Hutchinson Technology Corporation

Zachary A Pokornowski

Jacob D Bjorstrom

Ryan N Ruzicka

Mark A Miller

Michael Wayne Davis

Jeffry S Bennin

John A Theget

Nole D German

Peter Francis Ladwig

Paul Valentine Pesavento

John L Schumann

Richard Rodger Jenneke

Reed T Hentges

Craig A Leabch

Mark Steven Lewandowski

Duane M Jelkin

Michael T Hofflander

Shawn P Bopp

Brian D Schafer

Brian J Stepien

John E Theisen

John L Wagner

Dean E Myers

Kurt C Swanson

Yasushi Sakamoto

Nathaniel K Behning

Joseph C Wheatley

Trent A Johnson

Matthew S Lang

Allan D Tokuda

Forrest A Cravens

Douglas P Riemer

Clark T Olsen

Scott J Cray

Joel B Michaletz

Jeffery G Ribar

Jeremy J Stroschein

Erich W Bierbrauer

Todd Austin Peter

Todd A Peter

Ronald A Greeley

Terry W Zeller

The present embodiments relate to a shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator with a reduced number of materials for manufacturing the actuator. In some instances, elements of the SMA actuator can comprise a dielectric material disposed on the actuator via an injection molding process. In other instances, the SMA actuator can dispose SMA wires above a base of the SMA actuator without the use of any dielectric material. In a first example, an SMA actuator can include a carriage and a base. The base can include a fixed end fixed to the carriage, a free end, a beam connecting the fixed end and the free end, and at least one SMA wire. The SMA actuator can also include an insulator comprising a dielectric material electrically isolating a set of electrical contacts at the fixed end.

Shape memory alloy (SMA) bimorph actuators and methods for manufacturing the same

Devices including a substrate and a plurality of coil portions disposed on the substrate. The plurality of coil portions electrically coupled to form a coil structure.

High density coil design and process

A suspension assembly is described. The suspension assembly including a rigid interposer circuit; a plurality of flexible circuits configured to attach to the rigid interposer circuit and movable about an x-axis and a y-axis with respect to the static plate; and a sensor mounting region on the rigid interposer circuit.

Sensor shift structures in optical image stabilization suspensions

SMA actuators and related methods are described. One embodiment of an actuator includes a base; a plurality of buckle arms; and at least a first shape memory alloy wire coupled with a pair of buckle arms of the plurality of buckle arms. Another embodiment of an actuator includes a base and at least one bimorph actuator including a shape memory alloy material. The bimorph actuator attached to the base.

Shape memory alloy actuators and methods thereof

A method of making a component includes applying a clamping force to the component, the component coupled to a carrier strip of a panel via a polymeric tab and separating a portion of the polymeric tab from a substrate of the component, thereby causing the component to be detached from the panel.

Removable tabs and methods of making and using the same

A backside connection access structure and method for manufacturing are described. The method including forming a gold layer over at least a portion of a substrate. The method also including forming a metal layer over the gold layer. And, the method includes forming an opening in the substrate to expose at least a portion of the gold layer.

Gold plating on metal layer for backside connection access

Embodiments of disk drive head suspensions are described that include a spring metal layer. The spring metal layer includes a base region, support arms extending from the base region, and a slider mounting region. The slider mounting region includes a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a pair of motor openings. The motor openings are configured to receive motors such that the longitudinal axes of the motors are non-parallel with the longitudinal axis of the slider mounting region. The suspensions include traces that include a base portion on the base region of the spring metal layer, a spring metal-unsupported portion extending from the base region to the slider mounting region, and a slider mounting portion extending from the spring metal-unsupported portion onto the slider mounting region. And, the suspensions include an insulating layer between portions of the spring metal layer and the conductor layer.

Co-located gimbal-based dual stage actuation disk drive head suspension manufacturing method with non-parallel motors

Co-located gimbal-based dual stage actuation disk drive head suspension with non-parallel motors

A suspension having a DSA structure on a gimbaled flexure includes a loadbeam and a flexure attached to the loadbeam. The flexure includes a metal layer with a pair of spring arms, a tongue including a slider mounting surface, and a pair of struts connecting the pair of spring arms to the tongue. The suspension further includes a pair of traces including one or more insulated conductors and being routed around opposite sides of the slider mounting surface, over the pair of struts to a set of terminal contacts on a distal portion of the tongue. The suspension also includes a motor mounted on the flexure, the motor having opposite lateral ends, the motor orientated laterally across the flexure such that the opposite lateral ends of the motor are on opposite lateral sides of the flexure. Electrical activation of the motor rotates the slider mounting surface relative to the loadbeam.

Co-located gimbal-based DSA disk drive suspension with traces routed around slider pad

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.

Various embodiments concern a DSA suspension of a disk drive. The DSA suspension comprises a support configured to attach to the disk drive, the support comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a linkage portion therebetween. The DSA head suspension system further comprises at least one motor mounted on the support, each motor positioned between the proximal portion and the distal portion. The DSA suspension further comprises a damper attached to some or all of the proximal portion, the motor(s), the distal portion, and the linkage portion. The damper can be a single layer or multilayered. The damper can comprise viscoelastic material. The damper can be adhesive. The damper may only be attached to the support and the motors and not to other components of the DSA suspension.

Damped dual stage actuation disk drive suspensions

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Cokato, MN, United States of America

Zachary A Pokornowski