Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a recording/reading head and assembling a flex circuit in a disc drive preferably includes a suspension having a first end and a second end, and a stiffener coupled to the suspension at the second end, the stiffener extending substantially in parallel with the suspension. The apparatus further includes a flex circuit having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is coupled to the suspension, and the second portion is coupled to the stiffener. The stiffener extends along the flex circuit. This allows one to readily locate the flex circuit in a subsequent process, such as a disc drive stack build process, so that the fabrication of the disc drive can be highly automated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is presented for controlling initial load and unload wear on a slider by using a trailing edge extender. A slider for supporting a transducer proximate to a recording medium is disclosed. The slider includes a trailing edge extender positioned on a trailing edge to allow additional controlled wear to occur before a substrate of the slider contacts the recording medium. The trailing edge extender can be positioned at an outer corner on the trailing edge of the slider and at a transducer pad on the trailing edge of the slider. The trailing edge extender can include a depth of the step depth, cavity depth, or air bearing surface level depth. The method includes fabricating a trailing edge extender positioned on a trailing edge to allow additional controlled wear to occur before a substrate of the slider contacts the recording medium.

Abstract: A method and system is presented for a slider positioned to control a flow of lubricant over the slider body. The slider can also include a raised rail. A pad can be positioned on the slider between the raised rail and a trailing edge of the slider. The pad can extend to the trailing edge of the slider. The pad can include at least two separated edges, which form a central channel. The pad can be made of carbon. The pads can be approximately 0.03 micron tall in a cavity that is approximately 2 micro deep. The pad can be angled in relation to an air flow across the slider to control lube.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is presented for controlling initial load and unload wear on a slider by using a trailing edge extender. A slider for supporting a transducer proximate to a recording medium is disclosed. The slider includes a trailing edge extender positioned on a trailing edge to allow additional controlled wear to occur before a substrate of the slider contacts the recording medium. The trailing edge extender can be positioned at an outer corner on the trailing edge of the slider and at a transducer pad on the trailing edge of the slider. The trailing edge extender can include a depth of the step depth, cavity depth, or air bearing surface level depth. The method includes fabricating a trailing edge extender positioned on a trailing edge to allow additional controlled wear to occur before a substrate of the slider contacts the recording medium.

Abstract: An apparatus for supporting a recording/reading head and assembling a flex circuit in a disc drive preferably includes a suspension having a first end and a second end, and a stiffener coupled to the suspension at the second end, the stiffener extending substantially in parallel with the suspension. The apparatus further includes a flex circuit having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion is coupled to the suspension, and the second portion is coupled to the stiffener. The stiffener extends along the flex circuit. This allows one to readily locate the flex circuit in a subsequent process, such as a disc drive stack build process, so that the fabrication of the disc drive can be highly automated.

Abstract: A slider assembly for an optical disc drive includes a flyable slider supporting a pad with a pair of piezoelectric beams mounted to the pad to extend in spaced relation over the slider. An objective lens is mounted to the beams as to be cantilevered over the slider body. The beams are operable to deflect along the yawl axis of the slider to thereby move the objective lens and alter the position of the focal point. When operated independently, the beams rotate the objective lens about the roll axis of the slider to alter the radial position of the focal point. When operated together, the beams move the objective lens to focus the focal point relative to the recording medium. The beams are optionally operable to deflect along the pitch axis of the slider to thereby radially move the objective lens and alter the position of the focal point.

Abstract: A shock-resistant actuator assembly for use in a data storage system is disclosed. The actuator assembly includes an actuator body, fabricated from a first type of metal, having a central aperture for pivoting on an actuator shaft. The actuator body includes at least one composite actuator arm extending outwardly from the actuator body. The composite actuator arm includes a primary arm member, also fabricated from the first type of metal, and a plating of a second type of metal having a thickness of at least 20 microns disposed on an upper and lower surface of the primary arm member. In one embodiment, the primary arm member is fabricated from aluminum and subjected to an electroless nickel plating process to deposit a sufficient thickness of nickel thereon to appreciably increase the stiffness of the primary arm member. In another embodiment, an actuator comb assembly includes a plurality of integral composite actuator arms for supporting a plurality of head suspension assemblies.

