JP3891921B2 - Recording apparatus having air compression function - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recording apparatus having a rotating disk as a recording medium and having an air compression function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
As a recording device using a disk-shaped recording medium, a magnetic disk device, an optical disk device, and the like have been widely put into practical use. Generally, these recording apparatuses include a spindle motor that supports and rotationally drives a disk, a magnetic head or an optical head that records and reproduces information on the disk, and an arbitrary magnetic head or optical head attached to the disk. A head actuator that moves the head actuator to a position. As the head actuator, a direct acting type in which the head is linearly moved along the radial direction of the disk, or a rotary type in which the head is rotated around a rotation axis is known. The head actuator uses a linear guide, a pivot bearing, a slide bearing, or the like as a support mechanism for the movable part.
[0003]
However, since these support mechanisms use rolling and sliding with a ball, friction due to contact or sliding exists. Although friction has been reduced by using a lubricant and by devising a sliding material, it is substantially difficult to eliminate sliding friction completely. The non-linearity due to the sliding friction impairs the tracking accuracy of the recording apparatus and hinders a high-speed and stable seek operation, and becomes a great obstacle to improving the recording density.
[0004]
That is, in the recording apparatus, increasing the head seek speed with respect to the track of the disk and improving the track follow accuracy are important issues as the recording density increases. However, in the above-described conventional head actuator support mechanism, due to the presence of friction, in a track-following operation or the like, a non-linear operation that always shifts from static friction to dynamic friction is continuous. Furthermore, the mechanical play of the bearing is added, which is a great obstacle to improving the head positioning accuracy.
[0005]
In addition, the viscosity of the lubricant used to suppress the wear of the support mechanism further increases the nonlinearity. There is a possibility that the recording apparatus is internally contaminated due to gasification of the lubricant sealed in the support mechanism or leakage to the inside of the apparatus, resulting in a failure.
[0006]
As means for solving such a problem, it is conceivable to use a hydrostatic air bearing or a magnetic bearing which is non-contact and does not involve friction (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2). For example, a hydrostatic air bearing that uses air as a working fluid is considered as an ideal bearing mechanism in a high-density recording apparatus because it does not contaminate the inside of the recording apparatus and at the same time eliminates frictional wear.
[0007]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 61-10115 A
[0008]
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-63-302477
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when a static pressure air bearing is used for the support mechanism of the head actuator, it is necessary to separately provide a pressure supply source such as a pump for supplying compressed air from the outside, which increases the size of the entire apparatus. Therefore, with the exception of some server devices, static pressure is applied to recording devices that are becoming smaller for the purpose of being mounted on devices such as portable devices, personal computers that are becoming more space-saving, and laptop computers that are becoming smaller and lighter. It was practically impossible to mount a bearing.
[0010]
Further, in the magnetic bearing, it is necessary to always control the flying height of the movable part, and a coil for controlling a strong magnetic field and a power source for supplying a constant current are required. Therefore, the entire apparatus including the bearing is increased in size, and there is a problem from the viewpoint of energy saving. Further, the magnetic head may be adversely affected by the magnetic bearing.
[0011]
On the other hand, as a support mechanism for the head actuator, it may be possible to apply a hydrodynamic bearing that generates pressure in the internal oil or gas by its own operation without receiving supply of compressed air from the outside and supports the movable part in a non-contact manner. . However, in order to generate a stable dynamic pressure, for example, it is necessary to move two members continuously with a constant relative speed. Therefore, regardless of whether it is a rotary type or a direct acting type, a head actuator whose rotation or moving direction changes at any time cannot generate a stable dynamic pressure, making it difficult to apply a dynamic pressure bearing. .
[0012]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to improve the head positioning accuracy and the recording density without increasing the size of the apparatus and increasing the energy consumption. To provide an apparatus.
