Load beams and load beam blanks

Abstract

The present invention provides a load beam and a load beam blank plate that can avoid contact between the short ends of the load beams when they are housed in a ramp. [Solution] The load beam includes a first surface and a second surface located opposite the first surface. One end of the load beam in the short direction is thinned from the first surface, and the other end of the load beam in the short direction is thinned from the second surface.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The present disclosure relates to a load beam and a load beam blank plate.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, a hard disk drive (HDD) includes a suspension on which a magnetic head for writing and reading data to and from a magnetic disk where data is stored is mounted. The suspension is mainly composed of a flexure and a load beam, and the magnetic head is mounted at the tip of the flexure. The load beam functions as a leaf spring. The load beam supports the flexure so that the magnetic head maintains a desired floating posture with respect to the magnetic disk.

[0003] When the rotation of the magnetic disk stops, the plurality of suspensions are integrated and retracted from the magnetic disk. At the retracted position, a tab located at the tip of the load beam is accommodated in a lamp.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a load beam and a load beam blank plate capable of avoiding contact between the short-side ends of the load beam when being accommodated in a lamp.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] [1] The present disclosure is a load beam, comprising a first surface, and a second surface located on the opposite side of the first surface Equipped with, One end of the load beam in the short direction is thinned from the first surface, The other end of the load beam in the short direction is thinned from the second surface. Roadbeam.

[0007] [2] This disclosure is, The edge portions are further formed at one end and the other end, respectively, and have a folded shape with the first surface facing inward, The thinned portion is located at the edge portion, [1] The road beam described above may also be used.

[0008] [3] This disclosure is, The thinned portions are present throughout the entire longitudinal direction of the edge portion. The load beam described in [2] is also used.

[0009] [4] This disclosure is, When LT is defined as the length from the tip to the base of the edge portion along the longitudinal direction of the load beam, the thinned portion is located within a range of LT × 0.5 from the tip of the edge portion. The load beam described in [2] is also used.

[0010] [5] This disclosure is, The length of the thinned portion is greater than 0 μm and less than or equal to 300 μm. The load beam may be any of the load beams described in [1] to [4].

[0011] [6] This disclosure is, The beam flat section, A tab extending from the beam flat portion, Furthermore, The thinned portion is present in the tab. [1] The road beam described above may also be used.

[0012] [7] This disclosure is, The thickness of the thinned portion is less than 50% of the maximum thickness of the load beam. It may be the load beam according to any one of [1] to [6].

[0013] [8] This disclosure A load beam blank plate, A first surface, A second surface located on the opposite side of the first surface, Comprising, One end portion in the short side direction of the load beam blank plate is thinned from the first surface, The other end portion in the short side direction of the load beam blank plate is thinned from the second surface. It may be a load beam blank plate.

Advantages of the Invention

[0014] According to the present disclosure, when accommodating in a lamp, it is possible to avoid the ends in the short side direction of the load beam from contacting each other.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hard disk drive provided with a suspension according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the suspension shown in FIG. 1 provided with a load beam according to an embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III shown in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a suspension provided with a load beam according to a modified example. <000010​​​​​​​​ [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a plan view showing a load beam blank plate for manufacturing a load beam according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX shown in Figure 8. [Figure 10A] Figure 10A is a cross-sectional view showing a method for manufacturing a road beam according to one embodiment. [Figure 10B] Figure 10B is a cross-sectional view showing a method for manufacturing a load beam according to one embodiment. [Figure 10C] Figure 10C is a cross-sectional view showing a method for manufacturing a load beam according to one embodiment. [Figure 10D] Figure 10D is a cross-sectional view showing a method for manufacturing a load beam according to one embodiment. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the suspension shown in Figure 1 retracted into the ramp. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing two adjacent road beams when the suspension shown in Figure 1 is retracted into the ramp. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a thin-walled section of a modified road beam. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings attached to this specification, the scale and aspect ratios of the dimensions have been appropriately changed and exaggerated from those of the actual objects for the sake of illustration and ease of understanding.

[0017] The geometric conditions, physical properties, terms specifying the degree of the geometric conditions or physical properties, and numerical values ​​indicating the geometric conditions or physical properties used herein may be interpreted without being bound by strict meaning. These geometric conditions, physical properties, terms, and numerical values ​​may be interpreted to include a range within which similar functions can be expected. Examples of terms specifying geometric conditions include "length," "angle," "shape," "parallel," "orthogonal," and "identical." Furthermore, for clarity in the drawings, the shapes of multiple parts that can be expected to perform similar functions are regularly depicted. However, the shapes of these parts may differ from each other within the range within which the function can be expected, without being bound by strict meaning. In the drawings, boundary lines indicating joint surfaces between members are shown as simple straight lines for convenience, but they are not required to be strictly straight lines, and the shape of these boundary lines is arbitrary within the range within which the desired joint performance can be expected.

[0018] A suspension, load beam, and load beam blank plate according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. First, using Figure 1, a hard disk drive 1 in which a suspension 5 equipped with a load beam 20 according to this embodiment is used will be described.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the hard disk drive 1 comprises a case 2, a magnetic disk 3, a spindle motor 4, a suspension 5, a voice coil motor 6, and a ramp 7. The magnetic disk 3 is configured to store data. The magnetic disk 3 is rotatably mounted in the case 2. The magnetic disk 3 is configured to rotate by the spindle motor 4. The suspension 5 includes a flexi 11 and a load beam 20 (see Figure 2). A magnetic head 12 (see Figure 2) is mounted on the tip of the flexi 11. The magnetic head 12 is configured to write and read data to and from the magnetic disk 3. The load beam 20 supports the magnetic head 12 and the flexi 11 so that the magnetic head 12 maintains a desired flying height relative to the magnetic disk 3 when writing and reading data. The suspension 5 is rotated by the voice coil motor 6, allowing the magnetic head 12 to move to a desired position on the magnetic disk 3.

