Patent ID: 7684156

Claim:
A disk drive apparatus comprising: a case comprising a bottom wall; a recording medium in the case; a drive motor in the case, configured to support the recording medium and to rotate the recording medium; a head configured to perform information processing to the recording medium; a head actuator disposed on the bottom wall in the case, configured to support the head to be movable with respect to the recording medium, and to move between a predetermined retracted position where the head is located on an outer periphery side of the recording medium and to an information processing position where the head is located on the recording medium; and a latch mechanism configured to latch the head actuator and to hold the head actuator at the retracted position if the head actuator receives an external force when the head actuator has moved to the retracted position, the latch mechanism comprising a latch member configured to move between a latch position where the latch member is capable of latching the head actuator and a release position where the latch member is configured to release the latched head actuator, and the latch member comprises a contact portion, configured to touch the head actuator when the head actuator moves from the information processing position to the retracted position, and a latch claw configured to latch the head actuator, and the contact portion comprising a first contact portion configured to contact the head actuator first, and a second contact portion configured to contact the head actuator second, and the first contact portion being formed less rigid than the second contact portion.