Adapter plate for coupling a head to an actuator arm in a disk drive assembly

An actuator arm assembly for a disk drive unit, comprising:

• a transducer head;
• a load beam coupled to the transducer head;
• an actuator arm including an end section having a first flange with a first V-shaped groove formed therein and a first pair of latching edges positioned opposite the first flange;
• an adapter plate including
• a plate surface coupled to the load beam,
• a pair of latch hooks formed on a first edge of the adapter plate, said pair of latch hooks having a shape for hooking over the first pair of latching edges on the actuator arm,
• a coupling hook formed on a second edge opposite the latch hooks, said coupling hook including a notch formed centrally therein and extending inward toward the plate surface;
• and
• a tapered pin for inserting between the coupling hook and the V-shaped groove, said tapered pin having a shape so that, when inserted, said tapered pin is wedged between the notch in the coupling hook and the V-shaped groove.

In a disk drive unit, an actuator arm assembly comprising:

• a plurality of actuator arms, each actuator arm including an end section having a grooved edge with a V-shaped groove formed therein and a latching edge opposite the grooved edge;
• a plurality of transducer heads;
• a plurality of load beams, each of said load beams being coupled to one of said transducer heads;
• a plurality of adapter plates for removably coupling said actuator arms with the load beams, each adapter plate including
• a plate surface coupled to one of said load beams,
• a pair of latch hooks formed on a first edge of the adapter plate, said latch hooks having a shape for hooking over the latching edge of the actuator arm,
• a coupling hook formed on a second edge opposite the latch edge, said coupling hook including a notch formed centrally therein and extending inward toward the plate surface;
• and
• a plurality of tapered pins, each of said tapered pins for inserting between one of said coupling hook and its respective V-shaped groove, each of said tapered pins having a shape so that, when inserted, said tapered pin is wedged between the notch in the respective coupling hook and the V-shaped groove.