Balanced microactuator suspension

• US 6,362,939 B1
• Filed: 05/06/1999
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Bonin, Wayne A., Crane, Peter, Wissman, Barry D., Ihlow-Mahrer, Barbara J.
• Primary Examiner(s): OMETZ, DAVID LOUIS
• Application Number:
  US09/306,581
• Time in Patent Office: 1,055 Days
• Field of Search: 360/294, 360/294.1, 360/294.2, 360/294.3, 360/294.4, 360/294.5, 360/294.6, 360/78.05, 360/245.3, 360/245.4
• US Class Current: 360/294.5
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/5552 using fine positioning means for track acquisition separate from the coarse (e.g. track changing) positioning means

Abstract

A microactuator suspension supports a slider. The microactuator suspension has at least a first resilient support extending from a slider attachment pad to a suspension arm attachment pad. The slider attachment pad forms a clip which contacts the slider on side faces of the slider, and the microactuator adds little or nothing to the vertical thickness of the head gimbal assembly. The suspension arm attachment pad attaches to the gimbal with an attachment bridge which is longitudinally balanced relative to the gimbal point and relative to the air bearing centroid of the slider. The resilient supports may be beams having ends which are longitudinally spaced relative to the gimbal point, to the air bearing centroid, and to the attachment bridge to minimize moments and localized stresses on the beams. Dual beam and multiple beam arrangements are provided.

Claims

1. A structure for supporting a slider from a suspension arm over a disc, the structure comprising:

a microactuator suspension attachable to the suspension arm, wherein the microactuator suspension comprises;

a slider attachment pad for supporting a slider over a disc;

a first resilient support extending from the slider attachment pad, the first resilient support being flexible and resilient in an x-direction in-plane relative to the disc, the first resilient support being comparatively rigid in a z-direction perpendicular to the disc for supporting a pre-load force in the z-direction; and

a suspension arm attachment pad extending from the first resilient support;

wherein the slider attachment pad, the first resilient support and the suspension arm attachment pad are unitarily formed from a metal substrate; and

means on the microactuator suspension for attaching the microactuator suspension to the slider.

2. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a motive element for inducing movement of the slider attachment pad relative to the suspension arm attachment pad; and

electrical leads to the motive element, wherein the electrical leads comprise a fin extension.

3. The structure of claim 2, wherein the fin extension supports the suspension arm attachment pad.

4. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a stator fabricated on the microactuator suspension, the stator having a skewed core terminating in poles which are offset relative to the core.

5. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a stator fabricated on the microactuator suspension, the stator having a single coil with an axis around a core, the core terminating in poles which are angled relative to the axis of the coil.

6. A structure for supporting a slider from a suspension arm, the structure comprising:

a microactuator suspension attachable to the suspension arm, wherein the microactuator suspension comprises;

a slider attachment pad for supporting a movable part of a motive element;

a first resilient support extending from the slider attachment pad; and

a suspension arm attachment pad extending from the first resilient support the suspension arm attachment pad having a framing portion encircling the slider attachment pad, the suspension arm attachment pad comprising;

a stator supporting member for supporting a stator part of the motive element such that the motive element can induce relative movement between the slider attachment pad and the suspension arm attachment pad; and

a trailing crossbar extending from the stator supporting member by a second resilient support and attached to the slider attachment pad by the first resilient support; and

means on the microactuator suspension for attaching the microactuator suspension to the slider.

7. The structure of claim 6, further comprising an insulator fabricated on the trailing crossbar.

8. A structure for supporting a slider from a suspension arm, the structure comprising:

a microactuator suspension attachable to the suspension arm, wherein the microactuator suspension comprises;

a slider attachment pad;

a first resilient support extending from the slider attachment pad, the first resilient support being flexible and resilient in an x-direction, the first resilient support being comparatively rigid in a z-direction for supporting a pre-load force in the z-direction; and

a suspension arm attachment pad extending from the first resilient support;

 

wherein the slider attachment pad, the first resilient support and the suspension arm attachment pad are defined on a substrate by etch lines through the substrate, and further comprising a layer deposited on the substrate and extending over said etch lines; and

means on the microactuator suspension for attaching the microactuator suspension to the slider.