[0013]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a recording apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention rotatably supports a disk for recording information, and records and reproduces information on a surface of the disk and a motor for driving the disk. And a head to A suspension that supports the head, and a hydrostatic bearing that movably supports the suspension; A head actuator that drives the head to an arbitrary position with respect to the surface of the disk; A squeeze plate that is disposed to face at least a part of the surface of the disk with a gap and generates compressed air between the disk surface and the compression generated between the squeeze plate and the disk as the disk rotates. It has a pipe that guides air to the hydrostatic bearing And a compression mechanism.
[0014]
According to the recording apparatus configured as described above, by incorporating a compression mechanism in the motor that rotates the disk, air is pressurized using the rotational force of the motor, and compressed air is supplied to the hydrostatic bearing of the head actuator. can do. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide an independent compressed air supply source, and the use of a hydrostatic bearing can be realized even in a small apparatus. Also, since the bearing rigidity required for the bearing used in the recording apparatus is sufficient to support a light load such as a head, the differential pressure from the atmospheric pressure required for the hydrostatic bearing need not be so high. Absent. At this time, it is possible to use an aerostatic bearing regardless of a rotary type or a direct acting type head actuator.
[0015]
Further, by using a hydrostatic bearing for the support portion of the head actuator, non-contact and unnecessary support can be achieved, and an ideal support structure that does not cause the influence of friction can be obtained. As a result, non-linearity in the head actuator operation caused by contact and sliding friction is eliminated, and the head positioning accuracy can be improved.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment in which a recording apparatus of the present invention is applied to a hard disk drive (hereinafter referred to as HDD) will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0017]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the HDD includes a base 10 having a substantially rectangular plate shape. On the base 10, a spindle motor 14 and a head actuator 18 are attached. The spindle motor 14 supports a magnetic disk 12 as a recording medium and rotationally drives the magnetic disk at a high speed. The head actuator 18 supports a magnetic head 16 for recording and reproducing information on the recording surface of the magnetic disk 12 so as to be movable with respect to the recording surface of the magnetic disk 12. Move, position and follow the track. The components provided on the base 10 are usually covered with a cover (not shown) attached to the base.
[0018]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the head actuator 18 is configured as a direct acting actuator, and includes a head gimbal assembly 20, a support mechanism 22, and a drive unit 24. The support mechanism 22 includes, for example, a static pressure bearing 26 formed of a metal such as an aluminum alloy or a titanium alloy, and a prismatic slider 28 supported linearly and reciprocally by the static pressure bearing. ing. The slider 28 that functions as a movable member is formed of the same material as the support mechanism 22 or a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion, for example, low thermal expansion glass.
[0019]
As shown in FIG. 3, the hydrostatic bearing 26 is configured as an air bearing that supports a slider 28 in a non-contact state. That is, the hydrostatic bearing 26 is formed in a substantially rectangular tube shape using, for example, four plate members. A bearing guide hole 27 formed inside the hydrostatic bearing 26 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cross section of the slider 28, and the slider 28 is inserted into the bearing guide hole 27. A large number of air supply passages 30 are formed in the wall portion of the hydrostatic bearing 26, and these air supply passages communicate with a number of air supply holes 32 opened on the inner surface of the bearing guide hole 27.
[0020]
A large number of air supply passages 30 communicate with pipes 34 connected to the hydrostatic bearing 26. Then, by supplying pressurized air from the compression mechanism, which will be described later, into the bearing guide hole 27 through the pipe 34, the air supply path 30, and the air supply hole 32, the slider 28 floats with the static pressure of the air. The bearing 26 is supported so as to be movable in a non-contact state. The moving direction of the slider 28 is set in a direction parallel to the surface of the magnetic disk 12.
[0021]
As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the head gimbal assembly 20 includes an elongated plate-like suspension 36 that can be elastically deformed. The suspension 36 is composed of a plurality of leaf springs, or a vibration damping material disposed on the surface of the leaf spring or between the plurality of leaf springs. The base end of the suspension 36 is fixed to the tip of the slider 28 and extends from the slider toward the magnetic disk 12. A magnetic head 16 is attached to the extended end of the suspension 36. The magnetic head 16 includes a substantially rectangular slider, a recording head formed separately on the slider, and a reproducing head using MR (magnetoresistive) or GMR (giant magnetoresistive). The magnetic head 16 is fixed to a gimbal portion (not shown) provided at the tip of the suspension 36 to stabilize the posture of the magnetic head. As a result, the magnetic head 16 faces the surface of the magnetic disk 12 and a predetermined pressing pressure is applied by the suspension 36.
