Patent · US Expired

Automatic head retract system for disk drive

US4786995A · kind A · utility

73Cited by
7References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 6, 1986
Grant dateNov 22, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 6, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B21/12
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An automatic head retract system for a disk drive is disclosed which operates in response to electric power turn off to retract the heads to a landing zone on the disk surface. The heads are retracted by operating a positioner motor under the control of logic internal to the disk drive unit without intervention by a host computer. The positioner motor comprises a multiphase DC brushless motor which, after power loss, is supplied with current from a capacitor charged during normal drive usage and by the back EMF of a spindle motor. A latch mechanically locks the heads in the landing zone.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.