Patent ID: 6373662
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
In a magnetic head suspension for supporting a magnetic head at a fixed distance from a rigid arm, a unitary flexure and load beam formed from a single sheet of material, said suspension comprising:a. a spring load beam element portion joined to the arm at a proximal end thereof, and b. a flexure portion projecting beyond a distal apex of the spring load beam element portion, the flexure portion being divided into a central head mounting support means having an arcuate perimeter for receiving a disk drive head to be bonded thereto; a first plurality of arcuate slots in a surface of the flexure portion around substantially an entire perimeter of the support means with exception of two gimbal support pivots aligned on opposite sides of the support means to define a first set of arcuate flexible arms for gimbal supporting the support means about a first rotational axis of the support means; and a second plurality of arcuate slots in the surface of the flexure portion around substantially the entire perimeter of the support means and around the first plurality of arcuate slots with exception of two gimbal support pivots aligned on opposite sides of the support means to define a second set of arcuate flexible arms for gimbal supporting the support means about a second rotational axis of the support means which is angularly offset from the first rotational axis; wherein the first set of flexible arms includes a partially thinned region having reduced material thickness to reduce the spring rate of the first set of flexible arms, the material thickness being measured in a direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis and the second rotational axis.