[0020] The hard disk drive 1 shown in Figure 1 includes multiple magnetic disks 3 and multiple suspensions 5 in order to improve recording density. Suspensions 5 are provided on the top and bottom surfaces of each magnetic disk 3, and magnetic heads 12 mounted on the suspensions 5 write and read data from the magnetic disks 3.

[0021] The ramp 7 is located near the magnetic disk 3 inside the case 2. When the rotation of the magnetic disk 3 stops, the multiple suspensions 5 retract from the magnetic disk 3 as a single unit. In the retracted position, the tab 22 (described later) located at the tip of the load beam 20 is housed in the ramp 7. The ramp 7 is configured to support the tab 22.

[0022] Next, the suspension 5 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0023] As shown in Figure 2, the suspension 5 comprises a flexure 11, a road beam 20, a first piezoelectric element PZ1, and a second piezoelectric element PZ2.

[0024] The flexi-sha 11 is a flexible wiring board. The flexi-sha 11 is joined to and supported by the load beam 20. The flexi-sha 11 contains multiple wirings. A magnetic head 12 is mounted on the tip of the flexi-sha 11. Some of the wirings electrically connect the magnetic head 12 to terminals connected to an external connection board (not shown). Other wirings electrically connect the respective piezoelectric elements (described later) to terminals connected to the external connection board. The flexi-sha 11 is also called a wiring-equipped flexi-sha or a suspension flexi-sha.

[0025] The load beam 20 extends longitudinally in D1 in a tapered manner toward its tip 20p. As shown in Figure 2, the load beam 20 includes a first surface 20a and a second surface 20b located opposite the first surface 20a. The first surface 20a is located on the base plate side (not shown). The second surface 20b is located on the flexure 11 and magnetic head 12 side. The load beam 20 will be described later.

[0026] The first piezoelectric element PZ1 is an example of an actuator element. The first piezoelectric element PZ1 is located on the opposite side of the tip 20p of the load beam 20 from the hinge portion 26 of the load beam 20, which will be described later.

[0027] The first piezoelectric element PZ1 is joined to the first surface 20a of the load beam 20. When a voltage is applied, the first piezoelectric element PZ1 expands and contracts, moving the magnetic head 12 via the load beam 20 and the flexure 11. The expansion and contraction force of the first piezoelectric element PZ1 when a voltage is applied is set to be greater than that of the second piezoelectric element PZ2.

[0028] Two first piezoelectric elements PZ1 are joined to the load beam 20. The two first piezoelectric elements PZ1 have the function of moving the tip of the suspension 5 in the short direction D2. The two first piezoelectric elements PZ1 may be positioned symmetrically with respect to the central axis CL in a plan view. The polarities of the two first piezoelectric elements PZ1 are different from each other. Each first piezoelectric element PZ1 expands and contracts when a voltage is applied, causing a small movement of the magnetic head. Each first piezoelectric element PZ1 has a pair of electrodes facing each other and a piezoelectric material portion interposed between the pair of electrodes. The piezoelectric material portion of each first piezoelectric element PZ1 is made of piezoelectric ceramics such as PZT (lead zirconate titanate). The piezoelectric material portions of the pair of first piezoelectric elements PZ1 are formed to have polarization directions that are 180° different from each other. When a predetermined voltage is applied to a pair of first piezoelectric elements PZ1, one of the first piezoelectric elements PZ1 contracts while the other first piezoelectric element PZ1 expands.

[0029] The second piezoelectric element PZ2 is an example of a tip actuator element. The second piezoelectric element PZ2 may also be called a tip piezoelectric element. The second piezoelectric element PZ2 is located closer to the tip 20p of the load beam 20 than the first piezoelectric element PZ1. The second piezoelectric element PZ2 is located closer to the tip 20p of the load beam 20 than the jig hole 27 of the load beam 20, which will be described later.

[0030] The second piezoelectric element PZ2 is joined to the flexure 11. In this case, the second piezoelectric element PZ2 faces the second surface 20b of the load beam 20. When a voltage is applied, the second piezoelectric element PZ2 expands and contracts, moving the magnetic head 12 via the flexure 11. The expansion and contraction force of the second piezoelectric element PZ2 when a voltage is applied is set to be smaller than that of the first piezoelectric element PZ1.

[0031] Two second piezoelectric elements PZ2 are joined to the flexure 11. The two second piezoelectric elements PZ2 may be symmetrically positioned with respect to the central axis CL in a plan view. The polarities of the two second piezoelectric elements PZ2 are different from each other.

[0032] Next, the road beam 20 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0033] As shown in Figure 2, the load beam 20 is configured to support the flexure 11 described above. The load beam 20 has a longitudinal direction D1 and a transverse direction D2. The load beam 20 extends in the longitudinal direction D1 so as to taper toward the tip 20p. The longitudinal direction D1 may also be called the first direction. The transverse direction D2 is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1 in a plan view. The transverse direction D2 may also be called the second direction. A plan view means viewing the load beam 20 in the direction normal to the first surface 20a in the beam flat section 24, which will be described later.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, the load beam 20 has a central axis CL along the longitudinal direction D1. The load beam 20 includes a tab 22 located on the tip side of the load beam 20 and a first piezoelectric element aperture 29.

[0035] The load beam 20 includes a first short-direction end 20c, which is the end in the short-direction direction D2, and a second short-direction end 20d, which is the end in the short-direction direction D2. The second short-direction end 20d is located on the opposite side of the first short-direction end 20c with respect to the central axis CL. The first short-direction end 20c is located to the left of the hinge portion 26 toward the tip 20p when the first surface 20a is facing upward. The second short-direction end is located to the right of the hinge portion 26 toward the tip 20p when the first surface 20a is facing upward. In this specification, the first short-direction end 20c and the second short-direction end 20d correspond to one end or the other end of the short-direction direction D2, respectively. For example, when the first short-direction end 20c is one end in the short-direction direction D2, the second short-direction end 20d corresponds to the other end of the short-direction direction D2. Furthermore, when the second short-direction end 20d is one end of the short-direction D2, the first short-direction end 20c corresponds to the other end of the short-direction D2.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the load beam 20 includes a base portion 23, a beam flat portion 24, a pair of edge portions 25, and a hinge portion 26.

