Abstract: A vibration damper for a suspension has two different viscoelastic layers and two different constraint layers. The two viscoelastic layers can be tailored to have different properties, including different viscosities and/or peak vibration frequency damping at different frequencies. The vibration damper exhibits improved vibration damping as compared to a single layer damper having the same overall thickness at critical frequencies.

Abstract: In an electrical connection to an electrical component in a disk drive suspension, an electrical lead is adhered to a component using conductive adhesive and is also mechanically pressed up against the component using a bias mechanism. The bias mechanism may be a spring finger that is welded to the suspension, or it may be a stainless steel finger that is formed integrally with the trace gimbal assembly. The resulting bias force that presses the contact against the component surface reduces the small failure rate that can occur when the conductive adhesive separates from the component's surface as a result of stress such as induced by thermal cycling.

Abstract: In an electrical connection to a microactuator in a disk drive suspension, an electrical lead is adhered to a microactuator using conductive adhesive and is also mechanically pressed up against the microactuator using a bias mechanism. The bias mechanism may be a spring finger that is welded to the suspension, or it may be a stainless steel finger that is formed integrally with the trace gimbal assembly. The resulting bias force that presses the contact against the microactuator surface reduces the small failure rate that can occur when the conductive adhesive separates from the microactuator's surface as a result of stress such as induced by thermal cycling.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly couples a baseplate to a rotatable load through a planar triangular piezo microactuator for effecting hingeless rotation of the load. The microactuator expands, responsive to an excitation voltage, with greater magnitude in one direction than in another direction normal to the first direction, resulting in an angular movement of the hypotenuse thereby rotating the load. The upper surface of the microactuator is grounded to a bottom surface of the baseplate or load beam to position the microactuator lead connection surface closest to the load to facilitate trace routing. A load beam grounding surface may be raised to accommodate the microactuator and fix the lead connection surface on a common plane with the unraised surface to further minimize trace routing and provide access for bonding the trace to the load beam.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly couples a baseplate to a rotatable load through a planar triangular piezo microactuator for effecting hingeless rotation of the load. The microactuator expands, responsive to an excitation voltage, with greater magnitude in one direction than in another direction normal to the first direction, resulting in an angular movement of the hypotenuse thereby rotating the load. The upper surface of the microactuator is grounded to a bottom surface of the baseplate or load beam to position the microactuator lead connection surface closest to the load to facilitate trace routing. A load beam grounding surface may be raised to accommodate the microactuator and fix the lead connection surface on a common plane with the unraised surface to further minimize trace routing and provide access for bonding the trace to the load beam.

Abstract: A microactuated disk drive suspension for supporting a slider at a disk includes a load beam extending in a plane and having on a common axis a base section adapted for mounting to an actuator, a spring section and a beam section carrying a flexure and the slider thereon. The suspension has relatively movable proximate and distal portions on the common axis that are joined by a bending system cantilevered from the proximate portion and including a cantilevered bending motor opposed to the common axis and having a laterally bendable unsupported region. A cantilevered laterally bendable load assist structure defined by the suspension edges is provided arranged to block undue loading of the bending motor unsupported region.

Abstract: A method and system for maximizing process capability in a progressive forming operation. The method compensates for deviations introduced by unformed components, and uses closed loop feedback to compensate for deviations introduced by forming tools. Fiducial features are detected on an incoming component, and a first compensation value is calculated from displacement of the fiducial features from an ideal forming location on the component. Component position with respect to a theoretical forming position is adjusted according to the first compensation value. Placement of a feature formed on the component at the adjusted position is detected and compared to the ideal forming location to obtain a difference value. A second compensation value is derived from a plurality of difference values. Forming positions for subsequent incoming components are adjusted with respect to the theoretical forming position according to first and second compensation values.