Pivot/load Button Detail Patents (Class 360/245.1)
  • Patent number: 10964343
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a disk device includes two magnetic disks opposing each other at intervals of 1.2 to 1.5 mm, and at least two suspension assemblies movable respectively between the two magnetic disks. Each of the suspension assemblies includes a base plate, a load beam extending from the base plate, a tab extending from a distal end of the load beam, a wiring member on the load beam and the base plate, including a gimbal portion, and a magnetic head on the gimbal portion, abutting on a dimple of the load beam via the gimbal portion. The ratio of a distance from a bendable location of the load beam to a center of the dimple with respect to a distance from the center of the dimple to a tip of the tab is 2.8 to 3.8.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventor: Manabu Uehara
  • Patent number: 10395679
    Abstract: A data storage system can employ at least one transducing head that is suspended above a data storage medium to access data. The transducing head suspension can be configured with a resonance system where a gimbal flexure is mounted to a load beam via a physical connection. The gimbal flexure may support a transducing head and contact the load beam via the physical connection, a dimple, and a first contact feature concurrently while the physical connection, dimple, and first contact feature are each separate and different points of physical contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Ravishankar Ajjanagadde Shivarama, Bradley J. Ver Meer, Razman Zambri
  • Patent number: 10260591
    Abstract: A gimbal vibration damper for a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) includes an upper vibration damping sheet which is connected with a bottom surface of a fuselage of the UAV, a lower vibration damping sheet which is connected with a top of a gimbal, and a vibration damping component which is located between the upper vibration damping sheet and the lower vibration damping sheet, wherein an upper end of the vibration damping component is fixed with the upper vibration damping sheet, a lower end of the vibration damping component is fixed with the lower vibration damping sheet. The gimbal vibration damper provided by the present invention is able to achieve better gimbal damping effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: Haoxiang Electric Energy (Kunshan) Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Tian, Wenyan Jiang
  • Patent number: 10242701
    Abstract: A method for assembling a head-gimbal assembly of a hard disk drive, the method including the steps of dispensing adhesive onto a top surface of a gimbal tongue, wherein the gimbal tongue is positioned adjacent to a load beam with a dimple extending from its top surface, and wherein the gimbal tongue is configured with at least one support feature that inhibits its deformation toward the dimple when subjected to downward pressure with respect to the dimple; positioning a slider on which a magnetic head is mounted adjacent to the top surface of the gimbal tongue; and pressing the slider onto the adhesive and toward the dimple of the load beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Unger, Ravishankar Shivarama
  • Patent number: 10163457
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a lift tab of a suspension assembly, includes: forming a first mask on a first surface of a plate-shaped base material; forming a second mask smaller than the first mask by a width less than or equal to a plate thickness of the base material, on a second surface of the base material, which is on an opposite side to the first surface, to oppose the first mask; etching the base material from both surface sides through the first mask and the second mask, to cut out the base material; and subjecting the cut-out base material to a bending process to form the lift tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kenichiro Aoki, Yasutaka Sasaki
  • Patent number: 10002629
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a suspension assembly of a disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam comprising a major planar area formed from a substrate. The load beam further comprises a window in the substrate, a dimple formed from the substrate, and a flange. The flange is a region of the major planar area that extends partially around the dimple but does not extend along an edge of the dimple. The edge of the dimple is adjacent to the window. The dimple is in contact with the flexure. A HAMR block or other element can extend through the window. The lack of a full flange can minimize the necessary clearance between the dimple and the HAMR block or other element and thereby allow the window to be enlarged to accommodate the HAMR block or other element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Rick R. Drape, Thomas J. Glaeser, Corey S. Hartmann, Haven A. Mercer, Daniel P. Noga
