Abstract: A head gimbal assembly may comprise a slider, a micro-actuator attached to the slider, a flexure to mount the slider and the micro-actuator, and a suspension comprising a support region, a main portion, and a moving portion, wherein the flexure comprises a plurality of trace sets to electrically couple the micro-actuator and the slider, and wherein the plurality of trace sets are laminated generally parallel to each other.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for damping slider-gimbal coupled vibration of a hard disk drive is disclosed. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension at a gimbal structure. In addition, a damping zone is provided at a stress point on the gimbal structure, the damping zone having a damping material thereon, wherein the damping material reduces vibration of the slider and the gimbal structure.

Abstract: An apparatus with a head gimbal assembly designed to reduce movement and rotation of components of the head gimbal assembly structure is disclosed. One embodiment head gimbal assembly may comprise a flexure including a ramp limiter, a suspension assembly further comprising a suspension tongue, a slider further comprising a magnetic head; and a load beam further comprising a lift tab; and a ramp further comprising a step to engage and support the ramp limiter and support and constrain the movement of the slider. In certain embodiments, the flexure may further comprise a flexure rail located at its end to reduce movement and rotation of the suspension tongue.

Abstract: The invention provides a giant magneto-resistive effect device (CPP-GMR device) having a CPP (current perpendicular to plane) structure comprising a spacer layer, and a fixed magnetized layer and a free layer stacked one upon another with said spacer layer interposed between them, with a sense current applied in a stacking direction, wherein the free layer functions such that the direction of magnetization changes depending on an external magnetic field, and the spacer layer comprises a first and a second nonmagnetic metal layer, each formed of a nonmagnetic metal material, and a semiconductor oxide layer interposed between the first and the second nonmagnetic metal layer, wherein the semiconductor oxide layer that forms a part of the spacer layer is made of zinc oxide, tin oxide, indium oxide, and indium tin oxide (ITO), the first nonmagnetic metal layer is made of Cu, and the second nonmagnetic metal layer is substantially made of Zn.

Abstract: A hard disk drive and head gimbal assembly including a flexure finger with a micro-actuator split of the flexure supporting a micro-actuator control line, leading to minimized gimbal width for the flexure finger about the micro-actuator assembly including the coupled slider and micro-actuators to reduce mechanical vibrations caused by wind off of a rotating disk surface accessed by the slider.

Abstract: A suspension for a HGA includes a suspension flexure and an out trigger. The suspension flexure has a tongue region having a first flexure part in a tip portion thereof for mounting a trailing edge of a slider and a PZT mounting region for mounting PZT elements. One end of the out trigger is connected to the suspension flexure, and the other end of the out trigger has a trigger support portion which extends above the tongue region so as to support the leading edge of the slider. The structure of the out trigger is capable of stiffening the tongue region of the suspension flexure and, in turns, avoiding the deformation problem and the dimple separation problem during the manufacturing process or in vibration or shock events. The invention also discloses a HGA with the suspension, manufacturing methods of the HGA and a disk drive unit having such HGA.

Abstract: A flexure mounted slider and its method of fabrication is described, wherein the slider is affixed to a pair of highly compliant, transverse (to the longitudinal axis of a load beam) crossbars whose common axis passes directly above the center of percussion of the slider. The location of the center of percussion of the slider relative to the flexure eliminates translational motion of the slider during HDI events, but not twisting motion in a pitch direction during normal operation, and thereby minimizes the transfer of kinetic energy between the slider and the flexure during HDI events with a hard disk. The high compliance of the flexure crossbars to twists in a pitch direction, as well as the compliance of the outriggers to bending, allows the slider to pass over irregularities in the disk during normal operations.

Abstract: Provided is a thin-film magnetic head in which a noise due to the voltage potential difference between the read head element and the protective coat surface is suppressed. The thin-film magnetic head comprises: a read head element, one end surface of the read head element reaching an head end surface on the ABS side; a protective coat formed on the head end surface in such a way to cover at least the one end surface of the read head element; and at least one antistatic means for preventing the protective coat from being electrostatically charged, formed on/above the element formation surface, one end surface of the at least one antistatic means reaching the head end surface, the protective coat covering a portion, not the whole, of the one end surface of the at least one antistatic means on the head end surface.

