Merging a head stack assembly with a data storage medium
View Patent ↗Apparatus for merging a disc drive head disc assembly (HSA) with a disc stack. The HSA comprises a flexure which supports a data transducing head and the disc stack comprises a disc having a data storage surface. A merge assembly includes a shipping comb attached to the HSA, the shipping comb having a first alignment member and a first flexure support member. The merge assembly further includes a merge comb having a second alignment member and a second flexure support member. The merge comb is advanced by a robotic arm to a position where the second alignment member engages the first alignment member. This aligns the shipping comb with the merge comb and allows transfer of support of the flexure to the second flexure support member at an elevation suitable to subsequently pass the head in a safe, clearing relationship over the data storage surface.
1. An apparatus comprising in combination a merge comb and a shipping comb adapted to merge a head stack assembly (HSA) with a data storage medium, wherein the shipping comb comprises a first alignment member and a first flexure support member supportingly engaging a flexure of the HSA, the merge comb comprising a second alignment member and a second flexure support member, the merge comb being moveable for engaging the alignment members together to align the shipping comb with the merge comb while simultaneously engaging both flexure support members in full supporting engagement of the flexure before withdrawing the first flexure support member to transfer supporting engagement of the flexure from the first flexure support member to the second flexure support member.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a selected one of the first and second alignment members comprises an alignment tab and wherein the remaining one of the first and second alignment members comprises an alignment channel sized to accommodate the alignment tab.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the merge comb further comprises a main body portion and first and second support arms which extend from the main body portion, the first support arm supporting the second alignment member and the second support arm supporting the second flexure support member.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second alignment member is configured to subsequently disengage from the first alignment member as the second flexure support member advances the HSA across a data storage surface of the medium.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the shipping comb further comprises an alignment peg which extends into a tooling aperture of the HSA, wherein the shipping comb is configured to contact an edge surface of the medium so that the HSA rotates with respect to the alignment peg while the second flexure support member advances the HSA across the data storage surface.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the merge comb is configured to place a head supported by the flexure upon a texturized landing zone located adjacent an innermost diameter of the data storage surface and thereafter retract to a position beyond an outermost diameter of the data storage surface.