Slider supporting apparatus including a flexure having spring characteristics and manufacturing method therefor

A slider supporting apparatus comprising a flexure formed of a metal plate having spring characteristics, the flexure comprising:

• a gimbals portion including a tongue on which a slider is mountable;
• a first support portion which supports a first longitudinal end of the slider placed on the tongue;
• a second support portion which is movable with respect to the first support portion in a longitudinal direction of the slider and which supports a second longitudinal end of the slider;
• and
• a spring portion which urges the second support portion toward the first support portion, the spring portion comprising a pair of flat springs provided on opposite sides of the tongue, each of the flat springs including a plurality of convexes and concaves alternately formed along the tongue along a surface direction of the flexure;
• wherein the spring portion is configured to extend to a length which allows the slider to be inserted between the first and second support portions when subjected to a tensile load, and to contract to a length such that the slider is held between the first and second support portions when subjected to no tensile load;
• and
• wherein each of the flat springs is shaped such that a middle part between each convex and each corresponding concave is narrow and such that a width thereof increases from the middle part toward respective extremities of the convex and the concave.

A slider supporting apparatus comprising a flexure formed of a metal plate having spring characteristics, the flexure comprising:

• a gimbals portion including a tongue on which a slider is mountable;
• a first support portion which supports a first longitudinal end of the slider placed on the tongue;
• a second support portion which is movable with respect to the first support portion in a longitudinal direction of the slider and which supports a second longitudinal end of the slider;
• and
• a spring portion which urges the second support portion toward the first support portion, the spring portion comprising a pair of flat springs provided on opposite sides of the tongue, each of the flat springs including a plurality of convexes and concaves alternately formed along the tongue along a surface direction of the flexure;
• wherein the spring portion is configured to extend to a length which allows the slider to be inserted between the first and second support portions when subjected to a tensile load, and to contract to a length such that the slider is held between the first and second support portions when subjected to no tensile load;
• and
• wherein each of the flat springs comprises a middle part having a fixed width between each convex and each corresponding concave such that widths of respective extremities of the convex and the concave are greater than the width of the middle part.