A hard disk drive (HDD), which is one of a number of information storing devices for computers that reproduces data stored from a disk or records data on the disk using a read/write head. In the HDD, the read/write head is mounted on a slider installed on an actuator. The actuator moves the head to a desired position on the rotating disk. When the hard disk drive is not in use, that is, the rotation of the disk is stopped, the read/write head is “parked” at a position outside the recording surface of the disk to prevent the read/write head from colliding against the recording surface of the disk. For this purpose, a ramp is installed outside the disk and an end-tab supported by the ramp is provided on the suspension assembly. When the power of the hard disk drive is off and the disk stops rotation, a voice coil motor rotates the swing arm in a clockwise direction so that the end-tab is moved from the disk to the ramp and supported by the ramp.
During storage and/or transportation the actuator may be exposed to vibration or even worse jars caused by impact. In such a case, the sliders that are arranged to face each other may collide with each other and be damaged accordingly. To prevent this problem, a shipping comb is typically installed in the actuator. A typical shipping comb includes a frame, an installation rod and a handle provided at an end portion of the frame, and a finger provided at the other end portion of the frame. The installation rod of the shipping comb is inserted in an installation hole formed in the swing arm of the actuator while the finger is inserted between the load beams facing each other to maintain a constant gap between them. The handle is used to pivot the shipping comb.
It is reported that problems can still occur when conventional shipping combs are installed to actuators because sliders facing each other can still collide with each other and be damaged thereby. United States Patent Publication No. 2006/0117558 notes that the conventional shipping combs do not have any structure that directly prevents the collision between the sliders. Accordingly, during the transfer of the actuator, when a relatively large impact or vibration is applied to the actuator, the sliders can vibrate and thus the sliders facing each other may collide with each other. In this case, an air bearing surface of each of the sliders may be damaged or the head mounted thereon may be damaged so that the lifting ability of the slider or the read/write ability of the head may be deteriorated.
United States Patent Publication No. 2006/0117558 introduces a new shipping comb design that is reported to overcome these problems. More specifically, United States Patent Publication No. 2006/0117558 discloses a shipping comb for use when moving an actuator of a hard disk drive, the actuator including a swing arm installed on a base member of the hard disk drive and capable of pivoting, at least a pair of load beams coupled to an end portion of the swing arm, and at least a pair of sliders respectively coupled to the load beams to face each other, the shipping comb comprising: a frame operative to be coupled to the actuator and capable of pivoting; a first finger provided at the frame and for maintaining an interval between the load beams by being inserted between the load beams; and a second finger provided at the frame and for preventing collision between the sliders by being inserted between the sliders.