Disc drive voice coil motor with shroud feature

(54) DISC DRIVE VOICE COIL MOTOR WITH SHROUD FEATURE

(75) Inventors: Robert Mitchell Gibbs, Longmont, CO (US); Aaron Steve Macpherson, Fort Collins, CO (US)

(73) Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC, Scotts Valley, CA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 121 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/689,471

(22) Filed: Oct. 12, 2000

Related U.S. Application Data

(60) Provisional application No. 60/158,829, filed on Oct. 12, 1999.

(51) Int. CI.7 G11B 21/08

(52) U.S. CI 360/264.7

(58) Field of Search 360/264.7, 97.02,

360/97.03, 105, 269, 98, 133, 106; 369/269, 291, 75.1, 215, 222; 206/444, 309, 261;

G11B 33/14

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

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FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

JP 07-320478 * 12/1995 G11B/33/14

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—-William Korzuch

Assistant Examiner—Christopher R Beacham

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Merchant & Gould PC.

A disc drive having a base plate and an information storage disc supported for rotation by a drive motor on the base plate. The disc drive further includes a rotary actuator assembly mounted on the base plate adjacent the information storage disc. The actuator assembly has an actuator arm carrying a transducer at a distal end thereof and a voice coil motor operably attached to the actuator arm for movement of the transducer over the disc. The voice coil motor has a vertically extending shroud flange positioned adjacent the outer peripheral edge of the disc, whereby the shroud flange directs air-flow along the peripheral edge of the disc during drive operation.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Sheets