Aerodynamic latch with a vane-propelled shaft for a disc drive

• Main Authors: MISSO; NIGEL FRANK, RATLIFF; RYAN TODD, WOOD; ROY LYNN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 07.12.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: INFORMATION STORAGE; INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORDCARRIER AND TRANSDUCER; PHYSICS

An actuator latch for latching an actuator of a disc drive having a rotating disc that induces airflow when the disc drive is operational, the actuator latch having a shaft supported by a baseplate, the shaft supporting a plurality of vanes to rotate the shaft in response to airflow generated by disc rotation. A locking member is operably engaged with the shaft and moveable thereby to a latched position and to an unlatched position, the actuator being secured by the locking member in the latched position and the actuator being released to move freely in the unlatched position. The locking member is caused to be positioned in the unlatched position when airflow rotates the vanes and shaft, and a biasing member reverse rotates the shaft when the airflow ceases, thus returning the locking member to the latched position when the disc drive becomes non-operational.