[0037] The base portion 23 is located at the base of the load beam 20. A base plate (not shown) is joined to the first surface 20a of the base portion 23. A first piezoelectric element opening 29 is formed in the base portion 23.

[0038] The beam flattening portion 24 is located closer to the tip 20p of the load beam 20 than the base portion 23. The beam flattening portion 24 extends in the longitudinal direction D1. The beam flattening portion 24 extends in a generally tapered shape toward the tip 20p of the load beam 20. The beam flattening portion 24 is formed in a flat shape.

[0039] A jig hole 27 is formed in the beam flat portion 24. The jig hole 27 is located closer to the tip 20p of the load beam 20 than the hinge portion 26, which will be described later. A laser diode element aperture 28 is formed in the beam flat portion 24, which houses a laser diode element (not shown). The laser diode element aperture 28 is located closer to the tip 20p of the load beam 20 than the jig hole 27. The laser diode element is attached to the magnetic head 12 and is positioned to penetrate the laser diode element aperture 28.

[0040] As shown in Figure 2, the edge portions 25 are located on both sides of the beam flat portion 24 in the short direction D2 when viewed from above. The edge portions 25 are the parts that are bent relative to the beam flat portion 24. The edge portions 25 have a bent shape with the first surface 20a facing inward. Details of the edge portions 25 will be described later.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the hinge portion 26 is located between the base portion 23 and the beam flat portion 24. The hinge portion 26 connects the base portion 23 and the beam flat portion 24. The hinge portion 26 is bent with its second surface 20b facing inward so that the magnetic head 12 approaches the magnetic disk 3. The hinge portion 26 is formed to have low bending stiffness. More specifically, the hinge portion 26 includes a pair of hinge beams 26a, and the base portion 23 and the beam flat portion 24 are connected by the pair of hinge beams 26a. The pair of hinge beams 26a are spaced apart from each other in the short direction D2, and an opening is formed between the pair of hinge beams 26a. As a result, when the beam flat portion 24 is affected by the airflow generated by the rotation of the magnetic disk 3, the hinge portion 26 elastically deforms, allowing the magnetic head to maintain the desired flying height relative to the magnetic disk 3. The bending line (not shown) of the hinge portion 26 is along the shorter direction D2. The hinge portion 26 is formed flat along the shorter direction D2.

[0042] As shown in Figure 2, the tab 22 extends elongated in the longitudinal direction D1 from the beam flat portion 24 to the tip 20p of the load beam 20. The tip of the tab 22 constitutes the tip 20p of the load beam 20. The tab 22 is supported by the ramp 7 when the suspension 5 is retracted into the ramp 7. The tab 22 may have a curved shape with the first surface 20a facing inward in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1. Details of the tab 22 will be described later.

[0043] The first piezoelectric element opening 29 is an opening for mounting the first piezoelectric element PZ1 on the load beam 20. The first piezoelectric element opening 29 is formed in the base portion 23 and penetrates the base portion 23. The first piezoelectric element opening 29 is located on the opposite side of the hinge portion 26 from the tip 20p of the load beam 20. In a plan view, the first piezoelectric element opening 29 is formed in a rectangular shape along the longitudinal direction D1 and the short direction D2. The first piezoelectric element PZ1 is joined to the first surface 20a of the load beam 20 so as to overlap the first piezoelectric element opening 29. The first piezoelectric element PZ1 and the wiring of the flexure 11 are electrically connected via a connection portion (not shown) located in the first piezoelectric element opening 29.

[0044] As shown in Figure 2, two first piezoelectric element apertures 29 are formed in the base portion 23. The two first piezoelectric element apertures 29 may be positioned symmetrically with respect to the central axis CL in a plan view.

[0045] As shown in Figure 3, the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20 may be, for example, 25.0 μm or more and 35.0 μm or less. By setting the maximum thickness t1 to 25.0 μm or more, the mechanical strength of the load beam 20 can be ensured and the possibility of plastic deformation of the load beam 20 can be reduced. By setting the maximum thickness t1 to 35.0 μm or less, the thickness of the load beam 20 can be reduced. This reduces the thickness of the suspension 5 and contributes to reducing the thickness of the hard disk drive 1. By setting the maximum thickness t1 to 35.0 μm or less, the separation distance X1 (see Figure 11) of the tabs 22 housed in the housing space 7a of the ramp 7 can be increased, and the possibility of the two tabs 22 coming into contact with each other can be reduced. For example, the maximum thickness t1 may be 25.0 μm or more and 30.0 μm or less, 27.0 μm or more and 30.0 μm or less, or 29.0 μm or more and 30.0 μm or less. The maximum thickness t1 is the dimension of the load beam 20 in the direction D3 normal to the first surface 20a, and is the distance between the first surface 20a and the second surface 20b in the beam flat portion 24.

[0046] Next, the configuration of the edge portion 25 will be described.

[0047] As shown in Figure 3, the edge portion 25 is formed at the first short-direction end 20c and the second short-direction end 20d of the load beam 20, respectively. The edge portion 25 extends along the longitudinal direction of the first short-direction end 20c and the second short-direction end 20d, respectively. The edge portion 25 protrudes from the beam flat portion 24 in the direction opposite to the flexure 11. In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1, the edge portion 25 extends obliquely to the beam flat portion 24. In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1, the angle θ (angle on the first surface 20a side) between the edge portion 25 and the beam flat portion 24 may be greater than 90° and less than or equal to 150°.

