Enclosed piezoelectric microactuators coupled between head and suspension
AssigneeWestern Digital (Fremont), LLC
InventorsMuhammad A. Hawwa, Edmund B. Fanslau, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An actuator is coupled between a head and flexure and gimbal elements, the actuator providing submicron positioning of the head while reducing undesirable vibrations of the flexure and gimbal elements. Such an actuator may have a frame that surrounds a cavity, the frame having an opening disposed adjacent to the head and a wall disposed on an opposite side of the frame from the opening. One or more active elements are disposed in the cavity and attached to the frame, the active element separated from the wall and having a dimension that varies in size in response to a control signal, with a moveable element coupled to the active element and to the head.
Claims24
An apparatus for reading or writing information on a media, the apparatus comprising:
- a head having a media-facing surface and a non-media-facing surface, said head including an electromagnetic transducer;
- and
- an actuator disposed adjacent to said non-media-facing surface, said actuator including:
- a frame surrounding a cavity, said frame having an opening disposed adjacent to said head and a wall disposed on an opposite side of said frame from said opening,
- at least one deformable element disposed in said cavity and attached to said frame, said deformable element separated from said wall and having a shape that varies in response to a control signal, and
- a moveable element coupled to said deformable element and to said head.
An apparatus for reading or writing information on a media, the apparatus comprising:
- a head having a media-facing surface and a non-media-facing surface, said head including an electromagnetic transducer;
- a flexible element coupled to said head to position said transducer;
- and
- an actuator disposed adjacent to said non-media-facing surface, said actuator including:
- a frame surrounding a cavity, said frame having an opening disposed adjacent to said head and a wall disposed on an opposite side of said frame from said opening, said wall attached to said flexible element,
- a plurality of active elements disposed in said cavity and attached to said frame, said active elements separated from said wall and having dimensions that vary in size in response to a control signal, wherein the active elements are separated from said flexible element by said wall, and
- a moveable element coupled to said active elements and to said head.
An apparatus for reading or writing information on a media, the apparatus comprising:
- a head having a media-facing surface and a non-media-facing surface, said head including an electromagnetic transducer;
- a flexible element coupled to said head to position said transducer;
- and
- an actuator disposed adjacent to said non-media-facing surface, said actuator including:
- a frame surrounding a cavity, said frame having an opening disposed adjacent to said head and a wall disposed on an opposite side of said frame from said opening, said wall attached to said flexible element,
- a plurality of active elements disposed in said cavity and attached to said frame, said active elements separated from said wall and having dimensions that vary in size in response to a control signal, said active elements each containing at least three electrode layers interspersed with a piezoelectric material, with each of said electrode layers extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to said wall, and
- a moveable element coupled to said active elements and to said head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.