Patent ID: 6417995
Filing Date: 2002-07-09
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A disk drive suspension for small disk drives, the suspension comprising a load beam having a base portion adapted for attachment by a mounting plate to an actuator arm, a spring portion, and a weldable metal rigid portion having a first face and an oppositely directed second face, said second face being adapted for attachment of a flexure carrying a slider thereon, said flexure comprising a laminate of a weldable metal layer opposite said second face, an insulative plastic film layer and a plurality of conductive traces spaced from said metal layer by said film layer, said rigid portion first face defining at distributed locations a series of etched recesses that locally reduce the thickness of said rigid portion adjacent said metal layer to be weldable with less energy than the full thickness of said rigid portion said rigid portion being laser-welded to said flexure metal layer at said recesses.