Abstract: A disk drive suspension of the embodiments includes a load beam, and a flexure including a mounting portion on which a slider is mounted and overlapping with the load beam. The load beam includes a tab further extending than the mounting portion longitudinal direction of the load beam. The tab is shaped in an arc such that a central portion in a lateral direction protrudes with respect to both end portions in the lateral direction, in the load beam. Each of the both end portions includes a flat surface parallel to the lateral direction.

Abstract: A heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head gimbal assembly (HGA) protects the associated HAMR heating source from unwanted contact, such as from contact with an adjacent HAMR laser in response to a shock event. The HGA is configured such that the distance between the flexure and the top of a load beam flange is greater than the height of a submount associated with the heating source, and the height of the submount may also be greater than the height of the heating source, thus protecting against contact between adjacent heating sources.

Abstract: An arm assembly for a disc drive. The arm assembly has a load arm for supporting a slider and has a lift tab with a ramp-engaging region for parking the load arm when not in use. This ramp-engaging region has an outer surface defined by a first radius and a second radius different than the first radius.

Abstract: Gimbal designs are provided that minimize adverse dynamic performance of a HDD suspension, particularly subsequent to head-disk-interface (HDI) interactions. The improvement of operational performance can be seen in graphical representations of the vibrational modes of a gimbal mounted slider subsequent to such HDI interactions. Each gimbal design includes a ramp limiter formed as two separated arms connected by one or two transverse bars and a routing of conducting traces that relieves stress and minimally contacts these bars.

Abstract: A suspension assembly and an actuator having the same, which are of a hard disk drive (HDD). The suspension assembly includes a load beam coupled to an end of a swing arm of an actuator; a flexure attached to the load beam to support the slider; and a tip-tab which extends from a front end of the load beam to contact a ramp when the read/write head is parked, wherein a width of a contact part of the tip-tab that contacts the ramp is wider than other parts of the tip-tab. A width of a part of the tip-tab engaged with the load beam and a width of a front part of the tip-tab are smaller than the width of the contact part. The width of the tip-tab increases gradually from the front end of the load beam up to the contact part, and decreases gradually after the contact part.

Abstract: A method of designing a hard disk drive suspension swage hub geometry for an actuator arm having upper and lower suspensions attached thereto, includes using a finite element analysis model to simulate the effects of swaging the suspensions to the actuator arm, identifying relevant geometric parameters of the suspensions, for each suspensions performing a linear regression to fit an equation containing the geometric parameters to a normal force of the suspension to the actuator arm after swaging according to the fine element analysis, identifying a desired range of differences between the normal forces, using the desired difference range, and solving for values of geometric parameters to produce a set of target design parameters for the suspension swage hubs.

Abstract: Gimbal designs are provided that minimize adverse dynamic performance of a HDD suspension, particularly subsequent to head-disk-interface (HDI) interactions. The improvement of operational performance can be seen in graphical representations of the vibrational modes of a gimbal mounted slider subsequent to such HDI interactions. Each gimbal design includes a ramp limiter formed as two separated arms connected by one or two transverse bars and a routing of conducting traces that relieves stress and minimally contacts these bars.

Abstract: A digital storage apparatus includes a housing defining a housing interior and defining a ramp support surface. A disk is supported for rotation in the housing. A head gimbal assembly is supported for use in pivotally accessing the disk in performing one or more data accesses and for moving to an unloaded position from an access position. A ramp arrangement receives the head gimbal assembly in the unloaded position. The ramp arrangement includes at least three feet for sliding engagement with the ramp support surface for use in at least partially establishing an operational position of the ramp arrangement. In one aspect, the housing defines a first surface and a second surface, which are in a transverse relationship with respect to one another. The ramp arrangement engages the first surface and the second surface for establishing an operational position of the ramp arrangement in the housing interior.

Abstract: A headlift for a disk drive head suspension extending from a planar base region on a load beam of the head suspension. The headlift is formed from first and second layers of relatively stiff metal separated by a layer of polymer. The headlift includes a headlift tab and a stiffener extending over at least a portion of the headlift tab. The headlift tab includes a convex headlift region formed out of one of the two metal layers. The stiffener is formed from one of the two metal layers or from a combination of the polymer layer and one of the two metal layers.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to suppressing deterioration in rigidity and dynamic characteristics of a tab even when an initial point of contact between a tab and a ramp during unloading is set closer to the outer periphery of a disk. A data storage device in one embodiment of the present invention includes a head, a ramp for unloading the head, a load beam having a head support portion for supporting the head and a tab adapted to slide on a sliding surface of the ramp on a front end side with respect to the head support portion, and an actuator having the load beam and adapted to actuate the head for loading and unloading. During unloading, a portion of the tab offset from the center in the transverse direction of the tab first comes into contact with the sliding surface of the ramp. The load beam has a flange formed to be bent and continuously from the front end portion of the tab up to both ends of the head support portion.