[0022]
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the drive unit 24 of the head actuator 18 is constituted by a voice coil motor. The drive shaft 38 of the drive unit 24 is arranged in alignment with the slider 28 and is connected to the proximal end of the slider. Therefore, by driving the drive unit 24, the slider 28 is linearly reciprocated. Thereby, the magnetic head 16 is reciprocated along the radial direction on the surface of the magnetic disk 12, and moved and positioned on an arbitrary track.
The drive unit 24 is not limited to a voice coil motor, and various types of motors such as a three-phase synchronous motor and a stepping motor can be used. Further, the arrangement of the bearings and the drive unit 24 can be changed as necessary.
[0023]
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the spindle motor 14 is provided in the rotation shaft 40, a bearing fixing portion 42 that rotatably supports the lower end portion of the rotation shaft, and a midway portion of the rotation shaft. The motor part 44 was provided. The bearing fixing portion 42 has a rotation support mechanism 41 such as a ball bearing or a fluid bearing. The motor unit 44 includes a rotor (not shown) formed integrally with the rotating shaft 40, a magnet fixed to the rotor in the case of a synchronous motor, and a magnetic coil that is disposed to face the magnet and forms a stator. It is equipped with. The magnetic disk 12 is coaxially fixed to the upper end portion of the rotating shaft 40 by a clamper 46. Therefore, by driving the spindle motor 14, the magnetic disk 12 is rotated at a predetermined speed integrally with the rotary shaft 40.
[0024]
The spindle motor 14 is integrally provided with a compression mechanism 50 that generates compressed air using the rotational force of the rotary shaft 40. The compression mechanism 50 is disposed between the motor unit 44 and the magnetic disk 12. The compression mechanism 50 includes a plurality of turbine blades 52 that are attached to the rotary shaft 40 and rotate integrally with the rotary shaft, and an outer shell 56 that surrounds the turbine blades and defines a pressurizing chamber 54. .
[0025]
The turbine blades 52 are arranged on the annular support plate 53 at a predetermined pitch, and the support plate 53 is fixed to the rotating shaft 40. The turbine blade 52 extends substantially radially with respect to the rotating shaft.
[0026]
The outer shell 56 is provided with an intake port 58 for introducing outside air into the pressurizing chamber 54 and an exhaust port 60 for exhausting air pressurized in the pressurizing chamber. The exhaust port 60 is connected to the hydrostatic bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 via the pipe 34. The outer shell 56 has a cylindrical peripheral wall that covers the outer periphery of the turbine blade 52, and the peripheral wall is provided slightly eccentric with respect to the rotating shaft 40.
[0027]
In the HDD configured as described above, during operation, the spindle motor 14 is driven, and the rotating shaft 40 and the magnetic disk 12 are rotated at high speed. At this time, the turbine blade 52 of the compression mechanism 50 is rotated integrally with the rotary shaft 40 at a high speed. As a result, the air inside the HDD is introduced into the pressurizing chamber 54 via the intake port 58. The introduced air is pressurized in the pressurizing chamber 54 by the action of the turbine blade 52 and then supplied from the exhaust port 60 to the hydrostatic bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 through the pipe 34.
[0028]
The compressed air supplied from the compression mechanism 50 to the hydrostatic bearing 26 is supplied into the bearing guide hole 27 through the air supply passage 30 and the air supply hole 32. Therefore, the slider 28 is supported by the static air pressure in a non-contact state with respect to the static pressure bearing 26 and movably. In this state, the slider 28 is linearly reciprocated by the drive unit 24, so that the magnetic head 16 is moved and positioned on a desired track of the magnetic disk 12 with high accuracy, and information is recorded on the magnetic disk 12. , Play.
