Patent ID: 7679864

Claim:
An actuator assembly for use in a tape drive, comprising an actuator base having first and second arms; a head carriage assembly including one or more magnetic read/write heads wherein the head carriage assembly has a center of gravity; a flat-shaped voice coil motor assembly including a flat-shaped voice coil and a magnetic housing assembly, the flat-shaped voice coil being attached to the head carriage assembly on a side opposing the one or more read/write heads to translate the head carriage assembly, the magnetic housing assembly being attached to the actuator base such that at least a portion of the voice coil and at least a portion of the head carriage assembly are positioned between the first and second arms of the actuator base; a top flexure spring; a bottom flexure spring; wherein the top and bottom flexure springs are attached to the first and second arms at opposing ends thereof; wherein the head carriage assembly is attached to the top and bottom flexure springs such that head carriage assembly is between the first and second arms of the actuator base; and wherein the top and bottom flexure springs are substantially aligned with the center of gravity of the head carriage assembly.