Magnetic head supporting mechanism for a slider bearing member and method for assembling magnetic disk storage comprising the same

A magnetic head supporting mechanism having: a rectangular slider bearing member for bearing a slider loaded with a magnetic head; a flexure member, provided so as to surround the slider bearing member, for supporting the slider bearing member in one end section thereof through a joining site; and a long load beam sheet, provided so as to surround the flexure member, for supporting the flexure member through a predetermined holding site (a flexure arm), the joining site, provided between the slider bearing member and the flexure member, having spring properties, the slider bearing member being inclined to the load beam. This magnetic head supporting mechanism can ensure satisfactory impact resistance and satisfactory slider supporting rigidity and can provide a method for assembling a magnetic disk storage comprising the magnetic head supporting mechanism having the above excellent properties.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a magnetic head supporting mechanism and a 
method for assembling a magnetic disk storage comprising the same, and 
more particularly to a magnetic head supporting mechanism for supporting a 
floating type or contact type magnetic head and a method for assembling a 
magnetic disk storage comprising the same. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A conventional magnetic head supporting mechanism (suspension) in a 
magnetic disk storage comprises: a flexure member for supporting a slider 
loaded with a magnetic head; a load beam for holding the flexure member 
and applying a pressing load to the slider; and a spacer mount for 
connecting the load beam to a positioner mechanism. 
In the case of the floating type magnetic head supporting mechanism, the 
slider generally undergoes an air viscous flow, created by high speed 
rotation of a magnetic disk (a recording medium), on an ABS (air bearing 
surface) provided on the side opposite to the magnetic disk to form an air 
layer which permits the slider to float over the magnetic disk while 
leaving a minute gap (floating height) of several tens of nm between the 
slider and the magnetic disk. 
At that time, in order to stably maintain the floating height, it is 
necessary to suppress the slider supporting rigidity (roll/pitch rigidity) 
of the flexure member to ensure the flexibility of the floating motion. 
On the other hand, high-speed and high-precision positioning of the 
magnetic head is indispensable for realizing high speed access to data in 
the magnetic disk storage, and high rigidity in a direction (seek 
direction) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis is required of an 
in-line type magnetic head supporting mechanism (in-line type: a magnetic 
head supporting mechanism wherein the load beam and the slider are 
provided so that the longitudinal axis of the slider is parallel to the 
longitudinal axis of the load beam) of a rotary actuator system (a 
positioner mechanism wherein the magnetic head is moved through arcuate 
motion of the magnetic head supporting mechanism by a voice coil motor). 
Prior art techniques, wherein the load beam per se is improved in rigidity 
and strengthened to improve the vibration properties, include one wherein 
a rib is applied to the middle position of the load beam excluding a 
loading, bent section for applying a pressing load to the slider (Japanese 
Patent Laid-Open No. 28801/1994), one wherein ribs are applied to the 
loading, bent section (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 222472/1987), and one 
wherein a flange section is provided also on both the right and left sides 
of the loading, bent section (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 222472/1987). 
An example of the conventional in-line type magnetic head supporting 
mechanism comprises a load beam, a flexure member, a slider, a spacer 
mount, a flange, a loading, bent section, a magnetic head, and a pivot. 
The spacer mount is connected to a positioner mechanism to carry out 
positioning on a required track of a magnetic disk. The loading, bent 
section in the load beam has been plastically deformed and is constructed 
so that, when the slider is incorporated into the magnetic disk (recording 
medium D), a predetermined pressing load is applied to the slider. 
The slider floats over the magnetic disk (recording medium) at a position 
where a balance between the pressing load and the buoyancy created by the 
air viscous flow on the ABS is offered. For the flexure member in the 
above magnetic head supporting mechanism, there are two structures, that 
is, a pivot structure wherein a slider bearing member has a predetermined 
pivot which supports a slider at a point and a pivotless structure wherein 
a flexure member and a load beam are integrally molded to eliminate the 
need to provide a pivot and to support a slider by the face. 
The pivot structure, which has excellent slider bearing rigidity, has 
hitherto been mainly used. The advance of a reduction in size of the 
magnetic disk storage and an increase in access speed, however, has lead 
to a tendency that the flexure member having the pivotless structure, 
which is excellent in convenience for assembling the magnetic head 
supporting mechanism into between a plurality of magnetic disks, as well 
as in dynamic vibration properties during operation of the magnetic disk 
storage, is also extensively used. 
Further, in consideration of mounting of an MR (magneto resistive) head 
capable of coping with high TPI (track per inch) and other matters, for 
example, a suspension integral with wiring has also been proposed which 
comprises a plurality of signal wires formed as a thin layer on the 
surface of a load beam. In the suspension integral with wiring, a flexure 
member and the load beam should be integral with each other for reasons of 
patterning. Therefore, the pivotless structure is adopted also in the 
suspension integral with wiring. 