  • Patent number: 9953666
    Abstract: A method for assembling a head-gimbal assembly of a hard disk drive, the method including the steps of dispensing adhesive onto a top surface of a gimbal tongue, wherein the gimbal tongue is positioned adjacent to a load beam with a dimple extending from its top surface, and wherein the gimbal tongue is configured with at least one support feature that inhibits its deformation toward the dimple when subjected to downward pressure with respect to the dimple; positioning a slider on which a magnetic head is mounted adjacent to the top surface of the gimbal tongue; and pressing the slider onto the adhesive and toward the dimple of the load beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Christopher Unger, Ravishankar Shivarama
  • Patent number: 9870792
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a suspension assembly of a disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam comprising a major planar area formed from a substrate. The load beam further comprises a window in the substrate, a dimple formed from the substrate, and a flange. The flange is a region of the major planar area that extends partially around the dimple but does not extend along an edge of the dimple. The edge of the dimple is adjacent to the window. The dimple is in contact with the flexure. A HAMR block or other element can extend through the window. The lack of a full flange can minimize the necessary clearance between the dimple and the HAMR block or other element and thereby allow the window to be enlarged to accommodate the HAMR block or other element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Rick R. Drape, Thomas J. Glaeser, Corey S. Hartmann, Haven A. Mercer, Daniel P. Noga
  • Patent number: 9524739
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a suspension assembly of a disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam comprising a major planar area formed from a substrate. The load beam further comprises a window in the substrate, a dimple formed from the substrate, and a flange. The flange is a region of the major planar area that extends partially around the dimple but does not extend along an edge of the dimple. The edge of the dimple is adjacent to the window. The dimple is in contact with the flexure. A HAMR block or other element can extend through the window. The lack of a full flange can minimize the necessary clearance between the dimple and the HAMR block or other element and thereby allow the window to be enlarged to accommodate the HAMR block or other element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Rick R. Drape, Thomas J. Glaeser, Corey S. Hartmann, Haven A. Mercer, Daniel P. Noga
  • Patent number: 9183861
    Abstract: Approaches to a suspension for a hard disk drive (HDD) include a non-hemispherical dimple for movably coupling a flexure with a load beam, where the length of the non-hemispherical dimple exceeds the width. Therefore, in the context of a microactuator system, piezo actuating devices may be installed closer together to improve the microactuator stroke performance in moving the slider over the disk surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Tsuchida, Haruhide Takahashi, Shinobu Hagiya
  • Patent number: 9007726
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a suspension assembly of a disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam comprising a major planar area formed from a substrate. The load beam further comprises a window in the substrate, a dimple formed from the substrate, and a flange. The flange is a region of the major planar area that extends partially around the dimple but does not extend along an edge of the dimple. The edge of the dimple is adjacent to the window. The dimple is in contact with the flexure. A HAMR block or other element can extend through the window. The lack of a full flange can minimize the necessary clearance between the dimple and the HAMR block or other element and thereby allow the window to be enlarged to accommodate the HAMR block or other element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Rick R. Drape, Thomas J. Glaeser, Corey S. Hartmann, Haven A. Mercer, Daniel P. Noga
  • Patent number: 8848318
    Abstract: Provided is a magnetic head slider apparatus that can minimize a change in a roll angle caused by an impact force even with a submount mounted on a side surface thereof and achieve steady flying with the roll angle minimized. A dimple position and a pressure center position of a lifting force are moved in a slider width direction to thereby align a center of mass of a slider having a submount including a laser diode mounted on a side surface thereof, the dimple position, and the pressure center position of the lifting force with each other. This provides a magnetic head slider and a suspension thereof, and a magnetic disk drive apparatus offering higher recording density and higher reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuji Tsuchiyama, Takuya Matsumoto, Irizo Naniwa
