Transducer gimbal structure

Abstract

A magnetic head suspension 10 has a flexure portion 18 constituted as a single one-piece structure with a load beam spring element portion 12. The flexure portion 18 projects beyond a distal apex of the load beam spring element portion 12. The flexure portion 18 includes a first connection arm member connected at a proximal end thereof to the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion 12. Head support means are suspended from the first connection arm member. The head support means are constructed and arranged for supporting a head slider bonded to one face of a bond pad area 26 thereof. The head support means has a pair of substantially parallel flexible longitudinal arms 28 substantially enclosing the bond pad area 26. The distal end of the flexible arms 28 flexibly suspend the bond pad area 26 of the head support means. The proximal ends of the flexible arms 28 are connected to the distal end of the first connection arm member. A stiffening member 20, adhesively secured to the load beam element portion 12 adjacent the distal end thereof, projects over at least a portion of the flexure portion 18 and has a load protrusion 22 projecting from a surface thereof for engaging the opposite face of the bond pad area 26, thereby increasing vertical axis stiffness and providing a gimballing point for facilitating tracking of the slider over the surface of a disk.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A magnetic head suspension for attachment to an actuator arm of a disk drive, said head suspension comprising, in combination: (a) a load beam spring element portion joined to a distal end of the arm;   (b) a unitary flexure portion constituted as a single one-piece structure with the load beam spring element portion and projecting beyond a distal apex of the load beam spring element portion, the flexure portion being comprised of a first connection arm member connected at a proximal end thereof to the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion,   head support means suspended from the first connection arm member, said head support means constructed and arranged for supporting a disk drive head slider bonded to one face of a bond pad area thereof;   at least one slot cut into a surface of the head support means surrounding the bond pad area thereof to define a pair of substantially parallel flexible arms substantially enclosing the bond pad area, the flexible arms being aligned generally with a longitudinal axis of the load beam spring element, each of the flexible arms being constructed and arranged for flexible suspension of the bond pad area of the head support means from distal ends of the flexible arms, proximal ends of the flexible arms being connected to a distal end of the first connection arm member;   such that a sole connection of the flexure portion to the load beam spring element portion is generally along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the head suspension; and     (c) a stiffening member adhesively secured to said load beam spring element portion adjacent the distal apex thereof, said stiffening member projecting over at least part of the flexure portion and having a load protrusion projecting from a surface thereof for engaging an opposite face of the bond pad area thereby increasing vertical axis stiffness and providing a gimballing point for facilitating tracking of the slider over the surface of a disk.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the bond pad area of a head support means is suspended at the distal end of the head support means from a first transverse linking member connecting the distal ends of the flexible arms. 
     
     
       3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the bond pad area of the head support means is connected to the first transverse linking member by a second connection arm member. 
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 1 wherein a width of the flexure portion is substantially less than a width of the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion. 
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first connection arm member is tapered from a maximum width at the distal end of the load beam spring element portion to a minimum width at a proximal end of the head support means. 
     
     
       6. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first connection arm member has a maximum width which is substantially less than a width of the flexure portion at the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion. 
     
     
       7. The invention of claim 1 wherein a plane of the bond pad area of the flexure portion is substantially parallel to and displaced from a plane of the load beam spring element portion along form lines adjacent the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion. 
     
     
       8. The invention of claim 7 wherein material is removed from the load beam spring element portion along at least part of the form lines. 
     
     
       9. The invention of claim 7 wherein material is removed from the load beam spring element portion to form slots oriented transverse to at least a portion of the form lines. 
     
     
       10. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first connection arm member has a portion of its central area removed to provide a pair of connection arms linked at their distal ends by a second transverse linking member substantially perpendicular to the flexible arms thereby maintaining lateral stiffness of the suspension while minimizing its gimballing stiffness to allow improved tracking of a magnetic head mounted on the bond pad area. 
     
     
       11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first connection arm member has a portion of its central area removed to provide a pair of connection arms each of which is directly linked at its distal extremity to one of said flexible arms without connection to each other except at the proximal ends thereof thereby maintaining lateral stiffness of the suspension while minimizing its gimballing stiffness to allow improved tracking of a magnetic head mounted on the bond pad area. 
     
     
       12. The invention of claim 1 wherein the bond pad area has an area of reduced surface thickness on a face to be bonded to a disk drive head slider thereby providing a reservoir for receiving adhesive to provide a stronger bond between the bond pad area and slider. 
     
     
       13. The invention of claim 1 wherein the first connection arm member is partially etched to reduce its thickness and increase pitch and roll axis flexibility of the suspension. 
     
     
       14. The invention of claim 1 wherein the flexible arms are partially etched to reduce their thickness and increase the pitch and roll axis flexibility of the suspension. 
     
     
       15. A magnetic head suspension for attachment to a rigid arm, said head suspension comprising, in combination: (a) a load beam spring element portion joined to a distal end of the arm;   (b) a flexure portion, constituted as a single one-piece structure with the load beam spring element portion, said flexure portion projecting beyond a distal apex of the load beam spring element portion, the flexure portion being divided into first connection arm member connected at one end to the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion and axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the load beam spring element portion, head support means suspended from the connection arm member, said head support means constructed and arranged for supporting a disk drive head slider bonded to one face of a bond pad area thereof, the bond pad area being divided into segments located on opposite sides of said first connection arm member, said bond pad areas being linked to a distal end of the first connection arm member and to each other adjacent the distal ends thereof by a second connection arm member;   such that sole connection of the flexure portion to the load beam spring element portion is generally along a longitudinal axis of symmetry of the head suspension; and     (c) a stiffening member adhesively secured to said load beam spring element portion adjacent the distal end thereof, said stiffening member projecting over at least part of the flexure portion and having a load protrusion projecting from a surface thereof for engaging an opposite face of the connection arm member thereby increasing vertical axis stiffness and providing a gimballing point for facilitating tracking of a slider over a surface of a disk.   
     
     
       16. The invention of claim 15 wherein a width of the first connection arm member tapers from maximum width adjacent the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion to a minimum width adjacent its junction with the second connection arm member. 
     
     
       17. The invention of claim 15 wherein the first connection arm member is partially etched to reduce its thickness. 
     
     
       18. The invention of claim 17 wherein the first connection arm member is separated into a pair of connection arms by an aperture cut into the first connection arm member, thereby maintaining lateral stiffness of the suspension while reducing its gimballing stiffness. 
     
     
       19. The invention of claim 18 wherein the first connection arm member is partially etched to reduce its thickness. 
     
     
       20. The invention of claim 15 wherein a plane of the bond pad area of the flexure portion is substantially parallel to and displaced from a plane of the load beam spring element portion along form lines adjacent the distal apex of the load beam spring element portion. 
     
     
       21. The invention of claim 20 wherein material is removed from the load beam spring element portion along at least part of the form lines. 
     
     
       22. The invention of claim 20 wherein material is removed from the load beam spring element portion to form slots oriented transverse to at least part of the form lines.