[0048] Each edge portion 25 has a thin-walled portion 25a and a thick-walled portion 25b. The thin-walled portion 25a and the thick-walled portion 25b are arranged adjacent to each other. The thick-walled portion 25b is located on the base end side (beam flat portion 24 side) of the edge portion 25. The thin-walled portion 25a is located on the side edge side (the side farther from the beam flat portion 24) of the edge portion 25. The thin-walled portion 25a extends to the side edge of the edge portion 25 and extends to the very tip of the edge portion 25 when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1, as shown in Figure 3.

[0049] The thin-walled portion 25a is a portion of the edge portion 25 that is thinner than the rest of the edge portion 25. The thick-walled portion 25b has the same thickness as the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20. The thin-walled portion 25a and the thick-walled portion 25b each extend along the longitudinal direction of the edge portion 25. The thin-walled portion 25a may exist over the entire longitudinal area of ​​the edge portion 25, as shown in Figure 2. However, it is not limited to this, and the thin-walled portion 25a may exist only in a portion of the longitudinal area of ​​the edge portion 25. In particular, the thin-walled portion 25a may be located on the tip 25e side (the tip 20p side of the load beam 20) of the edge portion 25 in the longitudinal direction D1. The tip 25e side of the edge portion 25 in the longitudinal direction D1 is more likely to come into contact with the edge portions 25 of other load beams 20. Therefore, by thinning the tip 25e side of the edge portion 25 in the longitudinal direction D1, the risk of the edge portion 25 coming into contact with the edge portion 25 of another load beam 20 can be reduced. On the other hand, by forming a portion of the edge portion 25 where the thinned portion 25a does not exist, the mechanical strength of the load beam 20 can be improved.

[0050] As described above, the thin-walled portion 25a may be located on the tip 25e side of the edge portion 25 in the longitudinal direction D1. In this case, for example, if LT is the length from the tip 225e to the root end 25f of the edge portion 225 along the longitudinal direction D21, the thin-walled portion 25a may be located within a range of LT × 0.4 from the tip 25e of the edge portion 25. LT is the length along the longitudinal direction D1 of the edge portion 25, and as shown in Figure 2, it is the length along the longitudinal direction D1 from the tip 25e of the edge portion 25 to the root end 25f located on the hinge portion 26 side of the edge portion 25. Since the magnetic head 12 is positioned within a range of length LT × 0.4 from the tip 25e of the edge portion 25, the possibility of the edge portions 25 of two adjacent load beams 20 interfering with each other can be effectively reduced.

[0051] The pair of edge portions 25 are thinned from different sides. Specifically, the edge portion 25 on the first short-side end 20c is thinned from the first surface 20a, and the edge portion 25 on the second short-side end 20d is thinned from the second surface 20b. In other words, at the first short-side end 20c, the thinned portion 25a is located on the second surface 20b side, and at the second short-side end 20d, the thinned portion 25a is located on the first surface 20a side.

[0052] The thin-walled portion 25a has a thin-walled surface 25c. The thin-walled surface 25c is the surface located between the first surface 20a and the second surface 20b in the thickness direction, out of the two surfaces of the thin-walled portion 25a. The thin-walled surface 25c of the edge portion 25 at the first short-side end 20c faces the first surface 20a, and the thin-walled surface 25c of the edge portion 25 at the second short-side end 20d faces the second surface 20b.

[0053] Spaces SP are formed on the thinned surface of the edge portion 25. The space SP extends from the thickened portion 25b side to the very tip of the edge portion 25 in the short direction D2. The thinned portion surface 25c constitutes part of the bottom surface of the space SP. Each space SP may extend along the entire longitudinal direction of the edge portion 25, or it may extend along only a part of the longitudinal direction of the edge portion 25. When the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7, as will be described later, the thinned portion 25a of the edge portion 25 of the other suspension 5 may be placed in the space SP. This prevents the edge portions 25 of the two suspensions 5 from coming into contact with each other.

[0054] The thin-walled portion 25a is formed, for example, by thinning from the first surface 20a or the second surface 20b side by half-etching. The thin-walled portion 25a is a non-penetrating portion formed by thinning the edge portion 25 up to a certain point in its thickness direction.

[0055] The thickness t3 of the thin-walled portion 25a may be 10% or more but less than 50% of the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20, or 20% or more but 40% or less. The strength of the edge portion 25 can be ensured by the thickness t3 of the thin-walled portion 25a being 10% or more of the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20. The risk of contact with the edge portion 25 of other suspensions 5 can be reduced by the thickness t3 of the thin-walled portion 25a being less than 50% of the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20, as will be described later, when the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7. The thickness t3 of the thin-walled portion 25a refers to the shortest distance between the thin-walled portion surface 25c and the surface opposite to the surface on which the thin-walled portion 25a is formed (first surface 20a or second surface 20b). The maximum thickness t2 of the edge portion 25 may also be the same as the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20. The thicknesses t3 of the left and right thin-walled portions 25a do not have to be the same. The sum of the thicknesses t3 of the left and right thin sections 25a is less than the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20. If t1 is between 25.0 μm and 35.0 μm, then the sum of the thicknesses t3 of the left and right thin sections 25a is between 5.0 μm and 35.0 μm.

[0056] In this specification, half-etching means etching the material to be etched in its thickness direction up to a certain point. The thickness of the material to be etched after half-etching may be, for example, 10% to 90%, 30% to 70%, or 40% to 60% of the thickness of the material to be etched before half-etching.

[0057] The length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a may be 25 μm or more and 300 μm or less, or 100 μm or more and 200 μm or less. By making the length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a 25 μm or more, the risk of contact with the edge portion 25 of other suspensions 5 when the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7, as described later, can be reduced. By making the length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a 300 μm or less, deformation of the thin-walled portion 25a can be suppressed. The length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a refers to the length of the thin-walled portion 25a that runs along the shorter direction in a plan view and along the first surface 20a or the second surface 20b. In Figure 3, the length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a located on the left side is the length along the first surface 20a, and in Figure 34, the length L22 of the thin-walled portion 25a located on the right side is the length along the second surface 20b.