  • Patent number: 8760814
    Abstract: A suspension assembly for a head gimbal assembly of a disk drive includes a laminated flexure that includes a tongue for attachment of a read head. The suspension assembly includes a load beam that, in a first aspect of the present invention has a protruding dimple that contacts the tongue. In this aspect of the invention, a diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating is disposed between and contacting the dimple and the tongue. For example, the DLC may be disposed on the tongue at the location of contact with the load beam dimple. Alternatively, in a second aspect of the present invention, the tongue may have a protruding dimple that contacts the load beam. In this aspect of the invention, a DLC coating is disposed between and contacting the dimple and the load beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tzong-Shii Pan, David E. Fowler, John E. Scura, Yanning Liu
  • Patent number: 8717712
    Abstract: Various embodiments concern a suspension assembly of a disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam comprising a major planar area formed from a substrate. The load beam further comprises a window in the substrate, a dimple formed from the substrate, and a flange. The flange is a region of the major planar area that extends partially around the dimple but does not extend along an edge of the dimple. The edge of the dimple is adjacent to the window. The dimple is in contact with the flexure. A HAMR block or other element can extend through the window. The lack of a full flange can minimize the necessary clearance between the dimple and the HAMR block or other element and thereby allow the window to be enlarged to accommodate the HAMR block or other element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Jeffry S. Bennin, Rick R. Drape, Thomas J. Glaeser, Corey S. Hartmann, Haven A. Mercer, Daniel P. Noga
  • Patent number: 8405933
    Abstract: A disk drive suspension is provided with a load beam and a flexure. A tongue portion is formed on the flexure. The tongue portion comprises a slider mounting surface and a flat portion. A slider is mounted on the slider mounting surface. A dimple is formed on the flat portion. A tip of the dimple projects thicknesswise relative to the tongue portion toward the load beam. A protrusion is formed on a facing surface of the load beam. An end face of the protrusion projects thicknesswise relative to the load beam toward the dimple. As the tip of the dimple contacts the end face of the protrusion, the tongue portion is swingably supported on the protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jun Soga
  • Patent number: 8259416
    Abstract: A disk drive head suspension including a load beam having a load beam load point region and a flexure, attached to the load beam, having a flexure load point region. A mass of viscoelastic material is fixedly attached to both load beam load point region and flexure load point region to form a pinned load point. A method for manufacturing a disk drive head suspension of the type having a flexure with a flexure load point region on a load beam with a load beam load point region. The flexure load point region is spaced apart from the load beam load point region. A load point is formed by applying a mass of viscoelastic material to the load point region of at least one of the flexure and the load beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Michael W. Davis, Mohammed Kazemi, Mark G. Lowry, Alan D. Maki
  • Patent number: 8254063
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for forming a head gimbal assembly (HGA). In accordance with various embodiments, a slider is formed with opposing first and second side surfaces, an air bearing feature on said first side surface and a dimple extending from said second side surface adapted to facilitate multi-axial rotation of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Razman Zambri, Michael Allen Greminger, Dadi Setiadi
  • Publication number: 20120200959
