Disk Drive Suspension Vibration Control via Bent Outrigger

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing disk drive suspensions face challenges in effectively suppressing flexure vibrations while maintaining gimbal movement and precision, leading to increased manufacturing costs due to the need for additional components like damper members.

Innovation Solution

A disk drive suspension design featuring a load beam with a dimple and a flexure overlaid on it, where outriggers are bent between the dimple and the fixing portions, allowing for precise adjustment of the bent portion's position and angle to minimize vibrations, thereby optimizing vibration characteristics without altering stiffness or requiring additional components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a damper member is attached to the flexure to suppress vibrations, then vibration suppression is improved, but the stiffness of the flexure changes and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexure vibrationsVSAvoidflexure stiffness

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration suppression function is merged into the outrigger structure itself by forming a bent portion, eliminating the need for a separate damper member. The outrigger serves both as a structural support and as a vibration suppression element through its bent configuration, which provides damping while maintaining flexure stiffness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The physical shape parameter of the outrigger is changed by forming a bent portion at a specific location. This geometric modification alters the vibrational characteristics of the flexure assembly, suppressing vibrations through the bent portion's inherent damping properties without changing the material stiffness or adding external components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a damper member is attached to the flexure to suppress vibrations, then vibration suppression is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to additional steps

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflexure vibrationsVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The vibration suppression function is merged into the outrigger structure itself by forming a bent portion, eliminating the need for a separate damper member. The outrigger serves both as a structural support and as a vibration suppression element through its bent configuration, which provides damping while maintaining flexure stiffness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The separate damper member is extracted from the design and its vibration suppression function is integrated directly into the outrigger component. This eliminates the need for additional parts and assembly steps, simplifying manufacturing while achieving the same vibration control objective.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Quantity of substance

If the head gimbal assembly is made smaller to increase recording density, then recording density is improved, but vibration suppression becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverecording densityVSAvoidflexure vibrations

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The bent portion is positioned at a specific location on the outrigger where it most effectively suppresses vibrations. This localized geometric feature provides targeted vibration control at the source without requiring overall enlargement of the head gimbal assembly, maintaining compact dimensions while achieving effective vibration suppression.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The physical shape parameter of the outrigger is changed by forming a bent portion at a specific location. This geometric modification alters the vibrational characteristics of the flexure assembly, suppressing vibrations through the bent portion's inherent damping properties without changing the material stiffness or adding external components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design effectively suppresses flexure vibrations, enhances performance, and reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating the need for additional components like damper members, while maintaining gimbal movement precision.

Implementation Method 1

Each of the outriggers can bend like a spring in their thickness direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

providing a damper member at part of a flexure to suppress the vibrations of a flexure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration suppression: Damping

Data Source

PatentUS20230117866A1Disk drive suspension, adjustment method of vibration characteristics of the same, and manufacturing method of the same

Publication Date: 2023.04.20 NHK SPRING CO LTD

AI summary

A disk drive suspension according to an embodiment comprises a load beam comprising a dimple, and a flexure overlaid on the load beam. The load beam and the flexure are fixed by a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion closer to a distal end of the load beam than the first fixing portion. The flexure comprises a tongue opposed to the dimple, and an outrigger connected to the tongue. The outrigger is bent in a thickness direction of the load beam at a bent portion located between the dimple and the first fixing portion in a length direction of the load beam.