Pseudosymmetric Head Suspension Microactuator Mounting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dual-stage disk drive head suspensions with a single microactuator mounted offset from the longitudinal centerline create asymmetries, leading to undesirable effects such as resonance noise and off-track issues due to bending mode windage.
Innovation Solution
A pseudosymmetric microactuated disk drive head suspension design where the microactuator is positioned substantially in the same plane as the mounting region, mechanically and electrically coupled to the mounting region, reducing asymmetry and resonance noise through a microactuator support structure that maintains symmetry about the longitudinal centerline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single microactuator is mounted offset from the longitudinal centerline of the head suspension, then the number of microactuators is minimized, but asymmetries are created that cause resonance noise and off-track errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally creating a pseudosymmetric configuration where the microactuator is mounted offset from the longitudinal centerline but positioned in the plane of the mounting region. This asymmetric placement reduces the number of microactuators needed while minimizing the harmful asymmetries that cause resonance noise and off-track errors through careful geometric balancing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the microactuator into the plane of the mounting region (a different spatial dimension/level) rather than mounting it above or below the plane. This dimensional change allows the microactuator to be offset from the centerline while maintaining symmetry in the vertical dimension, thereby reducing harmful asymmetries while still using a single microactuator.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple microactuators are utilized, then torsion modes can be balanced and resonance noise minimized, but the number of microactuators and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses asymmetric mounting of a single microactuator (offset from the longitudinal centerline) to achieve torsion mode balance and minimize resonance noise without requiring multiple microactuators. The asymmetric position is carefully chosen to create pseudosymmetry that balances the torsional characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
By positioning the microactuator in the plane of the mounting region rather than above or below it, the patent achieves a pseudosymmetric configuration that balances torsion modes with a single microactuator, avoiding the need for multiple microactuators while maintaining torsional equilibrium.
3Ease of manufacture
If the microactuator is mounted above the mounting region and load beam, then ease of assembly is improved, but asymmetry is created that increases resonance noise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the microactuator from above the mounting region into the plane of the mounting region. This dimensional change creates a pseudosymmetric configuration that maintains ease of assembly while significantly reducing the asymmetry-induced resonance noise associated with conventional mounting positions.
Data Source
AI summary
A dual stage microactuated head suspension includes a base plate, a mounting region attached to the base plate, a load beam coupled to the mounting region, a flexure supported by the load beam and the mounting region, and a microactuator mechanically and electrically coupled to the mounting region. The mounting region is oriented in a plane and includes a microactuator slot for receiving the microactuator such that the microactuator lies substantially or entirely in the plane of the mounting region. The head suspension includes a microactuator support structure provided for mechanically and electrically coupling the microactuator to the mounting region.