Abstract: A micro-actuator of the invention includes a support frame having a base, a moving plate, a leading beam to connect the base with the moving plate; and two slider holding arms extending from both sides of the moving plate; at least one piezoelectric element bonding to the support frame to connect a free end of the base with the moving plate; wherein the moving plate sways in a first direction or in a second direction when the at least one piezoelectric element is actuated. The invention also discloses a head gimbal assembly and a disk drive unit using the micro-actuator.

Abstract: A thermally assisted magnetic head has a medium-facing surface facing a medium, and comprises: a waveguide an end face of which is exposed in the medium-facing surface; an electroconductive near-field light generator plate disposed on a medium-facing surface of the waveguide so that a principal face thereof faces the medium; and an electroconductive near-field light scatter plate disposed on the medium-facing surface of the thermally assisted magnetic head so that a principal face thereof faces the medium; when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the medium-facing surface, the near-field light generator plate has a cusp portion at an end; when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the medium-facing surface, the near-field light scatter plate is arranged along the other end opposite to the cusp portion of the near-field light generator plate; when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the medium-facing surface, a width of the near-field light scatter plate in a first direction perpendicular to a

Abstract: Systems and methods for accurate position adjustment of thin-film PZT micro-actuators are provided. In certain example embodiments, a head gimbal assembly is provided. A suspension includes a suspension flexure located at one end of the suspension, and the suspension flexure includes a tongue region. At least one micro-actuator is mounted to a micro-actuator mounting region of the tongue region of the suspension flexure. Any gap between the slider and the at least one micro-actuator may be reduced and/or eliminated. A slider is substantially fully mounted on an insulating layer, and the insulating layer separates the slider from the at least one micro-actuator. The suspension flexure may be located substantially fully underneath the slider, and the tongue region of the suspension flexure may be substantially equally weighted around a dimple formed on the suspension. The rigidity of the suspension flexure may be increased by one or more supports formed thereon.

Abstract: A limiter used to limit the motion of a ring gimbal with attached slider relative to a load beam within a head suspension assembly of a disk drive. The ring gimbal includes a flexible substrate supporting at least one electrical lead and a limiter assembly joined to a portion of the flexible substrate. The ring gimbal also includes a tongue portion disposed within a substantially ring-like portion. The limiter is attached to a first surface of the tongue portion. The gimbal may further include a slider attached to a second surface of the tongue portion, wherein the second surface is opposite the first surface of the tongue portion.

Abstract: In a suspension in a hard disk drive, a gimbal with asymmetric dynamic properties, in which the two halves of the gimbal may have different stiffness distribution or inertia distribution. Structural difference between the two halves, or materials with different stiffness, may cause the different stiffness distribution or inertia distribution. When the suspension vibrates, the different stiffness and/or inertia distribution increase the friction between the gimbal and a load beam of the suspension, and increase the damping of the suspension.

Abstract: Shaping of a gimbal suspension element for a disk drive suspension using fewer process steps includes disposing an element, precursor assembly of a plastic film layer and a copper layer with an interlayer of a copper seed layer and a Monel alloy for etching, and etching the assembly with an etchant such as cupric chloride for both the alloy and the copper seed layer of the interlayer.

Abstract: A head supporting mechanism including a loading beam, a flexure and a head slider. The loading beam has a proximal portion, a distal portion and an intermediate portion defined between the proximal portion and the distal portion while at least partially overlapping with the head slider. A width of the intermediate portion is smaller than those of the head slider and the flexure. Accordingly, the flexure is exposed on opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the loading beam. When the head slider is attached to the flexure after the flexure has been mounted to the loading beam, a jig is disposed while bridging the intermediate portion of the loading beam to press the exposed part of the flexure. The distal portion and the intermediate portion have the same width and the same cross-sectional shape.

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: An apparatus and method for reducing a suspension gram load to increase head to disk interface reliability for contact recording systems. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension. In addition, a gram load of the suspension is reduced to minimize the friction force during contact of the TE with the disk such that when the TE portion of the slider contacts the disk the bouncing motion of the TE with respect to the disk is reduced.

