Disk Drive Suspension Limiter Thickness Bending
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing disk drive suspensions with limiter structures suffer from mass unbalance and increased weight due to asymmetrical mass distribution and unnecessary large holes, affecting the behavior of the slider.
Innovation Solution
A disk drive suspension design where the limiter is formed by cutting and raising a part of the tongue along its thickness, with a bent portion and arm inserted into a load beam hole, maintaining symmetry and reducing mass, and the dimple's end contacts the slider's back surface through an opening left after the limiter is cut, preventing enlargement and unbalanced mass.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the limiter is formed by bending a part of the tongue along its width (as in Patent Document 1), then the slider movement is suppressed, but the mass distribution becomes unbalanced and the tongue becomes larger and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The limiter is formed by bending the tongue along its thickness direction (vertical dimension) rather than along its width direction (horizontal dimension). This dimensional change allows the limiter to be positioned symmetrically with respect to the center line, maintaining mass balance while still effectively suppressing slider movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention deliberately creates symmetry in the mass distribution by positioning the limiter at the transverse center of the tongue and bending it along the thickness. This symmetric configuration ensures that the mass distribution remains balanced with respect to the center line, preventing the unbalance that occurs when the limiter is bent along the width.
2Reliability
If the limiter is formed by bending a part of the tongue along its width, then the slider movement is suppressed, but a large hole is left in the tongue making it larger and heavier
Solution Approach 1:
By bending the tongue along its thickness rather than its width, the limiter can be formed without creating a large hole in the tongue. The bending action occurs in the vertical dimension, allowing the limiter to be integrated into the tongue structure more compactly and symmetrically.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts the necessary limiter function from the traditional width-bending approach and relocates it to the thickness direction. This extraction allows the limiter to be formed in a way that does not require removing large portions of the tongue, thereby simplifying the overall structure.
3Reliability
If the limiter is formed by bending a part of the tongue along its width, then the slider movement is suppressed, but the mass of the limiter becomes greater
Solution Approach 1:
The limiter is formed by bending the tongue along its thickness direction, which allows for a more compact and lighter limiter structure. This dimensional change enables the limiter to achieve the necessary movement suppression function with reduced mass compared to the width-bending approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the bending direction parameter from along the width to along the thickness. This parameter change fundamentally alters how the limiter is formed, resulting in a lighter and more compact structure that maintains the required functional performance.
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
The solution simplifies and reduces the limiter's size and mass, ensuring balanced mass distribution and effective suppression of slider movement, enhancing the suspension's mechanical properties and alignment accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
a flexure which is superposed on the load beam
Implementation Method 2
a dimple which is disposed on the load beam and supports the slider for swinging motion
Implementation Method 3
a limiter which is formed by cut and raised a part of the tongue and which suppresses movement of the slider
Implementation Method 4
When the disk rotates, the slider flies slightly above the surface of the disk, and an air bearing is formed between the disk and slider
Data Source
AI summary
A suspension is provided with a load beam and a flexure including a tongue on which a slider is mounted. A limiter is formed by cutting and raising a part of the tongue. The limiter includes a bent portion and arm. The tongue has an opening that is left after the limiter is cut and raised. The opening and limiter are formed along a center line of the tongue. A distal end of the dimple is in contact with a back surface of the slider through the opening.