Abstract: A micro disc drive assembly includes a wafer-level actuator arm, a wafer-level suspension connected to the actuator arm, and a head-carrying slider supported by the suspension over a rotatable disc. A microactuator motor is located between the actuator arm and the suspension, and is operable to move the suspension with respect to the actuator arm to position the head-carrying slider adjacent to a selected track of the rotatable disc. By forming the actuator arm and suspension at the wafer level, significant size reductions can be made, and the stiffness of the arm and resonant frequency of the disc drive are increased. A main actuator may also be provided in one embodiment, formed at the wafer level and including coils deposited on a wafer substrate, to coarsely position the actuator arm, suspension and head-carrying slider adjacent to the selected track of the rotatable disc.

Abstract: A microelectromechanical (MEM) device with an expanded PTFE material over the gap between movable structures to provide electrical connection across the gap and prevent particles from contaminating the gap. A microelectromechanical (MEM) device is also immobilized by placing an expanded PTFE material over the gap between movable structures. The expanded PTFE material can be made stiff during manufacture and then flexible after the manufacturing process is complete. An embodiment of the invention is a MEM device configured as a micro-actuator for a dual-actuator hard disk drive.

Abstract: A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) type electrostatic microactuator has a fixed electrode and a movable electrode, with the movable electrode being attached to the substrate by a flexure. Each electrode has a plurality of fingers with the fixed electrode fingers and the movable electrode fingers interleaved in a comb-like arrangement. A nonconductive viscous liquid is located between the fingers for damping motion of the movable electrode relative to the fixed electrode. The liquid is held in a reservoir attached to the movable electrode. Capillary pressure pulls the liquid from the reservoir into the small gaps between the interleaved fingers.

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 disc drive includes a disc, a voice coil motor with an arm and a beam having a first end attached to the arm and a second end including a window frame and a gimbal region. A bridge of a gimbal strut underlies the gimbal region. A flex circuit is attached to the gimbal strut. A read/write head has a preload region under the bridge and a slider surface on the disc. A microactuator has a main body and has microactuator arms bonded to the read/write head and mount arms bonded to the bridge. The microactuator has electrical contacts connected to the flex circuit. The electrical contacts are disposed between the microactuator main body and the gimbal region.

Abstract: A split shaft assembly for vibration control between multiple actuator pivots in a disk storage device. A first actuator pivot is mounted on a first shaft unit and a second actuator pivot is mounted on a second shaft unit. The second shaft unit is mated to the first shaft unit in axial alignment along a common pivot axis by a separating portion of a vibration control material, which interrupts transmission of vibrational force between the first actuator pivot and the second actuator pivot.

Abstract: A laminated suspension includes recesses in one layer of the suspension that aid in attaching elements to the suspension and in utilizing a micromotor placed on the suspension. In particular, examples of the recesses include weld areas for welding the suspension to other items, fiducials that are used to align the suspension with other items, micromotor recesses that receive the micromotors, adhesive controls that restrict the location of adhesives on the suspension, electrical interconnect attachment tabs that accept flex electrical circuits, side rails that reduce torsional resonance during microactuation and microactuator hinges that reduce the force needed for microactuation. In addition, a laminated suspension with a single metal layer in the spring area is provided.

Abstract: A transducing head positioning system for use with patterned media. The patterned media comprises a plurality of data tracks and grooves. The grooved tracks can be used in connection with electrodes on a slider to create an electrostatic motor for microactuation of the slider.

Abstract: A dual stage, head stack assembly (15) for a disk drive (10) having a storage disk (32) is provided herein. The head stack assembly (15) includes an actuator arm (18), a coarse positioner (22), a transducer assembly (20), a base plate (26) and a fine positioner (24). The coarse positioner (22) moves the actuator arm (18). The transducer assembly (20) includes a load beam (50), a flexure (52) and a data transducer (54). The base plate (26) includes at least one positioner cavity (66) which receives the fine positioner (24). A control system (17) directs current to the coarse positioner (22) to move the actuator arm (18) to position the data transducer (54) at or near a target track (36) on a storage disk (32). The control system (17) also directs current to the fine positioner (24) to precisely position and maintain the data transducer on the target track (36). Because the fine positioner (24) independently moves only the transducer assembly (20), a higher system band-width is achieved.

Abstract: A microactuator for a disc drive includes a stator attached to the disc drive support structure, a rotor operatively attached to a slider, the rotor being movable with respect to the stator in a first horizontal plane generally parallel to the surface of the disc, and a vertically arranged magnetic circuit. The magnetic circuit is arranged in a plurality of planes substantially parallel to the first horizontal plane so as to move the microactuator rotor and the slider in the first horizontal plane with a stroke of at least 2 micro-meters in response to a current of no greater than 100 milli-Amps provided to the magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A disc drive has a recording disc rotatable around an axis, a slider supporting a transducing head for transducing data with the disc, and a dual-stage actuation assembly supporting the slider to position the transducing head adjacent a selected radial track of the disc. The dual-stage actuation assembly includes a movable actuator arm, a suspension assembly supported by the actuator arm and including a flexure, a tongue supporting the slider, and a microactuator. The microactuator includes a rotor attached to the tongue and a stator attached to the flexure and operatively connected to the rotor to radially move the rotor with respect to the stator. At least one beam is attached between the slider bond pad and the stator.

