Abstract: The present invention provides for a flexural pivot that can be fitted within a cavity of an actuator. The pivot includes a first member that can be coupled to the wall defining the cavity and a second member that can be mounted to the disc drive housing component of the disc drive. At least two leaves join external surfaces of the first member to the second member. The present invention offers a flexural pivot that can be easily incorporated with rotary actuators traditionally designed for use with a ball bearing pivot cartridge. In addition, it avoids the difficulties encountered by conventional designs when trying to assemble intersecting flat springs within a cylindrical sleeve. Furthermore, in comparison with conventional flexural pivots that are located outside the actuator body, the present invention provides a compact pivot that can be mounted substantially in a cavity of the actuator body such that the center of rotation of the actuator is located nearer the center of mass.

Abstract: A stacked actuator assembly has symmetrical actuator arms and spacers stacked on a rotatable sleeve. The assembly may have circuit elements or other elements attached on one side of the assembly. The weight of these elements is counter balanced by a screw or pin mounted on the other side of the assembly. The screw passes through the stacked armature arms and spacers to clamp the arms and spacers relative to each other and prevent them from rotating relative to each other. In addition, the spacers may be position registered relative to each other by registration members molded into the spacers. The registration members in adjacent spacers mate with each other to register the spacers relative to each other. The stacked actuator assembly may be assembled on a jig. The jig has a mounting hole or post to receive the sleeve for the stacked actuator assembly, and it has a post to register the arms when they are stacked on the sleeve.

Abstract: A Head Arm Assembly includes a head slider having at least one head element, an arm member for supporting the head slider at one end section, an actuator, mounted to the other end section of the arm member for rotationally moving the arm member in a direction substantially parallel with a recording medium surface around a horizontal rotation axis of the arm member, a load generation unit for generating a load for energizing the head slider in a direction toward the recording medium surface by rotationally moving the arm member in a direction substantially orthogonal to the recording medium surface around a vertical rotation axis, and a limiter unit for restraining the arm member from rotationally moving more than a predetermined limit around the vertical rotation axis in a direction away from the recording medium surface.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk, a latch assembly including a magnet and a head stack assembly for reading and writing to the disk. The head stack assembly includes a body portion defining a through bore that defines a pivot axis; an actuator arm cantilevered from the body portion; a head gimbal assembly coupled to the actuator arm; a coil portion cantilevered from the body portion in an opposite direction from the actuator arm, the coil portion defining first and second actuator fork members, one of the first and second actuator fork members defining a tang-supporting surface, the tang-supporting surface defining at least one cleating feature configured to increase a surface area of the tang-supporting surface, and a tang configured to interact with the magnet, the tang being attached to the tang-supporting surface by a layer of adhesive disposed on the tang-supporting surface.

Abstract: A method for mounting removably secured actuator arms that include head suspensions to an actuator assembly spindle. Each arm is mounted to an actuator spindle via a spacer with an annular lip with at least one detent formed into its perimeter edge. Each actuator arm includes two resilient fingers, annularly shaped to form an interior radius smaller than the spacer radius with at least one engagement member formed into a finger. Each arm is mounted by expanding the resilient fingers to a stressed state, engaging the fingers with the lip, and positioning the fingers so that each engagement member is aligned and engaged with a detent. The spacer alternatively includes a guide slot in a planar surface from which the lip extends, with the guide slot being engaged by a boss tower on the arm to properly orient the arm when mounting the arm to the spacer.

Abstract: A system and method for an improved magnetic head arm assembly (HAA) is disclosed. The HAA includes three principal components, a head gimbal assembly (HGA), a flexible printed circuit (FPC) assembly, and an actuator coil assembly. The design allows for HAA rigidity, yet each of the components is designable and manufacturable independent of one another, in addition to other advantages over current methods.

Abstract: A disk drive head stack assembly (66) of a configuration that facilitates the assembly thereof is disclosed. One or more head/arm assemblies (74) are mounted on a pivot bearing (118). This pivot bearing (118) includes a tapered section (126). Each head/arm assembly (74) may be mounted on the pivot bearing (118). Thereafter, a retainer ring (102) may be advanced relative to the pivot bearing (118). Advancement of the retainer ring (102) along the tapered section (126) expands the retainer ring (102) so that the same may be disposed within a retainer ring slot (130) of the pivot bearing (118). Each head/arm assembly (74) is maintained between this retainer ring (102) and a flange (134) of the pivot bearing (118).