When an HGA (head gimbal assembly) is incorporated into a magnetic disk 
storage wherein a plurality of magnetic disks (recording media) are 
stacked on top of each other or one another, a mounting method has been 
used which comprises: applying a specialty magnetic head insertion jig (an 
assembly jig) to a magnetic head assembly comprising a plurality of 
magnetic head supporting mechanisms with the flexure being regulated by a 
predetermined clamp jig or the like; further flexing the load beam to 
release the clamp jig; transferring, in this state, the magnetic head onto 
magnetic disk; and removing the magnetic head insertion jig to release the 
flexure of the load beam and incorporating the slider loaded with a 
magnetic head onto the magnetic disk. 
At the present time, however, a demand for improved mounting density of the 
magnetic disk per se and reduced size of the magnetic disk storage has 
lead to narrowed spacing between magnetic disks. This in turn results in 
unsatisfactory lift clearance of the load beam, making it difficult to 
incorporate the magnetic head onto the magnetic disk. For the above 
mounting of the magnetic head between the narrow space between the 
magnetic disks, a magnetic head insertion method is required which enables 
the magnetic head to be mounted onto the magnetic disk in the simplest 
possible manner in the smallest possible space. 
The above conventional techniques, however, had the following drawbacks. 
Specifically, in the case of the magnetic head supporting mechanism loaded 
with a flexure member having a pivotless structure, the slider-pressing 
load is applied through the flexure member rather than through the pivot. 
Therefore, application of a large pressing load often creates a load loss 
(escape of load) due to the deformation of the flexure member per se. For 
this reason, a light pressing load design is required particularly of the 
magnet head supporting mechanism having a pivotless structure, with the 
flexure member and the load beam being provided integrally with each 
other, which is used in a suspension integral with wiring and the like. 
More specifically, the conventional magnetic head supporting mechanism 
having a pivot structure is designed so that the pressing load is about 
3.5 to 5.0 gf, whereas the suspension integral with wiring (pivotless 
structure) is currently designed so that the pressing load is about 0.5 to 
1.0 gf. The above light load design for the magnetic head supporting 
mechanism is an important technique associated with a design for a 
reduction in size of the slider for increasing the recording density of 
the magnetic disk and a demand for a small floating height. 
Specifically, although a reduced slider-pressing load creates an advantage 
of an improvement in magnetic disk floating properties, it also creates 
disadvantages such as lowered air layer rigidity and lowered acceleration 
of breakoff of the medium. More specifically, the lowered air layer 
rigidity leads to a deteriorated capability of the slider to follow up the 
movement of the magnetic disk, and the lowered acceleration of breakoff of 
the medium deteriorates the impact resistance at the time of stopping of 
the storhe. 
At the present time, by virtue of the development of a negative pressure 
type slider, the problem involved in the lowered air layer rigidity is 
being solved. However, as expressed by the following equation (1), the 
medium breakoff acceleration is proportional to the pressing load of the 
slider, making it difficult to provide a light load design, for a highly 
impact-resistant magnetic head supporting mechanism, according to the 
conventional technique. 
EQU Acc=F/(M+m) 1) 
wherein 
Acc represents medium breakoff acceleration; 
F represents slider-pressing load; 
M represents equivalent mass of magnetic head supporting mechanism; and 
m represents mass of slider. 
On the other hand, in order to realize a high recording density of not less 
than 10 Gb/in.sup.2 in a magnetic disk, contact type sliders, such as near 
contact sliders and contact sliders, has also been developed. In the near 
contact slider, the floating height of the slider is limited to the glide 
height level (about 20 nm) to improve data reading properties. 
In the case of the near contact slider, however, as described above, the 
floating height is very small, while the floating of the slider is 
unsteady. This causes the slider to come into contact with the recording 
medium in the case of a certain track position of the magnetic disk and a 
certain yaw angle. For this reason, in order to prevent the breaking of 
the magnetic head by collision with or sliding on the recording medium or 
to prevent recorded data from becoming thermally unstable by contact 
friction, the near contact slider should be designed so that the pressing 
load is much lower than that in the conventional floating type magnetic 
head slider. 
Also in the case of the contact slider wherein data are recorded or 
reproduced in such a manner that the magnetic head is always slid in 
contact with the magnetic disk (recording medium), an ultra-low load 
design (up to several tens of mgf) is required for reducing the abrasion 
loss without sacrificing stable contact follow-up of the magnetic head. In 
a magnetic head supporting mechanism loaded with the above contact slider 
(contact suspension), a lowering in medium breakoff acceleration due to a 
light load design significantly deteriorates the impact resistance of the 
magnetic disk storage. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic 
head supporting mechanism which can ensure satisfactory impact resistance 
and in addition can ensure satisfactory slider supporting rigidity, and a 
method for assembling a magnetic disk storage comprising the same. 
According to the first feature of the invention, a magnetic head supporting 
mechanism comprises: a rectangular slider bearing member for bearing a 
slider loaded with a magnetic head; a flexure member, provided so as to 
surround the slider bearing member, for supporting the slider bearing 
member in its one end section in the longitudinal direction thereof 
through a joining site; and a long load beam sheet, provided so as to 
surround the flexure member, for supporting the flexure member through a 
predetermined holding site, 
the joining site, provided between the slider bearing member and the 
flexure member, having spring properties, the slider bearing member being 
inclined to the load beam. 
