Data storage device and disk drive

Abstract

Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide achieve an increase of storage capacity and thinning down of a disk drive by reducing effects from an error in an assembly position of a ramp. A data storage device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a head, a ramp, a load beam, and an actuator. The ramp includes a portion onto which the head is retracted from a surface of a medium. The load beam includes a head support portion that supports the head and a tab disposed more on the side of a leading end than the head support portion. The tab has a leading end that slides over, while being in contact with, a sliding surface of the ramp. The actuator includes the load beam and loads and unloads the head.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exemplary view showing schematically an arrangement of a hard disk drive according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view showing a state of a ramp and a tab during loading or unloading according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 3( a) to 3(c) are exemplary views showing an arrangement of a head suspension assembly and an arm according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 4( a) and 4(b) are exemplary perspective views showing the head suspension assembly and the arm according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an exemplary side elevational view showing an arrangement of a suspension according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an exemplary view showing a state, during loading or unloading, of the suspension according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 7( a) to 7(c) are exemplary views showing a state of the tab and a head according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an exemplary diagram showing rigidity characteristics of the tab according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an exemplary side elevational view showing an arrangement of a conventional suspension.

FIG. 10 is an exemplary view showing a state of the conventional suspension during loading or unloading.

FIGS. 11( a) to 11(c) are exemplary views showing a state of a conventional tab and a conventional head during loading or unloading.

Claims

1. A data storage device comprising: a head that accesses a recording area of a medium;a ramp that has a retracted position where the head is unloaded from a surface of the medium; andan actuator that pivots around a pivot axis to unload the head onto the retracted position and load the head from the retracted position onto the surface of the medium;wherein the actuator has a load beam that includes a head support portion for supporting the head and a tab disposed on the side opposite to the pivot axis relative to the head support portion and with a leading end in contact with the ramp.

2. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein portions of the tab excluding the leading end are away from the ramp when the tab is in contact with the ramp.

3. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the tab extends more toward the medium than the head support portion when the tab is located at a position above the surface of the medium.

4. The data storage device according to claim 3, wherein, when the tab is in contact with the ramp, a height from the surface of the medium to a point of contact between the tab and the ramp is lower than a height from the surface of the medium to a portion of the head support portion farthest from the surface of the medium.

5. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the center of the tab in the direction of the pivotal motion coincides with the center of an end of the head support portion on the side adjacent to the tab; andwherein a leading end away from the center of the tab in the direction of the pivotal motion contacts an inclined surface of the ramp.

6. The data storage device according to claim 5, wherein the width of a portion of the tab near the head support portion is the same as the width of the head support portion; andwherein the width of the leading end of the tab is smaller than that of the portion of the tab near the head support portion.

7. The data storage device according to claim 5, wherein both ends of the tab in the direction of the pivotal motion are extended from both ends of the head support portion on the side adjacent to the tab.

8. The data storage device according to claim 5, wherein the tab includes a flange formed by bending a leading end portion of the tab.

9. The data storage device according to claim 5, wherein the load beam includes flanges formed by bending both end edges of the load beam in the direction of the pivotal motion.

10. The data storage device according to claim 9, wherein the flanges are formed continuously from the leading end of the tab up to the both ends of the head support portion in the direction of the pivotal motion.

11. The data storage device according to claim 1, wherein the tab is formed by bending once from the head support portion.

12. A disk drive comprising: a head that accesses a recording area of a disk;a ramp that includes a retracted position onto which the head is unloaded from a surface of the disk; andan actuator that pivots around a pivot axis to unload the head onto the retracted position and load the head from the retracted position onto the surface of the disk;wherein the actuator has a gimbal and a load beam;the gimbal supports the head on a surface of the gimbal on the side of the disk;the load beam includes a gimbal support portion for supporting the gimbal on a surface of the load beam on the side of the disk, and a tab disposed on the side opposite to the pivot axis relative to the gimbal support portion and sliding over the ramp; andwherein, when the tab is located on the highest surface of the ramp during unloading, the surface of the gimbal on the side of the disk intersects with the surface of the ramp.

13. The disk drive according to claim 12, wherein a leading end of the tab contacts the surface of the ramp.

14. The disk drive according to claim 12, wherein the tab is bent toward the side of the disk.