Abstract: A disk drive head suspension headlift formed from a single piece of stainless steel includes a beam region, lift tab and offset region between the beam region and lift tab. The beam region has a major surface and formed side rails. The lift tab is a coined, trough-shaped member at a z-height spaced from the major surface of the beam region. The offset region has a major surface and side rails that transition in height between the side rails of the beam region and the lift tab.

Abstract: Shock performance and stiffness of hard disk drive lifters are enhanced by extending one or more portions of a load beam in a dimension normal to the load beam plane. A load beam in a high shock suspension system comprises a planar body having transverse members extending between longitudinal rails. One embodiment comprises a lifter integral to the load beam, extending distally, and comprising a rib having a conic cross section and a lifting tab having upward curving edges. Another embodiment comprises rails having edges bending upward at 90 degrees, separated by a first width at a proximal end of the body, and tapering to a second width at a distal end of the body. A narrow lifter having upward curving edges is displaced between the rails, and extends distally from the body. Stiffeners extend from the rails and connect to an intermediate point on the lifter.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a rotatable disk, a read/write head, a head actuator for moving the head, a suspension for connecting the head and the actuator, and a housing for accommodating the disk, the head, the actuator and the suspension. The suspension is provided with a tab, and the housing is provided with an engaging element to come into engagement with the tab. Upon application of an impact to the housing, the head is raised unduly away from the disk. The tab is caught by the engaging element, thereby preventing the head from falling to and colliding with the disk.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention reduce the height of a ramp to provide a thin data storage device that is capable of inhibiting the deterioration of the dynamic characteristics at the time of loading/unloading. In one embodiment, a data storage device includes a head that accesses a recording region of a recording disk; a ramp that is positioned circumferentially apart from an outermost end of the recording disk to unload the head from a surface of the recording disk; and an actuator that includes a load beam for supporting the head and moves the head. The load beam includes a tab that is extended from a leading end section of the load beam, beyond the head support section of the load beam, and toward the recording disk, and slides over a ramp surface.

Abstract: A digital storage apparatus includes a housing defining a housing interior and defining a ramp support surface. A disk is supported for rotation in the housing. A head gimbal assembly is supported for use in pivotally accessing the disk in performing one or more data accesses and for moving to an unloaded position from an access position. A ramp arrangement receives the head gimbal assembly in the unloaded position. The ramp arrangement includes at least three feet for sliding engagement with the ramp support surface for use in at least partially establishing an operational position of the ramp arrangement. In one aspect, the housing defines a first surface and a second surface, which are in a transverse relationship with respect to one another. The ramp arrangement engages the first surface and the second surface for establishing an operational position of the ramp arrangement in the housing interior.

Abstract: A head support unit includes a head used to record information in or reproduce the information from the recording medium, a suspension that supports the head, and a lift tab that is connected to the suspension, and slides on a sliding surface of a ramp loading unit which holds the head outside the recording medium in loading the head onto the recording medium and in unloading the head from the recording medium, wherein the lift tab inclines from a connection part with the suspension relative to a surface of the recording medium, and a contact position between the lift tab and the sliding surface moves on the lift tab as the suspension moves.

Abstract: A load/unload-type head suspension is capable of suppressing frictional coefficient variations. The head suspension has a head and a tab that is slid and guided along a ramp block in a read/write apparatus, to move the head away from a hard disk to a retract position. The tab is provided with microscopic irregularities to suppress frictional coefficient variations when the tab is guided along the ramp block. A center line average roughness (Ra) of the microscopic irregularities being greater than 0.2 ?m or smaller than 0.6 ?m.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for improving the vibration/ mechanical shock-resistance of a hard disk actuator arm. A guide block is located behind the actuator arm's angular range of motion, preventing over-flexure/vibration during operation, and/or the drive's actuator screw head diameter is increased to minimize arm vibration.