According to the second feature of the invention, a method for assembling a 
magnetic disk storage comprises the steps of: providing a magnetic head 
supporting mechanism comprising a rectangular slider bearing member for 
bearing a slider loaded with a magnetic head, a flexure member, provided 
so as to surround the slider bearing member, for supporting the slider 
bearing member in its one end section in the longitudinal direction 
thereof through a joining site, and a long load beam sheet, provided so as 
to surround the flexure member, for supporting the flexure member through 
a predetermined holding site, 
the joining site, provided between the slider bearing member and the 
flexure member, having spring properties, the slider bearing member being 
inclined to the load beam; and 
installing the magnetic head supporting mechanism between a plurality of 
magnetic disks in such a manner that the slider bearing member is pressed 
to suppress the inclination of the slider bearing member, permitting the 
slider bearing member to be on substantially the same plane as the load 
beam and, thereafter, the magnetic head supporting mechanism is inserted 
between the magnetic disks.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Before explaining a magnetic head supporting mechanism and a method for 
assembling a magnetic disk device in the preferred embodiments according 
to the invention, the aforementioned conventional magnetic head supporting 
mechanism will be explained in conjunction with FIGS. 1 to 10. 
FIG. 1 shows an in-line type magnetic head supporting mechanism (in-line 
type: a magnetic head supporting mechanism wherein the load beam and the 
slider are provided so that the longitudinal axis of the slider is 
parallel to the longitudinal axis of the load beam) of a rotary actuator 
system (a positioner mechanism wherein the magnetic head is moved through 
arcuate motion of the magnetic head supporting mechanism by a voice coil 
motor). High rigidity in a direction (seek direction) perpendicular to the 
longitudinal axis is required of this magnetic head supporting mechanism. 
Prior art techniques, wherein the load beam per se is improved in rigidity 
and strengthened to improve the vibration properties, include one wherein 
a rib 118a is applied to the middle position of the load beam excluding a 
loading, bent section for applying a pressing load to the slider (FIG. 2; 
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 28801/1994), one wherein ribs 118b, 118c are 
applied to the loading, bent section (FIGS. 3 and 4; Japanese Patent 
Laid-Open No. 222472/1987), and one wherein a flange section 118d is 
provided also on both the right and left sides of the loading, bent 
section (FIGS. 5A and 5B; Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 222472/1987). 
An example of the conventional in-line type magnetic head supporting 
mechanism is shown in FIG. 6. In the drawing, numeral 102 designates a 
load beam, numeral 103 a flexure member, numeral 104 a slider, numeral 105 
a spacer mount, numeral 106 a flange, numeral 107 a loading, bent section, 
numeral 108 a magnetic head, and numeral 109 a pivot. 
In the spacer mount 105, this magnetic head supporting mechanism is 
connected to a positioner mechanism (not shown) to carry out positioning 
on a required track of a magnetic disk (see FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 7A, 
the loading, bent section 107 in the load beam 102 has been plastically 
deformed and is constructed so that, when the slider 104 is incorporated 
into the magnetic disk (recording medium D), a predetermined pressing load 
is applied to the slider 104 (see FIG. 7B). 
The slider 104 floats over the magnetic disk (recording medium) at a 
position where a balance between the pressing load and the buoyancy 
created by the air viscous flow on the ABS is offered. For the flexure 
member 103 in the above magnetic head supporting mechanism, there are two 
structures, that is, a pivot structure, as shown in FIG. 8A, wherein a 
slider bearing member 103 has a predetermined pivot 109 which supports a 
slider 104 at a point and a pivotless structure, as shown in FIG. 8B, 
wherein a flexure member 103A and a load beam 102A are integrally molded 
to eliminate the need to provide a pivot and to support a slider 104 by 
the face. 
The pivot structure, which has excellent slider bearing rigidity, has 
hitherto been mainly used. The advance of a reduction in size of the 
magnetic disk storage and an increase in access speed, however, has lead 
to a tendency that the flexure member having the pivotless structure, 
which is excellent in convenience for assembling the magnetic head 
supporting mechanism into between a plurality of magnetic disks, as well 
as in dynamic vibration properties during operation of the magnetic disk 
storage, is also extensively used. 
Further, in consideration of mounting of an MR (magneto resistive) head 
capable of coping with high TPI (track per inch) and other matters, for 
example, a suspension integral with wiring as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B has 
also been proposed which comprises a plurality of signal wires 116B formed 
as a thin layer on the surface of a load beam 100B. In the suspension 
integral with wiring, a flexure member 110B and the load beam 100B should 
be integral with each other for reasons of patterning. Therefore, the 
pivotless structure is adopted also in the suspension integral with 
wiring. 
