Abstract: A head gimbal assembly (HGA) for a disk drive includes a load beam, a laminated flexure attached to the load beam, and a head attached to the laminated flexure. The laminated flexure includes a tail for electrical connection between the head and a flex cable of a head stack assembly. The laminated flexure tail may include a plurality of conductive traces, a structural layer, and a dielectric layer there between, and may be disposed partially within a slot of an actuator arm. A first insulative cover layer is disposed on the plurality of conductive traces. A plurality of stand-off islands is disposed on the first insulative cover layer, and over at least one of the plurality of conductive traces (e.g. the writer traces). At least one of the plurality of stand-off islands is at least partially disposed between the first insulative cover layer and the inner slot surface.

Abstract: A flexure tail of a head suspension assembly includes a structural layer, a conductive layer, a dielectric layer between the structural and conductive layers, and an insulative cover layer disposed on the conductive layer. The conductive layer includes a plurality of flexure bond pads in a terminal region of the flexure tail. The insulative cover layer includes a plurality of openings that expose each of the plurality of flexure bond pads. The dielectric layer defines a first thickness between the structural layer and the conductive layer at each of the plurality of flexure bond pads. The dielectric layer also defines a second thickness between the structural layer and the conductive layer adjacent to the plurality of flexure bond pads in the terminal region of the flexure tail. The second thickness is less than the first thickness by a thickness difference that is no less than a cover layer thickness.

Abstract: Disclosed is a dual stage actuation suspension, including: a stainless steel component having a plated contact, the plated contact comprising a first material plated directly on a second material, the first material conductive and non-corrosive, the first material comprising a metal or metal alloy, the second material comprising stainless steel of the stainless steel component, the stainless steel component including a stainless steel layer of a flexure; a motor having an electrical contact; and a conductive adhesive joint between the electrical contact of the motor and the plated contact of the stainless steel component, the conductive adhesive joint extending from the motor, over an edge of the motor and into contact with the plated contact on the stainless steel layer of the flexure.

Abstract: A novel suspension assembly includes a suspension assembly mounting plate, a microactuator mounting structure extending from the suspension assembly mounting plate, a load beam extending from the microactuator mounting structure, and a laminated flexure attached to the load beam. The laminated flexure includes a tongue that has a read head bonding surface. The suspension assembly includes a stainless steel surface having a gold coating, and a piezoelectric microactuator attached to the microactuator mounting structure and electrically connected to the gold coating.

Abstract: A novel suspension assembly includes a suspension assembly mounting plate, a microactuator mounting structure extending from the suspension assembly mounting plate, a load beam extending from the microactuator mounting structure, and a laminated flexure attached to the load beam. The laminated flexure includes a tongue that has a read head bonding surface. The suspension assembly includes a stainless steel surface having a gold coating, and a piezoelectric microactuator attached to the microactuator mounting structure and electrically connected to the gold coating.

Abstract: Disclosed is a suspension assembly for a disk drive that includes: a mounting plate having a through-hole; a microactuator mounted on the mounting plate; a flexure attached to the mounting plate, the flexure including a trace layer that includes a ground trace; and a conductive epoxy bonded to the microactuator extending through the through-hole to bond to the flexure, wherein the epoxy extends to the ground trace of the flexure such that the microactuator is grounded to the flexure.

Abstract: A flexure resistant to windage effects present during operation of a hard disk drive is described. The flexure includes an end portion proximal to a slider. The flexure further includes an opposite end portion proximal to a tail of an actuator arm having swaged therewith a suspension. The flexure is interposed between the slider and the tail. The flexure also includes a flexure direction re-router. The flexure direction re-router has an inner radius and an outer radius. The outer radius of the flexure has greater rigidity than the inner radius. This greater rigidity provides resistance against the windage effects.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for a disk drive includes a read head, a load beam, and a laminate flexure. The laminate flexure includes a structural layer, a dielectric layer, and a conductive layer that includes a plurality of electrical traces. The laminate flexure includes a tongue portion that connects to the read head, and a flexure tail that extends away from the tongue portion and includes a plurality of flexure bond pads that may facilitate ultrasonic or ACF bonding. Each of the plurality of flexure bond pads consists of a widened region of a corresponding one of the plurality of electrical traces in the conductive layer, and a gold coating upon the widened region. The widened region of each of the plurality of electrical traces extends transverse to the flexure tail's longitudinal axis at least 2.5 times more than it extends parallel to the flexure tail's longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for compensating for high-gain vibration modes resulting from asymmetrical traces in integrated lead suspensions in hard disk drives. A compensation member secures to an actuated arm opposite a mount plate securing a head gimbal assembly (HGA) to the arm. The compensation member includes an elastic portion primarily mirroring the elastic properties of asymmetrical elastic properties of conductive traces extending along the HGA and arm. The elastic portion secures to an inertial portion primarily mirroring inertial properties, such as center of mass and moment of inertia, of the HGA. The elastic portion may be formed as a strip of material attached at its end points to the inertial portion. The inertial portion may be formed as a flat plate secured to the actuated arm in a manner similar to the mount plate.

