Patent · US Expired

Suspension gimbal with reduced pitch stiffness, compliant preloading bridge and unloading limiters

US6549375B1 · kind B1 · utility

20Cited by
15References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 28, 2000
Grant dateApr 15, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B5/56
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A head suspension assembly, particularly useful in a disc drive that incorporates a head/microactuator assembly and dynamic loading and unloading of the head/microactuator assembly into and out of operative engagement with a disc. The head suspension includes a gimbal that that mounts the head/microactuator assembly via the microactuator, and thus allows the head assembly to be microstepped by the microactuator. The gimbal further includes reverse bending features providing increased pitch attitude compliance, and limiting features which interact with cooperative lifting features on the rigid beam of the head suspension to control the static attitude extremes of the head assembly during dynamic unloading of the head/microactuator assembly from operative engagement with a disc. In a further aspect of the invention, the head suspension includes mechanisms for controlling the attitude of the head/microactuator assembly relative to the disc during dynamic loading of the head/microactuator into operative engagement with the disc.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.