When HGA (head gimbal assembly) is incorporated into a magnetic disk 
storage wherein a plurality of magnetic disks (recording media) are 
stacked on top of each other or one another, a mounting method has been 
used which comprises: applying a specialty magnetic head insertion jig (an 
assembly jig) to a magnetic head assembly comprising a plurality of 
magnetic head supporting mechanisms with the flexure being regulated by a 
predetermined clamp jig or the like; further flexing the load beam to 
release the clamp jig; transferring, in this state, the magnetic head onto 
magnetic disk; and removing the magnetic head insertion jig to release the 
flexure of the load beam and incorporating the slider loaded with a 
magnetic head onto the magnetic disk. 
At the present time, however, a demand for improved mounting density of the 
magnetic disk per se and reduced size of the magnetic disk storhe has lead 
to narrowed spacing between magnetic disks. This in turn results in 
unsatisfactory lift clearance of the load beam, making it difficult to 
incorporate the magnetic head onto the magnetic disk. For the above 
mounting of the magnetic head between the narrow space between the 
magnetic disks, a magnetic head insertion method is required which enables 
the magnetic head to be mounted onto the magnetic disk in the simplest 
possible manner in the smallest possible space. 
The above conventional techniques, however, had the following drawbacks. 
Specifically, in the case of the magnetic head supporting mechanism 
provided with a flexure member having a pivotless structure, the 
slider-pressing load is applied through the flexure member rather than 
through the pivot. Therefore, application of a large pressing load often 
creates a load loss (escape of load) due to the deformation of the flexure 
member per se. For this reason, a light pressing load design is required 
particularly of the magnet head supporting mechanism having a pivotless 
structure, with the flexure member and the load beam being provided 
integrally with each other, which is used in a suspension integral with 
wiring, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, and the like. 
More specifically, the conventional magnetic head supporting mechanism 
having a pivot structure is designed so that the pressing load is about 
3.5 to 5.0 gf, whereas the suspension integral with wiring (pivotless 
structure) is currently designed so that the pressing load is about 0.5 to 
1.0 gf. The above light load design for the magnetic head supporting 
mechanism is an important technique associated with a design for a 
reduction in size of the slider for increasing the recording density of 
the magnetic disk and a demand for a small floating height. 
Specifically, although a reduced slider-pressing load creates an advantage 
of an improvement in magnetic disk floating properties, it also creates 
disadvantages such as lowered air layer rigidity and lowered acceleration 
of breakoff of the medium. More specifically, the lowered air layer 
rigidity leads to a deteriorated capability of the slider to follow up the 
movement of the magnetic disk, and the lowered acceleration of breakoff of 
the medium deteriorates the impact resistance at the time of stopping of 
the storhe. 
At the present time, by virtue of the development of a negative pressure 
type slider, the problem involved in the lowered air layer rigidity is 
being solved. However, as expressed by the following equation (1), the 
medium breakoff acceleration is proportional to the pressing load of the 
slider, making it difficult to provide a light load design, for a highly 
impact-resistant magnetic head supporting mechanism, according to the 
conventional technique. 
EQU Acc=F/(M+m) (1) 
wherein 
Acc represents medium breakoff acceleration; 
F represents slider-pressing load; 
M represents equivalent mass of magnetic head supporting mechanism; and 
m represents mass of slider. 
On the other hand, in order to realize a high recording density of not less 
than 10 Gb/in.sup.2 in a magnetic disk, contact type sliders, such as near 
contact sliders and contact sliders, has also been developed. In the near 
contact slider, the floating height of the slider is limited to the glide 
height level (about 20 nm) to improve data reading properties. 
In the case of the near contact slider, however, as described above, the 
floating height is very small, while the floating of the slider is 
unsteady. This causes the slider to come into contact with the recording 
medium in the case of a certain track position of the magnetic disk and a 
certain yaw angle. For this reason, in order to prevent the breaking of 
the magnetic head by collision with or sliding on the recording medium or 
to prevent recorded data from becoming thermally unstable by contact 
friction, the near contact slider should be designed so that the pressing 
load is much lower than that in the conventional floating type magnetic 
head slider. 
Also in the case of the contact slider wherein data are recorded or 
reproduced in such a manner that the magnetic head is always slid in 
contact with the magnetic disk (recording medium), a ultra-low load design 
(up to several tens of mgf) is required for reducing the abrasion loss 
without sacrificing stable contact follow-up of the magnetic head. In a 
magnetic head supporting mechanism loaded with the above contact type 
slider (contact suspension; see FIGS. 10A, 10B, and 10C), a lowering in 
medium breakoff acceleration due to a light load design significantly 
deteriorates the impact resistance of the magnetic disk storhe. 
First preferred embodiment! 
Next, the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be 
described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14. 