Abstract: A headlift on a distal end of a load beam of the type for use in a disk drive suspension, including two distally extending rails transversely spaced from each other, a cross member extending between the first and second rails, and a tab extending from the cross member. The headlift may include arms extending transversely from each rail that engage with each other and with an offset formed in the load beam. In one embodiment, the headlift is integrally formed from the same piece of material as the headlift. In a second embodiment, the headlift is formed from a polymer and attached to the load beam. The method of manufacture, in one embodiment, includes providing a unitary flat load beam member and folding the load beam member and attaching portions of the headlift to the load beam to form the headlift. Alternatively, the load beam may be formed with a structural surface that interfaces with a mounting portion of the headlift.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention limit a pitch attitude angle of a magnetic head slider during loading without allowing gimbal stiffness of a flexure in an ordinary flying state to be increased. In one embodiment, a limiter formed by part of a flexure is disposed so as to provide a clearance from a lift tab formed by part of a load beam. A limiter clearance, if the clearance between the limiter and the lift tab is so called for convenience sake, must be maintained as a physical clearance when a magnetic head slider is in an ordinary flying state. The lift tab and the limiter are disposed on a side of an air inflow end of the magnetic head slider. The limiter clearance during unloading is thereby made small so as to allow proper and positive unloading operation.

Abstract: A suspension assembly elastically biasing a slider toward a surface of a disk, in which a read/write head is mounted on the slider. In the suspension assembly, a load beam is coupled to a first portion of a swing arm of the actuator. A flexure supports the slider and has a first end portion fixed to a disk facing surface of the load beam and a second end portion extended toward a first end portion of the load beam. An end-tab is extended from the first end portion of the load beam. When the head is parked, the end-tab is supported by a ramp, which is arranged at an outside of the disk.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive is to be provided wherein a ramp and a magnetic disk do not overlap each other and both rigidity and dynamic characteristics of a suspension are maintained. In one embodiment, a ramp and an actuator lying at a retractive position are spaced away from and do not overlap an outer peripheral end of a magnetic disk. A tab is formed centrally of a front end of a load beam and is bent in U shape. Flanges are formed along both longitudinal edges of the load beam. An aperture is formed in a front portion of the load beam. The aperture permits the tab to be machined in a desired shape. An aperture is formed behind the aperture. The apertures are not formed in an integrally contiguous manner but are separated from each other by a bridge portion.

Abstract: There is provided a magnetic head suspension including: a flexure portion which has a magnetic head mount area for supporting a magnetic head slider; a load bend portion which generates a load for pressing the magnetic head slider to a storage surface of a storage medium; a load beam portion which transmits the load to the magnetic head mount area; and a base portion which supports a base end region of the load bend portion. The load beam portion integrally includes a body in which at least a tip end portion thereof extends along a first plane approximately in parallel with the storage surface of the storage medium, and a lift tab extending forward from the tip end portion.

Abstract: The method of making a two-layer lap winding (12) for a multiphase electrical machine includes the steps of winding a first coil unit (20) of a first phase winding (14) around a winding bar (10); subsequently laying a coil connector (18) of the first phase winding (14) in a first direction and then winding at least one other coil unit (16) of at least one other phase winding (14) around the winding bar (10) and over the coil connector (18). Subsequently a second coil unit (22) of the first phase winding (14) is wound around the winding bar (10) following all first coil units of all phase windings and after all coil connectors from the first coil units are laid. A method of making a stator from the two-layer lap winding (12) is also described.

Abstract: A method of cleaning an contaminated surface on a head suspension with laser energy. A laser beam is patterned such that a single pulse extends across the entire contaminated surface. One or more pulses of the laser energy is applied to the contaminated surface sufficient to melt the contaminated surface. The melting serves to polish, smooth and/or reshape the contaminated surface.

Abstract: An end-tab extends from a suspension for an actuator within a data storage device such as a HDD (hard disk drive). A suspension body supports a read/write head, and the end-tab extends from the suspension body. At least one dimension, such as the width and/or the height, of the end-tab increases from toward a front end of the end-tab to toward the suspension body. Thus, the weight of the end-tab is minimized, and yet the stiffness of the end-tab is enhanced.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention relate to suppressing deterioration in rigidity and dynamic characteristics of a tab even when an initial point of contact between a tab and a ramp during unloading is set closer to the outer periphery of a disk. A data storage device in one embodiment of the present invention includes a head, a ramp for unloading the head, a load beam having a head support portion for supporting the head and a tab adapted to slide on a sliding surface of the ramp on a front end side with respect to the head support portion, and an actuator having the load beam and adapted to actuate the head for loading and unloading. During unloading, a portion of the tab offset from the center in the transverse direction of the tab first comes into contact with the sliding surface of the ramp. The load beam has a flange formed to be bent and continuously from the front end portion of the tab up to both ends of the head support portion.

