JP2934335B2 - Head loading mechanism - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a loading mechanism for a magnetic head, and more particularly to a loading mechanism for an in-line type driver in an inspection apparatus for a magnetic disk or a thin film head.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The performance of a magnetic disk (hereinafter simply referred to as a disk) and a magnetic head (hereinafter simply referred to as a head) used in an information processing system are inspected at a manufacturing stage. The inspection is performed by mounting the disk on a driver of an inspection device such as a certifier or a head tester, and loading the head against the driver. There are two types of drivers for the magnetic disk drive, a linear type and an in-line type depending on the method of moving the head.

FIG. 3A shows a linear loading method used for an initially large disc. In the figure, a disk 1 is rotated in the θ direction by a rotation mechanism (not shown). On the other hand, the head 2 is fixed to the tip of an elastic gimbal bar (also called a loading arm) 3, the rear end is fixed to a carriage mechanism 4, and a loading mechanism 5 is provided for the gimbal bar. In the inspection, the head 2 moves the target track 11 by moving the carriage mechanism in the direction of the radius R of the disk 1.
To stop, and the loading mechanism lowers the gimbal bar to load the head. Since the disk is rotating, the head flies to a minute constant height due to the airflow generated on the surface, and the inspection is performed in a non-contact state.

Recently, the recording density of a disk has been increased, the size of the disk has been reduced to about 3 inches, and the head has a thickness of 1 mm or less and an area of 3 mm.
A very thin, small and lightweight thin film head of about 4 mm is used, and accordingly, the driver is also downsized. On the other hand, in the above-mentioned linear system, since the carriage mechanism 4 moves linearly in the radial direction, the size of the driver increases by that much, which hinders miniaturization. Therefore, a driver of a magnetic disk device for a small disk employs an in-line system in which a head is moved in a radial direction by a rotating mechanism. In the inspection apparatus, loading is performed in an in-line manner, but in this case, the loading and unloading of the magnetic disk and the head need to be performed freely, so that the loading mechanism is rather complicated. 3 (b) and 3 (c) show a conventional loading mechanism for an in-line type driver of the inspection apparatus. In FIG. 3 (b), the rotating mechanism 6 comprises a motor 61, a rotating shaft 62 and a fixture 63, The gimbal bar 3 is attached to the attachment 63, and when the rotation shaft is rotated by the motor, the head 2 seeks in the direction of the radius R. The loading mechanism 7
As shown in (c), the head 2 is constituted by a loading pin 71 which contacts the lower surface of the gimbal bar 3, an arm 72 for driving the same, and a driving mechanism 73. When the loading pin is lowered by the arm, the head 2 is lowered by the elasticity of the gimbal bar. Loaded. In addition, when changing the mounting of the disk to the driver, the rotation mechanism 6 is moved in the direction of the arrow A, and the head 2 and the gimbal bar 3 are retracted.

[0005]

The above-described loading mechanism 7 is a method in which a loading pin 71 is interposed in a gap z between the gimbal bar 3 and the surface of the disk 1.
In the case of a thin film head, an extremely thin wire is used for the loading pin 71 because the gap z is minute. On the other hand, the miniaturization of the disk and the head due to the increase in the recording density has further progressed, and the gap z has tended to be correspondingly smaller. On the other hand, the thickness and strength of the wire have reached their limits. If the wire is thinner than this, the pressing force is weakened and the wire cannot be used. The solution is to use a mechanism that does not rely on a loading pin. Also,
In the driver, as shown in FIG. 3 (c), since a plurality of disks 1, 1 '... Are stacked on a disk pack, it is necessary to make the interval between the disks as narrow as possible. The allowable value of the height Z of the upper surface of the gimbal bar or the like with respect to the surface of the disk is very small. Also,
When the gimbal bar is further shortened, the rotating mechanism 6 comes closer to the disk 1, so that there is almost no space for disposing the loading mechanism 7. As described above, there is a need for a loading mechanism that is arranged avoiding this position and that can reduce both the gap z and the height Z. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a loading mechanism which is used for an in-line type driver of a magnetic disk or thin film head inspection apparatus and has a small gap z and a small height Z in response to miniaturization of the head and the driver. Things.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a loading mechanism for achieving the above object, comprising a gimbal bar having a thin film head fixed at the tip thereof, a substantially rectangular vertical section having a small thickness, and a magnetic mechanism. A rotating block that rotates around a horizontal rotation axis that follows the surface of the disk ; and a drive mechanism that rotates the rotating block. And unlow
Times the rectangular cross section of the rotating block in loading state
The end opposite to the thin film head with respect to the axis of rotation
The height of the thin film head is rotated block wishes inclined state
Horizontal to the extent substantially less than or equal to the top of
The gimbal bar is supported by the rotating block in a
The end opposite the rotation axis when the mechanism is in the loading state
Is set from a lowered state to a raised state.
You.