Abstract: A pitch actuator coupling to at least the flexure finger of a head gimbal assembly, flexing the flexure finger to alter the pitch angle between slider and disk surface. Operating a head gimbal assembly by stimulating the pitch actuator to alter slider pitch angle and the head gimbal assembly implementing this method. Head stack assembly including at least one head gimbal assembly. CSS hard disk drive and embedded circuit controlling head stack assembly and its motion over disk surface. Manufacturing methods for head gimbal assembly, head stack assembly, embedded circuit and CSS hard disk drive and these items as products of these processes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for utilizing an off-center gimbal to increase head to disk interface reliability for contact recording systems. The method provides a suspension for reaching over a disk. A slider having a read/write head element on a trailing edge (TE) portion is also provided, the slider coupled with the suspension. In addition, an off-center gimbal device is coupled with the slider and the suspension away from the center of the slider and closer to the TE portion of the slider such that when the TE portion of the slider contacts a disk a bouncing motion of the TE with respect to the disk is reduced.

Abstract: A device comprises a mounting surface configured to mount a head gimbal assembly (HGA), a housing that pivots relative to the mounting surface, and a mechanism coupled to the housing that deflects the HGA when the housing pivots relative to the mounting surface. For example the mechanism may be a pneumatically actuated finger that pulls the HGA towards the housing. The device may be used to load the HGA on a rotating test disc. Once loaded on the test disc, the HGA is supported only by the mounting surface and an air bearing at an interface of a slider of the HGA and the test disc. Embodiments of the invention may provide precise and repeatable positioning of the HGA because dimensional tolerances and vibrations in the mechanism are not transferred to the HGA once it is loaded on the test disc.

Abstract: A carriage arm supports a head gimbal assembly that includes a head that records information in and/or reproduces the information from a recording medium. The carriage arm has a perforation hole filled with resin near a center part.

Abstract: A suspension including a supporting layer, a conductive layer, and a dielectric layer. The conductive layer is formed as a plurality of traces. The supporting layer is formed of a rigid material to support the conductive layer. The dielectric layer is formed between the supporting layer and the conductive layer and is formed of a dielectric material with a permittivity of 1.0 to 3.0 F/m. Thus, a loss of a high frequency signal during the transmission of electrical signals can be prevented and the writing/reading performance of a hard disk drive apparatus can be improved.

Abstract: An exchange-coupling film incorporates an antiferromagnetic layer and a pinned layer. The pinned layer includes a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer, a third ferromagnetic layer, a nonmagnetic middle layer, and a fourth ferromagnetic layer that are disposed in this order, the first ferromagnetic layer being closest to the antiferromagnetic layer. The first ferromagnetic layer is made of a ferromagnetic material and has a face-centered cubic structure. The second ferromagnetic layer is made of only iron or an alloy containing x atomic % cobalt and (100?x) atomic % iron, wherein x is greater than zero and smaller than or equal to 60. The third ferromagnetic layer is made of an alloy containing y atomic % cobalt and (100?y) atomic % iron, wherein y is within a range of 65 to 80 inclusive. The antiferromagnetic layer and the first ferromagnetic layer are exchange-coupled to each other. The third and fourth ferromagnetic layers are antiferromagnetically coupled to each other.

Abstract: Gimbal designs are provided that minimize adverse dynamic performance of a HDD suspension, particularly subsequent to head-disk-interface (HDI) interactions. The improvement of operational performance can be seen in graphical representations of the vibrational modes of a gimbal mounted slider subsequent to such HDI interactions. Each gimbal design includes a ramp limiter formed as two separated arms connected by one or two transverse bars and a routing of conducting traces that relieves stress and minimally contacts these bars.

Abstract: A rotational micro-actuator (20) used in hard disk driver is disclosed. It comprises a frame (21) approximately in the shape of letter “S” and PZT pieces (28, 29) attached to said frame (21), wherein said frame (21) is formed with a central coupling portion (213) by which the micro-actuator (20) is coupled to a suspension tongue (177), and two pieces of said PZT (28, 29) are arranged in central symmetry manner about said central coupling portion (213) such that said micro-actuator (20) can rotate about said central coupling portion (213) in response to the driving signals applied to said PZT pieces (28, 29), thus cause the displacement of the head element secured to the micro-actuator (20) so as to achieve the fine positioning of the head element. With above configuration, the micro-actuator of this invention will not cause the resonance of the suspension base plate during operation. Thereby the servo bandwidth of the hard disk driver is expanded.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a suspension assembly offering large peel stiffness, small pitch stiffness and small roll stiffness. In one embodiment, the suspension assembly includes a load beam and a flexure 100. The flexure is connected to the load beam at a first fixing point 102a and a second fixing point 102b. The flexure is provided with a first loop spring structure including a pair of supporting arms 108a, 108b and a pair of strip-shaped main arms 104a, 104b. In addition, the flexure is provided with a second loop spring structure including a pair of supporting arms and a pair of strip-shaped auxiliary arms 106a, 106b having a path length longer than that of the main arms. The flexure is further provided with a flexure tongue 112 supported by a pair of tongue supports. The loop spring structure composed of the main arms dominantly gives the flexure tongue stiffness.

