Patent ID: 7545606

Claim:
A head element support apparatus provided with a load beam, the load beam having a head element provided with at least one of a magnetic recording unit or a magnetic reproducing unit, gimbals having the head element fixed thereto, and a supporting point for the head element fixed to the gimbals, wherein the load beam is configured such that a first elastic member having a mounting portion for fixation at a base thereof and a second elastic member having the supporting point at a tip thereof are connected to each other, each of the first elastic member and the second elastic member has an elastically deformable portion, and a first bending rigidity of the elastically deformable portion of the first elastic member is lower than a second bending rigidity of the elastically deformable portion of the second elastic member, wherein an intermediate supporting point that supports the second elastic member is provided between the first elastic member and the second elastic member, and wherein the intermediate supporting point is located on a centerline that divides the load beam into two in its widthwise direction.