Abstract: A protrusion is opposed to a head actuator positioned at the inoperative position in a recording medium drive such as a hard disk drive. When a larger impact is applied to the head actuator, the head actuator deforms by a predetermined amount, so that the protrusion receives the head actuator. The deformation of the head actuator is thus restricted. A collision can be avoided between the head actuator and the recording medium. The predetermined amount can be determined based on the space or distance between the head actuator and the recording medium. It is possibly easy to assemble and position the protrusion relative to the head actuator at a higher accuracy, as compared with the case where the overall planar surface must be positioned relative to the head actuator at a higher accuracy in the conventional manner. This leads to the production of the protrusion or displacement suppression member at a lower cost.

Abstract: An actuator gripping device which prevents the actuator of the head support device from serious trouble such as damage to the surface of the recording medium due to external shocks. An actuator 7 comprises actuator sub-unit 27 having a tab 8 at one end and provided with a head 9, and a voice coil 10 mounted at the other end, a pivot pedestal 30 with a pair of abutments, and a spring plate 28 having an activating force to push the head 9 toward the recording medium 4, and that the actuator gripping device for gripping the actuator 7 comprises a ramp 14 formed with the first stepped side surface 14d and the second stepped side surface 14f having a specified angle respectively at either side of the second plane 14e on which the tab 8 is abutted at the shunt position in stop mode of the recording medium 4.

Abstract: Head gimbal assemblies are provided that comprise a slider, a load beam, a flexure, and a lifter tab. The flexure holds the slider against a pivot point of the load beam. The lifter tab extends from the load beam to engage a load/unload ramp. The load beam includes a base portion having the pivot point, a first side rail, and a first limiter stop. The first side rail is disposed adjacent to a transverse side of the slider while the first limiter stop is adjacent to a leading side of the slider. The first limiter stop extends from the first side rail and is essentially perpendicular thereto. The flexure includes a first leading edge tab that extends between the first limiter stop and the base portion of the load beam to limit the movement of the flexure especially during loading and unloading.

Abstract: A protrusion is opposed to a head actuator positioned at the inoperative position in a recording medium drive such as a hard disk drive. When a larger impact is applied to the head actuator, the head actuator deforms by a predetermined amount, so that the protrusion receives the head actuator. The deformation of the head actuator is thus restricted. A collision can be avoided between the head actuator and the recording medium. The predetermined amount can be determined based on the space or distance between the head actuator and the recording medium. It is possibly easy to assemble and position the protrusion relative to the head actuator at a higher accuracy, as compared with the case where the overall planar surface must be positioned relative to the head actuator at a higher accuracy in the conventional manner. This leads to the production of the protrusion or displacement suppression member at a lower cost.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide an actuator gripping device which prevents the actuator of the head support device from serious trouble such as damage to the surface of the recording medium due to external shocks, and a disk drive provided with the device. Specifically, it is configured in that actuator 7 comprises actuator sub-unit 27 having a tab 8 at one end and provided with a read and/or write head 9, and a voice coil 10 mounted at the other end, a pivot pedestal 30 with a pair of abutments, and a spring plate 28 having an activating force to push the read and/or write head 9 toward the recording medium 4, and that the actuator gripping device for gripping the actuator 7 comprises a ramp 14 formed with the first stepped side surface 14d and the second stepped side surface 14f having a specified angle respectively at either side of the second plane 14e on which the tab 8 is abutted at the shunt position in stop mode of the recording medium 4.

Abstract: A digital data storage apparatus includes a housing defining a housing interior. A rotatable magnetic media and head arrangement for accessing the media are supported in the housing interior. A flexible circuit stiffener defines a stiffener plane and is directly attached to the housing. A ramp arrangement is directly attachable to the flexible circuit stiffener and is configured for receiving the actuator arm in a parked position when so attached. The ramp arrangement includes an indexing arrangement for engaging the housing in a way which positions the ramp arrangement within at least one controlled tolerance relative to the head arrangement. In one feature, the indexing arrangement is resiliently biased against the housing. In a related feature, the housing defines a ramp indexing recess and an indexing pin of the ramp arrangement is resiliently biased into the indexing recess to locate the indexing pin with the controlled tolerance.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive includes a magnetic head slider, a magnetic head slider support mechanism for supporting the magnetic head slider and moving it to a predetermined position, and a load/unload mechanism for detaching the magnetic head slider from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving it thereto. When the magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk surface for unloading, the magnetic head slider support mechanism is restrained against displacement in at least one direction perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface by a restraining part which is provided at a position, on other than the load/unload mechanism, between the magnetic head slider and a pivot of the magnetic head slider support mechanism.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus including a base, a magnetic head, a magnetic disk, and a spindle motor having a stator fixed to the base and a rotor for mounting the magnetic disk, a ramp road structure for parking the magnetic head is fixed to the stator.

