LOADBEARING FINE ACTUATOR PROTECTION FEATURE
By using load beams with enlarged openings to prevent contact between bend sections and the load beam, the design protects PZT elements from shock loads, ensuring improved reliability and performance of fine actuators in hard disk drives.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-06-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-26
AI Technical Summary
Hard disk drives face challenges in protecting fine actuators, particularly PZT elements, from shock loads during non-operational events, which can cause hairline cracks or complete failure due to the gimbal section's reaction to mechanical shocks, impacting the structural integrity and performance of the actuator.
The design incorporates load beams with enlarged openings that prevent leading edge sections of the bend from contacting the load beam during shock events, maintaining a gimbal-like bending distance to protect the PZT elements, allowing for thinner and lighter actuators with improved reliability and performance.
This solution enhances the mechanical integrity and reliability of fine actuators by preventing damage from shock loads, enabling thinner PZTs with improved actuation and dynamic performance.
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Abstract
Description
AREA OF EXECUTION FORMS
[0001] Embodiments of the invention can generally relate to hard disk drives and, in particular, to a gimbal spacing feature of a load beam for protection against shock loads on the fine actuator. BACKGROUND
[0002] A hard disk drive (HDD) is a non-volatile storage device housed in a protective enclosure that stores digitally encoded data on one or more circular platters with magnetic surfaces. When an HDD is operating, each magnetic recording platter is rapidly spun by a spindle system. Data is read from and written to a magnetic recording platter using a read / write head (or "transducer") that is positioned over a specific location on a platter by an actuator. A read / write head uses magnetic fields to write data and to read data from the surface of a magnetic recording platter. A write head uses the flow of electricity through its coil to generate a magnetic field. Electrical pulses are sent to the write head with different patterns of positive and negative currents.The current in the coil of the write head generates a localized magnetic field through the gap between the head and the magnetic disk, which in turn magnetizes a small area on the recording medium.
[0003] A hard disk drive (HDD) includes at least one gimbal head assembly (HGA), which generally comprises a slider containing the read / write converter (or "head") and a suspension. Each slider is attached to the free end of a suspension, which in turn cantilevers from the rigid arm of an actuator. Multiple actuator arms can be combined to form a single moving unit, a head stack assembly (HSA), which typically incorporates a rotating pivot bearing system. The suspension of a conventional HDD usually includes a relatively rigid load beam with a mounting plate at its base end, which is attached to the actuator arm, and a bend at its free end (at least one section of which may be called a "gimbal ring" or "gimbal bend") that supports the slider and its read / write head.An effective "hinge" is positioned between the mounting plate and the functional end of the load bar, providing flex in the vertical bending direction (normal to the platter surface). This hinge allows the load bar to suspend the slider and read / write head, loading them in the direction of the rotating platter surface. The function of the flexion is then to provide gimbal support to the slider, allowing it to tilt and roll to adjust its orientation. However, customer specifications and / or general design and operating constraints include operational shock (or "op-shock") and non-operating shock (or "non-op-shock") requirements, which generally refer to the resistance or tolerance of an HDD to a mechanical shock event during or outside of operation.
[0004] All approaches that can be described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise stated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art simply because it is included here. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] Embodiments are illustrated by way of example and without limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used to denote similar elements: Fig. Figure 1 is a top view illustrating a hard disk drive according to one embodiment; Fig. 2A is a side top view of a glider illustrating a gimbal head assembly (HGA); Fig. Figure 2B is a perspective view illustrating a thermally assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) HGA; Fig. 2C is a side view of a load beam, which the HAMR-HGA of Fig. 2B illustrates; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken by the HGA from Fig. 2B to 2C corresponds to a non-operational shock deflection state; Fig. Figure 4 is a side view of a load beam illustrating an HGA according to one embodiment; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken by the HGA from Fig. 4 corresponds to a non-operational shock deflection state according to an embodiment; Fig. Figure 6 is a schematic top view showing the load beam openings according to the HGA of Fig. 2C and the HGA of Fig. 4 illustrated according to one embodiment; and Fig. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a gimbal head assembly according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0006] In general, approaches for a gimbal-type distance feature of a load beam to protect the fine actuator from shock loads in a hard disk drive (HDD) are described. For explanatory purposes, numerous specific details are presented in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention described herein. However, it will be evident that the embodiments of the invention described herein can be implemented without these specific details. In other cases, known structures and devices may be shown in block diagram form to avoid making the embodiments of the invention described herein unnecessarily unclear. Introduction Terminology
[0007] References herein to “an embodiment” and the like are intended to mean that the particular feature, structure, or characteristic is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. However, the occurrence of such expressions does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment.