Abstract: An actuator for a disk drive. The actuator includes an actuator body defining an axis of rotation and including a body lateral surface disposed generally parallel to the axis of rotation. The actuator further includes an actuator arm extending from the actuator body. The actuator arm includes an arm base disposed adjacent the actuator body. The actuator further includes a coil support extending from the actuator body opposite the actuator arm. The coil support includes a coil support base disposed adjacent the actuator body. The actuator further includes a constrained layer damper disposed upon the body lateral surface extending from the arm base to the coil support base for mitigation of resonant vibration of the actuator arm and the coil support.

Abstract: An actuator assembly for use in a data storage device comprises an actuator arm and a voice coil motor coil. The actuator arm has a fantail portion and an arm portion offset from the fantail portion. The voice coil motor coil is supported by the fantail portion and is lying partially beneath the arm portion.

Abstract: A stacked actuator arm assembly has an actuator arm and spacer stacked on a rotatable pivot bearing sleeve. The stacked actuator arm assembly has a nut washer on the pivot bearing sleeve where the nut washer has an extension to maintain its proper position. One spacer has an overmold, and the actuator arm is registered in rotational position to the overmold. A load beam for each actuator arm has its proximal end attached to the actuator arm and its distal end supporting a read/write head. A clamping nut is threaded on the sleeve to clamp the actuator arms and spacers together. A registration nut washer is registered in rotational position to the overmold so that, as the nut tightens down on the stacked actuator arm assembly, the nut washer does not rotate relative to the actuator arms and spacers. The registration nut washer has a key extension that engages a slot in the overmold to register the nut washer in rotational position to the overmold.

Abstract: A disc drive, includes a base, a disc stack rotatably attached to the base, and an actuator assembly movably attached to the base. The actuator assembly includes an E-block. The E-block for a disc drive includes a metal core and a ceramic coating on the metal core of the E-block. The ceramic coating on the metal core of the E-block is less dense than the metal core. The stiffness of the ceramic coating on the metal core of the E-block is greater than the stiffness of the metal core. In one embodiment, the E-block has a metal core of aluminum. The ceramic coating is may be formed using any method, including an electrochemical process or by depositing the ceramic coating onto the E-block.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a body for a hard disk carriage assembly from polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill. An injection mold is heated to approximately 130° C.; then a volume of polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is injected into the mold to form the body of the carriage assembly. The polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is then cooled within the mold for approximately 45 seconds before the body is ejected from the mold cavity. The body is then heated to approximately 130° C. for at least 2 hours in a post-bake operation.

Abstract: A stacked actuator for controllably positioning a data transducing head adjacent a data recording surface in a disc drive, and a method for fabricating the stacked actuator. The stacked actuator is formed from a plurality of stackable members arranged into a component stack. A counterbalance fastener is installed on a first side of the component stack to secure the stackable members together. A flex circuit assembly is subsequently affixed to a second side of the component stack opposite the first side. The mass and location of the counterbalance fastener are selected to counterbalance the mass of the flex circuit assembly so that the completed actuator is nominally balanced about an actuator rotational axis.

Abstract: A method for detaching a suspension assembly adapted to support a head staked to an actuator arm of an actuator block of a disc drive. The method includes the steps of inserting an expandable device having an expandable flanged end, expanding a dimension of the inserted flanged end and moving the device to release the suspension assembly staked to the actuator arm.

Abstract: An E-block of an actuator for use in a data handling system to support a read/write head adjacent a recording surface. The E-block is formed by providing feed stock along a planar orientation, drawing a portion of the feed stock out of plane to form an extension portion, and stamping the feed stock to separate an actuator arm member having a substantially planar actuator arm from which the extension portion extends, the actuator arm configured to support the read/write head. A planar motor support member configured to support a coil of an actuator motor is also stamped from the feed stock. The actuator arm member and the motor support member are stacked and attached using a suitable process such as swaging or welding. The extension portion of the actuator arm member establishes a desired axial separation distance between the motor support member and the actuator arm.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a body for a hard disk carriage assembly from polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill. An injection mold is heated to approximately 130° C.; then a volume of polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is injected into the mold to form the body of the carriage assembly. The polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is then cooled within the mold for approximately 45 seconds before the body is ejected from the mold cavity. The body is then heated to approximately 130° C. for at least 2 hours in a post-bake operation.

