Abstract: The present invention includes a micro-actuator assembly. The micro-actuator assembly includes a planar micro-actuator and a vertical micro-actuator. The planar micro-actuator provides at least one planar micro-actuator arm for coupling to a slider. The vertical micro-actuator couples with the planar micro-actuator arm. The planar micro-actuator arm supports moving the slider in a planar direction. The vertical micro-actuator supports moving the slider, through the micro-actuator arm, in a vertical direction. The planar micro-actuator may include two planar micro-actuator arms. It is preferred that at least one of the micro-actuators include a piezoelectric device. The vertical micro-actuator preferably includes a bulk piezoelectric device for cost reasons. The vertical micro-actuator may include a thermoelectric device supporting vertical slider movement. The invention includes manufacturing head gimbal assemblies, actuator arms, voice coil actuator assemblies, and hard disk drives.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actively controlling the gram load on a disk drive suspension assembly and to a disk drive using the present disk drive suspension assembly. The gram load can be actively changed by changing the applied voltage to one or more multi-layer piezoelectric actuators attached to the head suspension. The active gram control system allows the gram load to be changed on a non-permanent basis and to control the gram load to a much finer scale than can be accomplished using conventional techniques. By attaching the first and second ends of the piezoelectric actuator to discrete locations on the load beam, while the portion of the piezoelectric actuator between the first and second ends remains unattached to the load beam, a force non-parallel to the load beam can be applied to the head suspension.

Abstract: A head for a disc drive and a method of making the head. The head includes a substrate with a trailing side and a first air bearing surface that generates lift. A magnetic transducer is deposited along the trailing side and has a pole tip that is spaced apart from a disc by a pole-to-disc spacing. The head also includes a deposit along the trailing side. The deposit includes a second air bearing surface that changes position relative to the first air bearing surface as temperature increases.

Abstract: A slider includes a slider body having a trailing edge and a leading edge. The slider also includes a thin film structure deposited in layers on the trailing edge. The thin film structure includes a write transducer configured to read and write to a storage medium. The thin film structure also includes a non-thermally activated actuator at least partially formed with the write transducer and configured to move the write transducer relative to the trailing edge.

Abstract: In an actuator device for hard disks a suspension element carries a slider that is subject to undesired vibrations which give rise to rotations of the slider with respect to a nominal position. An electrostatically controlled position-control structure is arranged between the suspension and the slider and is controlled in an active way so as to generate torsions of the platform that counter the undesired rotations. The position-control structure comprises a platform of conductive material and control electrodes arranged underneath the platform. The platform is connected to a load-bearing structure by spring elements that enable movements of roll and pitch. Four control electrodes are arranged according to the quadrants of a square and can be selectively biased for generating electrical forces acting on the platform.

Abstract: An air bearing slider includes a slider body, a head stack portion attached to a rear portion of the slider body, and a transducer contained within the head stack having a pole tip for communicating with a disc. A distance separates a plane containing the bottom surface of the pole tip and a plane containing the bottom surface of the slider body. The head stack portion includes a material that is semi-permanently deformable, and a deformation of the material changes the distance. A method for adjusting a pole tip position in an air bearing slider includes providing an air bearing slider having a material within a head stack portion. A distance separates a plane containing the bottom surface of the pole tip and a plane containing the bottom surface of the slider body. The method includes semi-permanently deforming the material to change the distance.

Abstract: In an electrostatic actuator used to control fly height between a magnetic disc and a read/write head of a disc drive, a multi-layer electrode device is used. The multi-layer electrode device includes alternating insulating layers and conductive electrode layers. By controlling the material properties of each layer of the electrode device, problems associated with leakage current, field emission discharge, tunneling current, and slow actuator response time can be controlled.

Abstract: A head with a heating element and control regime therefor is disclosed. In embodiments described, the control regime or controller energizes the heater or heating element to provide intermittent heating between read or write operations to optimize transducer temperature and operating characteristics or parameters of a data storage device. In particular, in one embodiment described, the controller provides a low amplitude signal or current to provide low grade thermal heating. In another embodiment, the controller provides a high amplitude signal or current to preheat the transducer portion for write operations.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent a spacing between a magnetic head and a writing medium at low temperature from increasing to cause a writing/reading error, and to prevent the magnetic head element protruded by a temperature increase from colliding with small protrusions on a magnetic disk surface, and to prevent damage on the element, and to prevent the occurrence of thermal asperity. In order to attain the object, a magnetic head slider is provided, which includes a magnetic head element supported on a rotating magnetic disk via a gap to write or read information on the magnetic disk, and a heat source for heating the magnetic head element. A magnetic disk device is further provided, which includes a magnetic head slider.

