Disk Drive Suspension Aperture Structure for Slider Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disk drive suspensions face challenges in achieving compactness and accurate slider orientation due to overlapping configurations of the circuit portion and slider, leading to inaccurate orientation and increased distance between the dimple apex and air bearing formation surface.
Innovation Solution
The suspension design incorporates an aperture in the metal base to house the circuit portion, with a slider support portion and abutting structure that stabilizes the slider's orientation, using a metal base, resin layers, and conductors to reduce the overall width and maintain precise flying height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the circuit portion and slider overlap in the thickness direction to reduce width, then the width of the slider arrangement portion is reduced, but the orientation of the slider becomes inaccurate and the distance between the dimple apex and air bearing formation surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit portion is divided into two separate structures: a first circuit portion extending along the side surface of the slider, and a second circuit portion extending along the other side surface of the slider. This segmentation allows each circuit portion to be independently positioned and connected to the slider, enabling precise control over the slider's orientation while maintaining a compact width.
2Manufacturing precision
If the circuit portion extends along the side surfaces of the slider, then the slider orientation can be controlled, but both sides of the slider require space for the circuit portion, increasing the overall width
Solution Approach 1:
The first and second circuit portions are nested within the slider structure by extending along the side surfaces and being connected to the slider through bonding or other connection methods. This nesting allows the circuit portions to be integrated into the slider's lateral dimensions, enabling precise orientation control without significantly increasing the overall width of the slider arrangement portion.
3Area of stationary object
If independent conductors with cover resin are used in the overlapping configuration, then the width is reduced, but the conductors and cover resin must be flush to ensure accurate slider orientation
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit portion is segmented into multiple independent conductors with individual cover resin layers, allowing each conductor to be independently positioned and aligned. This segmentation simplifies the manufacturing process by enabling separate alignment and adjustment of each conductor and cover resin assembly, reducing the overall alignment complexity while maintaining compact dimensions.
Data Source
AI summary
A flexure of a suspension includes a metal base, a circuit portion, and a slider arrangement portion. The slider arrangement portion includes an aperture portion formed in the metal base and a slider support portion provided on the metal base. The aperture portion is provided at a position on which the slider is provided. An embedding circuit portion is provided inside the aperture portion. The embedding circuit portion constitutes a part of a length direction of the circuit portion. The slider support portion supports the slider with the embedding circuit portion being provided in the aperture portion. The embedding circuit portion has an abutting portion contacting a protrusion portion of a load beam.