Abstract: Assemblies in accordance with the present invention can access a data storage medium having one or more disks. One such assembly comprises a mounting block including a bore and at least one arm connected with the mounting block. A flexible member is connected with the at least one arm and a head is associated with the flexible member. The head is positioned over the surface of the disk. The arm is designed such that it can be disconnected from the mount without disassembling the bore. By having a removably fastened arm, the assembly can be built at a relatively low cost and without misalignment and deformation. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Abstract: An E-block (20) and head stack assembly (15) for maintaining one or more data transducers (18) proximate one or more rotating storage disks (28) of a disk drive (10) is provided herein. The E-block (20) includes an actuator hub (52) and one or more actuator arms (22). The actuator arms (22) cantilever away from the actuator hub (52) and hold the data transducers (18) proximate the rotating storage disks (28). As provided herein, at least one of the actuator arms (22) has a roll-bias angle (70) over the majority of the length of the actuator arm (22). Moreover, the head stack assembly (15) maintains a suspension assembly (24) at a reduced suspension z-height (72) relative to the storage disk (28). As provided herein, the roll-bias angle (70) of the actuator arms (22) and the reduced suspension z-height (72), each decrease track misregistration.

Abstract: A magnetic head positioner assembly comprises a plurality of magnetic head support members individually provided with magnetic heads, an arm, and a movable coil which is held by the movable coil support portion provided for the arm and which is provided to drive the arm. The arm has a plurality of holder arms for individually supporting each of the magnetic head support members and a rotatable bearing portion or the center of driving each of the holder arms. Moreover, the rotatable bearing portion and two holder arms are integrated with each other into an arm unit. The aforementioned arm is formed by combining and bonding at least two arm units with each other being spaced by a predetermined spacing.

Abstract: A slim actuator and a micro-drive apparatus using the same are provided. The slim actuator includes a suspension having a head mounted at one end of the suspension to write/read data to/from a disk and a head gimbal assembly. The head gimbal assembly includes a unit-mounting portion having one end connected to the suspension, a fantail molding portion extending from the other end of the uni-mounting portion, and a voice coil which is mounted on the fantail mounting portion such that current flows in the voice coil. The voice coil rotates the suspension by an electromagnetic force created by interaction between the electric field of the current and an applied magnetic field. Thus, the slim actuator uses a single channel and has excellent resonance characteristics. Mobile micro-drive apparatuses employing the slim actuators can be obtained.

Abstract: A method for swaging a suspension assembly to an actuator arm of a data storage device is disclosed. The method includes steps of inserting a deformable tubular stake into an aperture of an actuator arm and inserting an expandable swaging member into a channel of the tubular stake within the aperture of the actuator arm. Thereafter, the method includes the step of expanding the swaging member to deform the tubular stake to swage the tubular stake to the actuator arm of the data storage device.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a body for a hard disk carriage assembly from polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill. An injection mold is heated to approximately 130° C.; then a volume of polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is injected into the mold to form the body of the carriage assembly. The polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is then cooled within the mold for approximately 45 seconds before the body is ejected from the mold cavity. The body is then heated to approximately 130° C. for at least 2 hours in a post-bake operation.

Abstract: An actuator having a relatively low mass for supporting flexible head suspension assemblies to read data from or write data to discs. The actuator includes an actuator body adapted to rotationally coupled to a base chassis of the disc drive and a yoke assembly including yoke arms extending from the actuator body. The actuator includes at least one rigid actuator arm rigidly supporting the flexible head suspension assemblies. The rigid actuator arm includes multiple arm plates supported in spaced relation to provide a thickness of the actuator arm for lateral stiffness.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a disk drive that includes a housing including a base, the base defining a blind receptacle, a spindle motor attached to the base, a disk mounted to the spindle motor and a head stack assembly pivotally coupled to the base. The head stack assembly includes a body portion including a first bore defining a pivot axis, an actuator arm cantilevered from the body portion, and a head gimbal assembly supported at the actuator arm and including a head. The base defines a blind receptacle and the actuator arm defines a second bore that is situated so as to enable the second bore and the blind receptacle to align along an axis parallel to the pivot axis when the head stack assembly is pivoted such that the head is not over the disk.

