Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk drive base, and a spindle. A disk is attached to the spindle, and the disk includes a disk outer peripheral extent. An actuator is attached to the disk drive base and defines an actuator pivot axis that is substantially parallel to the spindle rotation axis. At least one actuator arm extends away from the actuator pivot axis. A head gimbal assembly (HGA) is attached to the at least one actuator arm. A first disk limiter tab protrudes from a side of the actuator towards the spindle rotation axis. The disk drive also includes a ramp that has a parking surface that is in contact with the HGA with the disk drive in a non-operational state. The first disk limiter tab extends over the disk outer peripheral extent in the non-operational state.

Abstract: A system is provided that increases the spindle stiffness of a disk drive while optimizing power consumption. A multipurpose bearing provides axial stiffness and enhanced stiffness against radial and pitch loads applied to the spindle. When used in combination with a journal bearing, conventional thrust bearings may be eliminated without sacrificing overall stiffness. As a result, the height of the disk drive may be reduced, thereby making the system desirable to be used in smaller electronic devices.

Abstract: A method of designing a hard disk drive suspension swage hub geometry for an actuator arm having upper and lower suspensions attached thereto, includes using a finite element analysis model to simulate the effects of swaging the suspensions to the actuator arm, identifying relevant geometric parameters of the suspensions, for each suspensions performing a linear regression to fit an equation containing the geometric parameters to a normal force of the suspension to the actuator arm after swaging according to the fine element analysis, identifying a desired range of differences between the normal forces, using the desired difference range, and solving for values of geometric parameters to produce a set of target design parameters for the suspension swage hubs.

Abstract: A headlift for a disk drive head suspension extending from a planar base region on a load beam of the head suspension. The headlift is formed from first and second layers of relatively stiff metal separated by a layer of polymer. The headlift includes a headlift tab and a stiffener extending over at least a portion of the headlift tab. The headlift tab includes a convex headlift region formed out of one of the two metal layers. The stiffener is formed from one of the two metal layers or from a combination of the polymer layer and one of the two metal layers.

Abstract: Shock performance and stiffness of hard disk drive lifters are enhanced by extending one or more portions of a load beam in a dimension normal to the load beam plane. A load beam in a high shock suspension system comprises a planar body having transverse members extending between longitudinal rails. One embodiment comprises a lifter integral to the load beam, extending distally, and comprising a rib having a conic cross section and a lifting tab having upward curving edges. Another embodiment comprises rails having edges bending upward at 90 degrees, separated by a first width at a proximal end of the body, and tapering to a second width at a distal end of the body. A narrow lifter having upward curving edges is displaced between the rails, and extends distally from the body. Stiffeners extend from the rails and connect to an intermediate point on the lifter.

Abstract: A micro-machined vibration-damping device comprises a patterned visco-elastic polymer and a substrate for receiving the patterned visco-elastic polymer.

Abstract: There is provided a magnetic head suspension including: a flexure portion which has a magnetic head mount area for supporting a magnetic head slider; a load bend portion which generates a load for pressing the magnetic head slider to a storage surface of a storage medium; a load beam portion which transmits the load to the magnetic head mount area; and a base portion which supports a base end region of the load bend portion. The load beam portion integrally includes a body in which at least a tip end portion thereof extends along a first plane approximately in parallel with the storage surface of the storage medium, and a lift tab extending forward from the tip end portion.

Abstract: An actuator assembly is provided having a ramp for unloading a transducing head from a storage medium. The actuator assembly includes an actuator arm rotatable about a pivot point and configured to access data on a storage medium. The actuator arm has a base end coupled to a lift tab and a distal end coupled to a transducing head. The actuator assembly also includes an inclined surface located adjacent the base end. The inclined surface is configured to engage with the lift tab to guide the transducing head away from the storage medium.

Abstract: A head stack assembly comb (154) for maintaining the heads (44) of a head stack assembly (26) in spaced relation is disclosed. The head stack assembly comb (154) includes a comb body (158) and a latch (218). The comb body (158) engages an upper surface of an uppermost actuator arm (30a) in the head stack assembly (26). The latch (218) engages a lower surface of this same actuator arm (30a). When installing the comb (154), the comb (154) is pivoted relative to the head stack assembly (26). This brings the latch (218) into engagement with the noted actuator arm (30a) and causes the latch (218) to pivot in a first direction against a spring (214), and then in the opposite direction by the action of the spring (214) on the latch (218) to engage the latch (218) with the lower surface of the noted actuator arm (30a).

Abstract: A ramp member is supported on a flying slider in a load/unload mechanism of a recording medium drive. The flying slider receives a lift at its air bearing surface based on airflow generated along the moving recording medium. The flying slider flies above the recording medium. The flying height of the flying slider can be controlled with a higher accuracy in the same manner as a flying head slider utilized to read and write data from and into the recording medium. The slope of the ramp member on the flying slider can accordingly be kept at a predetermined level above the recording medium with a higher accuracy. Even if the extent of the slope is reduced, the load bar is allowed to reliably contact the slope. This leads to expansion of the data zone on the recording medium.

Abstract: A magnetic head parking apparatus of a hard disk drive for parking a magnetic head installed on an actuator includes a deformation member reversibly deformable in a direction in which the magnetic head is separated from a disk by pressing one side of the actuator, and a deformation control unit controlling deformation of the deformation member such that during parking the magnetic head, the deformation member is deformed in the direction in which the magnetic head is separated from the disk. Thus, since the slider is parked in a state of being separated from the hard disk, damage to the magnetic head due to an impact can be reduced. Also, since an additional parking area is not needed to be made in the hard disk, more data space can be secured in the hard disk.

Abstract: Disclosed is a head stack load comb used in the controlled loading of a head of a head stack assembly (HSA) onto a disk during the assembly of a disk drive. The HSA includes an actuator arm, a head, and a loading surface. The load comb includes a base structure and at least one ramp finger projecting approximately perpendicularly from the base structure. In order to load the head in a controlled manner onto the disk, the loading surface of the HSA is rotated along the ramp finger until the head is in a load position and then the base structure is actuated in a vertical direction such that the ramp finger is correspondingly actuated in the vertical direction towards the disk until the head is loaded onto the disk.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical device includes a moveable mass supported within a frame. To support the mass within the frame, a first flexure extends between the mass and the frame. An angle softening element is positioned between a first end of the first flexure and the frame to allow angular movement of the first flexure.

Abstract: Methods for providing a highly repeatable loading/unloading pathway for a read/write head of a disk drive.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for providing a highly repeatable loading/unloading pathway for a read/write head of a disk drive.

Abstract: A suspension is cantilevered at the tip end of a carriage arm. A magnetic head is mounted on the free end of the suspension. A lift bar in parallel with the disk surface contacts the suspension from the below. The lift bar may move in the path intersecting the suspension while contacting the suspension. The lift bar thus generates the warp in the suspension. The magnetic head at the free end of the suspension may be kept away from the disk surface as a result of the warp in the suspension. The adjustment of the orientation of the lift bar prevents the suspension from twisting.

Abstract: A suspension assembly that supports a head adjacent to a rotating storage disk is provided for use within a single or multi-platter disk drive. The suspension assembly includes a generally elongated loadbeam that has an electrically grounded baseplate at a first end thereof and a gimbaled flexure portion for supporting the head over the rotating storage disk at a second end thereof. A power conductor electrically interconnected between a power source and the loadbeam enables the power source to heat a predetermined portion of the loadbeam to adjust the gramload of the suspension assembly for controlling the fly height of the head.