Abstract: A head suspension restricts deformation of a flexure caused by frictional force produced between a hard disk and a slider when the hard disk turns in a reverse direction. The head suspension has a load beam resiliently supported with a base. The base is supported with an arm that is turned around an axis. The load beam applies load onto a head having a slider to write and read data to and from the hard disk. The flexure is attached to the load beam and has a tongue that supports the slider. The flexure is provided with a limiter that limits displacement of the tongue due to frictional force produced between the hard disk and the slider when the hard disk is reversely turned. The limiter is on the base side and faces a free end of the tongue. The limiter is integrally formed from a part of the flexure, to face the free end of the tongue.

Abstract: A disc drive suspension comprises a load beam, baseplate, hinge member, and wired flexure. The wired flexure has a metal base and a wiring portion formed on the metal base. A supported portion is formed on a part of the metal base of the flexure. The supported portion protrudes sideways from the wired flexure, and is fixed to the rear end portion of the baseplate.

Abstract: The method for manufacturing a suspension for disc drive includes a process for manufacturing a semi-finished suspension product integrally including a base plate, a rigid body portion of a load beam, and a pair of connecting portions connecting the base plate and the rigid body portion. The method also includes a process for fixing a spring member, formed independently of the semi-finished suspension product, to the base plate and the rigid body portion of the semi-finished product, and a process for cutting off the connecting portions, projecting individually from the opposite sides of the spring member, from the base plate and the rigid body portion after the spring member is fixed to the semi-finished suspension product.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive comprises a base plate, a load beam attached to the base plate, and a flexure attached to the load beam. The load beam includes a rigid body portion, formed of a thick plate independent of the base plate, and a spring portion, formed of a spring member in the form of a thin sheet independent of the rigid body portion. The spring member connects the rigid body portion and the base plate. The spring member is thinner than the rigid body portion and has a lower spring constant. The spring portion is more flexible than the rigid body portion.

Abstract: A head suspension for a disk drive has support plate means (3, 7) serving as a carriage arm and a load beam (5). The load beam consists of a rigid part (13) and a resilient part (15), to apply load to a slider (43) of a head. The support plate means (3, 7) consists of at least layered two plates (3, 7). At least one (7) of the plates (3, 7) has a thickness (t2) appropriate for forming precision holes therethrough by etching. A pivot hole (31) is formed through the plate (7). A loose hole (9) larger than and substantially concentric with the pivot hole is formed through the plate (3). The plates (3, 7) have improved flatness, and the pivot hole has improved accuracy.

Abstract: A disc drive suspension has a base portion including a baseplate and a plate member, a load beam, a pair of hinge members, and a flexure with conductors. The flexure passes through a gap between the hinge members and ranges over the load beam and the base portion. A thin-walled portion is formed by partial etching on that region of a front end portion of the plate member of the base portion which faces the flexure. A thin-walled portion is also formed by partial etching on that region of a rear end portion of the load beam which faces the flexure.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive has a base portion including a base plate, a load beam, a pair of hinge members, a wired flexure, etc. The wired flexure has a metal base and a wiring portion on the metal base. The hinge members are fixed overlapping the rear end portion of the load beam and the front end portion of the base plate. The wired flexure extends through a gap between the hinge members and ranges over the load beam and the base plate.

Abstract: A head suspension for a disk drive has support plate means (3, 7) serving as a carriage arm and a load beam (5). The load beam consists of a rigid part (13) and a resilient part (15), to apply load to a slider (43) of a head. The support plate means (3, 7) consists of at least layered two plates (3, 7). At least one (7) of the plates (3, 7) has a thickness (t2) appropriate for forming precision holes therethrough by etching. A pivot hole (31) is formed through the plate (7). A loose hole (9) larger than and substantially concentric with the pivot hole is formed through the plate (3). The plates (3, 7) have improved flatness, and the pivot hole has improved accuracy.

Abstract: A disc drive suspension comprises a load beam, baseplate, hinge member, and wired flexure. The wired flexure has a metal base and a wiring portion formed on the metal base. A supported portion is formed on a part of the metal base of the flexure. The supported portion protrudes sideways from the wired flexure, and is fixed to the rear end portion of the baseplate.

Abstract: A suspension comprises a load beam, a base plate, and a hinge member. The hinge member has an end portion lapped and fixed on the proximal portion of the load beam, a base plate mounting portion lapped and fixed on the base plate, and flexible portions situated between the end portion and the base plate mounting portion. The flexible portions are situated individually on the opposite sides of an opening formed in the hinge member, and are elastically deformable in its thickness direction. An end portion of the base plate and the hinge member are fixed on each other by means of laser welds in positions near the flexible portions. The laser welds are formed individually in regions that extend in the axial direction of the hinge member from the flexible portions.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive comprises a base plate, a load beam attached to the base plate, and a flexure attached to the load beam. The load beam includes a rigid body portion, formed of a thick plate independent of the base plate, and a spring portion, formed of a spring member in the form of a thin sheet independent of the rigid body portion. The spring member connects the rigid body portion and the base plate. The spring member is thinner than the rigid body portion and has a lower spring constant. The spring portion is more flexible than the rigid body portion.