    Abstract: Systems and methods for flexure based shock and vibration sensor for head suspensions in hard disk drives. Specifically, this invention deals with operational shock and vibration management within a hard disk drive. In one implementation, the assembly includes a circuit embedded optical waveguide sensor that includes a flexible electrical circuit board with a configuration of either a single or multi layers of conductor traces, a thin flexure gimbal for carrying and flying a HDD slider, a consecutive sensing layer constructed by an optical core and by clad construction with a configuration of either a single core array or a plural core array, an optical loop formed by light input and an output core, optical grating disposed on the consecutive sensing layer forming an optical grating waveguide sensor, a light emitter for injecting light into the optical core, and a receiver receiving the output light from the optical core.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: NITTO DENKO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Martin John MCCASLIN, Visit THAVEEPRUNGSRIPORN, Szu-Han HU
  • Patent number: 8233243
    Abstract: Interconnections for attaching a suspension assembly to an arm of an actuator or positioning device are disclosed. In illustrated embodiments, the interconnection includes one or more weld connections formed along opposed side seams of overlapping portions of the arm and head suspension assembly. In illustrated embodiments, the weld connections are formed along side surfaces generally transverse to upper and lower surfaces of the arm. In another embodiment, a groove pattern is formed, for example via a laser etching process, in an overlapping portion of the head suspension assembly or arm and an epoxy is inlayed in the groove to connect the head suspension assembly and arm. Illustrated embodiments also include multiple connections including, for example, a swage connection and a weld or other connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Hong Zhu, Michael E. Wissbaum
  • Patent number: 8208223
    Abstract: A dimple forming apparatus for forming dimple on a workpiece at a desired position comprises a base mold with a concave surface, a heating unit and a forming pin with a spherical surface. The base mold is configured to be positioned below the workpiece. The heating unit is configured to heat the desired position of the workpiece for enhancing tractility of the desired position of the workpiece, and the forming pin is configured to be positioned above workpiece with the spherical surface of the forming pin aiming toward the desired position of the workpiece heated by the heating unit. The heating unit successfully enhances the tractility of desired position of the workpiece before the desired position of the workpiece is punched by the forming pin, and produces low stress at the junction of the dimple formed by the forming pin punching and the workpiece of the workpiece. The present invention also discloses a dimple forming method, a head gimbal assembly and a method for manufacturing a head gimbal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: Canhua Chen, Hiroshi Fukaya, Yiusing Ho
  • Patent number: 8072708
    Abstract: A load beam is capable of securing a required level of positioning accuracy for a slider, a load beam has a body and a dimple, the body is made of a plate having a first surface and a second surface, the dimple has a convex curved surface protruding from the first surface of the body and supports a slider so that the slider is movable in predetermined directions to write and read information to and from a disk in a disk drive, and the load beam includes a mark formed on the second surface of the body, configured to provide positional information about a vertex of the dimple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Takashi Horiuchi
  • Patent number: 7924530
    Abstract: A punched gimbal dimple with a coined, frusto-conical base in a head suspension and a method for producing such a dimple. The dimple has an apex and a base, the base having outer and inner surfaces which generally conform to conical frustums. The conical frustum half-cone angles differ by at least 2 degrees. The dimple and its coined base are fabricated by a dimple punch and die with mismatched punch tangent and chamfer angles. The coined dimple base can be more easily seen by optical systems for aligning a slider to the dimple.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventor: David Chocholaty
  • Patent number: 7907368
    Abstract: In a balanced head gimbal assembly for improved seeking performance, a slider having a magnetic head with a set of read elements to read data and a set of write elements to write data, an air-bearing surface, and a non-air-bearing surface is coupled to a suspension. The suspension includes a loadbeam, a flexure, and a balancing weight. The loadbeam is coupled to an actuator arm. The flexure, coupled to the loadbeam, has a window through which a dimple, coupled to the loadbeam, contacts a dimple contact point. The balancing weight, coupled to the flexure, has a configuration which permits alignment of a center of mass of the head gimbal assembly with the dimple contact point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: SAE Magnetics (HK) Ltd.
