Piezoelectric disk drive suspension motors having plated stiffeners
AssigneeHutchinson Technology Incorporated
InventorJacob D. Bjorstrom
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments concern a gimbaled flexure having a dual stage actuation structure. The flexure comprises a gimbal on which a motor is mounted. The motor comprises a first terminal, one or more layers of piezoelectric material, and a metal stiffener disposed directly on the first terminal. The stiffener comprises a layer of metal defining a majority of a top side of the motor. The first terminal can be gold sputtered on the piezoelectric material while the stiffener can be nickel plated on the gold. The stiffener can cause the motor, and the flexure on which it is mounted, to curl upon electrical activation of the motor.
Claims23
A suspension structure, comprising:
- a gimbaled flexure;
- and
- a motor mounted on the flexure, the motor having a first major broad side and a second major broad side opposite the first major broad side, the motor comprising:
- a first terminal along at least part of the first major broad side, the first terminal comprising a first conductive layer of a first metal;
- a second terminal, the second terminal comprising a second conductive layer of the first metal;
- one or more layers of piezoelectric material located between the first major broad side and the second major broad side;
- and
- a metal stiffener disposed directly on the first terminal along the first major broad side, the stiffener comprising a second layer of a second metal,
- wherein the one or more layers of piezoelectric material are configured to one or both of expand or contract upon application of a differential signal across the first and second terminals.
A suspension structure, comprising:
- a gimbaled flexure;
- and
- a motor mounted on the flexure, the motor having a first major broad side and a second major broad side opposite the first major broad side, the motor comprising:
- a first terminal on the first major broad side, the first terminal comprising a first conductive layer of a first metal;
- one or more layers of piezoelectric material located between the first major broad side and the second major broad side;
- and
- a metal stiffener disposed directly on the first conductive layer along the first major broad side, the stiffener comprising a second layer of a second metal, the stiffener defining a majority of the surface area of the first major broad side, the second metal having a higher elastic modulus and a lower conductivity than the first metal, the second layer of the stiffener thicker than the first conductive layer.
A suspension structure, comprising:
- a gimbaled flexure;
- and
- a motor mounted on the flexure, the motor having a first major broad side, a second major broad side opposite the first major broad side, a first long side, a second long side opposite the first long side, a first end side, a second end side opposite the first end side, the motor comprising:
- a first terminal formed from a first metal;
- a second terminal formed from the first metal;
- one or more layers of piezoelectric material between the first major broad side and the second major broad side, the one or more layers configured to one or both of expand or contract upon application of a differential signal across the first and second terminals;
- and
- a metal stiffener disposed only along the first major broad side of the motor, the stiffener comprising a layer of a second metal, the second metal having a higher elastic modulus and a lower conductivity than the first metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.