The magnetic head supporting mechanism according to this preferred 
embodiment comprises: a rectangular slider bearing member 10 for bearing a 
slider 4 loaded with a magnetic head 8; a flexure member 3, provided so as 
to surround the slider bearing member 10, for supporting the slider 
bearing member 10 in its one end section in the longitudinal direction 
thereof through a joining site 7; and a long load beam sheet 2, provided 
so as to surround the flexure member 3, for supporting the flexure member 
3 through a predetermined holding site (a flexure arm) 11, the joining 
site 7, provided between the slider bearing member 10 and the flexure 
member 3, having spring properties, the slider bearing member 10 being 
inclined to the load beam 2. 
This magnetic head supporting mechanism will be described in more detail. 
The magnetic head supporting mechanism (suspension) according to the first 
preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 11 comprises: a flexure member 3 for 
supporting a slider 4 loaded with a magnetic head 8; a load beam 2 for 
supporting a flexure member 3; and a spacer mount 5 for joining the load 
beam 2 to the so-called "positioner mechanism" (not shown). 
In this case, a pair of U-shaped notch sections 9b (a second U-shaped 
notch) are provided on the front end section on the slider 4 mounting side 
(hereinafter referred to as "free end side") of the load beam 2 so that 
the U-shaped notch sections 9b are symmetrical with respect to the central 
axis in the longitudinal direction of the load beam 2, surround the slider 
4, and face each other. The slider bearing member 10, the flexure member 
3, and the load beam 2 are integrally provided to form one thin sheet. 
The width of the U-shaped notch section 9b should be not less than about 
100 .mu.m when they are formed by stamping; and should be not less than 
about 50 .mu.m when they are formed by wet etching (sheet thickness for 
both the above cases: about 25 .mu.m). 
The flexure member 3 is held by a flexure arm 11 provided between the 
flexure member 3 and the load beam 2. More specifically, the flexure 
member 3 is held to the load beam 2 by one front flexure arm 11 and one 
rear flexure arm 11 along the longitudinal central axis of the load beam 
2. Another U-shaped notch section 9a (a first U-shaped notch section), 
which is open toward the free end side of the load beam 2, is provided on 
the central portion of the flexure member 3 in a cocoon form thus formed, 
thereby forming a rectangular (or a tongue-like) slider bearing member 10 
within the flexure member 3. A slider 4 loaded with a magnetic head 8 is 
adhered onto the central portion of the tongue-like slider bearing member 
10. The joining site 7 of the tongue-like slider bearing member 10 has 
been subjected to predetermined bending and has spring properties. 
Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B and FIGS. 14A and 14B, the slider 
bearing member 10 has a predetermined inclination angle to the surface of 
the load beam 2. Further, the bending tolerates the pitch motion of the 
slider 4, and the torsion of one front flexure arm 11 and one rear flexure 
arm 11 for supporting the cocoon-shaped flexure member 3 supports the 
rolling motion of the slider 4, offering flexible slider supporting 
rigidity. 
In this case, in order to impart satisfactory medium follow-up properties 
to the slider 4 during the operation of a magnetic disk storhe (not 
shown), the width of the slider bearing member 10 and the width of the 
flexure arm 11 should be small to reduce the supporting rigidity against 
the slider 4. However, when the width of the flexure arm 11 is excessively 
small, the so-called "seek rigidity" is lowered. The term "seek rigidity" 
used herein refers to rigidity in the case where the load beam 2 seeks on 
a magnetic disk (not shown). A flange 6 is continuously provided on both 
the left and right sides of the load beam 2 from the spacer mount 5 
mounting position to the free end, ensuring satisfactory rigidity. 
When application to a magnetic head supporting mechanism integral with 
wiring (a suspension integral with wiring) as shown in FIGS. 15A and 15B, 
is taken into consideration, for both the flexure arm 11 on the side, 
through which the wiring 16 is passed, and the joining site 7 of the 
slider bearing member 10, the width is preferably at least 0.4 mm (in the 
case of four wires) from the viewpoint of patterning of wiring 16. 
In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 11, a loading, bent section 
(FIGS. 7A and 7B), which was provided on the spacer mount side 
(hereinafter referred to as a "fixed end side") of the loaded beam in the 
prior art, has been eliminated from the load beam 2 and newly provided in 
the joining site 7 between the flexure member 3 and the slider bearing 
member 10. 
If the slider bearing member 10 and the flexure member 3 are constituted by 
a 25 .mu.m-thick stainless steel (SUS 304) sheet, when the width of the 
joining site 7 is brought to about 30% of the slider width, that is, about 
1 mm, the bending angle (flexure angle) of the joining site 7 is 
approximately about 3 degrees (degree of flexure: about 104 .mu.m), 
provided that the pressing load is 1 gf and the distance from the load 
acting point of the slider 4 to the joining site 7 is 2 mm. 
Further, when the width of the joining site 7 of the slider bearing member 
10 is reduced to about 0.4 mm in order to provide pitch rigidity for a 
satisfactorily flexible flexure member 3, the bending angle (flexure 
angle) of the joining site 7 is about 11.2 degrees (degree of flexure: 260 
.mu.m). 
