the actuator 20 keeps at a stop state regardless the external vibration or impact. Then, as shown in Figure 11, because the power is not supplied by the power supply line 22, the bimetal member B keeps its initial state and the moving member 50 is received in the housing 40 by the rotational latch 33. When the hard disk drive is turned on in this state, the power is supplied to the integrally formed heater H on the base metal 60 via the power supply line 22. When the temperature of the heater H reaches a predetermined temperature, as shown in Figure 12, the locking state of the actuator 20 is released by the heat expansion of the bimetal member B. In the mean time, when the hard disk drive is turned off, the bimetal member B is restored to the initial state and simultaneously, the rotational latch 33 is restored to the initial state. Consequently, the actuator 20 is re-fixed and the operating member 50 is restored to the initial state. Metal can be used as a base metal 60 in still another preferred embodiment of the present invention. For example, as shown in Figure 17, in case that the base metal 60 is made of copper, the actuator 20 can be locked or released by forming the nonconducting substance 61 on the base metal 60 and forming the heater H of TaAl alloy or NiCr alloy on the nonconducting substance 61. It is intended that the present invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention, but that the present invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims: A latching apparatus of a hard disk drive using a bimetal, comprising: locking/release means (33) for selectively locking/releasing an actuator (4) for protecting a magnetic disk (2) from being damaged by a magnetic head (6); a bimetal member (B) for heat expanding and shrinking according to whether an electric power is applied or not; heating means (H) for operating said bimetal member (B); and characterised by a housing (40) for receiving said bimetal member (B); and an operating member (50) which is supported by said housing (40), at least part of which protrudes from said housing (40) and operates said locking/release means (33) by contacting the bimetal member (B) and moving in response to the heat expanding and shrinking operation of said bimetal member (B). A latching apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a bimetal holder (41) is provided on an inside wall of said housing (10) for fixing said bimetal member (B) and a guiding hole (42) is formed on said housing (40) for guiding said operating member (50). A latching apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said operating member (50) is elastically supported by a first elastic member (51) to bias the operating member (50) towards a predetermined direction. A latching apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first elastic member (51) is a compression coil spring which is combined with said operating member (50) and of which one end portion is supported by a hooking protrusion (52) of said operating member (50) and another end portion is supported by an inside wall of said housing (40). A latching apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said locking/releasing means (33) comprises: a moving latch (31) formed on one end portion of an arm of the actuator (4); a rotational latch (33) which is rotatably combined with a main body (1) of the disk drive by a hinge pin (32) and hooks said moving latch (31); and a second elastic member (34) for elastically supporting said rotational latch (33) to bias it in a particular direction. A latching apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said second elastic member (34) is a compression coil spring of which one end portion is connected to said rotational latch (33) and the other end portion is fixed to the main body (1), and said rotational latch is biased toward said moving latch. A latch apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein said heating means (H) is spread on a front surface of said bimetal member (B) having a cell shape. A latching apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 6, further comprising: a base member (60) of which a periphery is fixed to an inside surface of said housing (40); and heating means (H) for operating said bimetal member (B) by being formed on said base member (60). A latching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said heating means (H) has a predetermined size and is integrally formed on said base member (60). A latching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said heating means (H) is spread on a whole surface of said base member (60) having a cell shape. A latching apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said base member (60) is a nonconducting substance. A latching apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said base member (60) is made of a metal, nonconducting substance is formed on a whole surface of said base member (60) and the heating means (H) is formed on an upper surface of said nonconducting substance.

Inventors: JANG DEOK-HWAN, JANG, DEOK-HWAN
Applicants: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD, SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: G11B5
IPC codes: G11B21, G11B5