Abstract: A head assembly for a data storage device. The head assembly has a suspension. The head assembly also includes a contact pad coupled to the suspension. The head assembly also includes a slider. The slider is coupled to the suspension at the slider mounting point. The slider mounting point is at least partially bounded by polyimide standoffs. The polyimide standoff closest to the contact pad is positioned to reduce the effect of the solder shrinkage moment.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include A head suspension assembly for a data storage device comprising a load beam and a Femto flexure coupled to the load beam, wherein the Femto flexure is a laminate structure comprising a support layer, the flexure comprising a plurality of symmetrical flexure legs, each of the flexure legs substantially hourglass shaped.

Abstract: A lead routing module for interconnecting two devices in a suspension assembly. The suspension assembly including at least a suspension, a slider/head assembly, and a lead routing module. The suspension assembly may also include a microactuator. The lead routing module routes electrical signals between at least two devices in the suspension assembly such that the termination leads and/or pads of each device may be conveniently located. The suspension assembly may be used in a disk drive system, or alternatively, in a disk test system used for testing disks.

Abstract: A suspension for a disk drive includes a mount plate adapted to mount to a primary actuator, a functional end portion adapted to carry a slider, and a hinge disposed between the mount plate and the functional end portion. A mounting configuration is provided on the mount plate for mounting the suspension to the primary actuator. A pair of secondary actuators are mounted in longitudinally overlapping relationship with the mounting configuration so as to minimize the impact of the secondary actuators on suspension length. The secondary actuators are operatively connected to the hinge for producing sway displacement of the slider.

Abstract: A technique for electrically interconnecting a disk drive suspension assembly and a micro-actuator mounting a transducer-carrying slider. A first set of termination pads is provided on a generally planar surface of the micro-actuator, adjacent a front edge portion of the micro-actuator. A set of leads is provided on the suspension assembly so as to extend generally orthogonally to the first set of termination pads and in adjacent relationship therewith. Electrical connections are provided between the first set of termination pads and the suspension assembly leads. A second set of termination pads can be provided on the micro-actuator planar surface adjacent to a front edge portion of the slider and a third set of termination pads can be provided on the slider front edge portion. The second and third sets of termination pads are then electrically connected.

Abstract: A technique for electrically interconnecting a disk drive suspension assembly and a micro-actuator mounting a transducer-carrying slider. A first set of termination pads is provided on a generally planar surface of the micro-actuator, adjacent a front edge portion of the micro-actuator. A set of leads is provided on the suspension assembly so as to extend generally orthogonally to the first set of termination pads and in adjacent relationship therewith. Electrical connections are provided between the first set of termination pads and the suspension assembly leads. A second set of termination pads can be provided on the micro-actuator planar surface adjacent to a front edge portion of the slider and a third set of termination pads can be provided on the slider front edge portion. The second and third sets of termination pads are then electrically connected.

Abstract: A suspension assembly is designed to carry a slider and read/write head elements in a magnetic data storage device. The suspension assembly is formed from a composite laminate structure that includes first, second, third, fourth and fifth material layers. The layers are arranged such that the second layer is disposed between the first and third layers, and the fourth layer is disposed between the third and fifth layers. The laminate structure is configured using a suitable removal process, such as partial chemical etching, to define a mount plate, a hinge, a load beam functional end, and an electrical lead system. The laminate structure may be further formed with a flexure gimbal system that comprises the third, fourth and fifth layers.

Abstract: A suspension for a disk drive includes a mount plate adapted to mount to a primary actuator, a functional end portion adapted to carry a slider, and a hinge disposed between the mount plate and the functional end portion. A mounting configuration is provided on the mount plate for mounting the suspension to the primary actuator. A pair of secondary actuators are mounted in longitudinally overlapping relationship with the mounting configuration so as to minimize the impact of the secondary actuators on suspension length. The secondary actuators are operatively connected to the hinge for producing sway displacement of the slider.

Abstract: A suspension assembly is designed to carry a slider and read/write head elements in a magnetic data storage device. The suspension assembly is formed from a composite laminate structure that includes first, second, third, fourth and fifth material layers. The layers are arranged such that the second layer is disposed between the first and third layers, and the fourth layer is disposed between the third and fifth layers. The laminate structure is configured using a suitable removal process, such as partial chemical etching, to define a mount plate, a hinge, a load beam functional end, and an electrical lead system. The laminate structure may be further formed with a flexure gimbal system that comprises the third, fourth and fifth layers.

Abstract: A technique for electrically interconnecting a disk drive suspension assembly and a micro-actuator mounting a transducer-carrying slider. A first set of termination pads is provided on a generally planar surface of the micro-actuator, adjacent a front edge portion of the micro-actuator. A set of leads is provided on the suspension assembly so as to extend generally orthogonally to the first set of termination pads and in adjacent relationship therewith. Electrical connections are provided between the first set of termination pads and the suspension assembly leads. A second set of termination pads can be provided on the micro-actuator planar surface adjacent to a front edge portion of the slider and a third set of termination pads can be provided on the slider front edge portion. The second and third sets of termination pads are then electrically connected.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension is formed from a laminate of three materials in a variety of configurations having from three to five layers. The materials are stainless steel, polyimide and copper. Each layer is essentially homogeneous, but may be formed with one or more holes or voids prior to the formation of the laminate. The voids can be used to eliminate the need for double-sided etching or to make small features which would otherwise be unavailable with conventional manufacturing processes.