Abstract: A bottom track pole is formed on a surface of a bottom pole, a thin film coil is formed on the bottom pole to form a flat coplanar surface with the bottom track pole, a write gap film is formed on the flat coplanar surface, first and second magnetic material films constituting a top pole are formed on a flat surface of the thin film coil, and the second magnetic material film, first magnetic material film, write gap film and bottom track pole are partially removed by RIE to form a top track pole and trim structure in a self-aligned manner. The thin film coil is formed by a first thin film coil half and a second thin film coil half having coil windings which are formed in a self-aligned manner between successive coil windings of the first thin film coil half and have a two-layer structure of a first conductive film at least a part of which is formed by CVD and a second conductive film formed by electrolytic plating.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk drive base, a spindle motor attached to the disk drive base, a disk supported by the spindle motor, and a head stack assembly coupled to the disk drive base. The head stack assembly includes an actuator body, a coil portion cantilevered from the actuator body, an actuator arm cantilevered from the actuator body in an opposite direction from the actuator arm, a flex circuit cable having an electrical connector end, and a flex bracket for clamping the electrical connector end of the flex circuit cable to the disk drive base, the flex bracket having first and second ends being spaced-apart along a width of the disk drive.

Abstract: A low stiffness, high torsion disk drive suspension having reduced gram load change after backbending and method includes a laminate of a plastic film layer and a plurality of conductors in which the spring portion, the base portion and/or the distal portion are provided with contiguous discontinuities that reduce the vertical stiffness of the suspension with only a low reduction in torsion, and that limit gram load changes by preventing stretching of the plastic film that would otherwise accompany backbending of the suspension.

Abstract: The head of a disk drive has write elements disposed on one protrusion pad that wears away during initial operation to permit reduced tolerances and, thus, reduced spacing between the disk and head, with the read element being disposed on a separate protrusion pad and spaced from the write element pad in the radial dimension. This prevents read element recession during cooling in the absence of write current that could otherwise occur if the read element were located on the same pad as the write head.

Abstract: A spring disk clamp is provided for securing one or more data storage disks to a disk drive without the need for screws. The disk clamp incorporates an angled surface defining the central opening of the clamp which is positioned adjacent a sloping surface of the hub. An external axial load applied to the clamp deflects the clamp, and allows a retaining member to be wedged between the clamp and the hub. Stabilizing features such as O-rings and the like are also eliminated as the clamp of the invention provides both radial and axial stabilization to the disk pack in its mounting to the hub.

Abstract: A head suspension or head suspension component for use in supporting a read/write head in a storage device, the head suspension or head suspension component including an integrated circuit chip as a structural element of the head suspension or head suspension component. The chip is included as part of a load beam or as a stiffener for a load beam. A flexure or other gimballing device is mounted to the chip or to a portion of the load beam that is mounted to the chip. The chip may be configured for improved heat dissipation or resonant characteristics. The chip is mounted to head suspension components in various ways, including the use of attachment features formed in the chip. A method of making a head suspension or head suspension component that includes mounting a chip as a structural element of the head suspension or head suspension component is also included.

Abstract: A shaft secured to a hub is inserted and rotatably supported in a sleeve secured to a base. A dynamic pressure groove is formed in the inner peripheral surface of the sleeve, and lubricant is sealed between the shaft and the sleeve. The rotation of the shaft causes dynamic pressure to generate in the lubricant due to the dynamic pressure groove, supporting the shaft floatingly. The crystallized-glass sleeve allows heat generated in a coil to be hardly transferred to the shaft, thereby reducing the variations in the clearance between the shaft and the sleeve due to temperature changes to a minimum in cooperation with the crystallized-glass sleeve with a low thermal expansion coefficient. Finishing accuracy of the bearing surface can be improved by chemical polishing. Consequently, the rotation accuracy can be improved and the leakage of lubricant due to the variations in the clearance can be prevented.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head has coil layer formed in a space surrounded by a lower core layer, a protruding layer and a back gap layer. The top of these layers are planarized to a continuous flat surface. A lower magnetic pole layer, a gap layer, an upper magnetic pole layer and an upper core layer are formed on the flat surface and are precisely formed in a predetermined shape. The track width Tw can also be set to a predetermined dimension by the width of the upper magnetic pole layer at a surface facing the recording medium. Also, the magnetic path can be shortened to improve magnetic properties.

Abstract: An upper radiating layer is formed around a lower core layer without making contact with the lower core layer, and each of first and second coils has a portion facing the lower core layer and a portion facing the upper radiating layer so that heat of the first and second coils is released to the upper radiating layer.

Abstract: A precise positioning actuator to be fixed with a head slider with at least one head element and with a support, for precisely positioning the at least one head element, including a pair of movable arms capable of displacing in response to a drive signal applied to the actuator The head slider is caught in a space between the movable arms.

