# US 7,609,481 B1 · Oppositely deflected suspension flexure providing increased dimple contact force > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,609,481 B1 - Document ID: US7609481B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 11/104,381 - Filed: 2005-04-11 - Granted: 2009-10-27 - Earliest claimed: 2005-02-22 - Assignees: Magnecomp Corporation - Inventors: Jason Padeski; Johnathan Phu; Shijin Mei - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7609481B1 ## CPC - G11B 5/4826: {Mounting, aligning or attachment of the transducer head relative to the arm assembly, e.g. slider holding members, gimbals, adhesive (G11B5/484 takes precedence; details of head housings or structures G11B5/10, G11B5/127; adjustment relative to the record carrier G11B5/56)} - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract Method and apparatus in which a disk drive suspension flexure tongue supports a slider. A flexure frame attached to a suspension supports the tongue in dimple engagement with the suspension. Spaced, separate biasing structures on the frame act oppositely on the tongue for a net increase in tongue dimple contact force. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A disk drive suspension flexure comprising a tongue for supporting a slider, and a flexure frame having an attachment locus at which said frame is attachable to a suspension that provides a gimballing engagement with said tongue, said flexure frame being deflected at a first location away from said attachment locus and being deflected at a second location toward said attachment locus in a manner bringing said tongue closer to said dimple. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 1, in which said suspension flexure has a longitudinal axis, and said flexure frame comprises a base defining the plane of said attachment locus, a cross-member spaced therefrom, and left and right struts extending between said base and said cross-member generally parallel with said suspension longitudinal axis, said tongue extending from a central portion of said cross-member toward said base. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 2, in which said cross-member central portion is deflected from the general plane of said cross-member and away from said attachment locus plane to bias said tongue extending therefrom into less close contact with said dimple. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 2, in which said left and right struts each have a portion extending from and supporting said cross-member, each of said strut portions being locally deflected a like amount and direction to deflect said portions from the general plane of their respective said struts and from the general plane of said cross-member and toward said attachment locus plane to bias said tongue into closer contact with said dimple. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 4, in which said cross-member central portion is separately deflected from the general plane of said cross-member and deflected oppositely to said strut portions deflections and away from said attachment locus plane to bias said tongue into less close contact with said dimple, wherein said strut portion bias is greater than said cross-member central portion bias on said tongue. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 1, including also a slider mounted on said tongue. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) In combination: the disk drive suspension flexure of claim 1 and a suspension comprising a load beam and a dimple projecting from said load beam toward said flexure tongue. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 1, including also a slider mounted on said tongue one side. ### Claim 9 A flexure for attachment to a disk drive suspension, said flexure comprising an axially elongated tongue having a first side for supporting a slider away from said suspension, and a tongue-supporting frame comprising a cross-member having a central portion carrying said tongue, a base having in a plane generally parallel with said suspension an attachment locus at which said flexure is attachable to said suspension, and left and right struts connecting said cross-member and base, a dimple between a second side of said tongue and said suspension, said cross-member portion defining a first deflection away from said attachment locus plane to bias said tongue away from said dimple, said struts defining together a second deflection that biases said tongue toward said dimple more than said central portion biases said tongue away from said dimple, whereby contact force between said tongue and said dimple is increased. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 9, in which said suspension has a longitudinal axis, said cross-member has left and right shoulders defining said flexure first deflection of said cross-member central portion, and said left and right struts have transversely opposed shoulders defining said flexure second deflection, the net deflection biasing of said tongue increasing the contact force between said tongue and said dimple. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 10 in which said cross-member central portion is biased toward said attachment locus plane by said second deflection. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The disk drive suspension flexure according to claim 10, in which said cross-member central portion is deflected from the general plane of said cross-member and toward away from said attachment locus to bias said tongue extending therefrom away from said dimple. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) In combination: the disk drive suspension flexure of claim 9, a beam supporting said flexure, and a read/write head carried by said flexure traveling over the surface of a disk. ### Claim 14 A disk drive suspension flexure comprising a tongue for supporting a slider, and a tongue-supporting frame attachable to a suspension providing dimple engagement for said tongue with said suspension, said frame including a first frame portion extending in a first plane for suspension attachment, a second frame portion carrying said tongue, and a third frame portion carrying said second frame portion, said second and third frame portions being oppositely deflected relative to said first portion to provide a net bias on said tongue into said dimple engagement. ### Claim 15 A disk drive suspension having a flexure comprising a frame and a tongue adapted for dimple contact, and spaced, separate biasing structures on said frame acting oppositely on said tongue for a net increase in tongue dimple contact force. ### Claim 16 A method of manufacturing a disk drive suspension flexure including forming a flexure frame supporting a tongue, and forming separate, spaced and oppositely acting biasing structures in said frame for a net increase in tongue dimple contact force. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein said flexure is supported by a beam, and a read/write head traveling over the surface of a disk is carried by said flexure. ### Claim 18 A method of forming a disk drive suspension flexure for contact with a suspension dimple, including shaping a spring material into a base for attachment to a suspension, a cross-member having a central portion and a tongue supported by said central portion, and left and right struts supporting said cross-member on said base, deflecting said struts to bias said cross-member and tongue toward said dimple, and deflecting said central portion to bias said cross-member and tongue oppositely from and less than said strut deflections, whereby the net bias on said tongue provides increased contact force at said suspension dimple. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein said flexure is supported by a beam, and a read/write head traveling over the surface of a disk is carried by said flexure. ### Claim 20 A method of operating a disk drive suspension, including carrying a slider on one side of a tongue carried by a flexure fixed to said suspension, maintaining the other side of said tongue in dimple contact with said suspension, and separately biasing said tongue toward and away from said dimple contact for a net increase in dimple contact force.