Load/unload method and a magnetic disk drive using the method
View Patent ↗To control load/unload operation of a slider with magnetic head mounted thereon, by which the speed can always be controlled stably while avoiding the slowdown or temporary stop of an actuator during load/unload operation, a magnetic disk drive is configured using magnetic disk media with the servo information written therein beforehand up to the track located at a position corresponding to the landing zone for the load operation of the magnetic head (slider). The speed of the magnetic head (slider) withdrawn to the ramp is controlled at the unload operation. In the stage of initialization for controlling the speed of the load/unload operation, various parameters are recorded and updated to apply a voltage to power amplifier for compensating for the external forces caused by the friction mainly exerted between ramp and slider support members, with reference to the take-off track or the landing track specified in the landing zone.
1. A control method for a magnetic disk drive including a magnetic disk medium, a slider mounting thereon a magnetic head facing said magnetic disk medium, support members for supporting said slider, an actuator for rotatably supporting said support members, an electronic circuit for controlling drive of said actuator and signal processing, and a holding member for holding said slider, the method comprising:
a setting step for setting a parameter for driving said actuator in each of plural stepwise movements of said slider following a shape of said holding member;
an unload step for starting a process for holding said slider on said holding member while reading information from said magnetic disk medium through said magnetic head, before causing said slider to move from said magnetic disk medium onto said holding member; and
a load step for causing said magnetic head to read the information from said magnetic disk medium while following said holding member, before causing said slider to land from said holding member onto said magnetic disk medium.
2. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein
said process for holding said slider on said holding member is divided into two or more stepwise movements in advance, and at the end of movement of said slider in each of said two or more stepwise movements, the value of a voltage or a current for driving said actuator is stored.
3. The control method according to claim 1 , wherein
said process for holding said slider on said holding member is divided into two or more stepwise movements in advance, and the value of a voltage or a current for driving said actuator is constant in each or said two or more stepwise movements.
4. A magnetic disk drive, comprising:
a magnetic disk medium;
a slider mounting thereon a magnetic head facing said magnetic disk medium;
support members for supporting said slider;
an actuator for rotatably supporting said support members; and
an electronic circuit for controlling drive of said actuator and signal processing, the electronic circuit having
a function of setting a parameter for driving said actuator in each of two or more stepwise movements for moving said slider while following a shape of said holding member and said magnetic head reads information from said magnetic disk medium while moving on said holding member, and
a function of performing a mechanical load/unload operation smoothly using said set parameter.