Abstract: A magnetic head parking system of a hard disk drive to move a magnetic head mounted on a slider of an actuator from a data zone of a disk and to place the magnetic head in a parking zone thereof when the disk stops rotating. The magnetic head parking system includes a head limiter provided on an upper surface of a flange of a spindle motor to protrude toward the disk and restricting a range of movement in upward and downward directions of the magnetic head placed in the parking zone of the disk. The head limiter is provided at a position opposite to a position where the slider of the actuator is installed or at a position deviating from and/or adjacent to a position directly under the slider. Thus, when an external impact is applied and an operation of the hard disk drive is stopped, the range of the up and down movement of the magnetic head is limited by the head limiter, so that the possibility of the damage to the magnetic head due to the head slap can be lowered.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electrically converting a NRZ signal into a RZ signal. A NRZ signal is summed with a phase-aligned clock signal. The resultant summed signal is then passed through a biased PHEMT transistor which has highly non-linear characteristics. The transistor is biased such that portions of the summed signal below a predetermined level are clipped resulting in an inverted RZ format signal equivalent to the received NRZ signal.

Abstract: A protrusion is opposed to a head actuator positioned at the inoperative position in a recording medium drive such as a hard disk drive. When a larger impact is applied to the head actuator, the head actuator deforms by a predetermined amount, so that the protrusion receives the head actuator. The deformation of the head actuator is thus restricted. A collision can be avoided between the head actuator and the recording medium. The predetermined amount can be determined based on the space or distance between the head actuator and the recording medium. It is possibly easy to assemble and position the protrusion relative to the head actuator at a higher accuracy, as compared with the case where the overall planar surface must be positioned relative to the head actuator at a higher accuracy in the conventional manner. This leads to the production of the protrusion or displacement suppression member at a lower cost.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus includes a slider for holding a magnetic head for scanning a magnetic disk and performing recording end reproduction of information; a flexure member for holding the slider, the flexure member having an elasticity in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the magnetic disk; a head actuator arm for holding the flexure member and causing the magnetic head to scan the magnetic disk; and an elastic body provided on the head actuator arm for applying a load for pressing the slider toward the surface of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A head suspension for mounting a head assembly in a disc drive that utilizes dynamic loading and unloading of the head assemblies. The head suspension includes a ramp contact feature that is located at the distal end of the head suspension and is substantially laterally centered on the head assembly, in order to minimize induced attitude moments at the time of loading and unloading of the head assemblies. The head suspension also provides selectable vertical separation between the ramp contact feature and the associated disc surface, in order to allow design flexibility. The head suspension also includes displacement limiting features which prevent plastic deformation of the gimbal during head lifting, and which contribute to positive pitch attitude during head unloading, to minimize the amount of disc surface which must be reserved for head unloading.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing device having a magnetic head unit includes a slider having a magnetic head element fitted to the front end thereof, a head support arm carrying the slider fitted to the front end thereof and urged toward a disk and a ramp member for guiding the slider fitted to the head support arm from a stand-by position to a recording/reproducing position for recording information signals on or reproducing information signals from the disk and is adapted to record information signals on or reproduce information signals from the rotating disk. The ramp member pushes up the head support arm in a twisted state, so as to make the end of the slider located upstream relative to the other end in the sense of rotation of the disk to face upward relative to the disk when the slider is driven to move between the stand-by position and the recording/reproducing position.

Abstract: A magnetic storage device having a ramped-loading-type head suspension, in which a magnetic head slider mounted on a support beam can fly above a storage medium in stable state in the loading or unloading operation, is disclosed. The head suspension includes a support beam having a distal end and a proximal end, a gimbal pivotally coupled to the distal end portion of the support beam through a pivotal portion and a loading member connected to a free end of the gimbal positioned to the side nearer to the proximal end of the support beam. The provision of the loading member at the free end of the gimbal permits the flow-in end of a magnetic head slider mounted on the gimbal to be kept farther away from the surface of the storage medium than the flow-out end thereof, thereby eliminating an unstable flying state of the magnetic head slider.

