Abstract:
One embodiment of the present invention is a disk drive including: (a) two heads for reading/writing data from/onto a disk; and (b) a ramp mechanism adapted to guide movement of the two heads to/from the disk; wherein the ramp mechanism comprises a separation feature having a portion that extends between the two heads.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/564,345, filed on Apr. 21, 2004 and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     One or more embodiments of the present invention relate to disk drives, and more particularly, to a read/write head load/unload ramp mechanism for disk drives.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Presently, disk drives typically have two read/write heads for reading/writing data from/onto two sides of two disks. Typically, each of the read/write heads is mounted on a suspension, which suspension is made of flexible material. In addition, loading and unloading of the read/write heads onto the disks typically utilizes a plastic ramp mechanism, which supports tips of the suspensions to (a) provide a parking position for the read/write heads; and (b) guide movement of the read/write heads between non-operational and operational positions.  
         [0004]      FIG. 1  shows typical prior art disk drive head stack assembly  10  (HSA  10 ). As shown in  FIG. 1 , HSA  10  comprises read/write heads  11   1  and  11   2  which are mounted on suspensions  12   1  and  12   2  so that head-to-head distance  14  between heads  11   1  and  11   2  is only on the order of mils (i.e., thousandths of an inch). In the absence of a significant shock load, heads  11   1  and  11   2  do not contact each other since a ramp mechanism supports suspension tips  13   1  and  13   2  to provide sufficient separation between suspensions  12   1  and  12   2 , and thereby read/write heads  11   1  and  11   2 . Suspensions  12   1  and  12   2  are made of flexible material, and under a high shock load, suspensions  12   1  and  12   2  tend to flex with a high level of deflection. As a result, heads  11   1  and  11   2  may contact or collide with other. Since heads  11   1  and  11   2  are made of hard and brittle material, such contacts or collisions may cause physical damage that causes them to malfunction when they are loaded onto the disk.  
         [0005]      FIG. 2  shows a typical prior art disk drive head disk assembly (HDA) that includes HSA  10  shown in  FIG. 1 , prior art ramp mechanism  20 , and disk  21 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , prior art ramp mechanism  20  provides a parking position for heads  11   1  and  11   2 , and it guides the movement of heads  11   1  and  11   2  between non-operational and operational positions. It does this by supporting suspension tips  13   1  and  13   2  on ramps and short web feature  15 , which short web feature  15  does not extend between heads  11   1  and  11   2 . In a normal non-operational position, suspension tips  13   1  and  13   2  are parked on a flat area of prior art ramp mechanism  20 . This keeps heads  11   1  and  11   2 : (a) away from disk  21 ; and (b) from contacting each other. However, under high shock load, even though suspensions tips  13   1  and  13   2  are separated by prior art ramp mechanism  20 , suspensions  12   1  and  12   2  may still deflect to such a degree that heads  11   1  and  11   2  collide with each other.  
         [0006]     In light of the above, there is a need in the art for a disk drive that solves one or more of the above-identified problems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     One or more embodiments of the present invention solve one or more of the above-identified problems. In particular, one embodiment of the present invention is a disk drive comprising: (a) two heads for reading/writing data from/onto a disk; and (b) a ramp mechanism adapted to guide movement of the two heads to/from the disk; wherein the ramp mechanism comprises a separation feature having a portion that extends between the two heads. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  shows a typical prior art disk drive head stack assembly (HSA) that includes two read/write heads that are mounted on two suspensions;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  shows a typical prior art disk drive head disk assembly (HDA) that includes an HSA as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  shows an HDA that is fabricated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention that comprises a separation feature extending between two read/write heads;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  shows a ramp mechanism that is fabricated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective cut-away view of an HDA that is fabricated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, which view shows a positional relationship between a separation feature and a read/write head of an HSA.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]      FIG. 3  shows a disk drive head disk assembly (HDA) that is fabricated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 3 , ramp mechanism  30  comprises separation feature  31  that, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, is an extended web structure that extends from ramp mechanism  30 . In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  is sandwiched between heads  11   1  and  11   2  of a disk drive head stack assembly (HSA), and extends laterally along ramp mechanism  30  from close to one end of ramp mechanism  30  to close to an edge of disk  21 . Because separation feature  31  is sandwiched between heads  11   1  and  11   2 , separation feature  31  prevents direct contact of heads  11   1  and  11   2 , even under high shock load. As a result, use of separation feature  31  solves the problem in prior art disk drives described in the Background of the Invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows ramp mechanism  30  that is fabricated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, which ramp mechanism  30  includes separation feature  31 . As further shown in  FIG. 4 , separation feature  31  is an extended web structure that is disposed between ramps  41 . In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  is an extension of, and is fabricated from the same material as, ramp mechanism  30 . Further, in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  comprises a light-weight mesh structure comprised of a stiff material. Still further, in accordance with one or more further embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  comprises a collision damping material that absorbs an impact from head  11   1  and/or head  11   2  under high shock load. Still further, in accordance with one or more further embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  comprises felt material having cleaning fibers that extend, for example and without limitation, towards (and preferably perpendicularly to) and optionally touching one or more of heads  11   1  and  11   2 . Advantageously, in accordance with one or more such embodiments of the present invention, the cleaning fibers enable one or more of heads  11   1  and  11   2  to be cleaned as the one or more of heads  11   1  and  11   2  moves across ramp mechanism  30 . Still further, in accordance with one or more further embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  comprises a smooth surface.  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective cut-away view of an HDA that is fabricated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, which view shows a positional relationship between separation feature  31  (separation feature  31  is sandwiched between heads  11   1  and  11   2 ) and one of heads  11   1  and  11   2  (the other one of heads  11   1  and  11   2  is disposed under separation feature  31 ). As shown in  FIG. 5 , in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  has a surface area that is larger than a maximum read/write area of each of heads  11   1  and  11   2 . Further, in accordance with one or more further embodiments of the present invention, separation feature  31  has a thickness that is adapted to: (a) minimize gaps between separation feature  31  and each of heads  11   1  and  11   2  (thereby minimizing vertical or near-vertical movement of heads  11   1  and  11   2  under shock load); and (b) provide sufficient clearance for heads  11   1  and  11   2  to enable them to move along ramps  41 . A suitable thickness for separation feature  31  may be determined routinely by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation.  
         [0016]     Advantageously, a disk drive fabricated in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention reduces the likelihood of read/write head damage under high shock load, and therefore: (a) reduces the number of disk drives that are damaged during shipment and handling; and (b) enhances the durability of such disk drives in a mobile use environment.  
         [0017]     The embodiments of the present invention described above are exemplary. Many changes and modifications may be made to the disclosure recited above, while remaining within the scope of the invention. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.