[0008] The term "essentially" is to be understood as describing a feature that is largely or almost fully structured, set up, dimensioned, etc., but where, in practice, manufacturing tolerances and the like may lead to a situation in which the structure, setup, dimension, etc., is not always or necessarily exactly as specified. For example, describing a structure as "essentially vertical" would give this term its obvious meaning, such that the structure is vertical for all practical purposes, but may not be exactly at 90 degrees everywhere.
[0009] Even though terms such as "optimal," "optimize," "minimal," "minimize," "maximize," "maximize," and the like may have specific values not directly associated with them, when these terms are used herein, the intention is that the person skilled in the art would understand these terms to include a value, parameter, metric, and the like in a beneficial direction consistent with the entirety of this disclosure. For example, describing a value of something as "minimal" does not require that the value actually be equal to a theoretical minimum (e.g., zero), but should be understood in a practical sense as meaning that a corresponding objective would be to move the value in a beneficial direction toward a theoretical minimum. context
[0010] The increasing areal density (a measure of the amount of information bits that can be stored on a given disk surface) has led to the necessary development and implementation of secondary and even tertiary actuators (generally "fine actuators") to improve head positioning through relatively fine positioning, in addition to a primary voice-coil motor actuator (e.g., VCM actuator) that provides relatively coarse positioning. Some HDDs use milli- or micro-actuator designs to provide a second and / or third stage of actuation of the recording head, enabling more accurate positioning of the head relative to the recording tracks. Milli-actuators can be generally classified as actuators that move the entire front end of the suspension, e.g., load bars, flex, and sliders, and are commonly used as second-stage actuators.Micro-actuators (or “micro-actuators”) can be generally classified as actuators that move only the slider (e.g., rotate it) by moving it relative to the suspension and load beam, or that move only the read / write element relative to the slider body. A micro-actuator can be used alone in conjunction with a first-stage actuator (e.g., VCM) or in conjunction with a first-stage actuator and a second-stage actuator (e.g., milliactuator) for more precise head positioning.Unless otherwise specified, the terms "microactuator," "milliactuator," "secondary actuator," "tertiary actuator," "two-stage actuator," "fine actuator," and the like, as used herein, generally refer to an actuator for relatively fine positioning (technically either secondary or tertiary) used in conjunction with a primary actuator for relatively coarse positioning, such as a VCM actuator in the context of an HDD. Piezoelectric (PZT) and capacitive micromachined transducers are two types of fine actuators designed for use with HDD sliders.
[0011] Another approach to increasing areal density involves the use of heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR). In HAMR, a laser light source (e.g., a laser diode) is integrated onto a magnetic recording head slider. Laser diodes are fragile and not typically suitable for direct mechanical attachment to the head slider. Therefore, a submount arrangement can be used to mount the laser diode to the slider body. Adding such HAMR components to an otherwise conventional head slider introduces additional mechanical tolerances and constraints, as well as different structural dynamics, into the slider suspension designs.
[0012] It should be noted that the function of the flex is to provide gimbal support to the slider, allowing it to tilt and roll to adjust its orientation. It should also be noted that customer specifications and / or general design and operating constraints may include non-op shock requirements, which generally refer to an HDD's resistance or tolerance to a mechanical shock event. Fig. Figure 2A is a side view of the glider, illustrating a gimbal head assembly (HGA). Fig. Figure 2B is a perspective view illustrating a thermally assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) HGA, and Fig. 2C is a side view of the load beam, which represents the HAMR-HGA of Fig. Figure 2B illustrates this. A gimbal head assembly (GHA) 200 has a suspension arrangement that includes a bend 202 which is movably coupled to a load beam 203. A slider 204 is mounted on the bend 202 (e.g., on a section of a "bend tongue" or "cardan tongue"), and while the bend 202 is rigidly coupled to the load beam 203 via at least one weld, the GHA 200 is designed and configured such that the bend 202 is gimbal-mounted with the slider 204 about a recess 203d (e.g., tilts and rolls). Here the glider 204 is shown as a HAMR glider, which has a submount 204 h to which a laser is coupled, and the load beam 203 further has a distal opening 203o-2 through it, which is positioned to superimpose the submount 204h.
