Hutchinson Technology Corporation

Mmi Technologies Pte Ltd.

Craig A Leabch

Jacob D Bjorstrom

Raymond R Wolter

Larry C Webb, Jr

Stevenson J Marek

Shawn P Bopp

Mark A Miller

Jeffry S Bennin

Zachary A Pokornowski

Richard Rodger Jenneke

Reed T Hentges

Mark Steven Lewandowski

John A Theget

Michael T Hofflander

Anthony J Liberko

Steven R Lagergren

Brian J Stepien

John E Theisen

John L Wagner

Brian D Schafer

Shane J Van Sloun

Michael E Detjens

Michael Wayne Davis

Douglas P Riemer

Dennis A Boismier

Galen D Houk

Yiduo Zhang

Stephen J Hansen

Jeffery D Weckwerth

Keith W Carlson

James J Sherry

Disk drive suspension baseplates made of a base metal and methods for manufacturing disk drive suspension baseplates having boss outer surfaces characterized by roughness parameters R&#x2265;0.15 &#x3bc;m.

Disk drive suspension baseplate having enhanced torque retention and method of manufacture

A stainless steel dual stage actuated disk drive head suspension baseplate including a plated electrical contact area having nickel and gold. The baseplate can be heat treated. The nickel and gold can be in a mixture.

Low resistance ground joints for dual stage actuation disk drive suspensions

Stable, low resistance conductive adhesive ground connections between motor contacts and a gold-plated contact area on a stainless steel component of a dual stage actuated suspension. The stainless steel component can be a baseplate, load beam, hinge, motor plate, add-on feature or flexure.

A method for adjusting a performance parameter of a head suspension for positioning a read/write head in a disk drive. The suspension includes a beam and flexible element for carrying a read/write head extending from the beam. The flexible element has one or more adjustment portions. The beam has one or more openings adjacent to the adjustment portions of the flexible element to provide access to the adjustment portions through the beam. The method comprises acting upon one or more adjustment portions of the flexible element through one or more of the openings in the beam to change a performance parameter of the head suspension. A laser beam is used to irradiate the adjustment portions of the flexible element in one embodiment of the invention.

Method for adjusting a head suspension for positioning a read/write head over a disk

A head suspension for supporting a read/write head in a dynamic rigid disk data storage device and applying a load force on the read/write head in a load direction when the storage device is in operation, the suspension comprising an elongated loadbeam portion extending along a longitudinal axis having a bending spring rate in the load direction. The loadbeam comprises a rigid mounting portion at a proximal end of the loadbeam portion for attaching the loadbeam portion to an actuating mechanism, a rigid load portion at a distal end of the loadbeam portion for supporting an assembly configured to carry the read/write head, and a spring portion integrally formed with the mounting region and load region and having partially etched regions with a thickness that is smaller than the mounting region and load region. The spring portion appreciably affects the bending spring rate. The boundary between the spring portion and mounting portion comprises at least a first segment that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The boundary between the spring portion and load portion comprises at least a second segment that is not perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Loadbeam with improved partial etching geometry

A stacked suspension assembly for a data storage drive having, for example, at least two suspension members with each suspension member has a bearing hole therethrough. At least one spacer is positioned between the at least two suspension members to separate adjacent suspension members Each spacer has a bearing hole therethrough. A bearing member can be inserted within the bearing holes of the at least two suspension members and the at least one spacer. The bearing member has an actuator hole into which an actuator pivot member is insertable.

Suspension bearings for data storage drive

An actuator assembly for supporting a read/write device in an information storage device having an actuator arm having at least one tower protruding from a first surface of the actuator arm, a loadbeam having at least one tower receiving means for receiving the at least one tower, wherein the at least one tower is shaped to extend into the at least one tower receiving means when the loadbeam is joined with the actuator arm, and wherein the tower and tower receiving means are configured such that deforming the at least one tower when within the at least one tower receiving means provides a deformation interference between the at least one tower and the at least one tower receiving means that reduces movement of the tower receiving means relative to the tower.

Method for making an actuator assembly for supporting a read/write device in an information storage device

Apparatus and method for grounding a flexure of a head suspension assembly to a moving support such as an actuator arm or an E block close to a preamplifier, write driver or other wiring such as a flexible circuit located on the moving support in a disk drive assembly, including connecting a metal substrate layer of the flexure to a ground on the moving support closely adjacent the preamplifier or flexible circuit to minimize ground loop interference with signals on the traces. The invention includes a variety of arrangements to secure the metal substrate layer to the moving support.

Ground interconnects

A switchable shunt has an insulating layer separating conductive lead and spring metal layers. The shunt includes a base region formed on the spring metal layer, one or more arms formed in the conductive lead layer and at least one of the insulating and spring metal layers, one or more pad regions electrically coupled to an arm and formed in at least the conductive lead layer, and one or more gaps. Each arm extends through a gap and is resiliently biased toward a shunted state with the pad region in electrical contact with the base region. The shunt is movable to an electrically open state where the pad and base regions are electrically isolated. A method of making the shunt includes etching the shunt from laminated material and pushing the arm and pad through the gap. The shunt may be operated by applying a force to the arm.

Method of making switchable shunts for integrated lead suspensions

A head suspension or head suspension component article configured for solder ball bonding of a head slider to electrical traces on article. The article including electrical traces formed from electrically conductive material with the electrical traces having a bonding region adapted for electrical bonding to a head slider. Also included is a support structure providing support for at least portions of the electrical traces and including a head slider mounting region adapted to receive the head slider. This structure is configured to mechanically and thermally isolate the bonding region of the electrical traces from the head slider mounting region to reduce mechanical and thermal effects of a solder ball bonding process on the article during solder ball bonding of the head slider to the electrical traces. The support structure may be reduced at or around the bonding region, or the conductive material may be increased to dissipate more heat.

Head suspension configured for improved thermal performance during solder ball bonding to head slider

Method of operating switchable shunts for integrated lead suspensions

Deformable towers useful for assembly of suspensions used in a data storage drive

Switchable shunts for integrated lead suspensions

Growing community of inventors

Saint Cloud, MN, United States of America

Craig A Leabch