Patent Application
20070103817
The invention relates to disk drives, including hard disk drives and optical drives.
Disk drives such as hard disk drives store data in concentric tracks on disks. To read the data, a read head on the end of a suspension is moved over the relevant track, and then as the disk spins and the part of the track containing the desired data moves under the read head, the read head magnetically or optically senses the data and sends a signal to a drive controller. Data may be written to disk using a write head that likewise is moved over the track to which data is sought to be written.
Two components of data transfer delay (“latency”) thus exist: the delay in moving the head over the desired track, and then the delay in waiting for the correct segment of the track to rotate under the head. The present invention is directed to shortening, if not eliminating, the former.
A disk drive includes a disk, a suspension juxtaposed with the disk, and plural sliders arranged in a row on the suspension. The disk drive can be an optical drive or a hard disk drive (HDD). The row may be linear or curved. One slider per data track on the disk may be provided, in which case the suspension need not be movable in the disk drive. Or, one slider per group of adjacent data tracks on the disk may be provided, in which case the suspension is movable in the disk drive. A multiplexer can be electrically connected to the sliders and a controller can be connected to the multiplexer. Each slider may include a read head and a write head, and only one suspension with sliders thus need be provided per surface of the disk. Or, each slider may include a read head only, in which case a second suspension that supports a row of write heads can be juxtaposed with the disk.
The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
Referring to
Each slider 22 can include a read head and a write head, in which case only one suspension 20 per disk surface need be provided. Or, each slider 22 may include only a read head, in which case a second suspension 20A may be provided and may include plural write heads 24 arranged in a curved or straight line. The controller 16 is connected to each slider/head through a multiplexing mechanism 26.
According to the present invention, neither suspension 20, 20A moves. Accordingly, no motor is provided for moving the sliders/heads, which consequently are stationary throughout operation in the housing 14. Taking the sliders 22 as examples, a respective slider 22 is formed on the suspension 20 for each data track on the disk 18 in a one-to-one relationship. The suspension 20 is positioned relative to the disk such that one slider 22 is fixedly positioned above each data track of the disk. During operation, it is not necessary to reposition sliders. Instead, the controller 16 simply cooperates with the multiplexer 26 to receive and/or send signals to the slider 22 that is associated with the data track of the information sought to be read or written, eliminating repositioning latency. When the sliders 22 are read head only sliders and the second suspension 20A with write heads 24 is provided, each write head 24 likewise is positioned over a respective data track. Not only is repositioning latency eliminated, but it is possible to simultaneously read and write data to different tracks or indeed to the same track when a separate second suspension 22A is provided.
Or, both suspensions 20, 20A can include read heads, with the read heads of one suspension being positioned over every odd numbered track and the read heads of the other suspension being positioned over every even numbered track, with the total number of read heads on each suspension thus equalling one-half the number of data tracks on the disk. More than two suspensions may be provided, space permitting, in accordance with these principles.
While the particular disk drive as herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the above-described objects of the invention, it is to be understood that it is the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention and is thus representative of the subject matter which is broadly contemplated by the present invention, that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by nothing other than the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more”. It is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. Absent express definitions herein, claim terms are to be given all ordinary and accustomed meanings that are not irreconcilable with the present specification and file history.
