IP Library Granted Patent US 8,064,171
Granted Patent B2
US 8,064,171 · App. 12/321,187 · Granted Nov 22, 2011

Magnetic disk drive and voice coil motor

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,064,171
App. No.
12/321,187
Granted
Nov 22, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention help to reduce out-of-plane excitation force exerted on a coil in a voice coil motor of a magnetic disk drive, so that vibration of a magnetic head is suppressed. According to one embodiment, a voice coil motor has a flat magnet that faces a coil, and generates a magnetic field, and yokes that apply the magnetic field generated by the magnet to the coil. The magnet is provided with a magnetic flux guiding section, absorbing leakage flux from the magnet, on a most distal end of the magnet as viewed from a pivot axis. A most distal part of the coil as viewed from the pivot axis, may be situated in an outer side with respect to the most distal end of the magnet, and the magnetic flux guiding section is provided between the most distal end of the magnet and the most distal part of the coil.

Claims (27)

1. A magnetic disk drive, having a magnetic disk, a magnetic. head that writes and reads an information signal into/from the magnetic disk, an actuator that moves the magnetic head to a desired position on the magnetic disk, and a voice coil motor that applies drive force to the actuator, characterized in that:

the actuator is mounted with the magnetic head at one end, and a loop coil at the other end, and is rotatable around a pivot axis,

the voice coil motor has a flat magnet that faces the coil, and generates a magnetic field, and has yokes that apply the magnetic field generated by the magnet to the coil, and

the magnet is provided with a magnetic flux guiding section, absorbing leakage flux from the magnet, on a most distal end of the magnet as viewed from the pivot axis.

2. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

a most distal part of the coil as viewed from the pivot axis is situated in an outer side with respect to the most distal end of the magnet, and

the magnetic flux guiding section is provided between the most distal end of the magnet and the most distal part of the coil.

3. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

the magnet is further provided with a magnetic flux guiding section, absorbing leakage flux from the magnet, on a nearest end of the magnet as viewed from the pivot axis.

4. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 2 , characterized in that:

the magnet is further provided with a magnetic flux guiding section, absorbing leakage flux from the magnet, on a nearest end of the magnet as viewed from the pivot axis.

5. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 1 , characterized in that:

the magnetic flux guiding section is formed integrally with the yokes.

6. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 2 , characterized in that:

the magnetic flux guiding section is formed integrally with the yokes.

7. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 3 , characterized in that:

the magnetic flux guiding section is formed integrally with the yokes.

8. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 4 , characterized in that:

the magnetic flux guiding section is formed integrally with the yokes.

9. A voice coil motor that is mounted with a loop coil on one end of an actuator, and applies drive force in an in-plane direction of the coil to the actuator via the coil, characterized in that:

the voice coil motor has

a flat magnet that faces the coil, and generates a magnetic field, and

yokes that apply the magnetic field generated by the magnet to the coil, and

the magnet is provided with a magnetic flux guiding section, absorbing leakage flux from the magnet, on an end of the magnet in a direction parallel to a drive direction of the coil.

10. The voice coil motor according to claim 9 , characterized in that:

a coil strip of the coil in a direction parallel to the drive direction is situated in an outer side with respect to an end of the magnet, and

the magnetic flux guiding section is provided between the end of the magnet and the coil strip.

Assignments (7)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052915 FRAME 0566 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059127/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 052915/0566 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2016
From: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040826/0821 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 25, 2012
From: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 029341/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 9, 2009
From: SHIMIZU, TOSHIHIKO; WATANABE, KEIKO; NAKAMURA, SHIGEO; OTAKE, NORITAKA
To: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 022364/0885 →