[0029]
Note that the bearing rigidity required for the hydrostatic bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 is sufficient to support a light load such as the head gimbal assembly 20. Therefore, the differential pressure from the atmospheric pressure required for the hydrostatic bearing 26 need not be so high. Therefore, compressed air can be easily and sufficiently supplied by the compression mechanism 50.
[0030]
According to the HDD configured as described above, by incorporating the compression mechanism 50 into the spindle motor 14 that rotates the magnetic disk 12, air is pressurized using the rotational force of the spindle motor, and the static pressure of the head actuator 18. Compressed air can be supplied to the bearing 26. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide an independent compressed air supply source, and the use of the hydrostatic bearing can be realized without increasing the size of the entire apparatus. Further, by supporting the slider 28, which is a movable member of the head actuator 18, in a non-contact manner and without unnecessary play by a hydrostatic bearing, an ideal support structure that does not cause the influence of friction can be obtained. As a result, nonlinearity in the operation of the head actuator due to sliding friction can be eliminated, and the positioning accuracy of the magnetic head 16 can be improved. As a result, an HDD with improved recording density can be obtained without increasing the size of the apparatus and increasing the energy consumption.
[0031]
In addition, according to the HDD, a non-contact bearing can be realized by generating a static pressure only with the sealed gas inside the apparatus, so that it is not necessary to use a lubricant or the like in the conventional head actuator support mechanism. At the same time, it is not necessary to introduce a gas such as air from the outside of the apparatus. Therefore, it is possible to avoid contamination inside the apparatus due to lubricant, introduced gas, and the like.
[0032]
In the embodiment described above, the rotation support mechanism 41 having a ball bearing is used as the bearing fixing portion 42 of the spindle motor 14. Instead, a hydrodynamic bearing or a static pressure bearing is used, and this static support mechanism 41 is used. It is good also as a structure which supplies compressed air from said compression mechanism 50 to a pressure bearing, and obtains a static pressure.
[0033]
The compression mechanism 50 incorporated in the spindle motor 14 is not limited to the configuration including the turbine blade described above, and various configurations can be used. According to the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5, the compression mechanism 50 is configured as a scroll compressor, and has a rotating blade 61 and a fixed blade 62 formed in a substantially spiral shape, and the periphery of these blades. And an outer shell 56 that encloses and defines the pressurizing chamber 54. The rotating blade 61 is fixed to the rotating shaft 40 in the vicinity of the center thereof, and is driven to rotate integrally with the rotating shaft 40. The fixed blade 62 is fixed to the bottom wall of the outer shell 56 and is engaged with the rotating blade 61.
[0034]
On the peripheral wall of the outer shell 56, two intake ports 58 for introducing air into the pressurizing chamber 54 are provided approximately 180 degrees apart. The upper end portion of the rotating shaft 40 is formed hollow and defines an exhaust passage 64 extending coaxially with the rotating shaft. The exhaust passage 64 communicates with the inside of the pressurizing chamber 54 via a plurality of, for example, four suction ports 63 formed in the rotary shaft 40. The upper end of the rotating shaft 40 extends upward through the clamper 46, and one end of the pipe 34 is relatively rotatably connected to the upper end via a joint using a labyrinth. Thereby, the pressurizing chamber 54 is connected to the pipe 34 via the suction port 63 and the exhaust passage 64. Further, the upper and lower surface portions of the outer shell 56 are joined to the rotary shaft 40 in a non-contact and rotatable manner through joints using labyrinths to prevent pressure loss from the rotating and rotating portion.
[0035]
According to the compression mechanism 50 configured as described above, when the spindle motor 14 is driven and the rotating blade 61 rotates together with the rotating shaft 40, the air in the HDD is introduced into the pressurizing chamber 54 through the intake port 58. The introduced air enters between the rotating blade 61 and the fixed blade 62 and is compressed by the action of these blades. The compressed air is supplied from the pressurizing chamber 54 to the static pressure bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 through the suction port 63, the exhaust passage 64 and the pipe 34.