Abstract: CSS hard disk drive providing improved take-off and/or touchdown by asserting pitch actuation control signal stimulating a pitch actuator to flex a flexure finger, altering the pitch angle of slider coupling through flexure finger to pitch actuator. Method implemented by embedded circuit and/or embedded processor. Manufacturing embedded processor, embedded circuit, CSS hard disk drive, and these process products.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a magnetic field detecting element has the steps of: forming stacked layers by sequentially depositing a pinned layer, a spacer layer, a spacer adjoining layer which is adjacent to the spacer layer, a metal layer, and a Heusler alloy layer in this order, such that the layers adjoin each other; and heat treating the stacked layers in order to form the free layer out of the spacer adjoining layer, the metal layer, and the Heusler alloy layer. The spacer adjoining layer is mainly formed of cobalt and iron, and has a body centered cubic structure, and the metal layer is formed of an element selected from the group consisting of silver, gold, copper, palladium, or platinum, or is formed of an alloy thereof.

Abstract: The invention includes a flexure finger for coupling to a load beam in a head suspension assembly of a hard disk drive. The flexure finger reduces buckling in the tail transition region near the head gimbal assembly by including at least two stress relief gaps in a stainless steel layer in the tail transition region near the head gimbal assembly.

Abstract: A method of cleaning an contaminated surface on a head suspension with laser energy. A laser beam is patterned such that a single pulse extends across the entire contaminated surface. One or more pulses of the laser energy is applied to the contaminated surface sufficient to melt the contaminated surface. The melting serves to polish, smooth and/or reshape the contaminated surface.

Abstract: A slider supporting apparatus is provided with a flexure formed of a metal plate having spring characteristics. The flexure comprises a gimbals portion including a tongue, a first support portion which supports one longitudinal end of a slider, a second support portion which supports the other end of the slider, and a spring portion composed of a pair of flat springs. Convexes and concaves of each flat spring are alternately formed along a surface direction of the flexure by etching. The flat springs extend to a length which allows the slider to be inserted between the support portions when subjected to a tensile load, and contract to a length such that the slider can be held between the support portions when subjected to no tensile load.

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.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a storage disk, a suspension and a slider assembly. The slider assembly includes a trailing half having a surface area, and a leading half having a substantially similar surface area to that of the trailing half. The percentage of the surface area of the trailing half that is directly secured to the suspension is greater than the percentage of the surface area of the leading half that is directly secured to the suspension. In another embodiment, the slider assembly includes a top surface that is secured to the suspension so that during an increase in temperature of the suspension only a portion of the top surface is subjected to a force that causes concavity of the slider assembly along a crown and/or a cross-crown direction. In yet another embodiment, the slider assembly is secured to the suspension so that a portion of the slider assembly cantilevers away from the suspension. In a further embodiment, the slider assembly has a leading edge and an opposing trailing edge.

Abstract: A head support mechanism of the invention comprises a head (1011) for recording on a disk or reproducing a disk, a head support member composed of this head (1011) and a support arm (2) having this head (1011) attached to one end portion thereof, a base arm (12) including a rotation support part (11) for supporting the head support member rotatably in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the disk, and an elastic member (4) of which one end portion is connected to other end portion of the support arm (2) and other end portion is connected to the base arm (12) for thrusting the head support member in the disk direction. Therefore, the support arm (2) can be formed of a member of high rigidity, and the slider (1) is prevented from colliding against the disk if an impact force acts from outside.