Abstract: A hard disk drive actuator includes a plurality of arms for holding the heads over the disks. Each arm has one or more contaminant collectors for collecting contaminants, such as airborne particles, humidity, and/or organic gasses during operation. The contaminant collectors can take a variety of forms, including air porous filters mounted within existing cutouts within the plurality of arms. In this instance, the plurality of arms may be aerodynamically shaped to create a pressure differential between the top and bottom surfaces of the arms, causing an increased airflow through the filters. In another instance, the contaminant collector is a material applied to the top and bottom surfaces of the plurality of arms which attracts and/or captures airborne particles during normal operation.

Abstract: A head stack assembly for a hard disk drive has an actuator comb body, a coil yoke, at least one actuator arm, and a prosthesis. The prosthesis is an artificial or replacement arm and is preferably identical in profile and thickness as the actuator arm, except for some or all of the balance holes in the actuator arm. This configuration eliminates the need to provide the prosthesis with a real or dummy head in order to balance the actuator, thereby reducing cost. A common stamping die and a common molding die are used for both the arm and the prosthesis, which further reduces the cost of manufacturing.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing particle generation by the micro-actuator during deformation by partially encapsulating the micro-actuator with a coating is disclosed. The coating may be made of a soft and tenacious material. The coating may be applied to the rigid areas of the micro-actuator.

Abstract: A hard disk drive apparatus is capable of reducing a noise effectively during operation and capable of enhancing the reliability of the drive. The hard disk drive has first and second ribs that are formed near a pivot for an actuator so that a tilt of the pivot is prevented when the actuator is operated. Also, vibration absorbing members are interposed between the first and second ribs on the side of a base and a cover so that the vibration absorbing members are brought into contact with the cover. These vibration absorbing members are located in an intermediate portion between fixing places for fixing the cover to the base and a fixing place for fixing the cover to the pivot.

Abstract: A disk drive includes an actuator with a shaft and a base with a sleeve that receives the shaft and includes as least one bearing. The shaft extends into the sleeve and through the bearing where it supports the actuator and allows it to pivot in response to electro-magnetic forces. The shaft defines at least one opening for aligning a main body of the actuator together with the shaft and facilitating attachment of the two in proper and secure alignment.

Abstract: A disk drive pivot assembly has a locally deformable internal sleeve that is equipped with two small deformable zones where the sleeve makes contact with the actuator comb bore. The zones can be in the shape of two rings with a rectangular or circular cross-sectional shape. The material may include zinc, magnesium, copper, or aluminum, or their alloys. These materials are relatively soft and have a relatively low stiffness compared to the comb bore. The thickness of the rings may range from approximately 0.25 to 1.0 mm, and they may be attached via shrink fit or adhesive bonding.

Abstract: A stacked actuator assembly has symmetrical actuator arms and spacers stacked on a rotatable sleeve. The assembly may have circuit elements or other elements attached on one side of the assembly. The weight of these elements is counter balanced by a screw or pin mounted on the other side of the assembly. The screw passes through the stacked armature arms and spacers to clamp the arms and spacers relative to each other and prevent them from rotating relative to each other. In addition, the spacers may be position registered relative to each other by registration members molded into the spacers. The registration members in adjacent spacers mate with each other to register the spacers relative to each other. The stacked actuator assembly may be assembled on a jig. The jig has a mounting hole or post to receive the sleeve for the stacked actuator assembly, and it has a post to register the arms when they are stacked on the sleeve.

Abstract: A method for swaging a suspension assembly to an actuator arm of a data storage device is disclosed. The method includes steps of inserting a deformable tubular stake into an aperture of an actuator arm and inserting an expandable swaging member into a channel of the tubular stake within the aperture of the actuator arm. Thereafter, the method includes the step of expanding the swaging member to deform the tubular stake to swage the tubular stake to the actuator arm of the data storage device.

Abstract: An actuator arm for a disk drive includes a flat sheet of material having a predetermined configuration. This arm lies pivotally mounted to a base of the disk drive; and it supports a coil assembly and cable segments as well as other components such as a pre-amp and a damper. The method of making this actuator arm includes the steps of cutting a flat sheet of material to a predetermined configuration and then securing the various components to it.