[0058] The length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a may be more than 0% but 80% or less of the length L1 of the edge portion 25, or it may be between 10% and 50%. By making the length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a more than 0% of the length L1 of the edge portion 25, the risk of contact with the edge portion 25 of other suspensions 5 when the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7, as will be described later, can be reduced. By making the length L2 of the thin-walled portion 25a 80% or less of the length L1 of the edge portion 25, the strength of the edge portion 25 can be ensured. The length L1 of the edge portion 25 refers to the length of the edge portion 25 that runs along the shorter direction in a plan view and along the second surface 20b.

[0059] Figure 4 shows a modified example of the edge portion 25. As shown in Figure 4, the edge portion 25 at the first short-side end 20c may be thinned from the second surface 20b, and the edge portion 25 at the second short-side end 20d may be thinned from the first surface 20a. In other words, at the first short-side end 20c, the thinned portion 25a may be located on the first surface 20a side, and at the second short-side end 20d, the thinned portion 25a may be located on the second surface 20b side.

[0060] Figure 5 shows another modified example of the edge portion 25. As shown in Figure 5, the edge portion 25 protrudes from the beam flat portion 24 in the opposite direction to the flexure 11. The edge portion 25 is perpendicular to the beam flat portion 24. In a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1, the angle θ (angle on the first surface 20a side) between the edge portion 25 and the beam flat portion 24 is 90°. The angle θ between the edge portion 25 and the beam flat portion 24 may be 60° or more and less than 90°.

[0061] Next, we will explain the structure of tab 22.

[0062] As shown in Figure 2, the tab 22 extends in an elongated shape in the longitudinal direction D1 from the beam flat portion 24 to the tip 20p of the load beam 20. The tip of the tab 22 constitutes the tip 20p of the load beam 20.

[0063] As shown in Figure 6, the tab 22 includes a first tab surface 22a and a second tab surface 22b. The first tab surface 22a is connected to the first surface 20a of the load beam 20. The first tab surface 22a is formed continuously from the first surface 20a. The second tab surface 22b is located on the opposite side of the first tab surface 22a. The second tab surface 22b is connected to the second surface 20b of the load beam 20. The first tab surface 22a is formed continuously from the second surface 20b.

[0064] The tab 22 is formed integrally with the beam flat section 24. The tab 22 has a curved shape in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1. The tab 22 has its first tab surface 22a curved inward. The tab 22 has a curved shape with its first tab surface 22a facing inward in a cross section that includes the central axis CL and is perpendicular to the beam flat section 24. The tab 22 has a cross section that is curved overall. The tab 22 is curved such that its second tab surface 22b faces outward.

[0065] As shown in Figure 6, the width w1 of the tab 22 is defined as the maximum dimension of the tab 22 when viewed in a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1. For example, the width w1 may be between 200 μm and 350 μm.

[0066] Tab 22 has a first tab end 22c and a second tab end 22d. The first tab end 22c and the second tab end 22d are formed at the ends of the tab 22 in the short direction D2, respectively. The first tab end 22c is located on the side of the first short direction end 20c, and the second tab end 22d is located on the side of the second short direction end 20d. The first tab end 22c and the second tab end 22d each extend along the longitudinal direction of the tab 22.

[0067] In this embodiment, there is a thinned portion of the tab 22. That is, as shown in Figure 6, the first end 22c and the second end 22d of the tab each have a thinned portion 22e. The thinned portion 22e is located at the very tip of the tab 22 in the short direction D2.

[0068] As shown in Figure 6, the thickness t4 of the tab 22 may be between 25.0 μm and 35.0 μm. The thickness t4 of the tab 22 refers to the distance between the first surface 22a and the second surface 22b of the tab at the central axis CL in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1.

[0069] The tab thin-walled portion 22e is a portion of the tab 22 that is thinner than the rest of the tab 22. The tab thin-walled portion 22e extends along the longitudinal direction of the tab 22. The tab thin-walled portion 22e may be present along the entire longitudinal direction of the tab 22, or it may be present only along a portion of the longitudinal direction of the tab 22.

[0070] The pair of tabs 22 are thinned from opposite sides. Specifically, the tab 22 on the tab end 22c side is thinned from the tab first surface 22a, and the tab 22 on the tab second end 22d side is thinned from the tab second surface 22b. In other words, at the tab first end 22c, the thinned portion 22e is located on the tab second surface 22b side, and at the tab second end 22d, the thinned portion 22e is located on the tab first surface 22a side.

[0071] The thin-walled portion 22e of the tab has a thin-walled surface 22g. The thin-walled surface 22g is the surface located between the first tab surface 22a and the second tab surface 22b in the thickness direction of the thin-walled portion 22e. The thin-walled surface 22g of the first tab end 22c faces the first tab surface 22a, and the thin-walled surface 22g of the second tab end 22d faces the second tab surface 22b.

[0072] A tab end space TS is formed on the thinned surface of the tab 22. The tab end space TS extends to the very tip of the tab 22 in the short direction D2. The thinned surface 22g of the tab constitutes part of the bottom surface of the tab end space TS. Each tab end space TS may extend along the entire longitudinal direction of the tab 22, or along only a portion of the longitudinal direction of the tab 22. When the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7, the thinned tab portion 22e of the tab 22 of the other suspension 5 may be placed in the tab end space TS. This prevents the tabs 22 of the two suspensions 5 from coming into contact with each other.

[0073] The thin-walled portion 22e of the tab is formed, for example, by thinning the first surface 22a or the second surface 22b of the tab by half-etching. The thin-walled portion 22e of the tab is a non-penetrating portion formed by thinning the tab 22 to a certain point in its thickness direction.

[0074] The thickness t5 of the thin-walled tab portion 22e may be 10% or more but less than 50% of the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20, or 20% or more but 40% or less. The strength of the tab 22 can be ensured by the thickness t5 of the thin-walled tab portion 22e being 10% or more of the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20. The risk of interference between the tabs 22 of other suspensions 5 and the tabs 22 of the ramp 7 can be reduced by the thickness t5 of the thin-walled tab portion 22e being less than 50% of the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20. The thickness t5 of the thin-walled tab portion 22e refers to the shortest distance between the surface 22g of the thin-walled tab portion and the surface on which the thin-walled tab portion 22e is not formed (the first tab surface 22a or the second tab surface 22b). The thickness t4 of the tab 22 may be the same as the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20.