Abstract: Devices for reading or writing electromagnetic information include a wafer substrate piece disposed between an electromagnetic transducer and an electrostrictive or piezoelectric actuator. The substrate piece is shaped as a rigid body adjoining the transducer and as a flexible element connecting the body and the actuator. To fabricate, at least one electrostrictive layer and many transducers are formed on opposite sides of a wafer that is then cut into rows containing plural transducers. The rows are processed from directions generally normal to the wafer surface upon which the transducers were formed, by removing material to form a head, flexures and a media-facing surface on the head. Conductive leads are formed on a back surface of flexures connecting the transducer with drive electronics. The flexures are aligned with forces arising from interaction with the media surface and from seeking various tracks, reducing torque and dynamic instabilities and increasing actuator access time.

Abstract: A low profile head support device has excellent shock resistance and can apply necessary and sufficient biasing forces to a head and a disk drive using the same. The head support device includes a head; head suspension 2 to suspend the head; base arm 4 pivotally secured to actuator axis 10, suspending the head suspension; pivot fulcrum 5 to movably suspend head suspension 2; and spring member 2e to apply a biasing force to head suspension 2, wherein pivot fulcrum 5 is disposed on base arm 4. The head support device can be used in various kinds of information devices such as data processing devices, magneto optical disk drives, optical disk drives or the like.

Abstract: A gimbal assembly includes a gimbal and a slider. The slider has at least one adhesive receiving feature which is formed on a mounting surface of the slider. The gimbal has a lock feature including at least one body that protrudes from a slider-engaging surface and terminates at a first end. Each body of the lock feature engages each adhesive receiving feature of the slider.

Abstract: Improved head gimbal assemblies reducing TMR (Track Mis-Registration) in a hard disk drive are provided. These head gimbal assemblies are as mechanically simple as contemporary head gimbal assemblies, support parallel flying sliders over flat disk surfaces, and reduce TMR induced by disk vibration. They are easier to build, more reliable, and cost less to make, than other known approaches at comparable track densities and rotational rates. The improved head gimbal assemblies include three sets of mechanisms for moving the slider parallel the disk surface, when the disk surface is flat, and radially moving the slider toward the track, when the disk surface is bent. The first and third mechanisms as well as the second and third mechanisms can be used together in a head gimbal assembly. An improved and distinctive servo-controller scheme resulting in an overall improvement in PES performance, particularly when applied to hard disk drives employing the invention's TMR reduction mechanisms.

Abstract: A method for mounting a flexible flexure, which has a slider fixed thereto and having an electro-magnetic conversion element integrally, on a load beam includes the steps of joining a main flexure, which has a junction piece for joining the load beam, to the load beam with the junction piece therebetween; inspecting characteristics by floating the electromagnetic conversion element onto a magnetic disc; when the characteristics do not satisfy a reference as a result of the inspection, removing the main flexure from the load beam by cleaving the main flexure at a cleavage part disposed in a vicinity of the junction piece; and at least one time joining a sub-flexure having no junction piece to the load beam, from which the main flexure is removed.

Abstract: The present invention includes gimbal having an attachment portion and a head support structure spaced apart from the attachment portion. A first strut connects the attachment portion and the head support structure. The first strut has an increased center portion and two end portions on opposite sides of the center portion. The increased center portion has a greater thickness than the two end portions. The gimbal also includes a second strut spaced apart from the first strut and is connected to the attachment portion and the head support structure. The second strut has an increased center portion and two end portions on opposite sides of the increased center portion. The increased center portion of the second strut has a greater thickness than the two end portions.

Abstract: A micro-flexure is provided for achieving secondary actuation in an actuator of a disk drive. The micro-flexure is a separate element which attaches to a standard flexure. A slider mounts to the micro-flexure. Piezoelectric elements attach to the micro-flexure to provide the motive force for displacing the micro-flexure during secondary actuation. The secondary actuation is thereby achieved by isolating movement at the slider.

Abstract: Flexure leg designs for a gimbal structure in an integrated lead suspension (ILS) in a disk drive system are disclosed. In one design, the flexure leg may include a first conducting layer comprising copper, a second conducting layer comprising copper, and a dielectric layer comprising a polymer disposed between the first conducting layer and the second conducting layer. In one aspect, the first conducting layer and the dielectric layer may include a channel extending therethrough. The channel separates the first conducting layer and the dielectric layer into two regions separated from each other by the channel. The channel does not extend through the second conducting layer. In another aspect, the gimbal structure may include a dimple structure separated from a slider by layers of copper and polyimide, with the polyimide layer being formed in direct contact with the dimple structure.

