Precision actuator reaction force counteracting flexible suspension

By incorporating a balanced precision actuator on an opposing suspension assembly on the outer arm of HDDs, the reaction forces are effectively canceled, enhancing performance and reducing costs, addressing the issue of excess resonance peaks in HDDs.

JP7864808B2Active Publication Date: 2026-05-25WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES INC
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES INC
Filing Date
2024-11-14
Publication Date
2026-05-25

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing hard disk drives (HDDs) face challenges in effectively canceling the reaction forces of precision actuators on outer arms, leading to excess resonance peaks and suboptimal performance due to the absence of opposing suspension assemblies.

Method used

Implementing a balanced precision actuator on an opposing suspension assembly mounted on the outer arm, configured to operate out of phase with the main suspension, thereby counteracting the reaction forces and matching the main suspension's resonant frequencies for optimal cancellation.

Benefits of technology

This approach significantly reduces resonance peaks and improves the frequency response function of the outer arm, achieving performance comparable to that of inner arms with dual suspensions, while reducing manufacturing costs by omitting expensive read-write heads and gimbal flexures.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

To provide a high-precision hard disk drive suspension assembly for a surface density increase.SOLUTION: A suspension assembly 300 includes a carriage from which multiple arms extend, where the arms include an outer arm 302 at each end of the carriage; and inner arms between the outer arms, such that each inner arm carries two suspension assemblies and each outer arm carries only one suspension assembly coupled with an inner side of the outer arm, with each suspension assembly including a corresponding fine actuator 310 and a counter-suspension assembly coupled to an outer side of each outer arm, where each counter-suspension assembly includes a structurally flexible dummy load beam having a mass distribution and a stiffness distribution configured to mitigate multiple structural dynamics modes of the operating suspension assembly coupled to the inner side of the outer arm.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3A
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