JP2002056644A - Supporting arm for magnetic head and magnetic disk device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a highly reliable magnetic disk device which does not give rise to the damage of a magnetic head and magnetic disk by compensating a decrease of an effective lubricant applied to the surface of the magnetic disk with lapse of working. SOLUTION: The working time of the magnetic disk device is added up and when replenishment is judged to be necessary, the magnetic disk is replenished with the lubricant by using a lubricant supplying device 6 from the outer side of a hermetic container 1. The lubricant supplying device temporarily stores the lubricant in part of a supporting arm (including a lifter tab) 3b for supporting a magnetic head 3a and gradually moves the lubricant adhered to the supporting arm onto the surface of the magnetic disk 2 by phenomena, such as evaporation and flow, mainly when the magnetic head is loaded on the magnetic disk, thereby replenishing the surface with the splashed lubricant.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a magnetic disk drive for recording and reproducing data on and from a magnetic disk, and more particularly to a technique for repairing a lubricant layer of the magnetic disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional magnetic disk drive, a lubricant is often applied to the surface of a magnetic disk for two main reasons.

The first reason is that a magnetic head (hereinafter abbreviated as a head) and a magnetic disk (hereinafter abbreviated as a head) at the time of starting and stopping in a magnetic disk device of a starting and stopping type generally called a contact start stop (hereinafter abbreviated as CSS). , Abbreviated as a disk) due to contact sliding. The second reason is that the head floating above the disk surface during operation of the apparatus cannot maintain the floating interval due to projections, dust, and other various factors, and suppresses intermittent contact. It is.

However, when the apparatus is used for a long period of time, the lubricant is affected by the centrifugal force and air friction caused by the high-speed rotation of the disk itself, the rapid fluctuation of the pressure caused by the passage of the head, and the like. The thickness gradually decreases and its effect gradually decreases. Therefore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-45 discloses a method of supplying lubricant from outside the magnetic disk drive.
No. 260 discloses a technique in which when it is determined that replenishment is necessary, a lubricant is supplied in a spray form from outside the closed container using a lubricant supply device, and the lubricant on the disk surface is replenished. I have.

[0005]

Problems to be Solved by the Invention Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-45260
Although the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. H07-27139 can also supply the reduced amount of lubricant, this method tends to cause excessive spraying of lubricant, and not only the surface of the magnetic disk but also other parts in the closed container in general. However, there is a problem that a large amount is sprayed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to make it possible to supply an appropriate amount of lubricant to a magnetic disk drive and to improve the long-term reliability of the magnetic disk drive.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, a magnetic disk drive according to the present invention is provided with a through-hole having an opening / closing means in a closed container for accommodating a head and a disk. On the other hand, a lubricant supply port capable of opening the opening / closing means at the same time as engaging with the through hole, a lubricant supply device capable of supplying the lubricant from the through hole, and a support arm (including a lift tab) supporting the head. The lubricant is replenished to the magnetic disk by supply means capable of partially storing the lubricant.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on embodiments with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention with a part of a magnetic disk device opened. A slider 3a on which a magnetic head for recording and reproducing information is mounted is attached to a positioning actuator 4 by a support arm (including a lift tab) 3b.
The actuator 4 is bearing-fixed to a base 1b constituting a part of the closed vessel 1 by a pivot bearing 4a.

The plurality of disks 2 are stacked at predetermined intervals by a spacer (not shown) and fixed via a hub (not shown) so as to be integrated with the spindle 2b by a clamp 2a. Pivot bearing 4
The spindle a, the spindle 2b, and the lamp 5a are attached to the base 1b so as to maintain their relative positions with high accuracy.

At the start of operation of the apparatus, the lift tab 5b provided at the tip of the support arm 3b slides on the surface of the ramp 5a by the operation of the actuator 4 and the head 3a moves to the surface of the magnetic disk 2 to maintain a slight gap. Surface. This operation is called loading. Conversely, when the operation of the apparatus is in the sleep state and when the apparatus is stopped, the lift tab 5b disposed at the tip of the support arm rides on the ramp 5a, thereby retreating the slider 3a on which the magnetic head is mounted from the surface of the magnetic disk 2. This operation is called unloading.

The base 1b is provided with a through-hole 1c having a built-in opening / closing means. The lubricant supply device 6 stores a necessary amount of lubricant in the lubricant container 6c in advance, and the lubricant passes through the supply port 6a and the tip 6b of the supply port and stores the lubricant provided in the lamp 5a. Mechanically positioned on the
Supply the required amount of lubricant. When the head is loaded on the surface of the magnetic disk by the operation of the actuator, the supplied lubricant is stored in a lift tab arranged at the tip of the support arm, and then moves to the surface of the magnetic disk.
The lubricant supply device 6 may be detachable before and after the through hole 1c.