Abstract: A head arm assembly (HAA) 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 an axis for horizontal rotation of the arm member, and a load generation unit for generating a load for energizing the head slider in a direction to the recording medium surface by rotationally moving the arm member in a direction substantially orthogonal to the recording medium surface around an axis for vertical rotation. The position of the center of gravity of the HAA is located at a different position from the axis for vertical rotation on a center axis of the arm member.

Abstract: A suspension assembly which can be energized to provide in-situs fly height adjustment for a head of a disc drive or energizable to adjust preload force for CSS. The suspension assembly includes a shape memory flexure element having an energizable length differential. In one aspect, the flexure element is integrated with a flexible suspension circuit which provides advantages for manufacture and assembly. In another aspect, the flexure element is coupled to a bending portion of the head suspension assembly and energized to adjust flexure of the suspension assembly relative to the bending portion.

Abstract: A head suspension mounts a head assembly in a disc drive. The head suspension includes controllable bending elements on the gimbal portion of the head suspension which allow dynamic control of the flying attitude of the head assemblies, and thus the flying height. In a first embodiment, the control elements are bi-metal features that utilize differential thermal expansion to control the flying attitude. In a second, and presently preferred, embodiment, the control elements are piezo-electric elements which provide bi-directional control of associated elements of the gimbal portion of the head suspension. In another aspect, the controllable bending elements are used to increase the flying height of the head assembly as the head assembly is moved from the data recording area of the disc into engagement with a textured landing zone.

Abstract: A micro-actuator is comprised of a piezoelectric motor mounted on a flexure tongue with offsetting hinges, to perform a fine positioning of the magnetic read/write head. The substantial gain in the frequency response greatly improves the performance and accuracy of the track-follow control for fine positioning. The simplicity of the enhanced micro-actuator design results in a manufacturing efficiency that enables a high-volume, low-cost production. The micro-actuator is interposed between a flexure tongue and a slider to perform an active control of the fly height of the magnetic read/write head. The induced slider crown and camber are used to compensate for thermal expansion of the magnetic read/write head, which causes the slider to be displaced at an unintended fly height position relative to the surface of the magnetic recording disk. The enhanced micro-actuator design results in reduced altitude sensitivity, ABS tolerances, and reduced stiction.

Abstract: A wireless suspension blank is made using a two-layer laminate composed of a metallic layer with the spring property and an electrically insulating layer. The first method includes a first step for working the metallic layer by the photo etching method, a second step for forming a wiring part on the insulating layer by the semi-additive method and a third step for working the insulating layer by the wet-etching method. The second method includes a first step for working the metallic layer by the photo etching method, a second step for forming a wiring part on the insulating layer by the semi-additive method and a third step for working the insulating layer by the plasma etching method. The third method includes a first step for forming a wiring part on the metallic layer by the semi-additive method, a second step for working the metallic layer by the wet-etching method and a third step for working the insulating layer by the dry-etching method or the wet-etching method.

Abstract: A method and system for actuating a pole tip of a write head is disclosed. The write head includes a first pole and a second pole. The method and system include providing a strain element and providing a coil. The strain element is electrically insulated from the first pole and the second pole. The strain element is further configured to produce a strain for actuating the pole tip in response to a magnetic field. The coil carries a current capable of producing the magnetic field at the strain element.

Abstract: A recording/reproduction element is mounted on a magnetic head slider via a piezoelectric element so that a displacement of the piezoelectric element performs fine control of the position of the recording/reproduction, thus enabling fine spacing and high track positioning accuracy. This improves linear recording density and track density. A pair of electrodes are formed on both sides of a piezoelectric element to constitute a piezoelectric actuator. One electrode is arranged opposite the rear surface (air flow out end) of a magnetic head slider 11. A recording/reproduction element is arranged on and electrically insulated from the other electrode. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric element displaced in a spacing direction, enabling fine spacing control, a piezoelectric element displaced in the track direction, enabling a fine track position control, and a piezoelectric element displaced in a magnetic disc rotation direction, enabling reduction of jitter of a reproduction signal.

