Head suspension for disk drive

• US 20020051317A1
• Filed: 03/16/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Original Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Hanya, Masao, Ohkawara, Osamu, Uozumi, Kouji, Takagi, Yasuji, Horle, Norio
• Granted Patent: US 6,798,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/244.5
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4833 Structure of the arm assembly, e.g. load beams, flexures, parts of the arm adapted for controlling vertical force on the head G11B5/484 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/484 Integrated arm assemblies, e.g. formed by material deposition or by etching from single piece of metal or by lamination of materials forming a single arm/suspension/head unit

Abstract

A head suspension for a disk drive has support plate means (3, 7) serving as a carriage arm and a load beam (5). The load beam consists of a rigid part (13) and a resilient part (15), to apply load to a slider (43) of a head. The support plate means (3, 7) consists of at least layered two plates (3, 7). At least one (7) of the plates (3, 7) has a thickness (t2) appropriate for forming precision holes therethrough by etching. A pivot hole (31) is formed through the plate (7). A loose hole (9) larger than and substantially concentric with the pivot hole is formed through the plate (3). The plates (3, 7) have improved flatness, and the pivot hole has improved accuracy.

Claims

1. A head suspension for a disk drive, comprising:

support plate means fitted to and supported by a support of a carriage in the disk drive, the support plate means serving as a carriage arm of the carriage; and

a load beam resiliently supported by the support plate means and having at least a rigid part, for applying load onto a slider of a head, wherein;

the support plate means is at least made of layered first and second plates;

at least the first plate has a thickness appropriate for forming precision holes therethrough by etching;

a pivot hole to be fitted to the support of the carriage is formed through the first plate; and

one of a pivot hole and a loose hole is formed through the second plate, the pivot hole being equal to and concentric with the pivot hole of the first plate, the loose hole being larger than and substantially concentric with the pivot hole of the first plate.

2. The head suspension of claim 1, wherein:

the second plate consists of a resin layer and a metal layer, the resin layer interposing between the first plate and the metal layer, to provide a three-layer structure for the support plate means.

3. The head suspension of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second plates form a long base plate.

4. The head suspension of claim 2, wherein:

the first and second plates form a long base plate.

5. The head suspension of claim 3, further comprising a resilient material for supporting the rigid part of the load beam with respect to the support plate means, wherein:

a first end of the resilient material is laid on and fixed to an end of the rigid part, and a second end of the resilient material is laid on and fixed to an end of the long base plate.

6. The head suspension of claim 4, further comprising a resilient material for supporting the rigid part of the load beam with respect to the support plate means, wherein:

a first end of the resilient material is laid on and fixed to an end of the rigid part, and a second end of the resilient material is laid on and fixed to an end of the long base plate.

7. The head suspension of claim 3, wherein:

the load beam has the rigid part and a resilient part for resiliently supporting the rigid part with respect to the support plate means and is integrally formed from a single plate; and

an end of the load beam is laid on and fixed to an end of the long base plate.

8. The head suspension of claim 4, wherein:

the load beam has the rigid part and a resilient part for resiliently supporting the rigid part with respect to the support plate means and is integrally formed from a single plate; and

an end of the load beam is laid on and fixed to an end of the long base plate.

9. The head suspension of claim 1, wherein:

the first plate is integral with the load beam; and

the second plate forms a long base plate.

10. The head suspension of claim 2, wherein:

the first plate is integral with the load beam; and

the second plate forms a long base plate.

11. The head suspension of claim 1, wherein:

the first plate integrally has a resilient part for supporting the rigid part with respect to the support plate means; and

an end of the load beam is laid on and fixed to an end of the resilient part.

12. The head suspension of claim 2, wherein:

the first plate integrally has a resilient part for supporting the rigid part with respect to the support plate means; and

an end of the load beam is laid on and fixed to an end of the resilient part.

13. The head suspension of claim 3, wherein:

the first plate integrally has a resilient part for supporting the rigid part with respect to the support plate means; and

an end of the load beam is laid on and fixed to an end of the resilient part.

14. The head suspension of claim 4, wherein:

the first plate integrally has a resilient part for supporting the rigid part with respect to the support plate means; and

an end of the load beam is laid on and fixed to an end of the resilient part.