[0036]
The other configuration of the HDD is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof is omitted. Even when the HDD is configured using the compression mechanism 50 configured as described above, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.
In addition, as the compression mechanism 50, various general types of compression mechanisms such as a roots type, a helical type, a screw type, and a gear type can be applied.
[0037]
According to the third embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, the compression mechanism 50 includes a substantially fan-shaped squeeze plate 66 that is disposed to face the surface of the magnetic disk 12 with a gap therebetween. Yes. One end of the pipe 34 is connected to the squeeze plate 66 and communicates with a gap between the surface of the magnetic disk 12 and the squeeze plate 66. Note that the squeeze plate 66 may be configured by a part of a cover that covers the base 10 described above.
[0038]
According to the compression mechanism 50, when the magnetic disk 12 is rotated by the spindle motor 14, the air flow generated on the surface of the magnetic disk flows into the gap between the squeeze plate 66 and the surface of the magnetic disk. Then, due to the so-called squeeze effect, a differential pressure with respect to atmospheric pressure is generated in the gap, and compressed air is generated. The compressed air is supplied to the hydrostatic bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 through the pipe 34.
[0039]
The squeeze effect used to dampen flutter and vibration on the disk surface is achieved by placing the squeeze plate opposite to a part of the rotating disk surface and using the pressure generated by the vertical amplitude of the disk surface to It is to suppress. Here, when the differential pressure is generated by the squeeze effect, the load torque of the spindle motor 14 slightly increases due to the viscosity of the fluid. However, in the present embodiment, by actively utilizing this squeeze effect and supplying differential pressure to the hydrostatic bearing, flutter and vibration on the surface of the magnetic disk can be suppressed, and at the same time, the flutter and vibration can be suppressed. It is possible to effectively use the energy consumed to suppress the above.
[0040]
According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 7, the compression mechanism 50 includes a shroud case 68. The shroud case 68 is disposed so as to face each other with a gap between both surfaces and the periphery of the magnetic disk 12 except for the rotation center portion. One end of the pipe 34 is connected to the shroud case 68 and communicates with a gap between the surface of the magnetic disk 12 and the shroud case. An opening 71 is formed in a part of the shroud case 68, and the head gimbal assembly 20 fixed to the slider 28 of the head actuator 18 is inserted therethrough. The shroud case 68 may be constituted by an independent case, or may be constituted by a part of the cover that covers the base 10 and the base.
[0041]
According to the compression mechanism 50, when the magnetic disk 12 is rotated at a high speed by the spindle motor 14, a shroud is generated between the magnetic disk surface and the shroud case 68. Due to this shroud, a differential pressure with respect to the atmospheric pressure is generated in the gap between the surface of the magnetic disk 12 and the shroud case 68 to generate compressed air. The compressed air is supplied to the hydrostatic bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 through the pipe 34.
[0042]
In this way, the pressure fluctuation caused by the shroud caused by the rotation of the magnetic disk 12 is supplied to the hydrostatic bearing 26 as a differential pressure, thereby generating the flutter in the magnetic disk 12 and the energy for exciting the head gimbal assembly 20. Can be consumed and effectively offset.
[0043]
In the third and fourth embodiments, the other configuration of the HDD is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, and the same reference numerals are given to the same portions, and a detailed description thereof will be given. Omitted. Even when the HDD is configured using the compression mechanism 50 according to the third and fourth embodiments, the same operational effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.
[0044]
Next explained is an HDD according to the fifth embodiment of the invention. According to the present embodiment, the HDD includes the rotary head actuator 18.
[0045]
As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the head actuator 18 includes a support mechanism 22 fixed to the base 10 and an arm 70 that is supported by the support mechanism and functions as a carriage. The support mechanism 22 includes a rotary shaft 72 that is erected substantially vertically and a hydrostatic bearing 26 that rotatably supports a lower end portion of the rotary shaft.