Abstract: A method is provided for controlling the pitch static attitude of a slider in an integrated lead suspension head gimbal assembly. The integrated lead suspension includes a load beam, a mount plate, a hinge and a flexure made out of a multi-layer material. The flexure legs and the outrigger leads are simultaneously plastically deformed to define the pitch static attitude. The flexure legs and the outrigger leads are deformed at approximately the same longitudinal location.

Abstract: The pitch static attitude of a slider in an integrated lead suspension head gimbal assembly of a disk drive is controlled at the manufacturing stage. The integrated lead suspension includes a load beam, a mount plate, a hinge and a flexure made out of a multi-layer material. The flexure legs and the outrigger leads are simultaneously plastically deformed to define the pitch static attitude. The flexure legs and the outrigger leads are deformed at approximately the same longitudinal location.

Abstract: A gimbal assembly to dampen air bearing vibration to reduce interference with read-write operations. The gimbal assembly includes dampeners on coextending gimbal arms gimbally supporting an air bearing slider to dampen vibration of the air bearing slider excited by air bearing vibration modes.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a head gimbal assembly that includes structure that decreases the pitch angle of the load beam, which decreases disk flutter induced track mis-registration. According to one embodiment, the disk drive includes a body portion including a bore defining a pivot axis; an actuator arm cantilevered from the body portion and a head gimbal assembly (HGA) supported at the actuator arm. The HGA includes a load beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm, the load beam defining a load beam feature near the second end, at least a portion of the load beam feature defining an extension that is parallel to the pivot axis and that has a rectangular cross-section having a length to width aspect ratio that is greater than 1. A slider is coupled to a free end of the load beam extension, and a gimbal coupled to the second end of the load beam and to the slider.

Abstract: A write-inhibit signal is generated by a head-disk interaction sensor during a write process that is integrated with a suspension of a hard disk drive (HDD) when fly-height modulation of the slider is detected during a write process The suspension load beam includes a dimple and a laminated flexure. The laminated flexure includes a surface that is adapted to receive a slider and a surface that is adapted to contact the dimple. The head-disk interaction sensor is fabricated as part of the laminations of the flexure. The head-disk interaction sensor can be an accelerometer that senses an acceleration of the flexure when the slider contacts the disk of the disk drive and/or a pressure sensor that senses a pressure between the flexure and the dimple when the slider contacts the disk. A write-inhibit circuit is responsive to the sensor signal by inhibiting the write process.

Abstract: A head suspension mounts a head assembly in a disc drive. The head suspension includes controllable bending elements on the gimbal portion of the head suspension which allow dynamic control of the flying attitude of the head assemblies, and thus the flying height. In a first embodiment, the control elements are bi-metal features that utilize differential thermal expansion to control the flying attitude. In a second, and presently preferred, embodiment, the control elements are piezo-electric elements which provide bi-directional control of associated elements of the gimbal portion of the head suspension. In another aspect, the controllable bending elements are used to increase the flying height of the head assembly as the head assembly is moved from the data recording area of the disc into engagement with a textured landing zone.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly equipped with a slider having a magnetic head and a gimbal spring on which the slider is mounted with an adhesive. The gimbal spring is supported by beam portions of a load beam. A thin-film wiring pattern formed on the load beam extends to a surface of the gimbal spring. A tip of the wiring pattern acts as a terminal portion that is connected to input/output terminals integrally formed on the slider. The slider is locked on the gimbal spring by electrically conducting bonding and an adhesive. A plurality of dummy patterns having the same height as the wiring pattern are provided at a position corresponding to where the adhesive is dropped on the surface of the gimbal spring. The adhesive is placed in an area sandwiched by the dummy patterns on the gimbal spring.

Abstract: A micro-flexure is provided for achieving secondary actuation in an actuator of a disk drive. The micro-flexure is a separate element which attaches to a standard flexure. A slider mounts to the micro-flexure. Piezoelectric elements attach to the micro-flexure to provide the motive force for displacing the micro-flexure during secondary actuation. The secondary actuation is thereby achieved by isolating movement at the slider.