Abstract: A head stack assembly for a hard disk drive has an actuator comb body, a coil yoke, at least one actuator arm, and a prosthesis. The prosthesis is an artificial or replacement arm and is preferably identical in profile and thickness as the actuator arm, except for some or all of the balance holes in the actuator arm. This configuration eliminates the need to provide the prosthesis with a real or dummy head in order to balance the actuator, thereby reducing cost. A common stamping die and a common molding die are used for both the arm and the prosthesis, which further reduces the cost of manufacturing.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a body for a hard disk carriage assembly from polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill. An injection mold is heated to approximately 130° C.; then a volume of polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is injected into the mold to form the body of the carriage assembly. The polyphenylene sulfide 40% glass fill is then cooled within the mold for approximately 45 seconds before the body is ejected from the mold cavity. The body is then heated to approximately 130° C. for at least 2 hours in a post-bake operation.

Abstract: A stacked actuator for controllably positioning a data transducing head adjacent a data recording surface in a disc drive, and a method for fabricating the stacked actuator. The stacked actuator is formed from a plurality of stackable members arranged into a component stack. A counterbalance fastener is installed on a first side of the component stack to secure the stackable members together. A flex circuit assembly is subsequently affixed to a second side of the component stack opposite the first side. The mass and location of the counterbalance fastener are selected to counterbalance the mass of the flex circuit assembly so that the completed actuator is nominally balanced about an actuator rotational axis.

Abstract: A disk drive head assembly enables adjustment of a center of gravity of the head assembly of a depopulation version, while suppressing an occurrence of a resonance frequency affecting the performance of the disk drive apparatus. The head assembly for the data storage media includes: magnetic heads for reading/writing data from/to the data storage media, arms to which the magnetic heads are attached, a pivot shaft holder for supporting the arms, a coil for a voice coil motor extended from the pivot shaft holder, and a counter weight provided at a predetermined position opposite to a coil for the voice coil motor with respect to the pivot shaft holder.

Abstract: An actuator assembly suitable for a disc drive with at least one rotating disc for storing information. The actuator assembly has an actuator body having a mounting opening with at least a portion of the mounting opening being threaded and a bearing cartridge having an outer surface with at least a portion of the outer surface being threaded. The bearing cartridge is threadably received within the mounting opening of the actuator body so that the actuator body is releasably secured to the bearing cartridge. A method for securing an actuator body to a bearing cartridge in an actuator assembly of a disc drive is also provided.

Abstract: A disk drive pivot assembly has a locally deformable internal sleeve that is equipped with two small deformable zones where the sleeve makes contact with the actuator comb bore. The zones can be in the shape of two rings with a rectangular or circular cross-sectional shape. The material may include zinc, magnesium, copper, or aluminum, or their alloys. These materials are relatively soft and have a relatively low stiffness compared to the comb bore. The thickness of the rings may range from approximately 0.25 to 1.0 mm, and they may be attached via shrink fit or adhesive bonding.

Abstract: The present invention is formed such that, in order to provide a rotary type actuator and a manufacturing method thereof wherein the precision of the attachment of the arms is increased, the dimensional change of the arms does not occur even during operation and grounding is achieved with reliability, grooves 1a which have a width greater than the thickness of arms 2 in a plate shape are formed in the external surface of a holder 1 in a cylindrical shape and one end of an arm 2 is inserted into one of these grooves 1a so as to be placed on the lower surface of the groove 1a, and, the holder 1, the arms 2, the coil 4 and a conductive member 5 in a band shape that makes an electrical connection between the holder 1 and the arms 2 are injection molded with a resin 6 in the above condition so as to be integrally secured to each other.

Abstract: A disk drive system (and method) includes an actuator system including a first voice coil motor (VCM), a second voice coil motor for enhancing dynamic resonance properties of the actuator system, and a single error position detecting mechanism, thereby enabling a higher bandwidth servo system configured with a single position error detection source.

Abstract: A head stack assembly for a data recording disk drive has a carriage on which a coil is mounted. The carriage has a first surface and a second surface. A first head gimbal assembly is mounted on the first surface, and a second head gimbal assembly is mounted on the second surface. A datum member is formed on each of the surfaces of the carriage. The datum member is used to position each of the head gimbal assemblies on their respective surfaces. The datum member has two pins that engage apertures in the head gimbal assemblies. A pivot member is located in a separate aperture between the pins such that the head stack assembly is balanced at the center of the pivot member.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for cooling the actuator coil with a suitable heat sink structure. The heat sink thermally couples the coil to one or more of the head-carrying arms, which are positioned close enough to the disc stack that rotation of the stack cools them. In one embodiment, a gap is formed between the coil and a thermal conduit, and the gap is made wide enough to allow a majority of the gap to be filed with a solid dielectric. Another embodiment is a method for controlling the minimum gap thickness. In yet another embodiment, a rotary actuator includes a heat conduit with a concave surface for bonding to the coil, increasing rigidity and thermal conduction.

