Head assembly and disk drive

Abstract

A head assembly which can prevent an increase in the frictional force between the head and the recording medium, even if the spindle motor is rotated in the reverse direction during start-up of the disk drive. The head assembly includes a suspension having a roundedly bent portion for generating a spring load and a gimbal located on the suspension. A head slider is mounted on the gimbal. The head slider has an air bearing surface, an air inlet end, and an air outlet end. The spring load of said suspension is applied to the head slider at a load point that is offset from a center of gravity of said head slider. Preferably, the offset load point is located between the center of gravity of the head slider and its air inlet end. Additionally, the head slider preferably includes several pads extending from its air bearing surface, and the offset load point can be located at the center of gravity of the pads (as opposed to the center of gravity of the head slider in its entirety). There are two preferred configurations for realizing the offset load point of the present invention: (1) using a reinforcing plate connected to the suspension, and a pivot formed on the reinforcing plate and kept in pressure contact with the slider mounting portion of the gimbal, such that the pivot applies the spring load to the head slider; and (2) bending the gimbal at a neck portion thereof by a given angle to apply the spring load.