[0075] The length L3 of the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab may be 25 μm or more and 300 μm or less, or 100 μm or more and 200 μm or less. When the length L3 of the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab is greater than 0 μm, the risk of contact with the tabs 22 of other suspensions 5 when the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7 can be reduced. When the length L3 of the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab is 300 μm or less, deformation of the tab 22 can be suppressed. The length L3 of the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab refers to the length of the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab that is aligned with the shorter side in a plan view and along the first surface 22a or the second surface 22b of the tab. In Figure 6, the length L3 of the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab located on the left side is the length aligned with the first surface 22a of the tab, and in Figure 6, the length L3 of the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab located on the right side is the length aligned with the second surface 22b of the tab.

[0076] Furthermore, the first end 22c of the tab 22 may be made thinner from the second surface 22b of the tab, and the second end 22d of the tab may be made thinner from the first surface 22a of the tab.

[0077] The maximum height t6 of the tab 22 may be, for example, 50 μm or more and 100 μm or less. By setting the maximum height t6 of the tab 22 to 50 μm or more, the mechanical strength of the tab 22 can be ensured and the possibility of plastic deformation of the tab 22 can be reduced. By setting the maximum height t6 to 100 μm or less, the thickness of the tab 22 can be reduced. This increases the spacing distance X1 (see Figure 11) of the tabs 22 housed in the housing space 7a of the ramp 7, and reduces the possibility of two tabs 22 coming into contact with each other. The maximum height t6 is the dimension of the tab 22 in the direction D3 normal to the first surface 20a, and is the maximum distance between the first surface 22a and the second surface 22b of the tab in the direction D3 normal to the first surface 20a.

[0078] As shown in Figure 7, the tab 22 may include a root region 22R1, a main body region 22R2, and a tip region 22R3. The root region 22R1 is the region adjacent to the beam flat portion 24. The main body region 22R2 is the region located on the opposite side of the beam flat portion 24 from the root region 22R1. The main body region 22R2 is located between the root region 22R1 and the tip region 22R3. The tip region 22R3 is the region containing the tip 20p of the load beam 20. The tip region 22R3 is the region located on the opposite side of the beam flat portion 24 from the main body region 22R2. The tip region 22R3 may be formed in a semicircular shape in plan view. The tip of the tip region 22R3 corresponds to the tip 20p of the load beam 20. The root region 22R1 and the main body region 22R2 may be demarcated by a desired position in the longitudinal direction D1. For example, the main body region 22R2 and the tip region 22R3 may be regions that overlap with the lamp support portion 7b in a plan view when the tab 22 of the load beam 20 is housed in the accommodation space 7a of the lamp 7. The root region 22R1 may be a region that does not overlap with the lamp support portion 7b in a plan view.

[0079] In this embodiment, thinned portions exist on both the edge portion 25 and the tab 22. However, the thinned portions may exist on only one of the edge portion 25 or the tab 22.

[0080] Next, the load beam blank plate 60 for manufacturing the load beam 20 described above will be explained using Figures 8 and 9.

[0081] Figure 8 is a plan view of the load beam blank plate 60 for manufacturing the load beam 20. The plan view in Figure 8 corresponds to the plan view shown in Figure 2. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the load beam blank plate 60 for manufacturing the load beam 20. The cross-sectional view in Figure 9 corresponds to the cross-sectional view shown in Figure 3. The load beam blank plate 60 is in the form before the edge portion 25 described above is bent, and is formed to be generally flat by processing a plate-shaped member 60A (described later) using photolithography technology (wet etching).

[0082] As shown in Figure 8, the load beam blank plate 60 extends in a tapered longitudinal direction D1 toward its tip in a plan view. The tip of the load beam blank plate 60 corresponds to the tip 20p of the load beam 20. By bending the load beam blank plate 60 along a bending line (not shown), the beam flat portion 24 and the edge portion 25 are separated. The jig hole 27, laser diode element aperture 28, and first piezoelectric element aperture 29 described above are formed in the load beam blank plate 60.

[0083] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, in the load beam blank plate 60, the first surface 20a and the second surface 20b are each formed flat. The first surface 20a and the second surface 20b may be parallel to each other. The hinge portion 26 described above is also in its pre-bending form and is formed flat not only along the short direction D2 but also along the long direction D1.

[0084] The load beam blank plate 60 has a first short-direction end 20c, which is the end in the short-direction direction D2, and a second short-direction end 20d, which is the end in the short-direction direction D2. The first short-direction end 20c and the second short-direction end 20d of the load beam blank plate 60 correspond to the first short-direction end 20c and the second short-direction end 20d of the load beam 20 described above, respectively.

[0085] The ends 20c and 20d of the load beam blank plate 60 in the short direction D2 are thinned from different sides. Specifically, the first short-direction end 20c of the load beam blank plate 60 is thinned from the first surface 20a, and the second short-direction end 20d of the load beam blank plate 60 is thinned from the second surface 20b. However, the first short-direction end 20c of the load beam blank plate 60 may be thinned from the second surface 20b, and the second short-direction end 20d of the load beam blank plate 60 may be thinned from the first surface 20a.

[0086] The first short-side end 20c and the second short-side end 20d of the load beam blank plate 60 each have a thin-walled portion 25a. At the first short-side end 20c, the thin-walled portion 25a is located on the second surface 20b side, and at the second short-side end 20d, the thin-walled portion 25a is located on the first surface 20a side. In addition, the configuration of the thin-walled portion 25a is the same as the configuration of the thin-walled portion 25a of the edge portion 25 described above.

