Patent · US Expired

Head gimbal assemblies for very low flying height heads with optional micro-actuators in a hard disk drive

US7336436B2 · kind B2 · utility

38Cited by
1References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 29, 2004
Grant dateFeb 26, 2008
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 29, 2024

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49025
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

Head gimbal assembly (HGA) may include a piezo layer mechanically coupled with the slider or include a piezo element mechanically coupled by the flexure to the slider top near the read-write head. A bridge flex circuit is included, providing a piezo-control bundle to at least one piezo layer lead. A flex circuit assembly may further provide a piezo control bundle, shared with piezo control bundles for multiple read-write heads. HGA may include a micro-actuator to position read-write head near track on accessed, rotating disk surface. Flex circuit assembly may provide a source control bundle, shared with the micro-actuator control bundles for multiple read-write heads. When accessing, all micro-actuators perform same positioning action, insuring proper positioning of read-write head. This applies to both co-located and non co-located micro-actuators. Wire bundles may include one or two active signal wires. Voice coil actuators and hard disk drives, and their manufacture, are included.

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