Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a support frame integrated with a suspension flexure of the head gimbal assembly, a block, and a pair of PZT elements. The support frame includes a bottom support, a top support adapted to support a slider of the head gimbal assembly, and a pair of side arms that interconnect the bottom support and the top support. The side arms extend vertically from respective sides of the bottom support and the top support. The block is mounted to the bottom support to provide resonance balance. Each PZT element is mounted to a respective side arm of the support frame and a respective side of the block. The PZT elements are excitable to cause selective movement of the side arms.

Abstract: A HGA of the invention includes a micro-actuator, a slider and a suspension to support the micro-actuator and the slider. The suspension comprises a flexure for mounting the micro-actuator thereon, a suspension tongue connected to the flexure and an independent spacer sandwiched between the suspension tongue and the flexure to form a parallel gap between the suspension tongue and the micro-actuator. Also disclosed is a disk drive unit having the HGA.

Abstract: A suspension for a HGA includes a base plate, a flexure having a suspension tongue for holding a slider, a load beam, and a hinge that are assembled together; wherein a strengthening plate is formed on the suspension tongue to increase stiffness of the suspension tongue. So the invention enable the use of the suspension with lower pitch and roll stiffness while preventing the suspension deformation. This ensures the slider mounted on the suspension have a good flying performance. The invention also discloses a HGA with such a suspension and a disk drive unit having such an HGA.

Abstract: A HGA of the invention includes a slider; a micro-actuator to adjust the position of the slider; and a suspension to support the slider and the micro-actuator. The micro-actuator includes two side arms; a load plate for supporting the slider, which is connected with at least one of the side arms; a pair of piezoelectric (PZT) elements connected with the side arms; and a support shaft coupled with the suspension, the support shaft being connected with the side arms and positioned between the PZT elements. The invention also discloses a disk drive unit using such a HGA.

Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a U-shaped frame and a metal support frame. The U-shaped frame includes a bottom support, a pair of side arms extending from the bottom support, and a PZT element mounted to each of the side arms. Each PZT element is excitable to cause selective movement of the side arms. The metal support frame includes a top support adapted to support a slider, a bottom support adapted to be connected to a suspension, and a pair of side arms that interconnect the bottom support and the top support. The metal support frame is mounted to the U-shaped frame such that the side arms of the metal support frame are mounted to respective side arms of the U-shaped frame and the bottom support of the metal support frame is mounted to the bottom support of the U-shaped frame.

Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a metal frame including a bottom support integrated with a suspension flexure of the head gimbal assembly, a top support adapted to support a slider of the head gimbal assembly, and a pair of side arms that interconnect the top support and the bottom support. The top support includes a rotatable plate, connection arms that couple the rotatable plate to respective side arms, and an electrical pad support plate that supports bonding pads. A PZT element is mounted to each of the side arms. Each PZT element is excitable to cause selective movement of the side arms.

Abstract: A HGA of the present invention includes a slider; a micro-actuator comprising two thin film PZT pieces to define a notch; a suspension to load the slider and the micro-actuator. The suspension comprises: a flexure having an actuator loading portion with a slot corresponding to the notch of the micro-actuator, and a slider-loading portion to partially hold the slider; and a load beam having a first dimple to support the flexure at a position thereof corresponding to a central area of the slider, and a second dimple extending through both the slot of the flexure and the notch defined by the micro-actuator and toward an leading edge end portion of the slider to form a gap between the slider and the second dimple. The invention also discloses a disk drive unit having the improved HGA.

Abstract: A method for building a slider into a product includes removably mounting a slider onto a test head suspension assembly, and conducting a dynamic performance test of the slider before the slider is built into the product.

Abstract: A micro-actuator frame for a head gimbal assembly includes a bottom support adapted to be connected to a suspension of the head gimbal assembly, a top support adapted to support a slider of the head gimbal assembly, a pair of side arms that interconnect the bottom support and the top support, and a micro-actuator mounting structure provided to the bottom support. The micro-actuator mounting structure is constructed and arranged to maintain a substantially constant gap between the top support and the suspension of the head gimbal assembly in use.

Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a metal frame, PZT elements, and a rigid beam. The metal frame includes a top support adapted to support a slider of the head gimbal assembly, and a pair of side arms extending vertically from respective sides of the top support. The top support includes a rotatable plate and connection arms that couple the rotatable plate to respective side arms. A PZT element is mounted to each of the side arms. Each PZT element is excitable to cause selective movement of the side arms. The rigid beam is mounted between the side arms at an end opposite the top support.

Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a support frame including a bottom support adapted to be connected to a suspension of the head gimbal assembly, a top support adapted to support a slider of the head gimbal assembly, and a leading beam that couples the bottom support and the top support. The leading beam includes weak points or notches that allow the top support to rotate about a rotational axis in use. A first PZT element is mounted between first sides of the top and bottom supports, and a second PZT element is mounted between second sides of the top and bottom supports. The first and second PZT elements are excitable to cause selective rotational movement of the top support about the rotational axis in use.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an actuator includes applying at least one layer of electrically-conductive material and at least one layer of electrically-insulative material to an actuator block, and separating the actuator block into a plurality of actuators, each actuator having at least one actuator finger. The electrically-conductive material and the electrically-insulative material are applied one layer upon another in an alternating manner to the actuator block in at least one actuator finger location. The layer of insulative material is larger in area than the layer of conductive material such that an insulative layer, applied to the actuator block and sandwiching a conductive layer between the insulative layer and the actuator block, at least partially encloses and electrically isolates the electrically-conductive layer by covering the conductive material on at least three sides.

Abstract: A HSA of the present invention includes a voice coil; an E-block connected to the voice coil, which including at least one actuator arms; at least one HGAs, wherein each HGA is swaged on a tip of the respective actuator arm and includes a suspension having a flexure for supporting a slider thereon; and at least one support block formed on each actuator arm which having a supporting portion to support a tail end of the flexure so as to reduce or delete a displacement of the flexure. The invention also discloses a manufacturing method thereof and a disk drive unit with such an HSA.

Abstract: A suspension for a HGA of the invention includes a flexure having a plurality of connection pads to connect with a control system at one end and a plurality of electrical multi-traces at the other end; which comprising: a tongue to hold the slider; a suspending portion to suspend the tongue from the flexure; wherein the suspending portion has a narrower width than that of the tongue. The invention also discloses a HGA with such a suspension and a disk drive unit having such an HGA.

Abstract: A micro-actuator includes a metal frame having two side arms, a top support arm and a bottom support arm respectively connected with the top ends of the two side arms. The two side arms are in parallel with and spaced from each other a distance adapted to hold a slider therebetween that is mounted on the top support arm. An isolation layer is coupled with each side arm of the metal frame; and a piezoelectric element is bonded with the isolation layer. When operating the micro-actuator, an electric sparking problem will not occur for existence of the isolation layer. The invention also disclose a method of manufacturing the micro-actuator, a HGA and disk drive unit with the micro-actuator.

Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a support structure and a PZT element. The support structure includes a bottom support integrated with a suspension flexure of the head gimbal assembly, a top support adapted to support a slider of the head gimbal assembly, and a leading beam that couples the bottom support and the top support. The leading beam includes a weak point that allows the top support to rotate about a rotational axis in use. The PZT element is mounted between the top and bottom supports. The PZT element is excitable to cause selective rotational movement of the top support about the rotational axis in use.

Abstract: A flex cable frame assembly for a head gimbal assembly includes a micro-actuator frame and a flex cable mounted to the micro-actuator frame. The flex cable includes a first set of bonding pads provided to one end of the flex cable, a second set of bonding pads provided to an opposing end of the flex cable, and a trace integrated to the flex cable that interconnects the first set of bonding pads and the second set of bonding pads.

Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a metal frame including a bottom support adapted to be connected to a suspension, a top support adapted to support a slider, and a pair of side arms that interconnect the bottom and top supports. The side arms extend vertically from respective sides of the bottom and top supports. A PZT element is mounted to each of the side arms. Each PZT element includes two PZT portions supported by a PI substrate base. The PI substrate base includes one or more bridges that physically and electrically couple the two PZT portions. The bridges are bendable so that the two PZT portions sandwich the respective side arm when mounted thereto.

Abstract: A micro-actuator for a head gimbal assembly includes a metal frame including a bottom support adapted to be connected to a suspension of the head gimbal assembly, a top support adapted to support a slider of the head gimbal assembly, and a pair of side arms that interconnect the bottom support and the top support. The side arms extend vertically from respective sides of the bottom support and the top support. A PZT element is mounted to each of the side arms. Each PZT element includes multiple PZT portions. Each PZT element is excitable to cause selective movement of the side arms.

Abstract: A HGA includes a slider, a suspension to load the slider, and a particle filter device to fix in leading side of the slider. The particle filter device is made of power material or porous material. The HGA further comprise a micro-actuator to connect with the slider. Because the particle filter device is positioned on the leading edge of the slider that is a passage of the particles, so the particles generating from the components in the disk drive unit, such as the HGA will be catched by the particle filter device. Thus the particles will be prevented from flying on the disk and deposited on ABS of the slider, this will ensure the slider to read from/write to data information to the disk successfully and eliminate a possibility to damage the slider/the disk. A disk drive unit with such an HGA is also disclosed herein.