[0087] The load beam blank plate 60 may be supported by a frame (not shown) surrounding the load beam blank plate 60. The load beam 20 according to this embodiment may be obtained by bending the load beam blank plate 60 while it is supported by the frame. In this case, the load beam 20 may be supported by the frame. Multiple load beam blank plates 60 may be supported by the frame. In this case, a multi-sided load beam 20 can be manufactured. A multi-sided load beam 20 means a configuration in which multiple load beams 20 are supported by a single frame.

[0088] The thickness of the load beam blank plate 60 is equal to the maximum thickness t1 of the load beam 20.

[0089] The load beam 20 and the load beam blank plate 60 may be made of plate-shaped members. The load beam 20 may be made of a metal material, for example, or of stainless steel. Stainless steel is a metal material mainly composed of iron, chromium, and nickel. Examples of stainless steel materials include austenitic stainless steel, ferritic stainless steel, and martensitic stainless steel. Examples of stainless steel materials include SUS304, SUS301, SUS316, and SUS430.

[0090] (How to manufacture a load beam) Next, the manufacturing method of the load beam 20 according to this embodiment, which has the above configuration, will be explained using Figures 10A to 10D. Figures 10A to 10D correspond to Figure 3.

[0091] First, a flat, plate-shaped member 60A is prepared, as shown in Figure 10A. For example, the plate-shaped member 60A may be a rolled material having the thickness t1 described above.

[0092] Next, as shown in Figure 10B, patterned resist layers 61A and 61B are formed on the first surface 20a and the second surface 20b of the plate-shaped member 60A, respectively, using photolithography technology.

[0093] Next, the outer shape of the load beam blank plate 60 is formed by wet etching, and the jig hole 27, laser diode element opening 28, and first piezoelectric element opening 29 are formed. At this time, as shown in Figure 10C, the first surface 20a and the second surface 20b of the plate-shaped member 60A are half-etched to form thin-walled portions 25a, respectively. After that, as shown in Figure 10D, the resist layers 61A and 61B are peeled off.

[0094] Next, the plate-shaped member 60A is bent to form the edge portion 25 shown in Figure 2. Furthermore, the portion of the plate-shaped member 60A corresponding to the tab 22 is formed. For example, the forming process may be press working using a die. In this case, the portion corresponding to the tab 22 is curved so that the first tab surface 22a faces inward. In this way, the load beam 20 according to this embodiment is obtained.

[0095] Next, the flexure 11 (see Figure 2) is joined to the load beam 20 to fabricate the suspension 5. The second piezoelectric element PZ2 is pre-joined to the flexure 11. After the flexure 11 is joined to the load beam 20, the first piezoelectric element PZ1 is superimposed on the first piezoelectric element opening 29 of the load beam 20, and the first piezoelectric element PZ1 is joined to the first surface 20a of the load beam 20.

[0096] Subsequently, a magnetic head 12 is mounted on the tip of the flexure 11, and a laser diode element is attached to the magnetic head 12. When the suspension 5 is attached to the case 2 shown in Figure 1, the hard disk drive 1 is obtained.

[0097] In the hard disk drive 1 manufactured in this manner, the magnetic disk 3 rotates at high speed. Furthermore, a positioning voice coil motor 6 moves the suspension 5 radially relative to the magnetic disk 3. This moves the magnetic head 12 to the desired position on the magnetic disk 3. When the rotation of the magnetic disk 3 stops, the suspension 5 retracts from the magnetic disk 3. In the retracted position, the tab 22 located at the tip of the load beam 20 is housed in the ramp 7.

[0098] Specifically, as shown in Figure 11, the ramp 7 includes a plurality of ramp support parts 7b. A housing space 7a for housing a tab 22 is formed between two adjacent ramp support parts 7b. The tab 22 housed in the housing space 7a is supported by the ramp support part 7b. Two tabs 22 are housed in one housing space 7a. Each tab 22 is supported by an opposing ramp support part 7b. When two tabs 22 are housed, they are pressed together in a direction that brings them closer to each other.

[0099] In this state, as the two tabs 22 move along the ramp support portion 7b, the two load beams 20 move closer together. At this time, there is a risk that the edge portions 25 protruding from the beam flat portion 24 of the load beam 20 may come into contact with each other. In this case, the side edges of the edge portions 25 may be deformed or damaged.

[0100] In contrast, according to this embodiment, the edge portion 25 on the first short-direction end 20c side of the load beam 20 is thinned from the first surface 20a, and the edge portion 25 on the second short-direction end 20d side is thinned from the second surface 20b. As a result, as shown in Figure 12, when the two load beams 20 are close to each other, the possibility of their edge portions 25 interfering with each other can be reduced. That is, as shown in Figure 12, the thinned portion 25a of the edge portion 25 of one load beam 20 is positioned in the space SP of the edge portion 25 of the other load beam 20. As a result, the possibility of the edge portion 25 of one load beam 20 and the edge portion 25 of the other load beam 20 coming into contact with each other can be reduced. As a result, the possibility of foreign matter being generated in the hard disk drive 1 due to damage to the edge portion 25 can be reduced.

[0101] Furthermore, because each edge portion 25a of the load beam 20 has a thin-walled portion 25a, there is no need to reduce the height of the edge portion 25 itself, thus maintaining the rigidity of the load beam 20.

[0102] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the thin-walled portion 25a is present throughout the entire longitudinal direction of the edge portion 25. This reduces the possibility of the edge portions 25 interfering with each other throughout the entire longitudinal direction of the edge portion 25.

[0103] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, the tab 22 on the first end 22c side of the load beam 20 is thinned from the first surface 22a of the tab, and the tab 22 on the second end 22d side is thinned from the second surface 22b of the tab. As a result, as shown in Figure 11, the possibility of the tabs 22 interfering with each other when the two load beams 20 are close to each other can be reduced. That is, the thinned portion 22e of the tab 22 of one load beam 20 is accommodated in the tab end space TS of the tab 22 of the other load beam 20. As a result, the possibility of foreign matter being generated in the hard disk drive 1 due to damage to the tab 22 can be reduced.

