Patent ID: 7068473

Claim:
A disc drive actuation system for precisely positioning a read/write head over a selected track of a rotatable disc, said system comprising: A) a flexure, B) a slider, C) a read/write head firmly attached to said slider, D) a first drive unit for pivoting said flexure to position said read/write head approximately over the selected track, E) a solid microactuator not interrupted by a break or opening, said solid microactuator comprising: 1) an inner inactive region, 2) a first outer inactive region, 3) a second outer inactive region, 4) a first piezoelectric section sandwiched between said first outer inactive region and said inner inactive region, 5) a second piezoelectric section sandwiched between said second outer inactive region and said inner inactive region, wherein said inner inactive region is sandwiched between said first piezoelectric section and said second piezoelectric section, wherein said inner inactive region is firmly attached to one of said flexure or said slider and both of said outer inactive regions being firmly attached to the other of said flexure or said slider, 6) an electrical circuit for energizing said first and said second piezoelectric sections to cause them to expand and contract in order to precisely position said read/write head over said selected track, said circuit and said piezoelectric sections being configured such that said first piezoelectric section expands when said second piezoelectric section contracts and said first piezoelectric section contracts when said second piezoelectric section expands.