Claims
- 1. A head stack assembly installation system with a head stack installation station for installing a head stack assembly in a head disc assembly of a disc drive comprising:
a frame; a head stack installation tool supported by the frame, comprising:
a robotic assembly for picking and placing the head stack assembly in the head disc assembly; and a measurement assembly measuring process position and force parameters of the head stack assembly during installation; and a computer electronically communicating with the head stack installation tool and the measurement assembly calculating position and force data from the position and force parameter measurements of the head stack assembly tool directing and controlling the head stack assembly installation tool.
- 2. The head stack assembly installation system of claim 1 wherein the head stack assembly comprises a voice coil assembly, a flex circuit and flex connector body connected thereto, and wherein the head stack installation tool comprises:
a main plate having a nesting position and an installation position, the main plate supporting the robotic assembly, the nesting position aligning the head stack assembly, the installation position aligning the head disc assembly; a head stack assembly scanner identifying the head stack assembly and communicating the identification to the computer; a head disc assembly scanner identifying the head disc assembly and communicating the identification to the computer; a head stack assembly present sensor detecting the presence of the head stack assembly in the nesting position and communicating a head stack present signal to the computer; a head disc assembly present sensor detecting the presence of the head disc assembly in the installation position and communicating a head disc present signal to the computer; a plurality of head stack assembly alignment pins aligning the actuator body and the voice coil assembly; and a connector nest aligning the flex connector body relative to the voice coil assembly.
- 3. The head stack assembly installation system of claim 2 wherein the robotic assembly comprises:
a horizontal slide assembly attached to the main plate; a vertical slide assembly supported and selectively positioned horizontally by the horizontal slide assembly; an end effector assembly supported and selectively positioned vertically by the vertical slide assembly; a horizontal slide sensor detecting and communicating end effector assembly horizontal position to the computer; and a vertical slide sensor detecting and communicating end effector assembly vertical position to the computer;
- 4. The head stack assembly installation system of claim 3 wherein the head stack assembly further comprises a bearing assembly with a beveled pick and place member, and wherein the end effector assembly comprises:
radially disposed positionable gripper sections configured to communicate with the beveled pick and place member; and a pair of opposing positionable flex connector grippers configured to communicate with the flex connector body.
- 5. The head stack assembly installation system of claim 4 wherein the head disc assembly comprises a head stack assembly post supporting a tolerance ring and wherein the measurement assembly comprises:
a potentiometer supported by the end effector assembly measuring and communicating radial displacement measurements of the radially disposed positionable gripper sections relative to the beveled pick and place member; a linear variable differential transformer supported by the vertical slide assembly measuring and communicating vertical distance measurements traveled by the head stack assembly relative to the tolerance ring to the computer; and a load cell supported by the end effector assembly measuring and communicating mechanical resistance between the head stack assembly and the tolerance ring to the computer.
- 6. The head stack assembly installation system of claim 5 wherein the computer comprises:
a central processing unit communicating with a installation software program; a volatile memory in communication with the central processing unit temporarily storing the installation software program, the head stack present signal, the head disc present signal, the identity of the head stack assembly, the identity of head disc assembly, and measurements from the load cell, the linear variable differential transformer, the potentiometer, the vertical slide sensor and the horizontal slide sensor; a head stack assembly data base in communication with the central processing unit and storing physical characteristics of all head stack assemblies available for installation; and a head disc assembly data base in communication with the central processing unit and storing physical characteristics of all head disc assemblies available to receive head stack assemblies.
- 7. The head stack assembly installation system of claim 6 wherein the head stack installation station further comprises a communication interface electronics assembly communicating with the computer providing communication interface between the computer and the head stack installation tool, the measurement assembly and the robotic assembly.
- 8. An apparatus for installing an actuator assembly onto a tolerance ring supported by an actuator assembly post of a basedeck assembly for a disc drive, comprising:
an actuator assembly tool that aligns the actuator assembly and positions the basedeck assembly; a robotic assembly attached to the assembly tool that picks and presses the actuator assembly onto the tolerance ring; a measuring apparatus for measuring mechanical resistance encountered and distance traveled by the actuator assembly; and a computer that controls the robotic assembly in response to the mechanical resistance and distance traveled.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the actuator assembly and the basedeck assembly have machine readable serial numbers, the actuator assembly tool further comprising:
at least one scanner in communication with the computer to identify the machine readable serial numbers on the actuator assembly and the basedeck assembly; and a data base in communication with the computer such that physical characteristics of the actuator assembly and the basedeck assembly are compared for compatibility.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a beveled pick and place member and a flex connector body, the robotic assembly further comprising:
an end effector assembly with radially disposed positionable gripper sections that engage the beveled pick and place member and an opposing positionable flex connector gripper that engages the flex connector body; means for quantifying a radial displacement of the radially disposed positionable gripper sections; and volatile memory wherein the quantified radial displacement is stored to be analyzed by the computer for consistency with gripping the actuator assembly.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the measuring apparatus comprises a linear variable differential transformer that measures the distance traveled by the actuator assembly and a load cell that measures mechanical resistance between the tolerance ring and the actuator assembly.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the means for quantifying is a potentiometer.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a voice coil assembly, a flex circuit and flex connector body connected thereto, the actuator assembly tool further comprises:
a nesting position for aligning the actuator assembly; and an installation position for aligning the basedeck assembly. a plurality of actuator assembly alignment pins aligning the actuator assembly and the voice coil assembly; and a connector nest aligning the flex connector body relative to the voice coil assembly.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer comprises:
a central processing unit, volatile memory, a display, a communication interface, installation software and a serial number data base.
- 15. An actuator assembly installation apparatus comprising:
means for providing an actuator assembly and a basedeck assembly; and means for attaching the actuator assembly to the basedeck assembly.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/641,695 filed Aug. 18, 2000 which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/150,138 filed Aug. 20, 1999.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60150138 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09641695 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
10172692 |
Jun 2002 |
US |