Abstract: The object of the 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 to achieve reliability improvements. The write/read head supporting mechanism comprises a slider, a suspension and an actuator as at least head constituents. The slider is provided with an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module. The slider supported on the suspension by way of the actuator is displaceable relatively with respect to the suspension by the actuator. Between relatively displacing head constituents there is a space. Preferably, friction-reducing means should be provided in the space.

Abstract: An electrostatic actuator includes liquid in the gap between elements of an electrostatic actuator. Preferred liquids have a high dielectric constant, which amplifies the electrostatic force induced between the elements by a voltage across the elements, thereby increasing the strength of the actuator and enabling the actuator to be used in a variety of applications. In addition, the liquid avoids contact between the elements that might otherwise occur during use. This helps prevent arcing between the elements and accompanying wear, as well as catastrophic failure such as the plates breaking as they collide. Preferred liquids are also substantially nonelectrically conductive, chemically stable, have a high breakdown voltage, low viscosity, and low vapor pressure to avoid evaporation. An exemplary liquid is diffusion pump oil.

Abstract: Provided is an actuator of a magnetic disk, said actuator having a laminated construction of piezoelectric flat sheet in which there are two polarized regions separated by a non-polarized region and the polarization direction and the direction of applied magnetic fields are the same as the thickness direction of the piezoelectric flat sheet. The actuator is fixed in such a manner as to bridge the top surfaces of the suspension and suspension-supporting member of the magnetic disk, and is coated with a resin material.

Abstract: The present invention is a package for incorporating a micromotor into a head gimbal assembly. The head gimbal assembly includes a slider package and a micromotor package assembled on a load beam. The slider package and micromotor package include circuitry which allow a read/write signal to be conducted from the read/write head on the slider to the load beam. Solder joints form the electrical and mechanical connections between the load beam, the micromotor, and the slider.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a disc, a voice coil motor with an arm and a beam having a first end attached to the arm and a second end including a window frame and a gimbal region. A bridge of a gimbal strut underlies the gimbal region. A flex circuit is attached to the gimbal strut. A read/write head has a preload region under the bridge and a slider surface on the disc. A microactuator has a main body and has microactuator arms bonded to the read/write head and mount arms bonded to the bridge. The microactuator has electrical contacts connected to the flex circuit. The electrical contacts are disposed between the microactuator main body and the gimbal region.

Abstract: An electrical connection structure having connection elements which electrically connect a movable part to a fixed part of a microelectromechanical device, for example a microactuator. The movable part and fixed part are separated by trenches and are mechanically connected by spring elements, which determine, together with the connection elements, the torsional rigidity of the microelectromechanical device. Each connection element is formed by multiple sub-arms connected in parallel and having a common movable anchorage region anchored to the movable part, and a common fixed anchorage region anchored to the fixed part, whereby the mechanical resistance of the connection elements is negligible. The sub-arms have a width equal to a sub-multiple of the width necessary in case of a single connection element for the latter to have a preset electrical resistance, which is determined in the design.

Abstract: Under existence of an impact and a vibration, a throughput and a reliability of a recording and reproducing operation in a magnetic disc apparatus are reduced. Accordingly, a mechanism for fixing a coarse moving actuator at an optional position is provided, at a time of following to a track, a motion of the coarse moving actuator is restricted and a positioning is performed by a fine moving actuator. Even when a vibration and an impact is applied from an external portion during the track following operation, it is possible to prevent the head position from being shifted and it is possible to perform a recording and reproducing operation. Further, it is possible to prevent adjacent data from being erroneously broken.

Abstract: A head actuator mechanism characterized has a head that records and reproduces data; a suspension that holds the head; a support arm; a drive means for moving the support arm; a coupling section for coupling the support arm and the suspension together in such a way that the head can move relatively to the support arm; and at least one piezoelectric element for coupling the support arm and the suspension together to move the head relatively to the support arm for fine tuning, the piezoelectric element being fixed to the support arm and suspension at both ends.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing microactuator positional control in a disc drive having a rotatable disc on which a plurality of tracks are defined and an actuator assembly which supports a head adjacent the tracks. An actuator motor is used to provide primary positioning of the head through the controlled application of current to a coil of the actuator motor. A microactuator, opposite the actuator motor coil, has a pair of microactuator coils wound about respective magneto-striction beams so that, in response to drive currents passed through the microactuator coils, a selected one of the magneto-striction beams increases in length and the remaining magneto-striction beam decreases in length. The magneto-striction beams act upon a pivot assembly coupled to the head to displace the head to a final desired position adjacent the disc.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly includes a suspension of the type supporting a slider and a flex circuit. The suspension is formed of a load beam that supports the flex circuit, and a resilient flexure which is secured to the load beam and which supports the slider. The flex circuit is comprised of conductive traces formed on a compliant, dielectric substrate. The substrate includes a body portion and a head portion for supporting the conductive traces. The substrate head portion is patterned such that selected portions are removed to leave bare conductive trace sections on a generally serpentine insulation layer, in order to compensate for variations effected by heat and humidity. The serpentine insulation layer is S-shaped with a periodic pattern, and overlays but does not touch the load beam tip. The substrate body portion overlays and is secured to the load beam at selected locations.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a disc drive actuation system having a head level magnetic micro-actuation assembly utilizing flexible beam inserts and the disc drive actuation system thereby produced are provided.