In the examples, a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) -based lubricant was used as a lubricant, and a fluorine-based solvent was used as a solvent.

The supply of the lubricant is performed when the operating time of the magnetic disk device is integrated by a timer (not shown) attached thereto and the time reaches a preset time. After the supply, the operation time of the magnetic disk device is integrated again, and the supply is performed again when the next set time is reached. Thereafter, this operation can be repeated as necessary.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a ramp portion in a magnetic disk drive and its vicinity according to an embodiment of the present invention. The lubricant supplied by the lubricant supply device is stored in a groove 5c provided on the surface of the lamp 5a. The lubricant stored in the groove adheres to the lift tab 5b when the head is unloaded, and when the head moves onto the surface of the magnetic disk, it is promoted by the heat generated by the apparatus and the flow of air, and the magnetic disk is evaporated or scattered. It gradually moves to the surface and replenishes the lubricant to the magnetic disk surface.

Also, a method is provided in which grooves are provided on the surface of the lamp so that the lubricant is easily stored, a portion of a material which is easily impregnated with the lubricant, or the material of the lamp itself is made a material which is easily impregnated with the lubricant. Is also effective. 0.5 mm in this embodiment
SiO2 processed into a thick plate was used by bonding it to the lamp surface.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the vicinity of the lift tab portion in the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. A part of the lubricant stored on the ramp surface flows to and adheres to the lift tab when it comes into contact with the lift tab. However, if the surface of the lift tab is smooth, the lubricant may not easily adhere. Therefore, it is effective to provide a groove by roughening the surface of the lift tab that comes into contact with the lamp surface in order to make a sufficient amount of lubricant adhere and accumulate. In the example shown in FIG.
B is provided with a entanglement processing section 5d to assist the adhesion of the lubricant.

It is also effective to attach a material easily impregnated with the lubricant to the lift tab, or to make the material of the lift tab itself a material easily impregnated with the lubricant. Porous silicon dioxide (SiO2) was used as an impregnating material for the lift tub. In this case, a 1 μm thick film was formed on the lift tub by a sol-gel method using tetraethoxysilane as a raw material. It is also effective to provide many porous oxide films on the lift tub.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the lubricant is temporarily stored in the ramp and the lift tub. However, it is effective to store the lubricant in any part of the support arm. In particular, it is more effective to store the lubricant in the vicinity of the disk facing surface of the support arm that supports the head portion that seeks the entire surface of the effective area of the disk in that lubricant is supplied to the entire surface of the disk. is there.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, an appropriate amount of lubricant can be replenished after a magnetic disk drive incorporating a lubricant-coated disk has been operated for a certain period of time. It is possible to provide a highly reliable apparatus that does not cause damage to the head and the disk even when the apparatus is operated while being continuously contacted.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a magnetic disk drive and a lubricant supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a ramp portion and its vicinity in the magnetic disk drive of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a lift tab portion and its vicinity in the magnetic disk drive of the embodiment of the present invention, and a partial enlarged view of the lift tab.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Closed container, 1a cover, 1b base, 1c through hole, 2 magnetic disk, 2a clamp, 2b spindle, 3a head, 3b support arm (including lift tab), 4 actuator, 4a pivot bearing, 5a ramp, 5b lift tab, 5c Groove,
5d Entanglement processing section, 6 Lubricant supply device, 6a supply port, 6b Supply port tip, 6c Lubricant container.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Takuji Takenaka 2880 Kozu, Odawara-shi, Kanagawa F-term in Storage Systems Division, Hitachi, Ltd. 5D076 AA01 BB01 CC04 EE01 FF10 GG01

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A magnetic head support arm for supporting a slider on which a magnetic head for reading and writing magnetic signals is mounted, wherein the support arm has means capable of storing a lubricant. Support arm for head. 2. A support arm for a magnetic head according to claim 1, wherein one or both of a groove and an impregnating material capable of storing a lubricant are provided in a part of said support arm. 3. A magnetic disk for recording information, a magnetic head for recording and reproducing information on and from the magnetic disk, and means for storing and opening and closing the magnetic disk and components for supporting and driving the magnetic head. A closed container with a through hole,
A magnetic disk drive comprising means for storing a lubricant supplied from a lubricant supply device through the through hole in a part of the magnetic head support arm. 4. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 3, wherein the lubricant supplied from the through hole is stored in a part of the arm after being stored in a ramp portion in the sealing device. . 5. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 3, wherein one or both of a groove for storing a lubricant and an impregnating material is provided in the ramp portion. 6. The magnetic disk drive according to claim 3, wherein said lubricant supply device for supplying a lubricant through said through hole is detachable from said magnetic disk drive. 7. The system according to claim 3, wherein the operation time of said magnetic disk device is integrated, and when the set operation time is reached, lubricant is supplied through said through hole. Magnetic disk unit.