Gimbal design for hard disk drive device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12586604-B2
Application number	US-202418671094-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2024
Priority date	May 26, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A head gimbal assembly includes a gimbal having a base portion and a tongue that are joined together by a neck portion, a circuit mounted on the gimbal, a slider mounted on the tongue and electrically connected to the circuit, a first PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a first bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a second bonding site of the circuit, and a second PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a third bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a fourth bonding site of the circuit. The first and third bonding sites do not overlap with and are not directly supported by the base portion. The second and fourth bonding sites overlap with and are directly supported by the tongue.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A head gimbal assembly comprising:
a gimbal having a base portion and a tongue that are joined together by a neck portion; a circuit mounted on the gimbal; a slider mounted on the tongue, and electrically connected to the circuit; a first PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a first bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a second bonding site of the circuit; and a second PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a third bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a fourth bonding site of the circuit; wherein the first and third bonding sites do not overlap with and are not directly supported by the base portion, wherein a set of cutouts are formed in the base portion at the first bonding site and the third bonding site to remove a portion of the base portion disposed under the first bonding site and the third bonding site; wherein the second and fourth bonding sites overlap with and are directly supported by the tongue.

2 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
wherein a portion of the circuit different from the first and third bonding sites overlaps with and is directly supported by the base portion.

3 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the circuit and the slider are mounted on a first side of the gimbal.

4 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the each of the first and second PZT actuators comprise:
a first layer of piezoelectric material; a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the first layer of piezoelectric material; a third layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the second layer of piezoelectric material; a first electrode disposed under the first layer of piezoelectric material; a second electrode disposed between the first and second layers of piezoelectric material; a third electrode disposed between the second and third layers of piezoelectric material; and a fourth electrode disposed over the fourth layer of piezoelectric material; wherein the fourth electrode has a length that is shorter than lengths of the first, second and third electrodes.

5 . The head gimbal assembly of claim 1 , wherein the each of the first and second PZT actuators comprise:
a first layer of piezoelectric material; a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the first layer of piezoelectric material; a third layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the second layer of piezoelectric material; a first electrode disposed under the first layer of piezoelectric material; a second electrode disposed between the first and second layers of piezoelectric material; a third electrode disposed between the second and third layers of piezoelectric material; and a fourth electrode disposed over the fourth layer of piezoelectric material; wherein the fourth electrode has a length that is shorter than a length of the third electrode.

6 . A suspension assembly comprising:
a baseplate; a load beam connected to the baseplate by a hinge; a gimbal mounted to the load beam, wherein the gimbal comprises a base portion and a tongue that are joined together by a neck portion; a circuit mounted on the gimbal; a slider mounted on the tongue, and electrically connected to the circuit; a first PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a first bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a second bonding site of the circuit; and a second PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a third bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a fourth bonding site of the circuit; wherein the first and third bonding sites do not overlap with and are not directly supported by the base portion, wherein a set of cutouts are formed in the base portion at the first bonding site and the third bonding site to remove a portion of the base portion disposed under the first bonding site and the third bonding site; wherein the second and fourth bonding sites overlap with and are directly supported by the tongue.

7 . The suspension assembly of claim 6 , wherein:
wherein a portion of the circuit different from the first and third bonding sites overlaps with and is directly supported by the base portion.

8 . The suspension assembly of claim 6 , wherein the circuit and the slider are mounted on a first side of the gimbal.

9 . The suspension assembly of claim 6 , wherein the each of the first and second PZT actuators comprise:
a first layer of piezoelectric material; a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the first layer of piezoelectric material; a third layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the second layer of piezoelectric material; a first electrode disposed under the first layer of piezoelectric material; a second electrode disposed between the first and second layers of piezoelectric material; a third electrode disposed between the second and third layers of piezoelectric material; and a fourth electrode disposed over the fourth layer of piezoelectric material; wherein the fourth electrode has a length that is shorter than lengths of the first, second and third electrodes.

10 . The suspension assembly of claim 6 , wherein the each of the first and second PZT actuators comprise:
a first layer of piezoelectric material; a second layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the first layer of piezoelectric material; a third layer of piezoelectric material disposed over the second layer of piezoelectric material; a first electrode disposed under the first layer of piezoelectric material; a second electrode disposed between the first and second layers of piezoelectric material; a third electrode disposed between the second and third layers of piezoelectric material; and a fourth electrode disposed over the fourth layer of piezoelectric material; wherein the fourth electrode has a length that is shorter than a length of the third electrode.

11 . A head gimbal assembly comprising:
a gimbal having a base portion and a tongue that are joined together by a neck portion, and being configured to receive a circuit; the tongue being configured to receive a slider and the slider being electrically connected the circuit; a first PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a first bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a second bonding site of the circuit; and a second PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a third bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a fourth bonding site of the circuit; wherein the first and third bonding sites do not overlap with and are not directly supported by the base portion, wherein a set of cutouts are formed in the base portion at the first bonding site and the third bonding site to remove a portion of the base portion disposed under the first bonding site and the third bonding site; wherein the second and fourth bonding sites overlap with and are directly supported by the tongue.

12 . A suspension assembly comprising:
a baseplate; a load beam connected to the baseplate by a hinge; a gimbal mounted to the load beam, wherein the gimbal comprises a base portion and a tongue that are joined together by a neck portion, and being configured to receive a circuit; the tongue being configured to receive a slider and the slider being electrically connected the circuit; a first PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a first bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a second bonding site of the circuit; and a second PZT actuator having a proximal end mounted on a third bonding site of the circuit and a distal end mounted on a fourth bonding site of the circuit; wherein the

Assignees

• Magnecomp Corp

Inventors

• Ee Kuen Chee
• Zhang Long
• Glaess David
• Kotchaplayuk Treesoon

Classifications

• G11B5/4873

  the arm comprising piezoelectric or other actuators for adjustment of the arm · CPC title

• G11B5/4826

  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) · CPC title

• G11B5/483 Primary

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