Abstract: Brackets 9, 9 for supporting respective opposite ends of a guide rod 4 are provided with respective cam faces 95, 95 approximately symmetric about an approximate longitudinal midportion C of the guide rod 4, and at least one of the brackets 9 is provided with an adjusting member for moving the guide rod 4 longitudinally thereof. The cam faces 9 guide the guide rod 4 toward a direction in which the guide rod 4 pivotally moves about the approximate longitudinal midportion C, as the guide rod 4 is moved longitudinally thereof by the adjusting member.

Abstract: In the thin-film magnetic head of the present invention, the distance to a heat-generating layer is shorter from the end part on the side facing, a recording medium in a magnetoresistive device than from the end part on the side facing the recording medium in an electromagnetic transducer. Therefore, even when the thin-film magnetic head tilts so that its electromagnetic transducer side approaches the recording medium when floating up from the recording medium, the amount of thermal expansion caused by the heat from the heat-generating layer is greater in the magnetoresistive device than in the electromagnetic transducer. This reduces the gap between the magnetoresistive device and the recording medium, whereby a high reproducing output can be obtained.

Abstract: Transducer elements of recording heads for magnetic storage media are moved independently in either of two directions with respect to the slider of the recording head. The motion is controlled using a micropositioner having magnetic coils integrated into the recording head. The transducer moves in the x direction between data tracks and in the z direction perpendicular to the surface of the magnetic storage medium. The micropositioners are used for small-scale positioning of the transducers over data tracks and to adjust fly heights. Because of the high minimum resonant frequencies and the low mass of the transducers, the micropositioners also improve settling times associated with track following. The micropositioners can be used during fabrication for dimensional control of recording head components. The motion of the transducers in the z direction enables the recording heads to be used reliably in the presence of asperities and changing ambient pressures and temperatures.

Abstract: A recording/reproduction element is mounted on a magnetic head slider via a piezoelectric element so that a displacement of the piezoelectric element performs fine control of the position of the recording/reproduction, thus enabling fine spacing and high track positioning accuracy. This improves linear recording density and track density. A pair of electrodes are formed on both sides of a piezoelectric element to constitute a piezoelectric actuator. One electrode is arranged opposite the rear surface (air flow out end) of a magnetic head slider 11. A recording/reproduction element is arranged on and electrically insulated from the other electrode. The piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric element displaced in a spacing direction, enabling fine spacing control, a piezoelectric element displaced in the track direction, enabling fine track position control, and a piezoelectric element displaced in a magnetic disc rotation direction, enabling reduction of jitter of a reproduction signal.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a disc, a beam extending from the voice coil motor to a gimbal point to provide a load force, and a slider that flies over the disc with a pole tip protrusion that has an ambient temperature sensitivity. The disc drive also includes a strut with a yielding bend section (YBS). Deposits of shape memory alloys (SMA) having different first and second transformation temperature ranges are deposited on the yielding bend section (YBS) and effectively reduce an ambient temperature sensitivity of the pole tip protrusion.

Abstract: An adjustable height elevation for an actuator arm of an actuator assembly. The height elevation of the actuator arm is adjustable relative to a disc surface for fly height control. The height elevation of the actuator arm is adjusted based upon read-back test data from the head to provide desired fly height control.

Abstract: A suspension arm (300) of a disk storage device has an elastic portion (310) with thickness d1 and a rigid portion (320) with thickness d2. At the free end of the suspension arm, a slider (325) is mounted on the suspension arm. The bottom surface of the slider has a distance FH to a top surface of a hard disk (329). The suspension arm particularly comprises a heating element (330) disposed on the suspension arm. An electric current Ic flowing through electrical supply wires (350) causes the temperature of the suspension arm locally to rise and therefore its spring constant to decrease. Together with the force Fa resulting from the air cushion effect of the slider a new equilibrium flying height FH is stabilized.

Abstract: Employed is a structure for moving by a micro-actuator not a read/write element but an air-bearing surface pad. The air-bearing surface pad is arranged nearer to the leading end than the read/write element. This arrangement allows the read/write element portion to have a sufficient size, making it possible to mount the currently used read/write element and associated wiring structure. The individual adjustment of a flying height leads to the increased recording density. Moving the read/write element away from the disk during loading/unloading operations can enhance reliability.

