Granted Patent B1

US 6,965,500 · App. 10/080,786 · Granted Nov 15, 2005

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A head stack assembly for a disk drive, the head stack assembly comprising:

a body portion including a bore defining a pivot axis;

an actuator arm cantilevered from the body portion;

a head gimbal assembly supported at the actuator arm and including:

a load beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm, the load beam defining a load beam feature near the second end, at least a portion of the load beam feature defining a formed dimple and an extension that extends from the formed dimple, the extension being parallel to the pivot axis and having a rectangular cross-section that has a length to width aspect ratio that is greater than 1;

a slider coupled to a free end of the load beam extension, and

a gimbal coupled to the second end of the load beam and to the slider.

2. A load beam assembly for attachment to an actuator arm in a disk drive, the disk drive having a disk, the load beam assembly comprising:

a load beam, the load beam defining a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm, the load beam defining a load beam feature near the second end, at least a portion of the load beam feature defining a dimple and an extension that extends from the dimple toward the disk, the extension having a rectangular cross-section having a length to width aspect ratio that is greater than 1.

3. A head gimbal assembly for attachment to an actuator arm in a disk drive, the disk drive having a disk, the head gimbal assembly comprising:

a load beam, the load beam defining a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm, the load beam defining a load beam feature near the second end, at least a portion of the load beam feature defining a dimple and an extension that extends from the dimple toward the disk, the extension having a rectangular cross-section having a length to width aspect ratio that is greater than 1;

a slider coupled to a free end of the load beam extension; and

a gimbal coupled to the second end of the load beam and to the slider.

4. A disk drive, comprising:

a disk having a recording surface;

a head stack assembly, including:

a body portion;

an actuator, arm cantilevered from the body portion, and a head gimbal assembly supported at the actuator arm and including:

a load beam, the load beam defining a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm, the load beam defining a load beam feature near the second end, at least a portion of the load beam feature defining a dimple and an extension that extends from the dimple toward the disk, the extension having a rectangular cross-section having a length to width aspect ratio that is greater than 1;

a slider coupled to a free end of the load beam extension; and

a gimbal coupled to the second end of the load beam and to the slider.

5. A head stack assembly for a disk drive having a disk, the head stack assembly comprising:

a body portion;

an actuator arm cantilevered from the body portion;

a head gimbal assembly supported at the actuator arm and including:

a load beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm;

a gimbal coupled to the, second end of the load beam;

a passive spacer defining a first surface that is coupled to the gimbal and a second surface that faces away from the first surface, the first surface of the passive spacer being separated from the second surface of the passive spacer by at least 0.02 mm; and

a slider coupled to the second surface of the passive spacer.

6. The head stack assembly of claim 5 , wherein the load beam defines a dimple near the second end, the passive spacer being coupled to the dimple.

7. A head gimbal assembly configured to be supported by an actuator arm in a disk drive, the disk drive having a disk, the head gimbal assembly comprising:

a load beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm;

a gimbal coupled to the second end of the load beam;

a passive spacer defining a first surface that is coupled to the load beam and a second surface that faces away from the first surface, the first surface of the passive spacer being separated from the second surface of the passive spacer by at least 0.02 mm; and

a slider coupled to the second surface of the passive spacer and to the gimbal.

8. The head gimbal assembly of claim 7 , wherein the load beam defines a dimple near the second end, the gimbal being coupled to the dimple.

9. A disk drive, comprising:

a disk having a recording surface;

a head stack assembly, including:

a body portion;

an actuator arm cantilevered from the body portion; and

a head gimbal assembly supported at the actuator arm and including:

a load beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being attached to the actuator arm;

a gimbal coupled to the second end of the load beam;

a passive spacer defining a first surface that is coupled to the load beam and a second surface that faces away from the first surface, the first surface of the passive spacer being separated from the second surface of the passive spacer by at least 0.02 mm, and

a slider coupled to the second surface of the passive spacer and to the gimbal.

10. The disk drive of claim 9 , wherein a dimension of the passive spacer between the first surface of the passive spacer and the second surface of the passive spacer is selected to be greater than about 0.02 mm.

11. The disk drive of claim 9 , wherein the load beam defines a dimple near the second end, te gimbal being coupled to the dimple.

Assignments (7)