Claims
- 1. A spacer key used for installation of a head gimbal assembly (HGA) onto an actuator arm of an actuator assembly, the spacer key comprising:
a support arm having a base support surface and adjacent first and second support surfaces opposite the base support surface, the support arm having a first thickness from the first support surface to the base support surface and having a second thickness from the second support surface to the base support surface, wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness by a distance nominally equal to a thickness of the HGA so that a selected one of the first and second support surfaces contactingly biases the HGA against the actuator arm while the base support surface contactingly biases a second member adjacent the actuator arm.
- 2. The spacer key of claim 1, wherein the HGA is characterized as a first HGA, wherein the actuator arm is characterized as a first actuator arm and the second member comprises a second actuator arm, wherein the respective first and second thicknesses are selected so that the first support surface contactingly biases the first HGA against the first actuator arm while the base support surface contactingly biases a second HGA against the second actuator arm.
- 3. The spacer key of claim 2, wherein the respective first and second thicknesses are further selected so that the second support surface contactingly biases the first HGA against the first actuator arm while the base support surface directly contacts the second actuator arm.
- 4. The spacer key of claim 1, wherein the support arm further comprises a radiused shoulder portion between the first and second support surfaces.
- 5. The spacer key of claim 1, further comprising a central body portion from which the support arm extends.
- 6. The spacer key of claim 5, further comprising a handle which projects from the central body portion to facilitate positioning of the spacer key with respect to the actuator arm.
- 7. The spacer key of claim 1, wherein the HGA comprises a base plate which pressingly engages a distal end of the actuator arm, and wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness by a distance nominally equal to a thickness of the base plate.
- 8. The spacer key of claim 1, wherein the actuator arm forms a portion of an actuator assembly used in a disc drive data storage device and wherein the HGA supports a data transducing head used to transfer data between a disc surface and a host device associated with the disc drive data storage device.
- 9. The spacer key of claim 1, wherein the actuator arm forms a portion of a multiple disc writer (MDW) station used to write servo data to a plurality of data storage discs for subsequent installation into a data storage device.
- 10. The spacer key of claim 1, wherein the support arm comprises a first support arm and wherein the spacer key further comprises a second support arm nominally identical to and aligned in spaced, parallel orientation with the first support arm.
- 11. A spacer key used for installation of first and second head gimbal assembly (HGAs) onto adjacent first and second actuator arms of an actuator assembly, each of the first and second HGAs having a base plate configured to abuttingly attach to a distal end of the associated first and second actuator arms, the spacer key comprising:
a support arm having a base support surface and adjacent first and second support surfaces opposite the base support surface, the support arm having a first thickness from the first support surface to the base support surface and having a second thickness from the second support surface to the base support surface, wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickness by a distance nominally equal to a thickness of a selected one of the base plates of the first and second HGAs so that the second support surface contactingly biases the first HGA against the first actuator arm while the base support surface contactingly biases the second actuator arm when the second HGA is not disposed between the first and second actuator arms, and so that the first support surface contactingly biases the first HGA against the first actuator arm while the base support surface contactingly biases the second HGA against the second actuator arm when the second HGA is disposed between the first and second actuator arms.
- 12. The spacer key of claim 11, wherein the support arm further comprises a radiused shoulder portion between the first and second support surfaces.
- 13. The spacer key of claim 11, wherein the actuator arm forms a portion of an actuator assembly used in a disc drive data storage device and wherein the HGA supports a data transducing head used to transfer data between a disc surface and a host device associated with the disc drive data storage device.
- 14. The spacer key of claim 11, wherein the actuator arm forms a portion of a multiple disc writer (MDW) station used to write servo data to a plurality of data storage discs for subsequent installation into a data storage device.
- 15. A method for installing a number of head gimbal assemblies (HGAs) onto a number of adjacent, substantially parallel actuator arms, comprising:
providing a spacer key comprising a support arm having a base support surface and adjacent first and second support surfaces opposite the base support surface, the support arm having a first thickness from the first support surface to the base support surface and having a second thickness from the second support surface to the base support surface, wherein the second thickness is greater than the first thickless by a distance nominally equal to a thickness of a selected one of the HGAs; placing a first HGA onto a first actuator arm; inserting the spacer key between the first HGA and a second member adjacent the first actuator arm so that the second support surface contactingly biases the first HGA against the first actuator arm and so that the base surface contactingly biases the second member; and attaching the first HGA to the first actuator arm.
- 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second member comprises a second actuator arm, and wherein the method further comprises:
retracting the spacer key; placing a second HGA onto the second actuator arm in a facing relationship to the first HGA; inserting the spacer key between the first and second HGAs so that the first support surface contactingly biases the first HGA against the first actuator arm and so that the base surface contactinly biases the second HGA against the second actuator arm; and attaching the second HGA to the second actuator arm.
- 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first HGA comprises a base plate from which an attachment boss extends, wherein the first actuator arm comprises an attachment aperture, and wherein the step of attaching the first HGA to the first actuator arm comprises:
applying a force to expand the attachment aperture; inserting the attachment boss into the expanded attachment aperture; and releasing the applied force to cause an inner wall of the first HGA attachment aperture to grip the first HGA boss and thereby secure the base plate to the first actuator arm.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/357,758 entitled HGA COMPRESSION-INSTALL SPACER KEY filed Feb. 19, 2002.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60357758 |
Feb 2002 |
US |