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.

Abstract: A slit is formed between two opposite side portions of a metal base made of an electrically conductive material. The slit penetrates the metal base thicknesswise and extends longitudinally relative to the metal base. An insulating layer is formed on the metal base. A first conductor is formed within the slit. The first conductor extends longitudinally relative to the metal base along the slit. A second conductor is formed on the insulating layer. The second conductor faces the first conductor across the insulating layer. The second conductor extends longitudinally relative to the metal base along the first conductor. The metal base and the first conductor consist of a common base material, such as a stainless-steel plate. The first conductor is formed by etching the base material.

Abstract: A hard disk drive including a housing, at least one disk mounted to the housing, an actuator mounted to the housing and being movable relative to the at least one disk, a conductive component support coupled with the actuator and extending the first surface, the conductive component support having a support wall attaching the conductive component support to the actuator, and a boss coupled with a first surface of the actuator and the support wall, the boss having a first end facing a flat coil side of the actuator and a second end facing a head gimbal assembly side of the actuator, wherein the first end extends further toward the flat coil side than the conductive component entrance portion of the conductive component support such that a portion of the boss overlaps a portion of the conductive component support.

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.

Abstract: A magnetic recording head includes a trailing surface and a plurality of bonding pads arranged on the trailing surface and in a row adapted for both bonding and testing. Each of the bonding pads has at least one side portion being coated with electrically conductive solder nonwettable coat to prevent short circuit between the adjacent bonding pads. The invention also discloses a head gimbal assembly with the magnetic recording head and a disk drive unit having such head gimbal assembly.

Abstract: A head-gimbal assembly. The head-gimbal assembly includes a gimbal including a tongue, a stage forming a portion of the tongue, a head-slider bonded to the stage, first and second piezoelectric elements disposed on a rear side of the stage within an area of the tongue, and a trace formed on the gimbal. The first and second piezoelectric elements include respectively both a front connection pad and a rear connection pad, and are configured to extend and to contract in a fore-and-aft direction. The trace includes a plurality of leads for connecting a plurality of connection pads interconnected with a plurality of connection pads of the head-slider and configured for interconnection to connection pads of a preamplifier integrated circuit. The plurality of leads runs through and in between the front connection pad of the first piezoelectric element and the front connection pad of the second piezoelectric element.

Abstract: A suspension for a head gimbal assembly comprises a flexure having a suspension tongue and a welding portion separating from the suspension tongue, and a load beam supporting the suspension tongue and having a portion welded to the welding portion of the flexure so that the load beam and the flexure are connected together. A plurality of bonding pads is formed on the suspension tongue for electrical connection to a slider. The suspension tongue has a leading portion and a leading edge limiter formed at the leading portion, and the leading edge limiter hooks on to the load beam. The suspension can improve the shockproof performance of the flexure of the suspension and, in turn, protect the structure of the suspension. The invention also discloses a head gimbal assembly and a disk drive unit including the same.

Abstract: A head-gimbal assembly. The head-gimbal assembly includes a suspension, a head-slider coupled to the suspension, a magnetic-recording assistance element on the head-slider for applying an electromagnetic wave to a magnetic-recording disk, and a transmission line on the suspension for transmitting signals to the magnetic-recording assistance element. The transmission line includes an electrically conductive line for transmitting the signals, an upper shield placed above the electrically conductive line along the electrically conductive line, a lower shield placed below the electrically conductive line along the electrically conductive line, and a plurality of columns arranged at each of a right side and a left side of the electrically conductive line along the electrically conductive line for connecting the upper shield and the lower shield. The plurality of columns arranged at the right and left sides includes, respectively, a right linear array of columns and a left linear array of columns.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element includes a magnetoresistive film including a magnetization pinned layer, a magnetization free layer, an intermediate layer arranged between the magnetization pinned layer and the magnetization free layer, a cap layer arranged on the magnetization pinned layer or on the magnetization free layer, and a functional layer arranged in the magnetization pinned layer, in the magnetization free layer, in the interface between the magnetization pinned layer and the intermediate layer, in the interface between the intermediate layer and the magnetization free layer, or in the interface between the magnetization pinned layer or the magnetization free layer and the cap layer, and a pair of electrodes which pass a current perpendicularly to a plane of the magnetoresistive film, in which the functional layer is formed of a layer including nitrogen and a metal material containing 5 atomic % or more of Fe.

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 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 head slider for a flexible magnetic disk has a magnetic pole pad including a magnetic head buried in the pad and being disposed on a surface of the head slider opposed to the flexible magnetic disk, and the magnetic head performs the recording of a signal on the flexible magnetic disk or the reproducing of the signal from the flexible magnetic disk in a state that the pad contacts the flexible magnetic disk rotating at a relative speed of 0 m/s to 25.0 m/s to the magnetic head.

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: In a contact type magnetic disk drive, a suspension spring or a load beam spring has a length smaller than 5 mm inclusive. This successfully reduces the amplitude of vibration to occur during seek. Also, a magnetic head slider has a mass of greater than 2 mg inclusive and is urged against the disk medium by a load of less than 1 g inclusive, so that a mean wear thickness and maximum amount of jump are reduced. For the reduction of the mean wear thickness and maximum amount of jump, the disk medium may include a lubrication layer having a thickness of greater than 5 nm inclusive, or the suspension spring or the load beam spring may have its thickness sequentially reduced from the side adjoining the spring support mechanism toward the slider. The disk drive reduces the wear of the slider and that of a magnetic disk, and achieves durability and reliability as well as high-density recording.

Abstract: A disk drive system for contact recording has a flexure beam holding a transducer at one end, the flexure beam being oriented substantially along the direction that the transducer slides on a rigid magnetic disk. The transducer has a protrusion which contacts the disk and separates the rest of the transducer from the moving air film that adjoins the spinning disk, the protrusion containing a magnetic pole structure that communicates with the disk during sliding. A preferred embodiment employs a gimbal structure which allows limited movement of the transducer relative to the flexure beam and three disk-contacting pads extending down from the transducer to make contact with the magnetic disk, at least one of the pads containing a magnetic pole structure and two of the pads trailing the third pad.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic head slider support mechanism which has: a slide-type magnetic head slider with one or more contact parts to slide contacting a magnetic disk in recording and reproduction, the slide-type magnetic head slider being supported by the magnetic head slider support mechanism and conducting the recording and reproduction through one of the contact parts; a beam suspension that rotatively moves in a direction that the track of the magnetic disk D is traversed and that applies a load directed to the magnetic disk side to the magnetic head slider; a platelike gimbal that is provided at the rotational end of the beam suspension and holds the magnetic head slider while allowing the magnetic head slider to oscillate; and a load arm that extends, as one united body, from the gimbal and is bent in a direction that the end of the load arm contacts pressing against the back surface of the magnetic head slider.