    Inventors: Qinghua Zeng, Yen Fu, Li-Yan Zhu, Chao-Hui Yang, Ellis T. Cha
  • Patent number: 7907367
    Abstract: A punched gimbal dimple with an annular coined periphery extending outward from the dimple in a head suspension and a method for producing such a dimple. The dimple and its coined periphery are fabricated from a dimple punch and a die with a raised coining surface. The coined area on the dimple periphery can be seen by optical systems as a shiny ring, which is useful for aligning a slider to the dimple. The coined periphery is also less distorted by dimple punching than a non-coined periphery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventors: David Chocholaty, Leroy Wielenga, Chu Wong
  • Patent number: 7898797
    Abstract: A mounting apparatus for PCI card, includes a mounting bracket, a securing piece adapted to attach the PCI card to the mounting bracket, and an elastic securing member pivotally mounted on the blocking plate of the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket has a base and a blocking plate perpendicular to the base. An opening is defined in the mounting bracket adjacent to the blocking plate. The securing piece includes a first end and a second end perpendicular to the first end. The first end abuts and engages with the mounting bracket base, and the second end abut the blocking plate of the mounting bracket. The elastic securing member includes a pressing portion and an actuating portion. The actuating portion is resiliently received in the opening to force the pressing portion to sandwich the second end of the securing piece between the blocking plate and the pressing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chen-Lu Fan, Li-Ping Chen
  • Patent number: 7889490
    Abstract: A sever including a chassis, at least one first tray, at least one second tray, a power supply module, multiple input/output interface circuit boards, and multiple mother boards is provided. The first and second trays are slidably disposed in the chassis, and the first and second trays can be drawn out of the chassis in opposite directions. The power supply module is disposed on a bottom plate of the chassis. The input/output interface circuit boards are disposed on the first tray, respectively. The power supply module is located between two input/output interface circuit boards. Each input/output interface circuit board has multiple input/output interfaces. The mother boards are disposed on the second trays, respectively. The input/output interface circuit boards and the power supply module are correspondingly electrically connected to the mother boards.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventors: Shyn-Ren Chen, Tsai-Kuei Cheng, Shi-Feng Wang, Ji-Peng Xu, Yong-Hua Chen, Li-Hong Huang, Ting Song, Chia-Nan Chien, Banks Chen
  • Patent number: 7864488
    Abstract: A suspension assembly includes a load beam having a protruding dimple and a laminate flexure. The laminate flexure includes a structural layer that is attached to the load beam, and a dielectric layer. The laminate flexure includes a flexure tongue for mounting a head. The flexure tongue includes the structural layer and the dielectric layer and a hole that extends through the structural layer but not through the dielectric layer. The dimple contacts the dielectric layer via the hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Tzong-Shii Pan
  • Patent number: 7835113
    Abstract: Head suspension offset structures and methods of manufacture. The offset structure includes an offset extending out of a plane of a surface on which it is formed and a plurality of elongated voids and elongated links surrounding the offset. The links extend between the offset and the surface in both radial and circumferential direction. At least a portion of the elongated links and voids extend out of the plane of the surface, minimizing stretching and thinning of the material on and around the offset, and enhancing the integrity of the structure. The offset structure can be formed using conventional manufacturing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventor: Joel B. Douglas
  • Patent number: 7719798
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventor: Minggao Yao
  • Patent number: 7706105
    Abstract: A suspension assembly of an actuator of a hard disk drive prevents collisions with a data storage disk of the drive. The suspension assembly includes a load beam, a bracket having a rear end at which the bracket is coupled to the load beam and a flexure, a slider that is attached to the bracket and carries the read/write head of the hard disk drive, and a limiting mechanism capable of selectively attaching and detaching a respective portion of the bracket to and from the load beam during operation. The load beam has a dimple projecting toward the bracket and which normally contacts a first surface of the bracket. The slider is attached to a second surface of the bracket opposite the first surface. The limiting mechanism attaches a portion of the bracket bearing the slider to the load beam when the read/write head is unloaded from the disk. Therefore, the wobbling of the slider is suppressed during the unloading operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Leonid Maslov, Cheol-soon Kim, Jin-gyoo Yoo, Haeng-soo Lee
  • Patent number: 7688552
    Abstract: A HGA includes a slider and a suspension for supporting the slider. The suspension includes a load beam, a base plate, and a flexure, which are assembled together. The flexure has a suspension tongue with a suspension through hole defined therein at a position corresponding to a center of the slider mounted on the suspension tongue. A dimple is provided to connect the suspension tongue and the load beam. The dimple has a first bump, a second bump and a shaft connecting the first and the second bumps. The shaft of the dimple extends through the suspension through hole to limit the suspension tongue between the first and the second bumps. Meanwhile, a manufacturing method of the HGA and a disk drive unit with the HGA are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: MingGao Yao, Masashi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 7606002
