Shear-based transducer for HDD read/write element height control
US6570730B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 27, 1999 |
| Grant date | May 27, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 27, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49027
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
To allow for adjusting the fly height of a read/write head carried by a slider, a shear transducer is added to the slider. The shear transducer comprises a layer of piezoelectric material added to the slider so that the portion of the slider carrying the read/write head can be moved when the shear transducer is sheared. To cause the shear transducer to shear, a voltage is applied across the piezoelectric layer. To control the movement of the transducer, a closed-loop control system is used. The control system senses the spacing between the read/write head and the disc surface, compares the sensed spacing to a desired spacing, and adjusts the voltage applied to the shear transducer to reduce the difference between the actual and desired spacing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.