Peizoelectric microactuator and sensor failure detection in disk drives
US6861854B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 11, 2002 |
| Grant date | Mar 1, 2005 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 8, 2023 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B2220/20
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A test device and method for testing one of a disk drive microactuator and a disk drive sensor that includes two piezoelectric elements. The test device includes a signal generator, signal analyzer, and a user interface. The test device is operational to provide a reference signal (e.g. an electrical signal) to one of the piezoelectric elements in the microactuator and obtain a test measure from the other one of the piezoelectric elements. The test measure is then utilized to assess a performance parameter for the microactuator. The test measure is generated by the other one of the piezoelectric elements in response to the reference signal provided to the first one of the piezoelectric elements. In one embodiment of the invention, the test measure is a signal generated in response to the reference signal that may be compared to a known response signal of an operational microactuator to determine operational characteristics of a subject microactuator such as circuitry operation and/or damage to the microactuator.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.