Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head mounting – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-03
2001-04-24
Tupper, Robert S. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head mounting
Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222704
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a suspension assembly of high shock resistance and a hard disk drive device in which a suspension assembly of high shock resistance is implemented.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The
FIG. 1
shows a structure of a prior suspension assembly
1
. The suspension assembly
1
includes a mount plate
2
, a load beam
3
, a flexure
4
and a slider
5
. The mount plate
2
has an aperture
8
provided on one end, through which a shaft
11
(
FIG. 2
) fixed on a frame of the hard disk drive device is fitted for rotatably positioning the plate
2
. One end of the load beam
3
is fixed on the other end of the mount, plate
2
. The load beam
3
can flexibly bend at a hinge portion
7
. The flexure
4
is attached on a lower surface of the load beam
3
, and includes an extended member
9
. The slider
5
including a read/write head is supported on the member
9
, which provides a gimbal type supporting mechanism for the read/write head. The read/write head is mounted on a lower surface of the slider
5
, and writes the data to a magnetic recording disk
10
(
FIG. 2
) or reads the data from the disk
10
.
The small size hard disk drive device has been used as a memory of a portable personal computer. The thickness of the mount plate
2
, the load beam
3
and the flexure
4
of the suspension assembly made of stainless steel has been made thinner to allow more disks to be configured on a spindle and to increase the storage capacity of the hard disk device.
A problem resulting from thinning the suspension assembly
1
is that, with left end of the suspension assembly
1
being mounted on the shaft
11
on the frame and with the slider
5
and the head at the right end thereof being landed on the surface of the magnetic recording disk
10
, the suspension assembly
1
is entirely bent from its normal position
12
toward the magnetic recording disk
10
when an unexpected shock is applied to the personal computer, as shown in the
FIG. 2. A
sharp edge of the load beam
3
or a sharp edge of the flexure
4
contacts or collides with the surface of the magnetic recording disk
10
, resulting in damage of its surface, so that a desired read/write operation is not performed.
The FIGS.
3
(A), (B) and (C) show the movement of the portion of the load beam
3
taken along the line A—A in the FIG.
2
. The FIG.
3
(A) shows a parallel mode in which the load beam
3
is moved in parallel from its normal position
12
to the disk
10
. The FIGS.
3
(B) and (C) show a twist mode in which the load beam
3
is twisted in the movement towards the disk
10
, and the surface of the magnetic recording disk
10
is damaged by the right side edge
13
or the left side edge
14
. The inventors of the present invention have found that the most of the damage is caused by the movement of the twist mode in the FIGS.
3
(B) and (C).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a suspension assembly of high shock resistance type, whereby the damage of the magnetic recording disk is greatly reduced.
The further object of the present invention is to provide a hard disk drive device including the suspension assembly of high shock resistance type, whereby the damage of the magnetic recording disk is greatly reduced.
The suspension assembly is divided into three portions, i.e. a rear portion, one end of which can be pivotally mounted, a front portion supporting a slider including a read/write head for reading data from the magnetic recording disk or writing data to the magnetic recording disk, and a flexible hinge portion connecting the rear portion with the front portion.
According to the present invention, a protection layer is provided on a surface of the rear portion opposite to the recording disk at a position adjacent to the flexible hinge portion.
The protection layer is provided on a surface of the front portion opposite to the recording disk at a position adjacent to the flexible hinge portion.
At least one extruded portions are provided on a surface of the rear portion opposing to the recording disk at position adjacent to the flexible hinge portion.
The rear portion includes a metal plate opposite to the magnetic recording disk, and the metal plate is mechanically deformed to form the extruded portion, and the extruded portion is coated by an resilient layer made of a flexible polymer selected from a group consisting of polyimide, epoxy resin, polyetherurethane, rubber, silicone rubber, polyvinylchloride and polybutadiene.
Two extruded portions can be provided on a surface of the front portion opposing to the magnetic recording disk at a position adjacent to the flexible hinge portion, and the extruded portions are formed by the resilient layer on a flat portion of the front portion.
The suspension assembly comprises a mount plate one end of which can be pivotally mounted, a load beam having rear portion fixed to the mount plate, and the front portion, and having a flexible hinge portion between the rear portion and the front portion, and a metal plate including first portion and second portion. The first portion is fixed on the rear portion of the load beam, and the second portion is fixed on the front portion of the load beam. The second portion supports a slider including a read/write head for reading data from the magnetic recording disk or writing data to the recording disk.
Two extruded portions are provided in the second portion of the metal plate opposite to the recording disk at a position adjacent to the flexible hinge portion. Each of the extruded portions include a neck portion extending from the second portion and a dimple connected to the neck portion, and the resilient layer on the dimple, and the front portion of the load beam includes an aperture located on the underside of each dimple, with a diameter of the aperture being larger than a diameter of the dimple.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5862017 (1999-01-01), Kohira et al.
patent: 5864446 (1999-01-01), Endo et al.
patent: 5870258 (1999-02-01), Khan et al.
patent: 3-71477 (1991-03-01), None
patent: 9-22570 (1997-01-01), None
Albrecht David W.
Aoyagi Akihiko
International Business Machines - Corporation
Millett Douglas R.
Tupper Robert S.
LandOfFree
Suspension assembly with resilient shock bumpers for a disk... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Suspension assembly with resilient shock bumpers for a disk..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Suspension assembly with resilient shock bumpers for a disk... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2550588