Abstract: A data storage system capable of removing disk surface irregularities and/or contaminant particles on disk surfaces that may cause thermal asperities in the transducer output is provided. The data storage system provides selective in-situ operation between a normal read/write operation and a disk surface burnishing operation. One embodiment provides a data storage system, including: a data storage disk connected to a rotating actuator; a suspension load beam movably disposed above the data storage disk; and an air bearing slider assembly pivotally attached to the suspension load beam, the air bearing slider assembly including: a slider having an air bearing surface; a transducer disposed in a distal portion of the slider; a burnishing element disposed on the air bearing surface; and a pitch angle control assembly disposed in connection with the slider to control a pitch angle of the air bearing surface.

Abstract: To allow for adjusting the fly height of a read/write head carried by a slider, a shear transducer is added to the slider. The shear transducer comprises a layer of piezoelectric material added to the slider so that the portion of the slider carrying the read/write head can be moved when the shear transducer is sheared. To cause the shear transducer to shear, a voltage is applied across the piezoelectric layer. To control the movement of the transducer, a closed-loop control system is used. The control system senses the spacing between the read/write head and the disc surface, compares the sensed spacing to a desired spacing, and adjusts the voltage applied to the shear transducer to reduce the difference between the actual and desired spacing.

Abstract: A disk apparatus has a mechanism for adjusting a head load pressure exerted on a lower surface of a floppy disk by a lower magnetic head. The magnetic head load pressure adjustment mechanism is fixed to a carriage body, and includes a lower suspension and a head load pressure adjustment lever. The lower suspension has a head load spring portion, the spring force of which generates the load pressure exerted on the lower surface of the floppy disk by the lower magnetic head. Rotating the head load pressure adjustment lever changes the state of the deflection of the head load spring portion, thereby adjusting the head load pressure of the lower magnetic head.

Abstract: A read/write head assembly (20) is provided for use in a mass storage device such as a hard disk. drive. The read/write head assembly (20) is positioned on a suspension arm (18) and includes a read/write head (24) and a head lifter (22). The head lifter (22) positions the read/write head (24) in a first position and a second position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actively controlling the gram load on a disk drive suspension assembly and to a disk drive using the present disk drive suspension assembly. The gram load can be actively changed by changing the applied voltage to one or more multi-layer piezoelectric actuators attached to the head suspension. The active gram control system allows the gram load to be changed on a non-permanent basis and to control the gram load to a much finer scale than can be accomplished using conventional techniques. The disk drive suspension that uses a piezoelectric actuator having two or more layers. Each layer of the multi-layer piezoelectric actuator is poled in such a fashion that when energized, some piezoelectric layers contract while others expand, resulting in a curling motion.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for attenuating effects of externally generated vibration applied along multiple axes of a disc drive. The disc drive includes a disc with a recording surface, a read/write head and a servo circuit which detects and corrects head position error. The servo circuit determines a plant estimate indicative of transfer function response of the disc drive while the disc drive is operated off-line. A sensor network concurrently generates a plurality of acceleration signals each along a different axis of the disc drive and indicative of a different component of the externally generated vibration applied along the corresponding axis. An adaptive filter network adaptively filters the acceleration signals to generate a compensation signal. The compensation signal is fed forward to the servo circuit to remove the effects of the externally generated vibration.

Abstract: A disk head fly height adjustment method includes positioning a disk head over a surface of a rotating data storage disk and dynamically altering a load point of the disk head by changing an electrical force applied to an active element mounted to a head-gimbal assembly. A data storage apparatus includes a head assembly having a data transfer head coupled to a gimbal and an active element coupling the head assembly and a suspension. The active element is configured to exert a force between the head assembly and the suspension in response to an electrical force applied to the active element. The active element can dynamically shift a load point of a disk head. Shifting the load point can alter the pitch of the disk head and, consequently, the fly height of the head.

Abstract: The present invention provide a disk unit having a head suspension which includes a disk for storage of information, a head for writing and/or reading information on the disk, a driving unit for moving the head radially between an area above the disk and an area outside the outer periphery of the disk, and a head suspension for supporting the head and applying force to the head in a direction substantially vertical to the surface of the disk. The head suspension includes a first beam having a free end at which the head is mounted and a proximal end opposite to the free end, a second beam arranged in opposed position to the first beam and having two ends, one end thereof positioned on the side of the free end of the first beam and fixed to the first beam, the other end thereof spaced apart form the first beam, and a moving means for moving the first beam and the second beam relative to each other in a longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A suspension assembly which can be energized to provide in-situs fly height adjustment for a head of a disc drive or energizable to adjust preload force for CSS. The suspension assembly includes a shape memory flexure element having an energizable length differential. In one aspect, the flexure element is integrated with a flexible suspension circuit which provides advantages for manufacture and assembly. In another aspect, the flexure element is coupled to a bending portion of the head suspension assembly and energized to adjust flexure of the suspension assembly relative to the bending portion.

