Disk device and manufacturing method therefor

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a case having a bottom wall, a disk-shaped recording medium located in the case, a drive motor which is located in the case and supports and rotates the recording medium, a head which performs information processing for the recording medium, a head actuator, and an inertial latch mechanism which latches and holds the head actuator in a retracted position when an external force is subjected. The inertial latch mechanism is modularized and includes a base plate, a first pivot and a second pivot set up on the base plate, a latch arm supported for rocking motion around the first pivot, an inertial arm which is rockably supported on the second pivot, and a stopper portion which prevents the latch arm and the inertial arm from slipping off the first and second pivots.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A general architecture that implements the various feature of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary perspective view showing an HDD according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exemplary exploded perspective view of the HDD;

FIG. 3 is an exemplary plan view showing a case and an internal structure of the HDD;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary exploded perspective view showing an inertial latch mechanism of the HDD;

FIG. 5 is an exemplary perspective view showing the inertial latch mechanism;

FIG. 6 is an exemplary perspective view showing one shell of the HDD and the inertial latch mechanism therein;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary plan view showing a head actuator, a VCM, and the inertial latch mechanism of the HDD;

FIG. 8 is an exemplary sectional view of the HDD taken along line VIII-VIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an exemplary exploded perspective view showing an inertial latch mechanism of an HDD according to a second embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 10 is an exemplary perspective view showing the inertial latch mechanism.

Claims

1. A disk device comprising: a case having a bottom wall;a disk-shaped recording medium located in the case;a drive motor which is located in the case and supports and rotates the recording medium;a head which performs information processing for the recording medium;a head actuator which is provided on the bottom wall in the case, supports the head for movement with respect to the recording medium, and is movable between a predetermined retracted position in which the head is situated on the outer peripheral side of the recording medium and an information processing position in which the head is situated over the recording medium; andan inertial latch mechanism which latches and holds the head actuator in the retracted position when the actuator moving to the retracted position is subjected to an external force, the inertial latch mechanism being modularized and including: a base plate; a first pivot and a second pivot set up on the base plate; a latch arm supported for rocking motion around the first pivot between a latch position in which the latch arm latches the head actuator in the retracted position and a release position in which the latch arm leaves the head actuator so that the head actuator is unlatched; an inertial arm which is rockably supported on the second pivot, rocks around the second pivot when subjected to an external force and causes the latch arm to rock from the release position to the latch position, and a stopper portion which prevents the latch arm and the inertial arm from slipping off the first and second pivots.

2. A disk device according to claim 1, wherein the base plate of the modularized inertial latch mechanism is mounted on the bottom wall of the case.

3. A disk device according to claim 2, wherein the inertial latch mechanism includes a top plate which is opposed and fixed to the base plate with the first and second pivots therebetween and constitutes the stopper portion.

4. A disk device according to claim 3, wherein the case has an upper wall opposed to the bottom wall across a gap, and the inertial latch mechanism is located between the bottom wall and the upper wall of the case with the top plate in contact with the upper wall and supports the upper wall.

5. A disk device according to claim 3, further comprising a circulation filter which is attached to a frame of the inertial latch mechanism including the top plate and captures dust in the case.

6. A disk device according to claim 1, wherein the stopper portion has a flange portion which is formed on an extended end of the second pivot and prevents disengagement of the inertial arm.

7. A method of manufacturing a disk device which comprises a case having a bottom wall, a disk-shaped recording medium located in the case, a drive motor which is located in the case and supports and rotates the recording medium, a head which performs information processing for the recording medium, a head actuator which is provided on the bottom wall in the case, supports the head for movement with respect to the recording medium, and is movable between a predetermined retracted position in which the head is situated on the outer peripheral side of the recording medium and an information processing position in which the head is situated over the recording medium, and an inertial latch mechanism which latches and holds the head actuator in the retracted position when the actuator moving to the retracted position is subjected to an external force, the method comprising: rotatably mounting a latch arm and an inertial arm, respectively, on a first pivot and a second pivot set up on a base plate of the inertial latch mechanism and restricting disengagement of the latch arm and the inertial arm by means of a stopper portion, thereby forming the inertial latch mechanism in a modularized form;mounting the modularized inertial latch mechanism and the drive motor on the bottom wall of the case; andsetting the recording medium on the drive motor and mounting the head actuator on the bottom wall of the case.