IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,586,603
Granted Patent B2
US 12,586,603 · App. 18/753,626 · Granted Mar 24, 2026

Disk device

Inventor: Gaku Koizumi (Kawasaki Kanagawa, JP)
Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
G11B5/1278G11B2005/0021
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,586,603
App. No.
18/753,626
Granted
Mar 24, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

According to one embodiment, a disk device includes a recording medium, a magnetic head including a recording head, an assist element, and a heater, and a controller including a heater voltage supply circuit, a drive voltage supply circuit configured to supply a drive voltage to the assist element, and a contact detection circuit. The controller adjusts a set value of the drive voltage based on an amount of protrusion of the assist element when contact is detected by the contact detection circuit.

Claims (25)

1 . A disk device comprising:

a rotatable disk-shaped recording medium with a magnetic recording layer;

a magnetic head comprising a recording head including a main magnetic pole configured to generate a recording magnetic field, a write shield magnetic pole opposed to the main magnetic pole with a write gap, and a coil configured to excite a magnetic flux, an assist element, and a heater configured to heat the recording head; and

a controller including a heater voltage supply circuit configured to supply heater power to the heater, a drive voltage supply circuit configured to supply a drive voltage to the assist element, and a contact detection circuit configured to detect contact between the magnetic head and the recording medium, wherein the controller adjusts a set value of the drive voltage based on an amount of protrusion of the assist element when contact is detected by the contact detection circuit; and

the controller is configured to perform an operation to increase the heater power supplied from the heater voltage supply circuit to the heater with the drive voltage of the assist element turned off, an operation to stop increasing the heater power when contact between the magnetic head and the recording medium is detected for the first time by the contact detection circuit, an operation to decrease a power value of the heater power by a desired amount of element protrusion from the power value of the heater power when the contact between the magnetic head and the recording medium is detected for the first time, an operation to increase the drive voltage supplied to the assist element from the drive voltage supply circuit, and an operation to stop increasing of the drive voltage when the contact detection circuit detects the contact between the magnetic head and the recording medium for the first time while setting the drive voltage value at that time to the set value.

2 . The disk device of claim 1 , wherein

the controller includes a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature inside the disk device, and

the set value adjusted according to a change in the temperature inside the device detected by the temperature sensor.

3 . The disk device of claim 2 , wherein,

if the temperature inside the device detected by the temperature sensor becomes higher, the set value becomes smaller.

4 . The disk device of claim 1 , wherein

the assist element includes a high-frequency assist element between the main magnetic pole and the write shield magnetic pole in the write gap.

5 . The disk device of claim 1 , wherein

the magnetic head includes a side shield opposed to the main magnetic poles with a gap therebetween,

the assist element includes a write assist element provided between the main magnetic pole and the write shield magnetic pole and between the write shield magnetic pole and the side shield.

6 . The disk device of claim 1 , wherein

the assist element includes an optical element installed in line with the main magnetic pole, a light source configured to emit laser light, and a waveguide configured to guide the laser light to the optical element, and

the drive voltage supply circuit supplies a drive voltage to the light source.

7 . A disk device comprising:

a rotatable disk-shaped recording medium with a magnetic recording layer;

a magnetic head comprising a recording head including a main magnetic pole configured to generate a recording magnetic field, a write shield magnetic pole opposed to the main magnetic pole with a write gap, and a coil configured to excite a magnetic flux, an assist element, and a heater configured to heat the recording head; and

a controller including a heater voltage supply circuit configured to supply heater power to the heater, a drive voltage supply circuit configured to supply a drive voltage to the assist element, and a contact detection circuit configured to detect contact between the magnetic head and the recording medium, wherein the controller adjusts a set value of the drive voltage based on an amount of protrusion of the assist element when contact is detected by the contact detection circuit, and

the controller includes the set value adjusted according to the radial position of the magnetic head.

8 . The disk device of claim 7 , wherein,

if an initial amount of levitation of the magnetic head becomes greater, the set value becomes smaller.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 25, 2024
From: KOIZUMI, GAKU
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 067832/0993 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2024-021920 · Feb 16, 2024 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250266055A1 · Aug 21, 2025
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