[0013] If the HDD, and by extension the HGA 200, is subjected to an out-of-service shock, the fine actuator PZT elements 208 (or simply "PZT 208") will be subjected to shock vibration loads that can cause hairline cracks or complete failure of a PZT. This is particularly possible with gimbal-based PZT actuator suspension designs, since the gimbal section of the bend 202 is designed for the flight capability of the read / write head (e.g., glider 204), and thus the gimbal ring could rotate and rebound in response to contact with the load bar 203 during out-of-service shock events. For example, with reference to Fig. 2C, leading edge sections (LE sections) 202le of the bend 202, shown through spacer openings 203o-1, touch the load beam 203 during such an event.
[0014] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken by the HGA from Fig. 2B to 2C corresponds to a non-operational shock deflection state. Note that the slider 204 is shown pointing upwards and not downwards, as in Fig. 2B to 2C. It should also be noted that bend 202 is a fairly thin component and is designed to be structurally flexible. It should also be noted that bend 202 is designed to pivot gimbal-like when connected to recess 203d ( Fig. 2B to 2C) of the load beam 203 (here simplified as a thin membrane) comes into contact. The point is that the bend 202 is very flexible / elastic and its reaction to an impact event is therefore complex, i.e., non-trivial. As shown, sections of the bend 202, including section 202le of bend LE, especially together with the slider 204, eventually bend downwards in response to the impact event. Here, section 202le of bend LE is shown such that, as part of a downward bending reaction, it is just about to touch the load beam 203 in the marked area 205. Furthermore, it is shown here that the PZT 208 bends slightly in response to the impact event and the resulting reaction of bend 202.Such bending stress, in conjunction with the considerable stress that continues to be introduced into the PZT 208 in response to the actual contact between bend 202 and load beam 203, can damage the structural integrity of the fine actuator PZTs 208.
[0015] Therefore, protecting and ensuring the mechanical integrity of the fine actuator PZTs (e.g., PZT 208) is a goal related to maintaining their functional performance and reliability, as any PZT failure could have devastating consequences for the HDD. One approach might involve increasing the thickness of the PZT to make it more resistant to shock loads. However, this would increase the gimbal mass, which could negatively impact its actuation and dynamic performance. Another approach might involve implementing a narrow-width load bar design, which is not necessarily practical in the context of a HAMR load bar due to the typical mounting opening for the laser diode (e.g., opening 203o-2 in load bar 203).Therefore, challenges remain regarding the gimbal spacing of the bend relative to the load beam, such as in response to non-operational shock events, to protect the integrity of the fine actuator PZT elements. Load beams with touch-proof openings
[0016] Fig. Figure 4 is a side view of a load beam illustrating an HGA according to one embodiment. In some ways similar to the HGA 200 from Fig. In 2A to 2C, the gimbal head assembly (HGA) 400 has a suspension arrangement that includes a bend 402 which is movably coupled to a load beam 403. A slider 204 is mounted on the bend 402 (e.g., on a section of a "bend tongue" or "cardan tongue"), and while the bend 402 is rigidly coupled to the load beam 403 via at least one weld, the HGA 400 is designed and configured such that the bend 402 is gimbal-mounted with the slider 204 about a recess 403d (e.g., tilts and rolls). According to one embodiment, the slider 204 is configured as a HAMR slider which has a submount 204h ( Fig. 4) has a laser coupled to it, and the load beam 403 further has a distal opening 403o-2 through it, which is positioned to superimpose the submount 204h.