[0046]
A lower end portion 72a of the rotating shaft 72 that functions as a movable member is formed to have a larger diameter than other portions. The hydrostatic bearing 26 is configured as an air bearing that supports the rotating shaft 72 in a non-contact state. That is, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the hydrostatic bearing 26 has a wall portion that covers the periphery of the lower end portion 72 a of the rotating shaft 72, and the bearing guide hole 27 is defined by this wall portion. A large number of air supply passages 30 are formed in the wall portion. These air supply passages 30 communicate with a large number of air supply holes 32 opened toward the outer surface of the lower end portion 72 a of the rotating shaft 72.
[0047]
A large number of air supply passages 30 communicate with pipes 34 connected to the hydrostatic bearing 26. Then, by supplying pressurized air into the bearing guide hole 27 from the compression mechanism, which will be described later, via the pipe 34, the air supply path 30 and the air supply hole 32, the rotary shaft 72 is driven by the static pressure of the air. 26 is supported in a non-contact state and rotatable.
[0048]
As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the base of the arm 70 is fixed to the rotary shaft 72, and the same arm is parallel to the surface of the magnetic disk 12 from the rotary shaft and at a predetermined interval from each other. It extends in the direction. The head actuator 18 includes a head gimbal assembly 20. The head gimbal assembly 20 includes an elongated plate-like suspension 36 formed by a leaf spring, and a base end thereof is fixed to a tip end of an arm 70 by screwing or caulking.
[0049]
A magnetic head 16 is attached to the extended end of each suspension 36. The magnetic head 16 includes a substantially rectangular slider, a recording head formed separately on the slider, and a reproducing head using MR or GMR. The magnetic head 16 is fixed to a gimbal portion formed at the distal end portion of the suspension 36. When recording layers are provided on the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetic disk 12, the two magnetic heads 16 attached to the suspension 36 are positioned to face each other and are disposed so as to sandwich the magnetic disk 12 from both sides. .
[0050]
The head actuator 18 has a support frame 74 extending from the rotating shaft 72 in a direction opposite to the arm 70, and a voice coil 78 is attached to the support frame. The support frame 74 is integrally formed on the outer periphery of the voice coil 78 by a synthetic resin mold. The voice coil 78 is positioned between a pair of yokes 80 fixed on the base 10, and together with these yokes and a magnet 82 fixed to one or both yokes, a voice coil motor (hereinafter referred to as VCM) 76. Is configured. Then, by energizing the VCM 76 that functions as a drive unit, the head actuator 18 rotates around the rotation shaft 72, and the magnetic head 16 is moved and positioned on a desired track of the magnetic disk 12.
[0051]
On the other hand, the spindle motor 14 that supports and rotationally drives the magnetic disk 12 is fixed to the base 10 and includes a compression mechanism 50. The compression mechanism 50 is connected to the hydrostatic bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 via a pipe 34. The configuration of the spindle motor 14 is the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and the detailed description thereof is omitted. As the compression mechanism 50, any of the compression mechanisms shown in the first to fourth embodiments described above may be used.
[0052]
In the HDD configured as described above, when the spindle motor 14 is driven and the magnetic disk 12 is rotated at a high speed during operation, compressed air is formed by the compression mechanism 50 using the rotational force. The compressed air is supplied to the hydrostatic bearing 26 of the head actuator 18 through the pipe 34.
[0053]
The compressed air supplied from the compression mechanism 50 to the hydrostatic bearing 26 is supplied into the bearing through the air supply passage 30 and the air supply holes 32. Thereby, the lower end part 72a of the rotating shaft 72 is rotatably supported in a non-contact state within the hydrostatic bearing 26 by static air pressure. In this state, the head actuator 18 is rotated by the VCM 76, whereby the magnetic head 16 is moved and positioned on a desired track of the magnetic disk 12, and information is recorded on and reproduced from the magnetic disk 12.