Abstract: Head load pressure generation means 36 is provided that flexibly supports an upper read/write head 25, via a leaf spring 27 attached to a main body 22, that moves forward and backward along the tracks on a magnetic data recording medium 3, and that adjusts the head load pressure applied to the upper read/write head 25 in accordance with whether a high-density or a low-density magnetic data recording medium is employed. Using this means, the head load pressure and the revolutions of a chucking motor are adjusted in accordance with whether a high-density or a low-density magnetic data recording medium is employed.

Abstract: A disk rotates and information is stored on the disk. An arm accesses the information and a fly height controller controls the height of the arm with respect to the disk as the disk rotates.

Abstract: A suspension arm (300) of a disk storage device has an elastic portion (310) with thickness d1 and a rigid portion (320) with thickness d2. At the free end of the suspension arm, a slider (325) is mounted on the suspension arm. The bottom surface of the slider has a distance FH to a top surface of a hard disk (329). The suspension arm particularly comprises a heating element (330) disposed on the suspension arm. An electric current Ic flowing through electrical supply wires (350) causes the temperature of the suspension arm locally to rise and therefore its spring constant to decrease. Together with the force Fa resulting from the air cushion effect of the slider a new equilibrium flying height FH is stabilized.

Abstract: Flying height Adjustment for Air Bearing Sliders An air bearing slider for sliding over a medium surface of a recording medium and having an air bearing surface facing the disk surface, a back surface perpendicular to the air bearing surface and a head at the back surface. During operation the head is maintained at a flying height above the disk surface with the aid of a flying height adjustment mechanism consisting of one or more ducts, each having an inlet at the air bearing surface and an outlet at the back surface. A valve mechanism controls an air flow through the duct or ducts by opening and closing the valve or valves together or independently. Alternatively, a deformable surface feature located on the back surface of the slider is used to alter the air flow to thus control the flying height. The mechanism of the invention allows one to achieve accurate flying height control in a range between 5 and 50 nm and between 0 nm and 15 nm as required for near-field or contact disk drives.

Abstract: A slider having a slider body is provided for actively controlling a fly height of the slider relative to a data storage disc. A first plurality of beams are affixed to a back surface of the slider body. The beams are disassociated from one another and are constructed of deformable material. Each beam, in response to an applied electrical control signal is deformable in a first dimension parallel to the back surface of the slider body. Deformation of the first plurality of beams in response to an applied electrical control signal affects slider fly height by changing one of slider body crown and cross curvatures to a greater extent than along the other. In accordance with other embodiments, multiple layers of deformable beams are attached to a slider. In yet other embodiments, piezoelectric material layers having anisotropic properties are substituted for beam layers.

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.

Abstract: A suspension assembly for supporting a slider carrying transducer elements. The suspension assembly including a load beam and a device for adaptively adjusting the flexure of the load beam to adjust preload force supplied to the slider.

Abstract: A disk drive system is disclosed. The disk drive system includes at least one substantially flat magnetic disk, at least one read/write head, at least one head stack assembly, and at least one axial positioning device. Each head stack assembly is coupled to at least one read/write head, which is suspended in proximity to a magnetic disk for reading data from and writing data to the magnetic disk. Each axial positioning device is coupled to at least one head stack assembly for variably positioning the head stack assembly in a direction substantially normal to the disk surfaces. By axial positioning of the head stack assembly, each read/write head can be loaded onto a magnetic disk by being suspended in close proximity to the magnetic disk at the flying height of the read/write head, or unloaded from the magnetic disk by being suspended at a height in relation to the magnetic disk greater than the flying height.

Abstract: A flying head mechanism includes a flying head, a suspension and an actuator which applies a load force through the suspension. The load force applied by the actuator is adjustable while the head is in operation. The actuator may actively control load force as part of a feedback loop which maintains the flying head at a constant flying height. One embodiment disclosed includes a voice coil actuator. In embodiments using an optical flying head, a conventional focus sensor may provide a signal indicative of flying height, since the focus signal inherently indicates flying height error.