Abstract: A flexure is described herein. The flexure includes a slider tongue with a proximal end and a distal end. The sliding tongue including a leading edge at the proximal end prone to contact an undersurface of a load beam attached to the flexure. The flexure also includes a magnetic read/write head slider attached to the slider tongue at the distal end, at least one PZT microactuator affixed to the slider tongue, between the proximal end and the distal end, and at least one dampening device at the leading edge of the slider tongue configured to reduce an impulse during a non-operational shock event and reduce stress on the at least one PZT microactuator.

Abstract: A suspension includes a load beam, a flexure including first and second outriggers, and first and second damper members. The first outrigger is formed to oppose the first surface and across the first opening. The second outrigger is formed to oppose the first surface and across the second opening. The first damper member is attached to the first outrigger at the first opening and the first surface. The second damper member is attached to the second outrigger at the second opening and the first surface. An edge portion of the first opening and the first damper member are spaced apart and an edge portion of the second opening and the second damper member are spaced apart.

Abstract: Disclosed is a flexure for a head/gimbal assembly suspension for a disk drive. The flexure comprises a metal base layer that includes two outrigger beams and a support island supported by a pair of beams extending from a flexure tongue. The flexure further comprises: a trace layer that is disposed over the base layer that includes a plurality of conductive traces, each conductive trace having a curved section that terminates in a trace termination pad; and a dielectric layer disposed between the trace and base layers including a portion underlying the trace termination pads and overlying the support island. The support island is supported by the pair of beams extending from the flexure tongue and is sized to fully support the trace termination pads of the conductive traces.

Abstract: Various embodiments concern a suspension having a DSA structure on a gimbaled flexure. The suspension comprises a loadbeam and flexure attached thereto. The flexure comprises a pair of spring arms, a tongue located between the spring arms and structurally supported by the pair of spring arms, and a pair of struts. The struts are positioned respectively between the pair of spring arms and the tongue. The longitudinal axes of the struts are offset with respect to each other. The suspension further comprises a slider and a motor mounted on the flexure. The motor has a longitudinal axis that is parallel with the axes of the struts and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the loadbeam. Electrical activation of the motor bends the pair of struts to move the slider.

Abstract: To disclose a magnetic encoder being subjected to only small gap variation between a magnetic sensor element and a magnetic medium and readily assembled, and having a smaller number of components, high sliding resistance, and high stability against outside force, such as shock or the like. The magnetic sensor holding mechanism has a swirling spring plate structure having elasticity with respect to rotation around a rotation axis in a reciprocative slide relative movement direction, elasticity with respect to rotation around a rotation axis in a direction perpendicular to the reciprocative relative movement direction and in parallel to the magnetic medium, and elasticity in the direction perpendicular to the sensor element. A load between 50 mN and 80 mN is applied to press onto the magnetic medium.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly includes a slider assembly and a flexure tongue that cantilevers in a first direction and supports the slider assembly. The slider assembly cantilevers away from the flexure tongue in a second direction different than the first direction. A load beam imparts a force on the flexure tongue and generates a first net torque on the slider assembly. The cantilevering of the slider assembly decreases a magnitude of the first net torque on the slider assembly. The force on the flexure tongue can also generate a second net torque on the slider assembly that is oriented about a second axis different than the first axis. The slider assembly can cantilever in the second direction to decrease the magnitude of the second net torque on the slider assembly. Portions of the flexure tongue and the slider assembly can be spaced apart from one another to form a gap that is directly between the flexure tongue and the slider assembly.

Abstract: A suspension for a HGA includes a flexure having a tongue region and an outrigger. The outrigger has a pair of rigid beams and a pair of spring beams. The pair of spring beams enables the flexure to possess favorable flexibility and assists a slider to have enough displacement. The pair of rigid beams provides the flexure enough stiffness which not only successfully prevents the HGA with the outrigger from suspension deformation and dimple separation, but also assists to improve shock performance of the HGA. Furthermore, such configuration of the suspension provides the slider a good static performance and thus improves dynamic performance of the HGA. The present invention also discloses a HGA with the suspension, a manufacturing method of the HGA, and a drive unit with such an HGA.

Abstract: Method and apparatus in which a disk drive suspension flexure tongue supports a slider. A flexure frame attached to a suspension supports the tongue in dimple engagement with the suspension. Spaced, separate biasing structures on the frame act oppositely on the tongue for a net increase in tongue dimple contact force.

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: 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. The servo-controllers trade off gain in the disk vibration frequency range, in favor of, increased rejection of low frequency disturbances. This leads to the lowest PES statistics, when applied to hard disk drives with the TMR reduction mechanisms of the invention. 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.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly includes a head, a load beam carrying the head at one end, a resilient member joining the load beam and a carriage, and a pivot bearing provided between the load beam and the carriage and structured so that the load beam is movable in a direction perpendicular to a record medium so that the load beam rocks. The head suspension assembly is structured so that the resilient member has narrow sections for reducing the width of the resilient member to a width smaller than that of both ends of the resilient member that are symmetrical with respect to a centerline of the resilient member. The distal end of the resilient member is joined to the carriage and the resilient member has an opening (hole) in the center thereof. This structure provides a highly shock-resistant and thin head suspension assembly.