[0054]
According to the HDD configured as described above, by incorporating the compression mechanism 50 into the spindle motor 14 that rotates the magnetic disk 12, air is pressurized using the rotational force of the spindle motor, and the static pressure of the head actuator 18. Compressed air can be supplied to the bearing 26. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide an independent compressed air supply source, and the use of the hydrostatic bearing can be realized without increasing the size of the entire apparatus. Then, by using the hydrostatic bearing 26 for the support mechanism of the rotary shaft 72 that is a movable member of the head actuator 18, an ideal support structure that is non-contact, has no influence of friction, and does not cause unnecessary play is provided. it can. Thereby, the non-linearity of the head actuator operation due to sliding friction can be eliminated, and the positioning accuracy of the magnetic head 16 can be improved. As a result, it is possible to realize an HDD with dramatically improved recording density without increasing the size of the apparatus and increasing the energy consumption.
[0055]
In addition, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention. For example, the recording apparatus according to the present invention can be applied not only to a magnetic disk apparatus but also to a recording apparatus using an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, or the like as a recording medium. In this case, a magneto-optical head or an optical head having an optical pickup is used as a head for recording and reproducing information with respect to the disk. Further, the number of disks can be increased as necessary.
[0056]
【The invention's effect】
As described above in detail, according to the present invention, there is provided a recording apparatus capable of improving the head positioning accuracy and the recording density without increasing the size of the apparatus and increasing the consumption energy. be able to.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an HDD according to a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the HDD.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a direct acting actuator in the HDD and a perspective view showing a partially broken static pressure bearing.
4 is a cross-sectional view showing a spindle motor and a compression mechanism in the HDD. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a spindle motor and a compression mechanism of an HDD according to a second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a spindle motor and a compression mechanism of an HDD according to a third embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a spindle motor and a compression mechanism of an HDD according to a fourth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an HDD according to a fifth embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9 is a side view of the HDD according to the fifth embodiment.
FIG. 10 is a side view showing a partially broken head actuator of the HDD according to the fifth embodiment.
11A is an enlarged sectional view showing a hydrostatic bearing portion of the head actuator in the fifth embodiment, and FIG. 11B is a line AA in FIG. 11A. FIG. 11C is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 11A.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 ... Base
12 ... Magnetic disk
14 ... Spindle motor
16 ... Magnetic head
18 ... Head actuator
22 ... Support mechanism
24 ... Drive unit
26 ... Hydrostatic bearing
30 ... Air supply route
32 ... Air supply holes
34 ... Piping
40, 72 ... rotating shaft
50 ... Compression mechanism
76 ... VCM

Claims (6)

A disk for recording information is rotatably supported and a motor for driving the disk;
A head for recording and reproducing information on the surface of the disk;
A suspension that supports the head, and a hydrostatic bearing that movably supports the suspension, and a head actuator that drives the head to an arbitrary position with respect to the surface of the disk;
A squeeze plate that is disposed to face at least a part of the surface of the disk with a gap and generates compressed air between the disk surface and the compression generated between the squeeze plate and the disk as the disk rotates. A compression mechanism having a pipe for guiding air to the hydrostatic bearing ;
Recording device. A disk for recording information is rotatably supported and a motor for driving the disk;
A head for recording and reproducing information on the surface of the disk;
A suspension that supports the head, and a hydrostatic bearing that movably supports the suspension, and a head actuator that drives the head to an arbitrary position with respect to the surface of the disk;
A shroud case, which is opposed to each other with a gap on both surfaces and periphery of the disk except for the rotation center, and generates compressed air with the disk as the disk rotates, and between the shroud case and the disk A compression mechanism having a pipe for guiding compressed air generated therebetween to the hydrostatic bearing;
Recording device . The head actuator is characterized in that it comprises a slider linear movement is rotatably supported, and a head gimbal assembly including the suspension together when being fixed to the slider, the by the hydrostatic bearing The recording apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 . The recording apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the head actuator includes a drive unit that linearly moves the slider. The head actuator is a rotary shaft supported rotatably by the hydrostatic bearing, the arm attached to the rotating shaft, a head gimbal assembly including the suspension together when extending from the arm The recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The recording apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the head actuator includes a drive unit that rotates the rotating shaft together with the arm.

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