Disk drive with flex cable bracket having alignment post by flex exit location

1. A disk drive comprising:

a disk drive base;

a spindle motor attached to the disk drive base;

at least one disk attached to the spindle motor;

an actuator assembly rotatably attached to the disk drive base about an actuator pivot axis, the actuator assembly including at least one read head;

a flex cable bracket attached to the disk drive base; and

a flex cable having a first end portion fixed to the actuator assembly, a second end portion fixed to the flex cable bracket, and a free portion between the first and second end portions, the free portion joining the second end portion at a flex exit location;

wherein the flex cable bracket includes a flex alignment post that protrudes into a corresponding hole in the disk drive base, and a distance between the flex exit location and the actuator pivot axis is at least 4 times greater than a distance between the flex exit location and the flex alignment post; and

wherein the disk drive base includes a clocking post, and the flex cable bracket includes a registering surface in contact with the clocking post, the distance between the registering surface and the flex exit location being at least 5 times the distance between the flex exit location and the flex alignment post.

2. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the flex cable bracket and the flex alignment post are a single component having material continuity rather than being an assembly of subcomponents.

3. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the corresponding hole is a blind hole rather than being a through-hole.

4. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein first and second end portions and the free portion of the flex cable are a single component having material continuity rather than being an assembly of subcomponents.

5. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the flex cable bracket includes a flex stiffener subcomponent, and the second end portion is fixed to the flex stiffener subcomponent.

6. The disk drive of claim 2 wherein the flex cable bracket comprises a material selected from the group consisting of nylon, acetal resin plastic, polyetherimide, polycarbonate plastic, and liquid crystal polymer.

7. The disk drive of claim 5 wherein the flex stiffener subcomponent comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum, polyimide, and stainless steel.

8. The disk drive of claim 5 wherein the flex stiffener subcomponent is curved.

9. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the disk drive base and the clocking post are a single component having material continuity rather than being an assembly of subcomponents.

10. The disk drive of claim 8 wherein the flex stiffener subcomponent comprises a material selected from the group consisting of aluminum and stainless steel.