[0017] Here too, it generally applies that if the HDD and, by extension, also the HGA 400 are subjected to a non-operational shock, the fine actuator PZT elements 208 are subjected to shock vibration loads that could damage a PZT. However, given the enlarged openings 403o-1 of the load beam 403, the leading edge (LE) sections 402le of the bend 402, which are shown through one or more openings 403o-1, are prevented from coming into contact with the load beam 403 during such an event. This is because each opening 403o-1 of the load beam 403 is shaped and positioned to overlap the respective corner section of the LE section 402le (e.g., LE section of the tongue section) of the bend 402 in order to avoid contact between the load beam 403 and the corner section of the LE section 402le in response to an impact event. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken by the HGA from Fig. 4 corresponds to a non-operational shock deflection state according to one embodiment. It should be noted that the slider 204 is shown pointing upwards and not downwards, as in Fig. 4. As shown, sections of bend 402, including section 402le of bend LE, especially together with the slider 204, may eventually bend downwards in response to the impact event. Here, bend section LE 402le is shown to demonstrate that, as part of the bending reaction, it bends downwards with the load beam 403 (here simplified as a thin membrane) in region 205 of Fig. 3 does not come into contact. In this way, a certain degree of stress (e.g., impulse stress) exerted on the PZT 208 in response to contact between bend 402 and load beam 403 is avoided, and therefore damage to the fine actuator PZTs 208 is also avoided / prevented. Studies have shown that the survival chances of the PZT 208 in the event of a non-operational impact would be significantly improved in a setup such as the one shown and described for the HGA 400, compared to the PZT 208 corresponding to a setup such as the one shown and described for the HGA 200 ( Fig. 2A to 3).
[0018] Fig. Figure 6 is a schematic top view showing the load beam openings according to the HGA of Fig. 2C and the HGA of Fig. Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment. The openings 4030-1 of the HGA 400 are shown above the openings 2030-1 of the HGA 200. This comparison illustrates that the openings 4030-1 are generally longer and wider at a proximal end than the openings 2030-1, thus providing the desired distance to the bend 402 ( Fig. 4 to 5). According to one embodiment, each opening 403o-1 of the load beam 403 has a distal edge 403o-1a, a proximal edge 403o-1b opposite the distal edge 403o-1a and having a length greater than the length of the distal edge 403o-1a, an inner edge 403o-1c connecting the distal and proximal edges 403o-1a and 403o-1b, and an outer edge 403o-1d opposite the inner edge 403o-1c having a distal section 403o-1d-1 extending at an angle of more than 90 degrees from the distal edge 403o-1a over a large part of the distance between the distal edge 403o-1a and the proximal edge 403o-1b. to a proximal section 403o-1d-2, which extends from the distal section 403o-1d-1 to the proximal edge 403o-1b.This or a similar shape for the openings 403o-1 provides the desired physical / mechanical distance between bend 402 and load beam 403 in connection with an impact event. Method for assembling a gimbal head assembly
[0019] Fig. Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating a method for manufacturing a gimbal head assembly according to one embodiment. A gimbal head assembly (GBA) manufactured according to the method of Fig. 7. Assembled, manufactured and produced, it is designed, set up and intended for implementation in a hard disk drive (HDD) (see e.g. Fig. 1).
[0020] In block 702, forming a load beam that has a plurality of proximal openings through it. For example, load beam 403 is formed with a plurality of proximal openings 403o-1 through it.
[0021] In Block 704, coupling a bend with a slider side of the load beam, wherein the bend has a gimbal section to which a plurality of piezoelectric actuator elements are coupled, and the gimbal section has leading-edge corner sections proximal to the piezoelectric actuator elements, and wherein each of the openings of the load beam is shaped and positioned to superimpose each respective corner section of the bend to avoid contact between the load beam and the corner section in response to an impact event.For example, the bend 402 is coupled to a slider side of the load beam 403, wherein the bend 402 has a gimbal (or tongue) section to which a plurality of piezoelectric (PZT) actuator elements 208 are coupled, and the gimbal section has leading-edge corner sections 402le proximal to the PZTs 208, and wherein each of the openings 403o-1 of the load beam 403 is shaped and positioned to superimpose each respective corner section 402le of the bend 402 to avoid contact between the load beam 403 and the corner section 402le in response to an impact event.
[0022] Thus, in the embodiments described herein, a gimbal-like bending distance relative to the load beam is provided / enabled to protect the integrity of the fine actuator PZT elements, for example, in response to non-operational shock events. This improves the reliability and service life of the PZT and allows the use of thinner / lighter PZTs, which can increase their actuation and dynamic performance. Physical description of an illustrative operational context
[0023] These embodiments can be used in conjunction with a digital data storage device (DSD), such as a hard disk drive (HDD). Thus, according to one embodiment, in Fig. Figure 1 shows a top view illustrating a conventional HDD 100 to support the description of the usual operation of an HDD.