[0104] Furthermore, according to this embodiment, each edge portion 25 of the load beam 20 has a thin-walled portion 25a with a length of more than 0 μm and less than or equal to 300 μm. This ensures the rigidity of the load beam 20 and reduces the risk of deformation of the thin-walled portion 25a.

[0105] (modified version) Figure 13 shows a modified example of the thin-walled portion 25a of the edge portion 25. As shown in Figure 13, the edge portion 25 has a thin-walled portion 25a that is thinned from the first surface 20a. The thin-walled portion 25a has a thin-walled portion surface 25c on the first surface 20a side. The thin-walled portion surface 25c is formed in a curved shape when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D1. In this case, the thickness of the thin-walled portion 25a does not have to be constant.

[0106] The minimum thickness t7 of the thin-walled portion 25a is thinner than the thickness t2 of the edge portion 25. The minimum thickness t7 may be, for example, 7.0 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less. By setting the minimum thickness t7 to 7.0 μm or more, the mechanical strength of the thin-walled portion 25a can be ensured and the possibility of plastic deformation of the thin-walled portion 25a can be reduced. By setting the minimum thickness t7 of the thin-walled portion 25a to 15.0 μm or less, the risk of the edge portion 25 contacting the edge portion 25 of other suspensions 5 when the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7 can be reduced. The minimum thickness t7 of the thin-walled portion 25a is the dimension of the thin-walled portion 25a in the direction perpendicular to the first surface 20a or the second surface 20b at the position where the dimensions of the thin-walled portion 25a are minimized.

[0107] A protrusion 25d is formed on the tip side of the thin-walled portion 25a (the side furthest from the beam flat portion 24). The protrusion 25d is thicker than the minimum thickness t7 of the thin-walled portion 25a. The maximum thickness t8 of the protrusion 25d is thinner than the thickness t2 of the edge portion 25. The maximum thickness t8 of the protrusion 25d is thicker than the minimum thickness t7 of the thin-walled portion 25a.

[0108] The thickness of the protrusion 25d gradually increases from the point where the thin-walled portion 25a has a minimum thickness t7. More specifically, the surface of the protrusion 25d is formed in a curved shape that is continuous with the thin-walled portion surface 25c of the thin-walled portion 25a. The surface of the protrusion 25d has a pointed tip shape that tapers toward the first surface 20a. The thickness of the protrusion 25d is at its maximum thickness t8 at the very front end (the side furthest from the beam flat portion 24).

[0109] The maximum thickness t8 of the protrusion 25d may be between 10.0 μm and 15.0 μm. By setting the maximum thickness t8 of the protrusion 25d to 10.0 μm or more, the mechanical strength of the thin-walled portion 25a can be improved, and the possibility of plastic deformation of the thin-walled portion 25a can be reduced. By setting the maximum thickness t8 to 15.0 μm or less, the risk of the edge portion 25 contacting the edge portion 25 of other suspensions 5 when the tab 22 is housed in the ramp 7 can be reduced. The maximum thickness t8 of the protrusion 25d is the dimension of the protrusion 25d in the direction perpendicular to the second surface 20b at the position where the dimension of the protrusion 25d is maximum. When two adjacent load beams 20 are close to each other, the sum of the maximum thickness t8 of the protrusions 25d may be between 20 μm and 30 μm.

[0110] In addition, in Figure 13, the thin-walled portion 25a may be thinned from the second surface 20b. Furthermore, the thin-walled portion 22e of the tab 22 may have the cross-sectional shape shown in Figure 13.

[0111] According to this modified example, the mechanical strength of the thin-walled portion 25a can be improved, and the possibility of deformation or damage to the thin-walled portion 25a during handling of the load beam 20 can be reduced. In this case, the possibility of foreign matter being generated in the hard disk drive 1 due to defects in the thin-walled portion 25a can be reduced.

[0112] The multiple components disclosed in each of the above embodiments and variations can be combined as needed. Alternatively, some components may be removed from all the components shown in each of the above embodiments and variations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0113] 1. Hard disk drive 5 Suspension 11 Flexia 12 magnetic heads 20 Road Beam 20a Page 1 20b 2nd side 20c 1st short side end 20d 2nd short side end 22 tabs 23 Base section 24 Beam flat section 25 Edge section 25a Thin wall part 25b Thick wall part 26 Hinge section 27 Jig holes 28 Laser diode element aperture 29 First piezoelectric element aperture 60 Load beam blank plate PZ1 First piezoelectric element PZ2 Second piezoelectric component

Claims

1. It is a road beam, Page 1 and, It comprises a second surface located on the opposite side of the first surface, One end of the load beam in the short direction is thinned from the first surface, The other end of the load beam in the short direction is thinned from the second surface. Road beam.

2. The edge portions are further formed at one end and the other end, respectively, and have a folded shape with the first surface facing inward. The thinned portion is located at the edge portion, The load beam according to claim 1.

3. The load beam according to claim 2, wherein the thinned portion is present throughout the entire longitudinal region of the edge portion.

4. When LT is defined as the length from the tip to the base of the edge portion along the longitudinal direction of the load beam, the thinned portion is located within a range of LT × 0.5 from the tip of the edge portion. The road beam according to claim 2.

5. The load beam according to claim 1, wherein the length of the thinned portion is greater than 0 μm and less than or equal to 300 μm.

6. The beam flat section and The beam further comprises a tab extending from the beam flat portion, The thinned portion is present in the tab. The load beam according to claim 1.

7. The load beam according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the thinned portion is less than 50% of the maximum thickness of the load beam.

8. It is a road beam blank plate, Page 1 and, The second surface located on the opposite side of the first surface, Equipped with, One end of the load beam blank plate in the shorter direction is thinned from the first surface, The other end of the load beam blank plate in the short direction is thinned from the second surface. Road beam blank plate.

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