A method of manufacturing a tri-stage assembly is described herein. The method includes attaching a first microactuator and a second microactuator to a trace gimbal to a flexure during a PZT on flexure process (POF). The first microactuator is located at a distal end of the flexure and the second microactuator located at a proximal end of the flexure. The method also includes welding the trace gimbal to a baseplate, and a load beam to secure the trace gimbal including the first microactuator and the second microactuator.

A hard disk drive flexible printed circuit (FPC) includes a plurality of fingers extending from a main portion, with each finger having a first wiring layer including a first electrically conductive trace layout, a second wiring layer including a second electrically conductive trace layout, and a base film interposed between the first and second wiring layers, where the first conductive trace layout includes at least one thermally conductive protective island overlaying a respective portion of the second trace layout to provide a protective thermal barrier to the base film. Hence, maximum temperatures across various layers of the FPC laminate can be reduced, damage to the FPC prevented, and manufacturing yields improved.

In a disk drive having a flexible circuit tail that is routed within a recess in the actuator arm, a dielectric spacer is added to the top of the tail in order to space the circuit traces within the tail further away from the electrically conductive actuator arm, and to make more repeatable that spacing. The added spacing reduces electrical coupling and thus increases the bandwidth of the circuit. The spacer can be in the form of a section of the same viscoelastic material that is used elsewhere as a vibration dampener on the suspension, the viscoelastic material being adhered to the tail before the tail is inserted within the recess. Alternatively, the spacer can be a thickened region of the flexible circuit covercoat in the area where the tail will reside within the recess.

According to one embodiment, a suspension assembly includes a support plate, a wiring member on the support plate, and a magnetic head mounted on the wiring member. The magnetic head includes a head slider and connection pads provided at an outflow end of the head slider and electrically connected to the wiring lines. The wiring member includes a head installation region in which the magnetic head is mounted, and an etching region which is at least partly located in the head installation region and is opposed to an end portion close to the inflow end of the head slider with a gap.

A flexure of a suspension for a disk drive includes a metal base and a wiring portion provided along the metal base and including a base insulation layer, a conductor layer overlaid on the base insulation layer, and a cover insulation layer overlaid on the conductor layer. The flexure includes a first area on which an electronic component is mounted and a second area aligned alongside the first area, and the first area includes a thin-walled portion which overlaps the electronic component and having a thickness less than a thickness of the second area.

According to one embodiment, a suspension assembly includes a support plate, a head supported by the support plate, and a wiring member on the support plate. The wiring member includes a distal-end portion electrically connected to the head, a connection end portion extending outside the support plate. The connection end portion includes a cover layer with an opening having a length, thirteen or more connection terminals opposed to the opening, arranged at intervals in a length direction of the opening and connected to wires, respectively, and a base layer superposed on the cover layer and the connection terminals and having first openings opposed to part of each of the connection terminals and second openings opposed to a space between adjacent connection terminals.

Provided is a heat-dissipating, shock-absorbing structure which is applicable to an electronic module with a hard disk drive. The heat-dissipating, shock-absorbing structure includes a heat-dissipating frame, an elastomer, and a plurality of heat conduction layers. The heat-dissipating frame has a fixing segment and two extending segments. The extending segments connect with two ends of the fixing segment. The fixing segment connects with one side of the hard disk drive. The distance between the extending segments is greater than the thickness of the hard disk drive. At least a portion of the elastomer is disposed at the extending segments. The heat conduction layers cover the elastomer.

An approach to a head gimbal assembly (HGA), such as for a hard disk drive, includes a swage plate assembly coupling a suspension to one side of an actuator arm, where the swage plate assembly includes a baseplate having a through-hole and a swage boss insert comprising a flange and a swage boss extending from the flange through the baseplate through-hole. The HGA is configured such that the baseplate is positioned between the flange and the actuator arm, such that a distal surface of the flange is the surface closest to a corresponding recording medium, whereby the thickness of the suspension is effectively recessed within the material dimensional buildup of the other parts and a greater clearance is provided between the suspension and the recording medium.

A suspension includes a load beam with first and second openings, a flexure including first and second outriggers, and first and second damper members. The first damper member is attached to the load beam and part of the first outrigger that overlaps the first opening of the load beam. The second damper member is attached to the load beam and part of the second outrigger that overlaps the second opening of the load beam. The first opening includes a region which is not covered by the first damper member, and the second opening includes a region which is not covered by the second damper member.

A suspension includes a load beam, a flexure including first and second outriggers, and first and second damper members. The first outrigger is formed to oppose the first surface and across the first opening. The second outrigger is formed to oppose the first surface and across the second opening. The first damper member is attached to the first outrigger at the first opening and the first surface. The second damper member is attached to the second outrigger at the second opening and the first surface. An edge portion of the first opening and the first damper member are spaced apart and an edge portion of the second opening and the second damper member are spaced apart.