Suspension load beam for disk drive actuator with notch for reducing spring rate
AssigneeMaxtor Corporation
InventorsY.-J. Dennis Chen, Lin Guo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A suspension load beam for an actuator assembly of a disk drive includes a bend radius portion with a spring rate that is less than 18 Newtons per meter, a first bending mode that is greater than 3,500 Hertz, and a first torsion mode that is greater than 5,300 Hertz. The method of making this suspension load beam includes cutting a sheet of material to form a flat suspension load beam including a bend radius portion, removing material in the bend radius portion from full thickness, inspecting the bend radius portion to determine its thickness, and removing material from the bend radius portion and/or from the main body of the suspension load beam to compromise the performance difference due to thickness variation in bend radius portion.
Claims12
In a disk drive actuator assembly, the actuator assembly including an actuator arm pivotally mounted on a shaft and movable between a first position and a second position by a voice coil motor, and a suspension load beam affixed to the actuator arm, the improvement comprising:
- the suspension load beam having a secured end portion and a suspended end portion, a bend radius portion disposed between said secured end portion and said suspended end portion, said secured end portion having a first thickness, said bend radius portion having a second thickness that is less than said first thickness and a central opening, said bend radius portion further comprising means for reducing a spring rate of said bend radius portion in addition to said second thickness that is less than said first thickness and said central opening;
- wherein said means for reducing a spring rate of said bend radius portion includes at least areas of third thickness which are less than said second thickness and are disposed along a lateral edge of said bend radius portion;
- wherein at least one of said areas of third thickness is an area void of material;
- and
- wherein said at least one area void of material is a notch.
In a disk drive actuator assembly, the actuator assembly including an actuator arm pivotally mounted on a shaft and movable between a first position and a second position by a voice coil motor, and a suspension load beam affixed to the actuator arm, the improvement comprising:
- the suspension load beam having a secured end portion and a suspended end portion. a bend radius portion disposed between said secured end portion and said suspended end portion, said secured end portion having a first thickness, said bend radius portion having a second thickness that is less than said first thickness and a central opening, said bend radius portion further comprising means for reducing a spring rate of said bend radius portion in addition to said second thickness that is less than said first thickness and said central opening;
- wherein said means for reducing a spring rate of said bend radius portion is areas of thickness which are less than said second thickness and are disposed adjacent said central opening;
- wherein at least one of said areas of third thickness is an area void of material;
- and
- wherein at least one of said areas void of material is a notch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.