    Abstract: A disk drive head suspension, including a load beam formed from one or more layers of material, and a flexure mounted to the load beam. The load beam has an offset aperture and stiffening rails, and is characterized by a Z-height dimension between the one or more layers of material and the free end edges of the stiffening rails. The flexure has a slider-receiving region extending at least partially through the offset aperture and located within the Z-height dimension of the load beam. A load point structure is provided on the load beam and/or the flexure for restraining movement of the slider receiving region and for permitting slider-receiving region to pivot in under aerodynamic forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Hutchinson Technology Incorporated
    Inventors: Gary J. Berscheit, Joel B. Douglas, Shawn P. Henze, Ryan D. Kariniemi, Mark M. Kiviahde, Duane A. Lundin
  • Patent number: 7593191
    Abstract: A HGA of the invention includes a slider, a load beam having a locating hole formed therein; a flexure to support the slider and connect with the load beam; a separate dimple element having a dimple to extend through the locating hole and support the flexure at a position corresponding to a center area of the slider. The invention also discloses a method for manufacturing the HGA and a disk drive unit with the HGA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Sae Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventor: Huai Yang
  • Patent number: 7570458
    Abstract: Apparatus for a disk drive having an actuator controlled suspension in operative association with a disk. The suspension mounting plane datum plane and suspension datum plane diverge at an acute angle. When the suspension is subjected to use conditions including seek operations and disk-induced turbulent wind flow conditions and induce sway forces and torsion forces that produce lateral off-track motions of the slider gap, the extension of the suspension datum plane substantially through the slider center of mass minimizes sway forces, and lateral off track motion of the slider gap is minimized. Error from torsion forces is minimized by having the dimple center of curvature coincide with a horizontal plane including the slider gap and having the dimple longitudinal axis extend through the slider center of mass, so that both sway and torsion force sources of track misregistration are addressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation
    Inventor: Warren Coon
  • Publication number: 20090027807
    Abstract: A HGA includes a load beam having a dimple formed thereon; a flexure including a suspension tongue and a support plate connected with the suspension tongue; and a slider having a leading edge and trailing edge opposite to the leading edge. The slider is mounted on the flexure such that the slider is supported by the dimple at the center of the slider. The leading edge is attached on the suspension tongue and trailing edge is attached on the support plate. A weight-balance structure is formed on the suspension tongue of the flexure to balance the weight of the HGA between a portion from the trailing edge to the slider center and another portion from the leading edge to the slider center. The invention also discloses various methods of manufacturing HGA with the balanced weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: MingGao Yao, YiRu Xie
  • Patent number: 7461933
    Abstract: An air bearing sheet heater assembly is provided for heating a sheet in an ink imaging printer. It includes a heater plate that has a heating element and defines a first side of a sheet path through the heater assembly. It also includes at least one movable platelet that defines a second side of the sheet path, as well as, an air bearing assembly mounted to the at least one platelet. The air bearing assembly controllably creates an air bearing between the second side and the first side of the sheet path for moving and pneumatically spacing the front surface of the at least one movable platelet from the front side of the heater plate, thereby reducing stiction forces and friction along the sheet path through the air bearing sheet heater assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Michael F. Deily, Danielle R. Hall
  • Patent number: 7450346
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing heat absorption around solder pads on an electrical lead suspension (ELS). The method provides a base-metal layer having at least one opening. A dielectric layer is also provided above the base-metal layer, the dielectric layer covering a portion of the base-metal layer and at least one of the openings in the base-metal layer. A signal conductive layer is provided above dielectric layer. The signal conductive layer carries at least one solder pad portion, wherein the solder pad portion is placed above the portion of the dielectric layer such that the solder pad portion does not align with the at least one opening in the base-metal layer. In so doing, the heat absorption with respect to the base-metal layer is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Satya Prakash Arya, Xinzhi Xing
  • Publication number: 20080239577
    Abstract: In a balanced head gimbal assembly for improved seeking performance, a slider having a magnetic head with a set of read elements to read data and a set of write elements to write data, an air-bearing surface, and a non-air-bearing surface is coupled to a suspension. The suspension includes a loadbeam, a flexure, and a balancing weight. The loadbeam is coupled to an actuator arm. The flexure, coupled to the loadbeam, has a window through which a dimple, coupled to the loadbeam, contacts a dimple contact point. The balancing weight, coupled to the flexure, has a configuration which permits alignment of a center of mass of the head gimbal assembly with the dimple contact point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Applicant: SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) LTD.
