Balanced motor micro-actuator
View Patent ↗This application discloses a hard disk drive, a head stack assembly, and a head gimbal assembly, each including a micro-actuator hinge configured to position a slider over a rotating disk surface with greater stroke sensitivity while reducing bending perpendicular to the disk surface. The micro-actuator hinge includes at least one micro-actuator, a hinge plate and at least one hinge plate cover, with the micro-actuator including a first region and a second region, each coupled between the hinge plate and the hinge plate cover.
1. An apparatus comprising:
an actuator pivot;
an actuator arm rigidly coupled to the actuator pivot; and
a head gimbal assembly coupled to the actuator arm comprised of:
a micro-actuator hinge comprised of:
a micro-actuator comprised of a first region adjacent a second region,
a hinge plate above, below, and extending horizontally beyond the micro-actuator, and
a hinge plate cover with the first region or the second region coupled between the hinge plate and the hinge plate cover;
a base plate coupled to the micro-actuator hinge; and
a load beam with a flexure finger coupled to the micro-actuator hinge with the micro-actuator hinge between the base plate and the load beam.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first region is between the hinge plate and the hinge plate cover and constitutes at least ten percent of the area of the piezoelectric micro-actuator.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the hinge plate cover is a first hinge plate cover; and further comprising:
a second hinge plate cover with the second region between the hinge plate and the second hinge plate cover.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second region is between the hinge plate and the hinge plate cover.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a surface of a disk comprised of a plane; and wherein:
the hinge plate cover is between the hinge plate and the plane.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the micro-actuator employs at least one member of the group consisting of a thermal-mechanical effect, a piezoelectric effect and a shape memory alloy.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the micro-actuator is a first micro-actuator; and
the micro-actuator hinge comprised of a second micro-actuator.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a micro-actuator hinge comprised of:
a micro-actuator comprised of a first region adjacent a second region,
a hinge plate above, below, and extended horizontally beyond the micro-actuator, and
a hinge plate cover with the first region or the second region coupled between the hinge plate and the hinge plate cover;
a base plate coupled to the micro-actuator hinge, and
a load beam with a flexure finger coupled to the micro-actuator hinge with the micro-actuator hinge between the base plate and the load beam.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first region is between the hinge plate and the hinge plate cover and constitutes at least ten percent of the area of the piezoelectric micro-actuator.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:
the hinge plate cover is a first hinge plate cover; and further comprising:
a second hinge plate cover with the second region between the hinge plate and the second hinge plate cover.
11. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second region is between the hinge plate and the hinge plate cover.
12. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a surface of a disk comprised of a plane; and wherein:
the hinge plate cover is between the hinge plate and the plane.
13. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the micro-actuator employs at least one member of the group consisting of a thermal-mechanical effect, a piezoelectric effect and a shape memory alloy.
14. The apparatus head gimbal assembly of claim 8 , wherein:
the micro-actuator is a first micro-actuator; and
the micro-actuator hinge comprised of a second micro-actuator.