[0024] Fig. Figure 1 illustrates the functional arrangement of components of the HDD 100, including a slider 110b enclosing a magnetic read / write head 110a. Collectively, the slider 110b and the head 110a can be referred to as the head slider. The HDD 100 includes at least one gimbal head suspension (HGA) 110, which encloses the head slider, a guide suspension 110c typically attached to the head slider by a bend, and a load beam 110d attached to the guide suspension 110c. The HDD 100 also includes at least one recording medium 120 rotatably mounted on a spindle 124, and a drive motor (not shown) attached to the spindle 124 to rotate the medium 120. The read / write head 110a, which can also be referred to as a converter, includes a write element and a read element for the respective writing and reading of information stored on the medium 120 of the HDD 100.The medium 120 or a variety of plate media can be attached to the spindle 124 using a plate clamp 128.
[0025] The HDD 100 further includes an arm 132 attached to the HGA 110, a carriage 134, a voice coil motor (VCM) comprising an armature 136 including a voice coil 140 attached to the carriage 134, and a stator 144 including a voice coil magnet (not shown). The armature 136 of the VCM is attached to the carriage 134 and configured to move the arm 132 and the HGA 110 to access sections of the medium 120, all of which are mounted together on a pivot 148 with a rotary bearing assembly 152 positioned between them. In the case of a multi-disk HDD, the carriage 134 can be referred to as an "E-block" or comb, since the carriage is arranged to support a series of arms, giving it the appearance of a comb.
[0026] An arrangement comprising a gimbal head suspension (e.g., the HGA 110), including a bend to which the head slider is coupled, an actuating arm (e.g., the arm 132) and / or a load beam to which the bend is coupled, and an actuator (e.g., the VCM) to which the actuator arm is coupled, can be collectively referred to as a head stack arrangement (HSA). However, an HSA may include more or fewer components than those described. For example, an HSA may refer to an arrangement that further includes electrical connection components. In general, an HSA is the arrangement configured to move the head slider to access portions of the medium 120 for read and write operations.
[0027] With further reference to Fig. 1. Electrical signals (e.g., current to the voice coil 140 of the VCM), comprising a write signal to and a read signal from the head 110a, are transmitted via a flexible cable assembly (FCA) 156 (or “flexible cable” or “flexible printed circuit board” (FPC)). The connection between the flexible cable 156 and the head 110a may include an arm electronics (AE) module 160, which may have an integrated preamplifier for the read signal as well as other electronic components of the read and write channels. The AE module 160 may be attached to the carriage 134 as shown. The flexible cable 156 may be coupled to an electrical connector block 164, which in some configurations provides an electrical connection through an electrical feedthrough provided by an HDD enclosure 168.The HDD enclosure 168 (or “enclosure base” or “base plate” or simply “base”) in conjunction with an HDD cover provides a semi-sealed (or in some facilities hermetically sealed) protective enclosure for the information storage components of the HDD 100.
[0028] Other electronic components, including a disk controller and servo electronics with a digital signal processor (DSP), provide electrical signals to the drive motor, the voice coil 140 of the VCM, and the head 110a of the HGA 110. The electrical signal provided to the drive motor enables it to rotate and provide torque to the spindle 124, which in turn is transmitted to the medium 120 attached to the spindle 124. This causes the medium 120 to rotate in a direction 172. The rotating medium 120 creates an air cushion that acts as an air bearing on which the air bearing surface (ABS) of the glider 110b runs, allowing the glider 110b to fly above the surface of the medium 120 without touching a thin magnetic recording layer where information is recorded.Similarly, in an HDD where a lighter gas than air is used, such as helium as a non-restrictive example, the rotating medium 120 creates a gas cushion that acts as a gas or fluid bearing on which the glider 110b runs.
