Three-dimensional modelling and dynamic analysis of an automatic ball balancer in an optical disk drive

Dynamic behaviours and stability of an automatic ball balancer (ABB) in an optical disk drive are analyzed based on the proposed three-dimensional dynamic model. For dynamic analysis, the feeding deck with the ball balancer and a spindle motor is modelled as a rigid body with six degrees of freedom. The nonlinear equations of motion are derived using Lagrange's equation in order to describe the translational and rotational motions of the system. From the derived nonlinear equations, the linearized equations of motion in the neighbourhood of a balanced equilibrium position are obtained by the perturbation method. These equations are coupled, linear, differential equations with time-dependent periodic coefficients, from which the stability of the system is analyzed by using the Floquet theory. Finally, the time responses are computed to verify the results of the stability analysis, and to investigate the balancing performance of the ABB. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.