Abstract: A magnetic-disc apparatus includes a magnetic disc, a magnetic head, and a magnetic-head supporting mechanism having a suspension which includes a load beam having a spring portion and an end portion with a pivot and a gimbal having a mounting portion for a slider loaded with the magnetic head. The gimbal has two flexible finger portions that are extended along both sides of the mounting portion. One surface of the end portion which is directed toward a surface of the magnetic disc and one surface of the flexible finger portions which opposes the one surface of the end portion are spaced so as to be out of contact with each other in a region of a tip portion of the gimbal except when the mounting portion undergoes rotational movement.

Abstract: Provided is a thin film magnetic head capable of ensuring the strength of a perpendicular magnetic field and improving recording performance. A bottom pole portion layer and a top pole portion layer constituting a part of a main magnetic pole are formed so that a cross sectional area of a complex including front end portions of the bottom pole portion layer and the top pole portion layer is smaller than a cross sectional area of a complex including rear end portions thereof, and a width of a top edge in an exposed surface is larger than a width of a bottom edge, and is equal to or larger than a width of the exposed surface in a middle position between the top edge and the bottom edge. In recording, magnetic fluxes flowing in a main magnetic pole are focused toward an air bearing surface, and are concentrated on the front end portion of the top pole portion layer which is a main emitting portion of the magnetic fluxes, so sufficient magnetic fluxes can be supplied to the air bearing surface.

Abstract: A magnetic head having a heat dissipating structure formed of a thermally conductive material that includes a top heat transfer sheet overlaying a second portion of a writer conducting coil; a bottom heat transfer sheet formed in a back region of a bottom pole layer, displaced from a back side of a bottom writer pole, and underlaying the second portion of the writer conducting coil; a first side heat transfer member formed in a coil layer adjacent a first side of the writer conducting coil; and/or a second side heat transfer member formed in the coil layer adjacent a second side of the writer conducting coil.

Abstract: A system and method using a connection plate to electrically couple a magnetic read/write head to a printed circuit assembly. The connection plate has a set of contact pads to control reads and a set of contact pads to control. The printed circuit assembly also allows control of the micro-actuator arms. The connection plate can be attached to a framing assembly of the micro-actuator by laser welding or by using an ultraviolet cured epoxy.

Abstract: A magnetic head having a sliding surface (120) on which a magnetic recording medium is slid, a magnetic gap g formed in the sliding surface for exchanging information signals with the magnetic recording medium, a track width controlling portion for prescribing a track width Tw of the magnetic gap g, with the track width controlling portion being formed by abutting a pair of magnetic core halves (110a, 110b) together, there being track width controlling grooves (111a to 111d) formed in each of the magnetic core halves, metal magnetic films (112a to 112f) provided in association with the magnetic gap g and with the track width controlling portion, and a groove (130) formed in at least one end of the magnetic gap g for extending substantially parallel to the sliding direction of the magnetic recording medium.

Abstract: A method for balancing a spindle assembly for compensating for dynamic imbalance of the spindle assembly. The method uses a plurality of adjustable eccentric rings for dynamically balancing the spindle assembly. The plurality of eccentric rings are preassembled with the spindle assembly and the method includes the steps of measuring an imbalance of a combination of the spindle assembly and the eccentric rings preassembled with the spindle assembly and balancing the spindle assembly by adjusting the eccentric rings based upon a measured imbalance of the combination of the spindle assembly and the eccentric rings.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a slider and an electromagnetic conversion element. The slider includes a base, a protective film and a medium opposing surface along a long direction of the magnetic head. The protective film is provided on a side surface of the base so as to be integrated with the base. The electromagnetic conversion element is provided on the side surface of the base, and covered with the protective film. A distance ?1 between the electromagnetic conversion element and a medium contacting edge of the protective film is set within 50-200 ?m.

Abstract: A magnetic write head and method for bulk fabrication of the same are provided. A trench is formed in a nonmagnetic substrate. A first magnetically permeable layer is deposited in the trench of the substrate. An optional first insulating layer is deposited in the trench. A conducting circuit is defined in the trench. The conducting circuit creates the magnetic flux. An optional second insulating layer is deposited in the trench. Writer gaps are patterned and then a second magnetic layer is added over the second insulating layer. The substrate is divided to form individual write heads.

Abstract: A spindle motor for a hard disk drive having a stationary component with a first bearing surface, and a rotating component with a second bearing surface located in opposing relationship with the first bearing surface. The first and the second bearing surfaces form a hydrodynamic bearing. A bearing gap is formed between the first bearing surface and the second bearing surface, the bearing gap being filled with lubricating fluid. An oil-free recess is provided in the motor for placement of electromagnetic components of the motor. The stationary component is provided with a first set of seal surfaces, and the rotating component is provided with a second set of seal surfaces. The seal surfaces of the first set are located opposite the seal surfaces of the second set and form a labyrinth seal sealing the bearing gap from the oil-free motor recess.

Abstract: A micro-actuator that reduces suspension tongue stiffness and a method of manufacturing the micro-actuator are disclosed. In one embodiment, the micro-actuator has a base piece with two arms extending from the base piece. The electric contact pads for the arms are situated on the exterior of the arms at the end opposite the base piece. In one embodiment, the electric contact pads are electrically coupled to the same connection plate that the magnetic read/write head is coupled to, reducing the number of connection traces.