Patent ID: 6331923
Filing Date: 2001-12-18
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A disk drive suspension comprising a load beam having a base portion, a spring portion extending in a plane and having right and left side rails extending normal to said spring portion and defining respectively opposed right and left spring elements that extend laterally of said load beam, and a beam portion adapted to carry a slider in operating proximity to a disk, a dimensionally variable piezoelectric crystal microactuator coupled to said base portion and said beam portion and across said spring portion in beam portion displaying relation to said base portion over a distance that is a function of an applied voltage to said microactuator and the resistance of said spring portion to changes in dimension, said left and right spring elements being longitudinally extended and multiply deflected at spaced locations along their longitudinal extent to form spaced proximate and distal local arcuate sections extending parallel to said spring portion plane and providing low resistance change in spring portion dimensions, said microactuator comprising right and left piezoelectric crystals inboard of said right and left spring elements, whereby said beam portion is displaced an increased distance at a given applied voltage.