Abstract: A digital data storage apparatus includes a housing defining a housing interior. A rotatable magnetic media and head arrangement for accessing the media are supported in the housing interior. A flexible circuit stiffener defines a stiffener plane and is directly attached to the housing. A ramp arrangement is directly attachable to the flexible circuit stiffener and is configured for receiving the actuator arm in a parked position when so attached. The ramp arrangement includes an indexing arrangement for engaging the housing in a way which positions the ramp arrangement within at least one controlled tolerance relative to the head arrangement. In one feature, the indexing arrangement is resiliently biased against the housing. In a related feature, the housing defines a ramp indexing recess and an indexing pin of the ramp arrangement is resiliently biased into the indexing recess to locate the indexing pin with the controlled tolerance.

Abstract: The present invention is a magnetic disk drive for reading or writing magnetically, comprising: (i) a base; (ii) one or more magnetic disks; (iii) a hub fixedly attached to the disk(s) for supporting the disk(s); (iv) a motor operable to rotate the hub; (v) a plurality of magnetic read/write heads, each associated with the surface of a disk; (vi) one or more actuators for supporting the heads and moving the heads across the disks, each actuator having a load/unload tab at its distal end adjacent to the inner diameter side of the actuator; and (vii) a load/unload structure for displacing the heads from the disk comprising a plurality of ramps.

Abstract: The magnetic disk device is equipped with a ramp loading mechanism supporting magnetic heads at positions away from magnetic disks via suspensions, when a head actuator is moved to the retreated position. The ramp loading mechanism includes a ramp provided outside the magnetic disks, and tabs provided at the ends of the suspensions. Contact portions of the tabs extending from two suspensions located between two adjacent magnetic disks are situated such that the their positions in the up-and-down relationship are switched, and accordingly the positions of corresponding guide surfaces of the ramp are switched. These contact portions are arranged on the center axis of the corresponding suspension.

Abstract: In one embodiment the apparatus is a head gimbal assembly for use in a disk drive having a load/unload ramp, and includes a load beam having a pivot point, a flexure/slider assembly having a flexure and a slider, at least one limiter mounted between the flexure/slider assembly and the load beam, and a lifter tab extending from the load beam so as to be engagable with the load/unload ramp. The flexure is connected to the load beam and to the slider. The slider is positioned by the flexure to be capable of moving about the pivot point. The at least one limiter is positioned to limit movement of the flexure/slider assembly relative to the load beam. The head gimbal assembly can have a low profile by having the lifter tab extend from the load beam substantially at or below the upper surface of the load beam.

Abstract: The present invention is a magnetic disk drive for reading or writing magnetically, comprising: (i) a base; (ii) one or more magnetic disks; (iii) a hub fixedly attached to the disk(s) for supporting the disk(s); (iv) a motor operable to rotate the hub; (v) a plurality of magnetic read/write heads, each associated with the surface of a disk; (vi) one or more actuators for supporting the heads and moving the heads across the disks, each actuator having a load/unload tab at its distal end adjacent to the inner diameter side of the actuator; and (vii) a load/unload structure for displacing the heads from the disk comprising a plurality of ramps.

Abstract: An easily manufacturable disk drive suspension load beam lifter comprises a lift arm shifted laterally and vertically and cantilevered from the load beam by a web extending at an angle and for a distance from the load beam that is adjustable to provide a predetermined height and position for the lift arm above the disk.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk drive which comprises a magnetic head slider, a magnetic head slider support mechanism for supporting the magnetic head slider and moving it to a predetermined position, and a load/unload mechanism for detaching the magnetic head slider from the surface of a magnetic disk or moving it thereto, when the magnetic head slider is detached from the magnetic disk surface for unloading, the magnetic head slider support mechanism is restrained against displacement in at least one direction perpendicular to the magnetic disk surface by a restraining part which is provided at a position, on other than the load/unload mechanism, between the magnetic head slider and a pivot of the magnetic head slider support mechanism. Thus, it is possible to enhance impact resistance of the magnetic disk drive during non-rotation.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly on a suspension for being loaded relative to a disk and a ramp facilitates the loading and unloading of the head relative to the disk. An air bearing effectively regulates the head and gimbal assembly and disk location. Unloading a suction air bearing when the head is unloaded from the disc comprises applying an excitation to the air bearing during unloading to effect a perturbation in the air bearing. The air bearing is a suction bearing, and an excitation pertubates at least one of the modes of the leading edge, trailing edge or roll mode.