Abstract: A disk drive system includes a base, a disk rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly pivotally attached to the base. The actuator assembly moves the transducer to selected areas of the disk where information representative of data is to be written or read. The actuator assembly maintains the transducer in a transducing relationship with the disk. The actuator assembly includes an arm and a head gimbal assembly. The head gimbal assembly includes a suspension. The arm has a length from the point where it pivots to the end of the arm. The arm and suspension can be thought of as having a fixed length for a certain sized disk drive. The length of the arm is greater than 4.0 times the length of the suspension. The ratio of the length of the arm to the length of the suspension is in the range of 4.0 to 20.0. The arm is made of a material with a stiffness-to-mass ratio in the range of 6.0 to 20.0×106 m.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a base, a disk rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. The actuator assembly moves the transducer to selected areas of the disk where information representative of data is to be written or read. The actuator assembly maintains the transducer in a transducing relationship with the disk. The actuator assembly also includes an arm which has a first layer of material including a plurality of elongated fibers orientated in a first direction, and a second layer of material including a plurality of elongated fibers orientated in a second direction. The first and second layers are part of a composite material. The transducer is attached to said arm. The resulting actuator arm has a resonant frequency that can be varied or moved or shifted by varying the direction of the elongated fibers in the second layer with respect to the direction of the elongated fibers in the first layer.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a base, a disk rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly pivotally attached to the base. The actuator assembly moves the transducer to selected areas of the disk where information representative of data is to be written or read. The actuator assembly maintains the transducer in a transducing relationship with the disk. The actuator assembly includes an arm and a head gimbal assembly. The head gimbal assembly includes a suspension. The arm has a length from the point where it pivots to the end of the arm. The length of the arm is greater than 1.5 times the length of the suspension. The ratio of the length of the arm to the length of the suspension is in the range of 2.0 to 10.0. The arm is made of a composite material that includes elongated stiffening fibers. The resulting composite has a stiffness to mass ratio higher than aluminum, steel, or magnesium.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a base, a disk rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. The actuator assembly moves the transducer to selected areas of the disk where information representative of data is to be written or read. The actuator assembly maintains the transducer in a transducing relationship with the disk. The first embodiment of the actuator assembly also includes an arm which has a first layer of material including a plurality of elongated fibers orientated in a first direction, and a second layer of material including a plurality of elongated fibers orientated in a second direction. The first and second layers are part of a composite material. The second embodiment of the actuator assembly also includes an arm made of a ceramic material. The transducer is attached to the arm. The resulting actuator arm is long and stable. A preamplifier chip is attached to the arm near the end carrying the transducer.

Abstract: A disk drive system includes a base, a disk rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. The actuator assembly moves the transducer to selected areas of the disk where information representative of data is to be written or read. The actuator assembly maintains the transducer in a transducing relationship with the disk. The actuator assembly also includes an arm which allows a suspension to be attached to materials other than metals, such as composite materials or ceramic materials. The arm is provided with a protruding attachment feature. In the preferred embodiment, two protruding attachment features are provided. The suspension includes at least one folding metal tab that is tightly folded around the attachment feature while the metal is at an elevated temperature. One metal tab is provided for each attachment feature on the arm. The elevated temperature used while the suspension is attached to the attachment feature is above the operating temperature of the drive.