Hard disk drive gimbal design with high yaw mode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12475918-B2
Application number	US-202318196919-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 12, 2023
Priority date	Feb 17, 2021
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

A trace gimbal is described herein. In some embodiments, the trace gimbal includes outer struts including a front outrigger at a distal end of the trace gimbal and a rear outrigger at a proximal end of the trace gimbal. The front outrigger includes a distal front outrigger and a proximal front outrigger, and the rear outrigger includes a distal rear outrigger and a proximal rear outrigger. The trace gimbal further includes a middle strut extending in a width direction of the trace gimbal and adjoining the proximal front outrigger to the rear outrigger, and an inner strut connecting the middle strut to a slider tongue. The inner strut includes a slot, and the inner strut and the middle strut adjoin the outer gimbal struts to the slider tongue.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A trace gimbal comprising:
outer struts including a front outrigger at a distal end of the trace gimbal and a rear outrigger at a proximal end of the trace gimbal, the front outrigger including a distal front outrigger and a proximal front outrigger, the rear outrigger including a distal rear outrigger and a proximal rear outrigger; a middle strut extending in a length direction of the trace gimbal and adjoining the proximal front outrigger to the rear outrigger; and an inner strut connecting the middle strut to a slider tongue, the inner strut comprising a first portion connecting to the middle strut, a second portion connecting to the slider tongue, and a central portion comprising a semi-circle feature extending outwardly from the inner strut such that a width of the central portion exceeds a width of the first portion and the second portion.

2 . The trace gimbal of claim 1 , comprising at least one microactuator mounted on the slider tongue, wherein the inner strut supports the slider tongue.

3 . The trace gimbal of claim 1 wherein the inner strut includes at least one slot in a central portion of the inner strut.

4 . The trace gimbal of claim 3 wherein the at least one slot is partially or fully covered by a polyimide and/or copper layer.

5 . The trace gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the proximal front outrigger includes a first cross-section width and the distal front outrigger includes a second cross-section width, wherein the second cross-section width is about a same dimension as the first cross-section width of the proximal front outrigger.

6 . The trace gimbal of claim 5 , wherein the first cross-section width and the second cross-section width of the front outrigger are between 0.05 mm and 0.10 mm.

7 . The trace gimbal of claim 1 , wherein the distal rear outrigger includes a first cross-section width and the proximal rear outrigger includes a second cross-section width larger than the first cross-section width.

8 . The trace gimbal of claim 7 , wherein the first cross-section width of the distal rear outrigger is between 0.10 mm and 0.20 mm.

9 . A suspension comprising:
a trace gimbal, the trace gimbal comprising:
outer struts including a front outrigger at a distal end of the trace gimbal and a rear outrigger at a proximal end of the trace gimbal, the front outrigger including a distal front outrigger and a proximal front outrigger, the rear outrigger including a distal rear outrigger and a proximal rear outrigger;
a middle strut extending in a length direction of the trace gimbal and adjoining the proximal front outrigger to the rear outrigger; and
an inner strut connecting the middle strut to a slider tongue, the inner strut comprising a first portion connecting to the middle strut, a second portion connecting to the slider tongue, and a central portion comprising a semi-circle feature extending outwardly from the inner strut such that a width of the central portion exceeds a width of the first portion and the second portion.

10 . The suspension of claim 9 , further comprising at least one microactuator mounted on the slider tongue, wherein the inner strut supports the slider tongue.

11 . The suspension of claim 9 , wherein the proximal front outrigger includes a first cross-section width and the distal front outrigger includes a second cross-section width, wherein the second cross-section width is about a same dimension as the first cross-section width of the proximal front outrigger.

12 . The suspension of claim 9 , wherein the distal rear outrigger includes a first cross-section width and the proximal rear outrigger includes a second cross-section width larger than the first cross-section width.

13 . The suspension of claim 9 , further comprising at least one slot in a central portion of the inner strut.

14 . The suspension of claim 13 wherein the at least one slot is partially or fully covered by a polyimide and/or copper layer.

Assignees

• Magnecomp Corp

Inventors

• Glaess David
• Ee Kuen Chee

Classifications

• G11B5/483

  Piezoelectric devices between head and arm, e.g. for fine adjustment · CPC title

• G11B5/4833

  Structure of the arm assembly, e.g. load beams, flexures, parts of the arm adapted for controlling vertical force on the head (G11B5/484 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G11B5/4826 Primary

  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) · CPC title