Abstract: A micro-fabricated chip having a stationary structure and a movable structure with a gimbal structure allows pitch and roll motion of the movable structure with respect to the stationary structure. One embodiment of the gimbal structure includes a dimple surface making a rolling-type contact with the stationary structure, and a center bar and a plurality of bar members. An alternative embodiment of the gimbal structure includes a plurality of torsion bar members. Another alternative embodiment of the gimbal structure includes a plurality of flexible members. The micro-fabricated chip can be a passive chip structure or, alternatively, a microactuator having a movable structure that moves in a rotational direction or a translational direction with respect to the stationary structure.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A head suspension assembly includes (a) a slider having a head for recording into/reproducing from a record medium, mounted thereon, (b) a load beam having (i) the slider disposed via a flexure at one end, and (ii) a leaf-spring-like resilient member integrally formed therewith in the vicinity of the other end along the longitudinal centerline thereof, and (c) a carriage having a pair of pivots in contact with the load beam. The distal end of the resilient member is joined to the carriage and the resilient member has an opening (hole) in the center thereof. Because the stress occurring in the leaf-spring-like resilient member that is provided in the load beam of the head suspension assembly is reduced, the resilient member exerts sufficient urging force to the head and has high flexibility. This structure can provide a highly shock-resistant and thin head suspension assembly.

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: 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. The servo-controllers trade off gain in the disk vibration frequency range, in favor of, increased rejection of low frequency disturbances. This leads to the lowest PES statistics, when applied to hard disk drives with the TMR reduction mechanisms of the invention. 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.

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: 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 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 magnetic head assembly that lessens undesired or harmful vibration is provided. A gimbal 2 of a magnetic head assembly 1 has an outskirt part 4, an intermediate part 7, and an inland part 10. The intermediate part 7 is arranged inside the outskirt part 4 with first aperture segments 5a and 5b therebetween, and is connected to the outskirt part 4 via first bridges 6a and 6b. The inland part 10 is arranged inside the intermediate part 7 and connected thereto via second bridges 9a and 9b and second damping parts 12a and 12b. The second bridges 9a and 9b and the second damping parts 12a and 12b act so as to modify the resonant frequency of the inland part 10. Additional damping parts may be provided.

Abstract: A magnetic head assembly equipped with a slider and a gimbal spring to which the slider is secured with an adhesive agent. According to one aspect, at least one slit is formed in the gimbal spring opposing the adhesion surface of the slider, so that expansion and contraction of the gimbal spring caused by a change in the temperature is hardly transferred to the slider. According to a second aspect, the Young's modulus after hardening of the adhesive agent applied onto thee adhesion surface of the slider is selected to be smaller than about {fraction (1/13000)} of the Young's modulus of the slider material or of the gimbal spring material. According to the first aspect, therefore, the area of the gimbal spring on which the adhesive agent is applied is limited by the slit. According to the second aspect, the Young's modulus of the adhesive agent after hardening is so small that the warping amount of the slider caused by a change in the temperature lies within a predetermined range.

Abstract: A gimbal and load beam apparatus for a head suspension for a disk drive having lateral arms with dielectric and conductor layers without metal backing to provide for low pitch and roll stiffness while also having a structural layer attached to the gimbal at proximal and distal locations for high lateral stiffness. The structural layer may be formed of stainless steel and can serve as the load beam and spring region for the head suspension.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a write/read head supporting mechanism for a magnetic or optical disk system having a micro-displacement actuator, by which any impediment to the displacement capability of the actuator is eliminated. A write/read head supporting mechanism comprises a slider provided with an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module, and a suspension. The slider is supported on suspension by way of an actuator for displacing slider. An electrical connection to the electromagnetic transducer element or said optical module is made by a first interconnecting arrangement movable and/or deformable in the displacement direction of slider by actuator, and an electrical connection to actuator is made by a second interconnecting arrangement.

Abstract: A hard disk read/write unit is formed in a monolithic body of semiconductor material, including a suspension structure, a coupling or flexure element integral with the suspension structure, and a microactuator, integral with the coupling. The monolithic body has a first portion accommodating integrated electronic components, and a second portion, accommodating the coupling and the microactuator. The coupling is formed from a central region, accommodating the microactuator; an annular region, separated from the central region by a first trench, and from the suspension by a second trench; a first pair of suspension arms, extending between the central region and the annular region, along a first axis; and a second pair of suspension arms, extending between the annular region and the suspension structure, along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A magnetic head supporting mechanism includes a head positioning actuator having an arm, and a load beam connected to the arm. The load beam has a gimbal. The gimbal includes a magnetic head slider fixing portion on which a magnetic head slider having a magnetic head is mounted, a first pair of beams extending from opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion along a traverse direction of the load beam perpendicular to a longitudinal direction thereof, and a second pair of beams respectively connected to the first pair of beams and extending so as to face the opposite sides of the magnetic head slider fixing portion.

Abstract: A head suspension including a one-piece load beam and flexure structure wherein the flexure structure includes partially etched connecting bars. The load beam and flexure structure is fabricated from a single piece of spring steel, and the structure comprises a rigid region, a mounting region on a proximal end of the rigid region, and a flexure region. The flexure region has a planar support region and an integral flexure, and the integral flexure includes a slider-receiving region and connecting bars that connect the slider-receiving region to the support region of the integral flexure. A head slider is mounted to the slider-receiving region. The connecting bars of the integral flexure are thinned by partial etching in order to reduce the stiffness of the connecting bars, and thereby allow the head slider to gimbal in response to aerodynamic forces.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a spindle motor, a spindle, a disc, control circuitry, an actuator, and an armature. The spindle motor is coupled to the spindle to which the disc is also coupled. The control circuitry is coupled to the actuator and provides the actuator with control signals. The armature includes a load beam coupled to the actuator such that energization of the actuator displaces the load beam. The gimbal is coupled to the head and is also coupled to the load beam by a plurality of spaced apart attachment points. An interconnect operably couples the head to the control circuitry.