Abstract: A damped tolerance ring assembly has an outer tolerance ring, an inner tolerance ring, and an elastomeric layer bonded therebetween. The tolerance rings are metal, spring-like split rings. Each tolerance ring has corrugations for additional strength. The elastomeric layer contours to the shape of both the inner and outer rings and their corrugations. The damped tolerance ring assembly is press fit between a cylindrical pivot assembly and a cylindrical hole in the actuator body of a disk drive. The friction at the interfaces of the tolerance rings due to compressive forces hold the pivot securely in the actuator body such that they all rotate together relative to a pivot shaft. The tolerance rings are formed from steel and provide a stiff outer shell for the ring assembly to resist axial rocking of the actuator body relative to the pivot, especially during structural resonance modes. The thin layer of elastomer provides the damping and isolation to absorb vibration energy of the bearing reaction force.

Abstract: A lightweight actuator for use in a disc drive where the actuator body, yoke and actuator arms are molded as a unitary article. The actuator is preferably molded from a composite material chosen on the basis that its dynamic characteristics are comparable to the characteristics exhibited by materials conventionally used for making actuators. In addition, the actuator facilitates the formation of zero insertion force connection features at the actuator arms for coupling with the respective suspensions. The present invention thus allows for the application of improved connection methods at lower cost.

Abstract: A near net shape fiber composite actuator assembly that requires little to no secondary finishing operations such as cutting or machining of the fiber structure to form the periphery of the assembly. In one aspect of the present invention, fibers are continuously wound substantially continuously in a direction along the periphery of the actuator component. This results in fibers orientated generally in the longitudinal direction of the component, and in a direction along the periphery of the matrix of the component, with fibers bending around all large radii to provide fiber continuity around the component's perimeter. Actuator positioner arms can be made of continuous fiber windings. An E-block can be made by stacking actuator arm components that are individually formed by continuous fiber windings. A dual-purpose wound-form can be deployed to facilitate the winding process, which will become an integral part of the final actuator assembly structure.

Abstract: A head supporting device comprises a support arm and a head mounted to an underside surface at one end of the support arm. The support arm is disposed in a rotatable manner about a bearing unit in a radial direction of a recording medium as well as a perpendicular direction with respect to a writing surface of the recording medium, and the support arm is provided with resilient means for imposing upon itself with a thrusting force in a direction toward the recording medium. Because of this structure, a portion serving as the support arm can be formed with a material of high rigidity, the thrusting force of the resilient means upon the slider can be set freely as desired, and its resonance frequency can be increased, thereby providing the head supporting device with an extremely high resistance to shock, and high responsivity with capability of making a high speed access.

Abstract: A swing arm assembly reduced in the number of the component parts, facilitated in its assembly, and can be expected in the reduction of the manufacturing cost thereof and thus providing a hard disk drive device of lower cost.

Abstract: A disc drive having an actuator assembly which includes an actuator arm and having a pivot cartridge which consists of a sleeve, a shaft and a hinge. The hinge is thin and short in the horizontal direction along the x-y plane and long in the vertical direction along the z-axis. The hinge engages the sleeve and the shaft with the ends of the hinge, allowing only the central part of the hinge configured to be flexible. The assembly of the pivot cartridge into the actuator assembly forces the actuator arm to rotate only about the z-axis.

Abstract: A head suspension for supporting a head slider over a rigid disk in a dynamic storage device having a component that includes a compliant feature adapted to engage a first pin and a datum engaging surface spaced from the compliant feature. The component being locatable relative to a datum by manipulation of the component with respect to the datum and a first pin to cause the first pin to engage and deflect the compliant feature when the datum engaging surface of the component is engaged and positioned with respect to the datum. The head suspension also including a second component having a pin engaging feature and possibly a datum engaging surface alignable with the compliant feature and datum engaging surface of the first component, respectively. The pin engaging feature of the second component being compliant or non-compliant.