    Inventors: Qinghua ZENG, Yen FU, Li-Yan ZHU, Chao-Hui YANG, Ellis T. CHA
  • Patent number: 7420779
    Abstract: A disk apparatus, e.g., a magnetic disk apparatus has a storage medium in the form of a disk which is rotated and accessed, and is designed so as to reduce the occurrence of scratches on the storage medium due to contact between the head and the storage medium while ensuring stable access to the disk-type storage medium. In addition to a main dowel which is provided on a suspension and which supports a magnetic head at a center of the same, an auxiliary dowel is provided on the suspension on the air outflow side relative to the main dowel to limit the tilt of the magnetic head at the time of loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Fujistu Limited
    Inventor: Shinichi Takahashi
  • Publication number: 20080151430
    Abstract: In a system and method for adjusting a static torque on a slider in a head-gimbal assembly, a substantially rigid mass is placed on an air-bearing surface (ABS) of a slider. A static attitude of the slider is measured, and an adjustment location and intensity for a flexure to yield a zero slider static attitude are calculated. The flexure is adjusted based on the measurement and calculations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Li-Yan Zhu, Chao-Hui Yang, Yen Fu, Ellis T. Cha
  • Publication number: 20080024928
    Abstract: A HGA of the invention includes a slider, a load beam having a locating hole formed therein; a flexure to support the slider and connect with the load beam; a separate dimple element having a dimple to extend through the locating hole and support the flexure at a position corresponding to a center area of the slider. The invention also discloses a method for manufacturing the HGA and a disk drive unit with the HGA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventor: Huai Yang
  • Patent number: 7293348
    Abstract: A suspension for use in a disk drive is disclosed. The suspension has a hinge and load beam which are separately formed and subsequently joined together. The load beam is formed from a material which has improved damping characteristics. The load beam additionally has ribs constructed in order to balance the mass of the suspension about the torsional rotation axis. The location of the torsional rotation axis can be designed to intersect the head gimbal pivot point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV
    Inventor: A. David Erpelding
  • Patent number: 7283331
    Abstract: The invention includes sliders provided with indented surfaces, reducing the roll center for head gimbal assemblies below the effective thickness of the slider. Head gimbal assemblies built with these sliders may reduce off-track displacements induced by disk vibration. The load beam gimbal may contact the indented surface, creating a slider roll center less than the slider thickness. Alternatively, the sliders may include a slider contact cover interfacing to the load beam forming the gimbal. The slider contact covers may couple with the slider through an indented surface located closer than the slider thickness. These may have a negative slider roll center. The invention includes actuator arms, actuator assemblies, and hard disk drives including these head gimbal assemblies. The invention includes making the invention's sliders, head gimbal assemblies, actuator arms, actuator assemblies, and hard disk drives. The invention includes the products of these processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Dong-Ho Oh, Seong-Woo Kang, Haeng-Soo Lee, Frank Ivan Morris, Momo K. Boljanovic, Young-Hoon Kim
  • Publication number: 20070223143
    Abstract: A suspension is provided for improving reliability in reading/writing of data by improving stiffness in a longitudinal direction of a flexure while realizing low pitch/roll stiffness of a tongue part. The suspension includes: a flexure, including two branched outrigger parts extending to the tip side of the flexure, and a tongue part for mounting a magnetic head slider, located between the outrigger parts and linked to the tip sides of the outrigger parts; a trace formed on the flexure; and a fixed part in which at least a part of a bent part formed in the trace is fixed to the tongue part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: SAE MAGNETICS (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi MATSUI, Takashi HONDA, Yoshimitsu WADA
  • Patent number: 7193820