[0029] The electrical signal supplied to the voice coil 140 of the VCM enables the head 110a of the HGA 110 to access a track 176 on which information is recorded. Thus, the armature 136 of the VCM oscillates through an arc 180, allowing the head 110a of the HGA 110 to access various tracks on the medium 120. Information is stored on the medium 120 in a multitude of radially nested tracks in sectors on the medium 120, such as sector 184. Accordingly, each track is composed of a multitude of sectored track segments (or "track sector"), such as a sectored track segment 188. Each sectored track segment 188 can include recorded information, a header containing error correction code information, and a servo burst signal pattern, such as an ABCD servo burst signal pattern, which is information that identifies the track 176.Upon accessing track 176, the read element of the head 110a of the HGA 110 reads the servo burst signal pattern, which provides the servo electronics with a position error signal (PES). This PES controls the electrical signal supplied to the voice coil 140 of the VCM, thus enabling the head 110a to follow track 176. After locating track 176 and identifying a specific sectored track segment 188, the head 110a either reads information from track 176 or writes information to track 176, depending on instructions received by the disk controller from an external agent, such as a microprocessor of a computer system.
[0030] The electronic architecture of a hard disk drive (HDD) incorporates a variety of electronic components for performing their respective functions in operating the HDD, such as a hard disk controller (HDC), an interface controller, an ARM electronics module, a data channel, a motor driver, a servo processor, buffer memory, and so on. Two or more such components can be combined on a single integrated circuit board, known as a system-on-a-chip (SoC). Some, if not all, of these electronic components are typically located on a circuit board that is coupled to the bottom of an HDD, such as the HDD enclosure 168.
[0031] References herein to a hard disk drive, such as the HDD 100, which refers to Fig.As illustrated and described in Figure 1, a data storage device, sometimes referred to as a "hybrid drive," may have the functionality of both a conventional hard disk drive (HDD) (see, for example, the HDD 100) and a solid-state storage device (SSD) using non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, or other solid-state memory (e.g., integrated circuits) that is electrically erasable and programmable. Since the operation, management, and control of the different types of storage media typically differ, the solid-state portion of a hybrid drive may include its own corresponding control functionality, which, along with the HDD functionality, can be integrated into a single controller.A hybrid drive can be designed and configured to serve and utilize the solid-state portion in various ways, such as, but not limited to, using the solid-state storage as cache storage, for storing frequently accessed data, for storing I / O (input / output) intensive data, and so on. Furthermore, a hybrid drive can essentially be designed and configured as two storage devices in a single enclosure—that is, a traditional hard disk drive and an SSD—with either one or more interfaces for host connectivity. Extensions and alternatives
[0032] The preceding description described embodiments of the invention with reference to numerous specific details that may vary from implementation to implementation. Therefore, various modifications and changes may be made to it without departing from the broader spirit and scope of protection of the embodiments. Thus, the sole and exclusive indicator of what the invention is and what the applicants refer to as the invention is the set of claims arising from this application, in the specific form in which those claims are asserted, including any subsequent amendment. All definitions expressly set forth herein for terms contained in such claims govern the meaning of the terms used in the claims.Therefore, no limitation, element, property, feature, advantage, or attribute that is not expressly mentioned in a claim should in any way restrict the scope of protection of such claim. Accordingly, the description and drawings should be considered illustrative rather than limiting.
[0033] Furthermore, this description may specify that certain process steps are performed in a particular order, and alphabetical and alphanumeric reference symbols may be used to identify specific steps. Unless expressly stated otherwise in the description, embodiments are not necessarily restricted to a specific order of execution of such steps. In particular, the reference symbols serve only to conveniently identify steps and are not intended to specify or require a particular order of execution of such steps.
