Patent ID: 7898770

Claim:
A disk drive comprising: an actuator having at least one actuator arm; and a suspension assembly attached to the at least one actuator arm, the suspension assembly comprising: a base plate having a first base plate layer, the first base plate layer including a first base plate side and an opposing second base plate side, the first base plate side having a main base plate surface and a recessed base plate surface parallel to and offset from the main base plate surface; a first hinge arm attached to the main base plate surface; a second hinge arm attached to the recessed base plate surface; a load beam, the first and second hinge arms being further attached to the load beam; and a flexure including a head mounting surface coupled to the load beam; wherein the base plate has a first thickness at the main base plate surface and a second thickness at the recessed base plate surface that is the same as the first thickness.