[0007]

In the above loading mechanism, in the unloading state, the rotating block is at the height of the thin film head.
Is substantially equal to or below the top of the rotating block
Incline in a horizontal form, at which time the gimbal bar
Is almost horizontal in the above range, but during loading, the drive mechanism
The other end from the lowered position to the raised position.
Rotating block rotation by a constant, the head is brought into contact with the surface of disk drop-off below the tip of Jinbaruba,
Levitated to a very small height by airflow. Since there is nothing between the disk surface and the gimbal bar, the gap z between them is as small as the thickness of the thin film head. In this case, since the rectangular cross section of the rotating block has a small thickness, the height Z of the upper end surface with respect to the surface of the disk is also small. As described above, the loading mechanism of the present invention can cope with further downsizing of the in-line type driver and head.

[0008]

1 shows an embodiment of a loading mechanism according to the present invention, wherein (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. Fig. 1 (a),
3B, the rotating mechanism 6 has a motor 61 and a rotating shaft 62 as in FIG. 3B. The loading mechanism 8 rotates around a horizontal rotating shaft 81 and has a rotating block 82 having a thin rectangular cross section and a driving mechanism 83 fixed to the rotating shaft 62 of the rotating mechanism 6. The rotation shaft 81 is supported by a drive mechanism 83 by two support arms 84. A drive arm 85 driven by a drive mechanism 83 is provided, and the bottom surface of the rotary block 82 is pressed to rotate. One end of the gimbal bar 3 is rotatably supported on the rotating shaft 81 of the rotating block,
Is fixed to the tip of the gimbal bar 3 as in the prior art. The operation of the loading mechanism 8 will be described. The rotating mechanism 6 moves in the direction of arrow A, retracts the gimbal bar 3 and the head 2, and mounts the disk 1 on the driver.
Restore these to their original locations. With the head 2 in the unloading state, the driving mechanism is driven by the motor 61 of the rotating mechanism 6.
When the head 83 is rotated, the head 2 moves in the direction of the radius R of the disk 1, seeks the target track 11, and stops. Here, when the drive arm 85 is driven in the direction of arrow B by the drive mechanism 83, the rotary block 82 rotates in the direction of arrow c from the dotted line to the position of the solid line, and the head 2 comes into contact with the surface of the disk and is loaded. .

The operation of the rotary block 82, the gimbal bar 3 and the head 2 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. In the state of unloading (a), the rotation block 82, the rotary shaft 81
End opposite to head 2 with reference to
Although tilted in this state , the gimbal bar 3 is substantially horizontal, and the head 2 is separated from the surface of the disk by a certain height. Here, "almost horizontal" means the height of the thin film head.
Is substantially equal to the upper end of the rotating block of the rotating block 82.
The gimbal bar 3 is horizontal in the area below the squid
It is located in a state. In such a state
If the entire height including the tip of the head is a rotating block
Because it fits within the maximum height of the 82 rectangular cross section.
You. (b) In the loading state of times by the drive mechanism 83
The end opposite to the thin film head with respect to the axis of rotation
The head 2 is in contact with the disk 1 by being set to the raised state from the raised state, but the gimbal bar 3 is in contact with the disk 1.
And the surface of the disk 1 has nothing interposed therebetween, so that the gap z can be reduced to about the thickness of the head 2,
The above-mentioned problem of the loading pin can be solved and the head can be reduced in size. Also, the rotating block 82
Since the thickness is small and the position is low, the height Z of the upper end surface with respect to the surface of the disk is made very small, which can cope with downsizing of the driver.

[0010]

As described above, in the loading mechanism according to the present invention, the rotating block is rotated, the tip of the gimbal bar is lowered, the head is brought into contact with the surface of the disk, and the loading is performed. Since there is no intervening part between the gimbal bars, the gap z between them can be as small as the thickness of the thin film head, and since the rotating block is thin, the height of its upper end surface with respect to the surface of the disk is small. The size Z can also be reduced, and there is a large effect that can be reduced in size of the in-line type driver and the head in the inspection apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural view of one embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of FIG. 1, wherein (a) is a view showing an unloading state, and (b) is a view showing a loading state.

3A and 3B show a conventional loading mechanism, wherein FIG. 3A is a configuration diagram for a linear driver, and FIGS. 3B and 3C are configuration diagrams for an in-line driver.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: magnetic disk (disk), 11: track, 2: magnetic head, thin film head (head), 3: gimbal bar,
4 carriage mechanism, 5 loading mechanism, 6 rotation mechanism, 61 motor, 62 rotation shaft, 63 mounting fixture, 7
Loading mechanism, 71 loading pin, 72 arm, 73 drive mechanism, 8 loading mechanism of the present invention,
81: rotating shaft, 83: drive mechanism, 84: support arm, 85: drive arm.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A loading of the thin film head for inline type magnetic disk mounted on the driver, has a Jinbaruba fixing the thin film head to the tip, a thin substantially rectangular vertical section thicknesses, the magnetic Day
Rotation block for rotation about a horizontal rotational axis to follow the surface of the disk, and includes a drive mechanism for rotating the rotary block, of the rotary block in the unloading state
The thin section with respect to the rotation axis in the rectangular cross section
The height of the thin film head is substantially the same as the upper end of the rotating block in a state in which the end opposite to the film head is inclined downward.
Qualitatively equal to or below this in horizontal form
A gimbal bar is supported by the rotating block and the drive
The moving mechanism is opposite to the rotating shaft in the loading state.
Characterized the this <br/> be set to the raised state from a state in which down the ends of the side, the head loading mechanism.