Offset Dimple in Disk Drive Head Suspension Flexure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disk drive head suspensions are too tall and lack sufficient stiffness to counteract aerodynamic forces effectively, particularly in miniaturized magnetic disk drives where reduced height and increased stiffness are required.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an offset aperture in the load beam with a load point structure that includes a dimple, allowing the flexure's slider-receiving region to be positioned within the load beam's Z-height dimension, thereby reducing overall height while maintaining sufficient stiffness through the use of offset structures and limiter members.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the slider is positioned below the lower surface of the load beam, then the head suspension provides sufficient clearance for pitch/roll motion, but the overall height of the head suspension increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent repositions the slider from a location below the load beam to a location within the Z-height dimension of the load beam by using an offset aperture. This dimensional change allows the slider to be mounted at a different vertical position while maintaining the necessary clearance for pitch/roll motion through the offset dimple structure, thereby reducing overall height without compromising stiffness.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexure with the slider is nested within the offset aperture of the load beam. The slider receiving region extends into the offset aperture, effectively placing the slider inside the vertical envelope of the load beam. This nesting arrangement reduces the overall height of the head suspension while maintaining structural integrity and stiffness.
2Length of moving object
If miniaturization trends are pursued, then smaller and thinner head suspensions are required, but sufficient stiffness to counteract aerodynamic forces becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating an offset aperture at a specific location in the load beam, rather than uniformly reducing the entire structure. The offset aperture is positioned to allow the flexure to extend into the Z-height dimension while maintaining the necessary stiffness characteristics in other critical areas of the load beam to counteract aerodynamic forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The offset aperture introduces asymmetry in the load beam structure, creating an uneven distribution of material and structural properties. This asymmetric design allows the flexure to be positioned within the Z-height dimension while maintaining sufficient stiffness through the strategic placement of the aperture and the resulting structural configuration.
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 configuration minimizes the overall height of the head suspension while providing the necessary stiffness to counteract aerodynamic forces, enhancing the performance of miniaturized magnetic disk drives by allowing the slider to be partially or fully located within the load beam's Z-height dimension.
Implementation Method 1
the air above the disk similarly rotates, thus creating an air bearing which acts with an aerodynamic design of the head slider to create a lift force on the head slider
Implementation Method 2
the tongue can pivot about a load point provided in either the load beam or the slider mounting region itself
Implementation Method 3
The load point dimple thus should provide sufficient clearance between the slider mounting tongue and the load beam to accommodate the pitch/roll motion of the tongue and slider
Data Source
AI summary
A disk drive head suspension, including a load beam formed from one or more layers of material, and a flexure mounted to the load beam. The load beam has an offset aperture and stiffening rails, and is characterized by a Z-height dimension between the one or more layers of material and the free end edges of the stiffening rails. The flexure has a slider-receiving region extending at least partially through the offset aperture and located within the Z-height dimension of the load beam. A load point structure is provided on the load beam and/or the flexure for restraining movement of the slider receiving region and for permitting slider-receiving region to pivot in under aerodynamic forces.