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a hard disk drive or related apparatus in which a possibility of head crash can be reduced to minimum even if the apparatus receives an external impact during the operating state. To achieve the object, according to the present invention, in a suspension including a load beam to which a magnetic head slider is to be attached and a head arm continuously joined to the load beam, a dummy weight is attached to the rear end of the head arm, and a attachment position of a joining member for joining a portion including the magnetic head slider, the load beam, the head arm and the dummy weight with a swing portion of a voice coil motor is provided at a position in the vicinity of the center of mass of that portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Honda, Katsuki Kurihara, Takeshi Wada, Kaoru Matsushita, Hideki Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 7061722
    Abstract: A magnetic disk unit includes a magnetic disk attached to a spindle so as to be rotatable, a slider having a magnetic head for reading/writing data onto/from the magnetic disk, a suspension for providing the slider with a predetermined load, and an actuator arm for positioning the slider attached to the suspension on the magnetic disk. A first pad including the magnetic head and second pads including no magnetic heads are disposed on an air bearing surface of the slider. During rotation of said magnetic disk, a part of the first pad keeps in contact with the magnetic disk. A load point of the suspension with respect to the slider is positioned between a leading edge of the slider and a position located at a distance equivalent to substantially 0.42 times a whole length of the slider from the leading edge of the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kohira, Hiromitsu Tokisue, Masaaki Matsumoto, Masayuki Suzuki, Yoshinori Takeuchi, Toshihiko Shimizu
  • Patent number: 7050267
    Abstract: A head-gimbal assembly of a hard disk drive includes a loadbeam connected to a pivot arm, a slider on which a magnetic head is mounted, an elastic support member having one end coupled to the loadbeam and the other free end portion at which the slider is supported, and a damper provided between the loadbeam and the slider to attenuate vibration transferred between the loadbeam and the slider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jeong-seok Koh, Dong-ho Oh, Tae-yeon Hwang
  • Patent number: 7046484
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a hard disk drive or related apparatus in which a possibility of head crash can be reduced to minimum even if the apparatus receives an external impact during the operating state. To achieve the object, according to the present invention, in a suspension including a load beam to which a magnetic head slider is to be attached and a head arm continuously joined to the load beam, a dummy weight is attached to the rear end of the head arm, and a attachment position of a joining member for joining a portion including the magnetic head slider, the load beam, the head arm and the dummy weight with a swing portion of a voice coil motor is provided at a position in the vicinity of the center of mass of that portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Honda, Katsuki Kurihara, Takeshi Wada, Kaoru Matsushita, Hideki Kuwajima
  • Patent number: 6985333
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a disk drive and methods for operating the same. A venting assembly of this disk drive generally includes a slider having an air bearing surface system for generating positive pressure to urge the slider away from a data storage disk, and a suction cavity for generating negative pressure to urge the slider toward the surface of the disk. The slider of the venting assembly also generally includes a first venting hole extending through the slider within the suction cavity. A first valve of the venting assembly is generally associated with the first venting hole to at least assist in controlling airflow through the same. Contact between a load beam of the venting assembly and a corresponding load/unload ramp of the disk drive during unloading of the slider generally tends to open the first valve and substantially dissipate the negative pressure within the suction cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Maxtor Corporation
    Inventors: Bernhard Hiller, Erhard Schreck
  • Patent number: RE40203
    Abstract: A magnetic head suspension assembly is fabricated with an integral piece which includes a load beam section, a flexure section, a rear mount section and a leaf spring section between the load beam and rear mount. A tongue extends from the load beam to the flexure and has a down-facing load dimple which contacts the non-air bearing surface of an attached air bearing slider. The flexure includes narrow thin legs adjacent to a cutout that delineates the load beam tongue. The head suspension is characterized by a high first bending mode frequency and low pitch and roll stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Western Digital (Fremont), LLC
    Inventors: Michael R. Hatch, Chak M. Leung