Patent ID: 6266212
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
Disk drive suspension comprising a load beam having a base for attachment to an actuator, a spring portion and a rigid portion, a flexure attached to said load beam rigid portion, said flexure comprising an outrigger defining frame and a tongue having a proximate end and a distal end, said flexure tongue proximate end being attached to said frame and movable therewith, said tongue distal end being movable independent of said flexure frame over a desired excursion range, and a spring steel tether, said tether comprising a locally curved, axially extended, unitary and separately defined portion of said frame that connects said tongue portion distal end to said flexure frame, said locally curved portion being straightenable to elongate said tether from a shorter length to a longer length as a function of said curved portion being straightened by excursion movement of said tongue distal end relative to said frame, whereby said tongue distal end moves freely within said desired excursion range but its movement beyond said desired excursion range is limited to the longer length of said tether as determined by the full straightening of the tether locally curved portion.