Abstract: An Extended Circuit Integrated Suspension (ECIS) design and manufacture thereof, to allow for circuit elements to be disposed onto the load beam on the opposite side of the flexure circuit. An Extended Circuit Integrated Suspension (ECIS) may include a load beam; a flexure circuit comprising a plurality of traces; and a connection portion which connects the load beam laterally to the flexure circuit. The load beam, the flexure circuit, and the connecting portion may be formed as a single component from a single panel, and the connection portion is oriented so that the connection portion is folded to place the flexure circuit onto a first side of the load beam. Applications for the use of the extended circuit are many, and a semi-collocated micro-actuator (SCLMA) is illustrated for example.

Abstract: A flexure has a metal base plate, an insulating layer formed on the metal base plate, a wiring pattern formed on the insulating layer, a read-write head connected to a first end of the wiring pattern, and terminals for external connection that are adjacent to each other and are connected to a second end of the wiring pattern. The flexure includes a hole formed through the insulating layer in the vicinity of respective one of the adjacent terminals and an exposed part being a part of the metal base plate that is exposed through the hole to the terminals. A distance between the respective one of the adjacent terminals and the exposed part exposed through the hole in the vicinity thereof is shorter than a distance between the adjacent terminals.