Abstract: In a suspension comprising a base portion, beam portion, and a hinge member connecting the base portion and the beam portion to each other, a hole for lowering the stiffness of a region of the beam portion near the hinge member is formed in that region. A cover portion closes the opening of the hole.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive having a micro actuator mechanism comprises a base plate, a connecting plate having a hinge portion thinner than the base plate, a load beam provided with a flexure, a pair of actuator elements such as PZT, etc. The micro actuator mechanism includes a pivot portion formed between a pair of slits and support walls formed on the connecting plate. The actuator elements are provided individually on the opposite sides of the pivot portion. Each support wall is a bent portion that is formed by raising an edge portion of the connecting plate in the thickness direction of the main portion of the connecting plate.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive comprises a base portion, a beam portion formed of the same material as the base portion and made thinner than the base portion by partial etching, and a hinge member connecting the base portion and the beam portion to each other. In manufacturing this suspension, a platelike semi-finished suspension, which integrally includes a base portion, a beam portion, and a connecting portion connecting the base portion and the beam portion to each other, is first manufactured. The thickness of the beam portion of the semi-finished suspension is reduced by partial etching. Thereafter, the base portion and the beam portion are connected by means of the hinge member, and moreover, the connecting portion is separated from the base portion and the beam portion.

Abstract: A suspension comprises a baseplate having a boss portion, a beam portion with a flexure, and a hinge member. The hinge member includes a connecting portion that can bend in the thickness direction thereof between the baseplate and the beam portion. If the length of the suspension from a pivot portion on the distal end portion of the beam portion to the center of the boss portion is 14.5 mm, the thickness of the baseplate is 0.175 mm or greater, the width of the baseplate is 4.5 mm or greater, the length of the connecting portion of the hinge member is 0.7 mm or shorter, and the length of the baseplate is 5.04 mm or shorter.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive comprises a load beam fitted with a flexure, an actuator base including a base plate, a hinge member thinner than the base plate, and a pair of piezoelectric ceramic elements. The piezoelectric ceramic elements displace the distal end portion of the load beam in a sway direction when supplied with voltage. Each piezoelectric ceramic element is stored in an opening portion in the actuator base. A covering material such as an adhesive agent that fills the space between the peripheral edge portion of the piezoelectric ceramic element and the actuator base forms a cover portion that covers the opposite end faces and the opposite side faces of the ceramic element.

Abstract: A suspension for disc drive comprises a load beam fitted with a flexure, an actuator base including a base plate, a hinge member thinner than the base plate, and a pair of piezoelectric ceramic elements. Each piezoelectric ceramic element is stored in an opening portion in the actuator base and fixed to the actuator base by an adhesive layer. The adhesive layer includes an electrical insulating adhesive agent and a large number of fillers of an insulating material mixed in the adhesive agent. The fillers are interposed between each piezoelectric ceramic element and the actuator base to secure a clearance for electrical insulation between the two.

Abstract: A suspension comprises a load beam, a base plate, and a hinge member. The hinge member has an end portion lapped and fixed on the proximal portion of the load beam, a base plate mounting portion lapped and fixed on the base plate, and flexible portions situated between the end portion and the base plate mounting portion. The flexible portions are situated individually on the opposite sides of an opening formed in the hinge member, and are elastically deformable in its thickness direction. An end portion of the base plate and the hinge member are fixed on each other by means of laser welds in positions near the flexible portions. The laser welds are formed individually in regions that extend in the axial direction of the hinge member from the flexible portions.

Abstract: A pair of side rails with an L-shaped cross section are formed individually on the opposite side edge portions of a load beam. Each side rail includes a low rail portion and a high rail portion higher than the low rail portion. The low and high rail portions are situated in a region nearer to the distal end portion of the load beam with respect to its longitudinal direction than the center of gravity of the load beam.

Abstract: A head suspension for a disk drive has a base (19) to be attached to a carriage, a load beam (21) having a rigid part (27) and a resilient part (29) supported by the base, to apply load on a data read/write head (13) arranged at a front end (27a) of the rigid part, and a flexure (49) attached to the load beam and supporting the head. The rigid part has a multilayer structure consisting of at least three layers including metal layers (28a, 28b) and a resin layer (28c) interposed between the metal layers. The number of layers of the resilient part is smaller than that of the rigid part.