Thus, when the joining site 7 having spring properties is eliminated from 
the load beam 2 and newly provided between the flexure member 3 and the 
slider bearing member 10, a design can be made so that the rigidity of the 
load beam 2 per se can be satisfactorily ensured. Further, in this case, 
the size of the slider bearing member 10 can be reduced. Therefore, the 
equivalent mass of the magnetic head supporting mechanism expressed by the 
equation (1) described in the column of the "BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION" 
can be made small, so that, even in the case of a light-load design for 
the slider, the medium breakoff acceleration can be increased, realizing a 
design of a magnetic head supporting mechanism having excellent impact 
resistance. 
In this preferred embodiment, the flexure member 3 is symmetrical regarding 
not only the front and rear sides but also the left and right sides. 
However, for the two flexure arms 11 for holding the flexure member 3, the 
length or the arm width on the front side may be made different from the 
length or the arm width on the rear side, depending upon the optimization 
design of the slider supporting rigidity and the loading, bent design of 
the slider bearing member 10. Further, as described above, on both the 
left and right sides of the load beam 2 is provided a flange 6 from the 
fixed end side to the free end side of the load beam 2 to enhance the 
rigidity. 
In this case, the loading, bent section, which has been provided on the 
load beam 2 in the prior art, is completely eliminated, and the load beam 
2 is constructed, from the side of the spacer mount 5, to be connected to 
a positioner mechanism (fixed end side), to the free end side except for 
the flexure member 3, so as to substantially function as a rigid body. 
This can eliminate the so-called "bump deformation," which has been 
regarded as a problem derived from the loading, bent section of the load 
beam 2, and the cause of a deterioration in vibration properties (mainly 
an increase in gain of torsional vibration), such as Z-height fluctuation. 
Next, variants of the magnetic head supporting mechanism will be described. 
At the outset, in a first variant shown in FIGS. 16A to 16D, the flange 
section 6 on both the left and right sides of the load beam 2 in the above 
preferred embodiment is eliminated, and, instead, the sheet thickness of 
the load beam 2b is increased to increase the rigidity. On the other hand, 
a flexure member 3b has been milled to partially reduce the sheet 
thickness (half etching) to reduce the slider supporting rigidity, 
ensuring flexibility. 
For example, in the case of a short type magnetic head supporting 
mechanism, wherein the distance between the center of the slider and the 
center of the spacer mount is about 11 mm, satisfactory load beam rigidity 
can be provided without providing any flange so far as a sheet thickness 
of the load beam 2b of not less than 76 .mu.m is ensured. For the sheet 
thickness of the flexure member 3b, about 25 .mu.m in consideration of a 
variation in etching accuracy can ensure satisfactory flexible slider 
supporting rigidity. This variant is particularly effective in 
applications where a thin magnetic head supporting mechanism is required, 
such as in the case where a plurality of magnetic disks are mounted while 
leaving a narrow clearance therebetween. When this variant is applied to a 
suspension integral with wiring, the surface of the load beam remote from 
the wiring pattern should be subjected to half etching from the viewpoint 
of avoiding damage to the wiring. 
Next, a second variant will be described with reference to FIGS. 17A to 
17C. In this variant, the two-point supporting by the flexure arm in the 
magnetic head supporting mechanism in the above preferred embodiment has 
been changed to three-point supporting (two points on the free end side of 
the load beam 2c and one point on the fixed end side of the load beam 2c. 
According to need, the number of points may be reversed (one point on the 
free end side and two points on the fixed end side). 
This is useful for the magnetic head positioning mechanism for high-speed 
data access that requires good vibration properties. In this case, 
although the rolling rigidity of the slider 4 is somewhat increased, 
satisfactory seek rigidity can be provided. 
A third variant will be described with reference to FIGS. 18A to 18C. In 
this variant, the opening of the U-shaped notch section 9d within the 
flexure member 3d is provided toward the fixed end side of the load beam 
2d to reverse the orientation of the slider bearing member 10d, and the 
joining site 7 having spring properties is provided on the fixed end side. 
This is mainly used as a contact type slider magnetic head supporting 
mechanism, and the direction of the moment of the pressing load is made 
identical to the sliding direction so that the center pad 4d on the 
magnetic head mounting side always stably comes into contact with the 
recording medium. 
Second preferred embodiment! 
The magnetic head supporting mechanism according to the second preferred 
embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
FIG. 19 and FIGS. 20A and 20B are respectively a plan view and side views 
showing the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown 
in the drawings, in the magnetic head supporting mechanism according to 
this preferred embodiment, a first U-shaped notch section 9c is provided 
between the slider bearing member 10 and the flexure member 3f so as to 
surround the slider 4. Further, a second U-shaped notch section 9d is 
provided between the flexure member 3f and the load beam 2f so as to 
surround the flexure member 3f. The joining site 7f1 between the slider 
bearing member 10 and the flexure member 3f is provided on one end section 
side in the longitudinal direction of the load beam 2f. The holding site 
7f2 between the flexure member 3f and the load beam 2f is provided on the 
other end section side in the longitudinal direction of the load beam 2f, 
and both the joining site 7f1 and the holding site 7f2 have spring 
properties. The remaining parts are the same as that of the first 
preferred embodiment. 