Abstract: A low profile, high capacity, high performance disk drive includes a plurality of disk surfaces mounted in parallel for simultaneous rotation about an axis. Each of a plurality of data transducer heads for reading and/or writing data to the data surfaces is attached to a slider. A stacked arm actuator for moving the data transducer heads in a radial direction across the disk surfaces includes a supporting arm and a suspension load beam attached to the supporting arm. The suspension load beam connects the supporting arm to the slider. The suspension load beam includes a load dimple bearing on the slider and has opposed stiffening flanges extending in a plane adjacent the slider. The actuator includes a stack of 9 head arm suspension assemblies and the stack has a height of 16.634 mm. An interdisk spacing of less than 1.4 mm provides a height dimension of 14.635 for a stack of 8 disks.

Abstract: A shock-resistant actuator assembly for use in a data storage system is disclosed. The actuator assembly includes an actuator body, fabricated from a first type of metal, having a central aperture for pivoting on an actuator shaft. The actuator body includes at least one composite actuator arm extending outwardly from the actuator body. The composite actuator arm includes a primary arm member, also fabricated from the first type of metal, and a plating of a second type of metal having a thickness of at least 20 microns disposed on an upper and lower surface of the primary arm member. In one embodiment, the primary arm member is fabricated from aluminum and subjected to an electroless nickel plating process to deposit a sufficient thickness of nickel thereon to appreciably increase the stiffness of the primary arm member. In another embodiment, an actuator comb assembly includes a plurality of integral composite actuator arms for supporting a plurality of head suspension assemblies.

Abstract: An asperity sensing head is used for detecting asperities on the surface of a disc while the disc is rotated. The asperity sensing head includes a slider body having a first rail and an air bearing surface. A first asperity sensor is carried by the slider body in the first rail. A second asperity sensor is also carried by the slider body in the first rail wherein the first and second asperity sensors are separated by a groove in the first rail.

Abstract: The improved disk drive system has an improved actuator arm assembly where the arms are independently and individually insertable and removable from the actuator member. Furthermore, each arm is individually self-locked into the actuator member without the need for external retaining means such as screws, springs, and rings. Since the arms are individually insertable/removable, the arms can be made very thin thereby allowing easy attachment of the head suspension assembly to the arm without the need for swaging, bonding, welding or screw-in. Since the arms can be made very thin, that provides substantial reduction in disk to disk spacing and therefore, substantial reduction in the overall height of a disk drive system.

Abstract: A disk drive has at least one disk for storing data and at least one transducer for reading or writing data to or from the disk. The transducer is attached to an actuator which positions the transducer with respect to the disk. The actuator includes a controllable motor which is used to move the actuator and the transducer attached thereto. The disk drive also includes a ramp for off loading the transducer or for parking the transducer off of the surface of the disk. The disk drive includes a combination shock absorber and gasket that has locking tabs to keep the combination shock absorber and gasket in place during a shock or impact loading event. The combination shock absorber and gasket also can be provided with additional extensions to lessen shocks caused by flat drops. Elastomeric blocks or pads can be provided on the cover and the base to lessen shocks caused by flat drops.

Abstract: A direct access storage device (DASD) includes a plurality of motion limiters and/or a continuous motion limiter projecting from at least one of the base and cover, each motion limiter having faces disposed in close proximity to and confronting opposite surfaces of a data storage disk adjacent a peripheral portion of the disk that does not contain data. Preferably, the motion limiters are disposed at several points about the periphery of the disk, and may be incorporated in a load/unload ramp and/or side rails of the DASD. The faces of the motion limiters are disposed relative to the disk so that when the DASD is subjected to an acceleration, the disk contacts at least one of the faces only at the peripheral portion of the disk, outside the data zone. Accordingly, the motion limiters prevent data zone and spindle bearing damage when the DASD is dropped.

Abstract: A disk drive has at least one disk for storing data and at least one transducer for reading or writing data to or from the disk. The transducer is attached to an actuator which positions the transducer with respect to the disk. The actuator includes a controllable motor which is used to move the actuator and the transducer attached thereto. The disk drive also includes a ramp for off loading the transducer or for parking the transducer off of the surface of the disk. The disk drive includes a combination shock absorber and gasket that has locking tabs to keep the combination shock absorber and gasket in place during a shock or impact loading event. The combination shock absorber and gasket also can be provided with additional extensions to lessen shocks caused by flat drops. Elastomeric blocks or pads can be provided on the cover and the base to lessen shocks caused by flat drops.