Patent · US Expired

Rotary actuator

US5051855A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
5References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 2, 1990
Grant dateSep 24, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 2, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B25/043
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In a disc drive with an integrated casting comprising the housing for the stepper and spindle motors, the transducer is mounted on a normal bearing pivot assembly lightweight actuator arm and biasing strip spring. One end of the strip spring is mounted to a block and the effective force of the spring is aligned with the actuator arm running toward the stepper motor. The other, or head end of the actuator arm contains a gear sector having gear teeth on its face which mesh with a pinion on a motor shaft so rotation of the motor shaft across the face of the gear sector causes movement of the head mounting arm. The actuator arm is formed of a self-lubricating polymer or other lightweight self-lubricating material. This way, wear on the gear is reduced; and as the teeth are worn, the gear is still tightly biased against the pinion to maintain accurate movement of the actuator arm with rotation of the pinion.

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