This preferred embodiment will be described in more detail. In the magnetic 
head supporting mechanism according to this preferred embodiment, as shown 
in FIG. 19, an opening of a U-shaped notch section 9d is provided on the 
free end area of the load beam 2f so as to face the fixed end side to 
constitute a tongue-like (or a rectangular) flexure member 3f. Further, a 
U-shaped notch section 9c, which is one size smaller than the U-shaped 
notch section 9d, is provided in the central portion of the flexure member 
3f so that the opening faces the free end side of the load beam 2f to 
constitute a tongue-like slider bearing member 10. The portion between the 
load beam 2f and the flexure member 3f serves as a holding site 7f2 having 
spring properties, and the portion between the flexure member 3f and the 
slider bearing member 10 serves as a joining site 7f1 having spring 
properties. Therefore, when no pressing load is applied to the slider 4, 
as shown in FIG. 20A, the slider 4 is inclined to and hence is not on the 
same plane as the load beam 2f. On the other hand, when the slider 4 is 
incorporated into a magnetic disk storage (not shown) and brought into 
contact with a magnetic disk, as shown in FIG. 20B, the slider bearing 
member 10 is on substantially the same plane as the load beam 2f. The 
joining site 7f1 and the holding site 7f2 are constructed so that both 
have spring properties. 
Thus, the tongue-like slider bearing member 10 and the tongue-like flexure 
member 3f and the load beam 2f involving it are integrally molded using a 
single steel sheet. The slider 4 loaded with the magnetic head 8 is 
adhered to the central portion of the tongue-like slider bearing member 
10. The roll motion and pitch motion of the slider 4 are properly 
supported by bending and torsion tolerated by the joining site 7f1 between 
the slider bearing member 10 and the flexure member 3f and the holding 
site 7f2 between the flexure member 3f and the load beam 2f, offering 
flexible slider supporting rigidity. 
In this case, in order to impart satisfactory medium follow-up properties 
to the slider 4, the width of the narrow portion of the joining site 7f1 
between the slider bearing member 10 and the flexure member 3f should be 
reduced to lower the slider supporting rigidity. When application to a 
suspension integral with wiring is contemplated, as with the first 
preferred embodiment, the width may be not less than 0.4 mm for both the 
joining site 7f1 and the holding site 7f2. 
On the other hand, as with the first preferred embodiment, a flange 6 is 
continuously provided on both the left and right sides of the load beam 2f 
from the spacer mount 5 mounting position to the free end side, ensuring 
satisfactory seek rigidity of the load beam 2f. Further, the loading, bent 
section, which has been provided on the fixed end side of the load beam 2f 
in the prior art, is eliminated from the load beam 2f and provided at two 
positions, that is, the joining site 7f1 of the slider bearing member 10 
and the holding site 7f2 of the flexure member 3f. 
Thus, provision of the loading, bent section within the flexure member 3f 
permits the rigidity of the load beam 2f to be satisfactorily ensured, and 
the size of the slider bearing member 10 may be reduced, making it 
possible to design a magnetic head supporting mechanism which provides 
large medium breakoff acceleration even in the case of a light load. 
Variants of the second preferred embodiment will be described with 
reference to FIGS. 21A to 21D and FIGS. 23A to 23C. In order to avoid 
confusion of the variants of the second preferred embodiment with the 
first to third variants described above in connection with the first 
preferred embodiment, the variants of the second preferred embodiment will 
be described respectively as the fourth to sixth variants. 
In the fourth variant, as with the first variant in the first preferred 
embodiment, the flange 6 in the load beam 2g is eliminated, and, instead, 
the sheet thickness of the load beam 2g is increased to increase the 
rigidity of the load beam 2g. Further, the flexure member 3g has been 
subjected to half etching to reduce the sheet thickness, thereby reducing 
the slider supporting rigidity. 
The fifth variant will be described with reference to FIGS. 22A to 22C. 
This variant is a simplified form of the fourth variant, and one U-shaped 
notch section 9h is provided so as to have an opening that is open toward 
the free end side of the load beam 2h. In this way, the tongue-like slider 
bearing member 10h is formed integrally with the load beam 2h. Further, a 
loading, bent section having spring properties is provided on only one 
position, that is, on the joining site 7h of the slider bearing member 10h 
to apply a pressing load to the slider 4. This variant is different from 
the first preferred embodiment in that the slider bearing member 10h and 
the flexure member are common and a loading, bent section having spring 
properties is provided on only the joining site 7h between the slider 
bearing section 10h and the load beam 2h. 
The sixth variant will be described with reference to FIGS. 23A to 23C. In 
the sixth variant, for the two U-shaped notch sections, the direction of 
the opening is opposite to that in the two U-shaped notch sections in the 
fourth variant so that, in the longitudinal direction of the load beam 2i, 
the position of the joining site 7i of the slider bearing member 10 and 
the position of the holding site 8i of the flexure member 3i are opposite 
to those in the fourth variant. As with the third variant of the first 
preferred embodiment, this variant may be utilized as a contact type 
slider. 