9. A structure for supporting a slider from a suspension arm, the structure comprising:

a microactuator suspension attachable to the suspension arm;

means on the microactuator suspension for attaching the microactuator suspension to the slider; and

a stator fabricated on the microactuator suspension, the stator having a lower ferromagnetic layer and an upper ferromagnetic layer over the lower ferromagnetic layer and narrower than the lower ferromagnetic layer.

10. A microactuator suspension assembly comprising:

a slider having a disc-opposing face, a back face opposite the disc-opposing face, and side faces running from the disc-opposing face to the back face; and

a microactuator suspension supporting the slider, the microactuator suspension comprising;

a slider attachment pad attached to the slider;

a first resilient support extending from the slider attachment pad, the first resilient support being flexible and resilient in an x-direction parallel to the disc-opposing face for micro-actuation of the slider, the first resilient support being comparatively rigid in a z-direction perpendicular to the disc-opposing face for supporting a pre-load force in the z-direction on the slider; and

a suspension arm attachment pad extending from the first resilient support;

wherein the slider attachment pad contacts the slider on a first of the side faces of the slider.

11. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 10, wherein the microactuator suspension further comprises:

a second resilient support extending from the slider attachment pad to the suspension arm attachment pad, the second resilient support being flexible and resilient in the x-direction for micro-actuation of the slider, the second resilient support being comparatively rigid in the z-direction for supporting a pre-load force in the z-direction on the slider;

wherein the slider attachment pad contacts the slider on a second of the side faces of the slider which opposes the first side face.

12. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 11, wherein the side faces of the slider include a leading side face running from the first side face to the second side face, wherein the microactuator suspension further comprises:

a front butt-up section on the slider attachment pad, the front butt-up section contacting the leading side face of the slider thereby longitudinally positioning the slider relative to the microactuator suspension.

13. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 12, wherein the side faces of the slider include a trailing side face opposite the leading side face, with a slider length between the leading side face and the trailing side face, wherein the microactuator suspension leaves the trailing side face of the slider fully exposed.

14. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 11, wherein the slider has a slider width between the first side face and the second side face, wherein the slider attachment pad comprises a first side arm and an opposing second side arm, wherein the first side arm and the second side arm are biased outward due to the slider width such that the slider attachment pad forms a clip having an interference fit with the slider.

15. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a motive element disposed at least in part on the microactuator suspension;

wherein the disc-opposing face of the slider defines a first plane and the back face of the slider defines a second plane spaced from the first plane; and

wherein the motive element lies at least partially between the first plane and the second plane.

16. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 10, wherein the slider attachment pad comprises:

a contact touching the slider; and

an adhesive face adjacent the contact, the adhesive face spaced from the first side face of the slider by an adhesive wicking distance; and

wherein the microactuator suspension assembly further comprises adhesive attaching the adhesive face of the slider attachment pad and the first side face of the slider.

17. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 10, wherein the first resilient support comprises:

a first beam extending from a leading end to a trailing end and having a first beam length between its leading and trailing ends; and

a second beam extending from a leading end to a trailing end and having a second beam length between its leading and trailing ends;

wherein the first beam length is not equal to the second beam length.

18. The microactuator suspension assembly of claim 10, wherein the first resilient support comprises:

a first beam extending longitudinally from a first beam leading end to a first beam trailing end; and

a second beam extending longitudinally from a second beam leading end to a second beam trailing end, wherein at least one of the second beam leading end and the second beam trailing end is longitudinally offset from a corresponding one of the first beam leading end and first beam trailing end.

19. A microactuator suspension assembly comprising:

a slider;

a microactuator suspension supporting the slider, the microactuator suspension comprising;

a suspension arm attachment pad supporting a stator part of a motive element;

a first resilient support extending from the suspension arm attachment pad from a leading side of the slider past a trailing side of the slider; and

a slider attachment pad having a trailing crossbar, the trailing crossbar extending from the first resilient support, the slider attachment pad supporting a movable part of the motive element such that the slider attachment pad is movable relative to the suspension arm attachment pad through flexing of the first resilient support, the slider attachment pad being in supporting contact with the slider, wherein the slider attachment pad with the trailing crossbar encircles the slider.