Patent ID: 8159787

Claim:
A hard disk drive (HDD) comprising: a base; a spindle motor mounted to the base; a disk mounted to the spindle motor so as to be rotated by the spindle motor; a swing arm supported on the base so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, and a magnetic head supported by the swing arm, the swing arm defining a notch at a rear end portion thereof; a voice coil motor (VCM) that rotates the swing arm, the VCM including a voice coil disposed on the rear end portion of the swing arm, a lower yoke and an upper yoke disposed below and above the VCM coil, respectively, and at least one magnet, each said magnet attached to a respective one of the upper and lower yokes and facing the VCM coil; a latch lever disposed adjacent the rear end portion of the swing arm when the swing arm is in a position at which the magnetic head is parked, the latch lever being mounted to the base so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, and the latch lever having a hook at one end thereof, and a counterbalance at another end thereof, a top surface and a bottom surface; and a first magnetic retractor integrated with the counterbalance of the latch lever and disposed to the side of the at least one magnet in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the latch lever, the first magnetic retractor and the at least one magnet producing a magnetic force that generates a torque on the latch lever which biases the latch lever in one direction about the axis of rotation of the latch lever, and wherein, when the HDD is in an orientation in which the base is facing down and the swing arm is in said position at which the magnetic head is parked, the vertical component of the net magnetic force exerted on the first magnetic retractor by the at least one magnet is about 0 with the latch lever at a height at which the top surface and the bottom surface of the latch lever are entirely out of contact with any surfaces that are located immediately below and above the latch lever, whereby the latch lever is levitated by the magnetic field produced by the at least one magnet as applied to the first magnetic retractor such that a first air gap and a second air gap exist directly below and above the latch lever, respectively.