Claims
[1] Cardan head assembly (HGA), comprising: a load beam having a proximal opening through it; and a bend coupled to the load beam, wherein the bend exhibits: a tongue section to which a fine actuator is coupled, wherein the tongue section has a corner section proximal to the fine actuator; wherein the opening of the load beam is shaped and positioned to overlap the corner section of the tongue section of the bend in order to avoid contact between the load beam and the corner section in response to an impact event. [2] HGA according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the load beam further overlaps at least one section of the fine actuator. [3] HGA according to claim 1, wherein the fine actuator comprises a pair of piezoelectric elements. [4] HGA according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the load beam has more than four edges. [5] HGA according to claim 1, wherein the opening of the load beam has: a distal edge; a proximal edge that is opposite the distal edge and has a length that is greater than the length of the distal edge; an inner edge that connects the distal and proximal edges; and an outer edge opposite the inner edge and having a distal section extending at an angle of more than 90 degrees over most of the distance between the distal edge and the proximal edge, from the distal edge to a proximal section extending from the distal section to the proximal edge. [6] HGA according to claim 1, wherein: the proximal opening through the load beam is a first lateral opening; the load beam also has a second lateral opening, which is opposite the first lateral opening around a center line of the load beam; the corner section of the tongue section of the bend is a first lateral corner section; the tongue section of the bend further comprises a second lateral corner section which is opposite the first lateral corner section about a center line of the bend; and the second lateral opening of the load beam is shaped and positioned to overlap the second lateral corner section of the tongue section of the bend in order to avoid contact between the load beam and the second lateral corner section in response to an impact event. [7] Hard disk drive comprising the HGA according to claim 1. [8] Hard disk drive (HDD), comprising: Recording disk media that are rotatably mounted on a spindle; Means for reading from and writing to a recording disk medium; Means for moving the multitude of head gliders to access sections of the recording disk media; and a gimbal head assembly (GBA) coupled to the means of movement, wherein the GBA comprises: a load beam that has a proximal opening through it, and a bend coupled to the load beam, wherein: the bend has a tongue section to which a fine actuator is coupled, and the tongue section has a corner section proximal to the fine actuator, wherein the opening of the load beam is shaped and positioned to overlap the corner section of the tongue section of the bend in order to avoid contact between the load beam and the corner section in response to an impact event. [9] HDD according to claim 8, wherein the opening of the load bar further overlaps at least one section of the fine actuator. [10] HDD according to claim 8, wherein the fine actuator comprises a pair of piezoelectric elements. [11] HDD according to claim 8, wherein the opening of the load beam has more than four edges. [12] HDD according to claim 8, wherein the opening of the load bar has: a distal edge; a proximal edge that is opposite the distal edge and has a length that is greater than the length of the distal edge; an inner edge that connects the distal and proximal edges; and an outer edge opposite the inner edge and having a distal section extending at an angle of more than 90 degrees over most of the distance between the distal edge and the proximal edge, from the distal edge to a proximal section extending from the distal section to the proximal edge. [13] HDD according to claim 8, wherein: the proximal opening through the load beam is a first lateral opening; the load beam also has a second lateral opening, which is opposite the first lateral opening around a center line of the load beam; the corner section of the tongue section of the bend is a first lateral corner section; the tongue section of the bend further comprises a second lateral corner section which is opposite the first lateral corner section about a center line of the bend; and the second lateral opening of the load beam is shaped and positioned to overlap the second lateral corner section of the tongue section of the bend in order to avoid contact between the load beam and the second lateral corner section in response to an impact event. [14] HDD according to claim 8, wherein: the means for reading and writing include a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head glider which has a submount to which a laser is coupled; and the load beam continues to have a distal opening through it, with the distal opening positioned to overlap the submount. [15] Method for manufacturing a gimbal head assembly (HGA), wherein the method comprises: Forming a load beam that has at least one proximal opening through it; and Coupling a bend with a sliding side of the load beam; wherein: the bend has a gimbal section to which at least one piezoelectric actuator element is coupled, the gimbal section has at least one front edge corner section proximal to the at least one piezoelectric actuator element, and Each opening of the load beam is shaped and positioned to overlap each respective corner section of the gimbal section of the bend in order to avoid contact between the load beam and the corner section in response to an impact event. [16] Method according to claim 15, wherein the coupling of the bending further comprises coupling the bending such that the opening of the load beam further superimposes at least one section of the at least one piezoelectric fine actuator element. [17] Method according to claim 15, wherein: The formation of the load beam includes the formation of several proximal openings through it; the bend has the gimbal section to which several piezoelectric fine actuator elements are coupled; and the gimbal section has several front edge corner sections, with each corner section being located proximal to one of the piezoelectric fine actuator elements. [18] Method according to claim 15, wherein the formation of the load beam comprises the formation of at least one opening, each opening comprising: a distal edge; a proximal edge that is opposite the distal edge and has a length, which is greater than the length of the distal edge; an inner edge that connects the distal and proximal edges; and an outer edge opposite the inner edge and having a distal section extending at an angle of more than 90 degrees over most of the distance between the distal edge and the proximal edge, from the distal edge to a proximal section extending from the distal section to the proximal edge. [19] Method according to claim 15, further comprising: Attaching a heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) head glider to the bend, which has a submount to which a laser is coupled; and wherein the load beam continues to have a distal opening through it, the distal opening being positioned to superimpose the submount.