Third preferred embodiment! 
The third preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described 
with reference to FIGS. 24A to 24C and FIGS. 26A to 26C. 
This preferred embodiment relates to a method for inserting and providing 
the magnetic head supporting mechanism described above in connection with 
the first and second preferred embodiments into between a plurality of 
magnetic disks in a magnetic disk storage by means of a magnetic head 
insertion jig. Therefore, this method can be applied to all the magnetic 
head supporting mechanisms including various variants described above. For 
convenience, however, the method will be described by taking the magnetic 
head supporting mechanism according to the first preferred embodiment as 
an example. 
When the slider 4 loaded with the magnetic head is incorporated onto a 
magnetic disk (a recording medium) D, a magnetic head insertion jig 13 in 
a thin sheet form is inserted from the fixed end side into the vicinity of 
the slider 4 (FIG. 24A) and is allowed to abut against the free end side 
of the slider bearing member 10 (FIG. 25A). Thereafter, the jig is 
perpendicularly moved downward to regulate the flexure of the loading, 
bent section provided on the joining site 7 of the slider bearing member 1 
so that the slider bearing member 10 is on the substantially the same 
plane as the load beam 2 (FIG. 25B). In this state, the magnetic head 
supporting mechanism is transferred onto the magnetic disk D. Thereafter, 
the magnetic head insertion jig 13 is horizontally moved on the spacer 
mount 5 side to release the flexure of the loading, bent section of the 
joining site 7, and the slider 4 is brought into contact with the surface 
of the magnetic disk D (FIGS. 24C and 25C). 
At that time, the thickness of the magnetic head insertion jig 13 should be 
made smaller than the thickness (0.30 to 0.43 mm) of the slider 4. 
However, when the thickness is excessively small, the rigidity of the 
slider 4 per se is unsatisfactory, making it impossible to regulate the 
flexure of the loading, bent section. In general, a thickness of about 100 
.mu.m suffices for the load of about 1.0 to 3.5 gf. 
Further, in order to abut the magnetic head insertion jig 13 against the 
slider bearing member 10 to press the slider 4, a length large enough to 
permit satisfactory contact of the magnetic head insertion jig 13 (a latch 
space) should be ensured at the end section of the slider bearing member 
10 remote from the joining site 7. Specifically, a length of about 0.5 mm 
suffices for satisfactory results. However, in order to avoid the contact 
of the magnetic head insertion jig 13 with the slider 4, it is necessary 
to provide a space of about 1 to 2 mm. 
At the time of incorporation of the slider 4 onto the magnetic disk 
(recording medium) D, when the slider 4 should be pressed to such a larger 
extent that the slider 4 is on substantially the same plane as the load 
beam 2, as shown in FIGS. 26A to 26C, a section 10a having a predetermined 
difference in level is provided in a latch space to regulate the degree of 
flexure of the slider 4. Since the magnetic head insertion jig 13 in this 
embodiment may be used also as a clamp jig, the workability for assembling 
the magnetic head can be significantly improved. Specifically, the 
loading, bent section of each joining site of the HGA assembly comprising 
a plurality of pieces of magnetic head supporting mechanisms are 
previously regulated by a jig in a comb form comprising a plurality of 
pieces of the magnetic head insertion jig 13 disposed parallel to each 
other or one another, the HGA assembly in this state is mounted into 
between the magnetic disks (recording media), the jig in a comb form is 
horizontally moved toward the load beam fixed end side to remove the jig 
from the HGA assembly to release the flexure of the joining site, thereby 
abutting a plurality of magnetic heads against the surface of the magnetic 
disks all at once. Thus, assembling is easily completed. 
Since the loading, bent section, which has been provided on the load beam, 
is eliminated and, instead, provided within the flexure member, the need 
to use the clamp jig for horizontally fixing the load beam, which has been 
used in the prior art, is eliminated. Thus, a method for simply inserting 
a magnetic head supporting mechanism can be provided. 
According to the magnetic head supporting mechanism of the present 
invention, provision of a loading, bent section of a load beam, which 
greatly affects the medium breakoff acceleration and dynamic vibration 
properties, within the flexure member enables excellent impact resistance 
to be ensured even in the case of magnetic head supporting mechanisms of a 
light-load design typified by suspension integral with wiring and contact 
suspensions. At the same time, high seek rigidity can be ensured while 
keeping the slider supporting rigidity on a low level. This leads to a 
great advantage that good vibration properties can be provided in a 
magnetic disk storages and it is possible to cope with an increase in 
speed and an increase in TPI of the magnetic disk storage. 
Further, the workability in incorporating the magnetic head supporting 
mechanism onto a recording medium can be greatly improved, advantageously 
contributing to improved productivity. 
The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to 
preferred embodiments, but it will be understood that variations and 
modifications can be effected within the scope of the present invention as 
set forth in the appended claims.