Flexured mounting system for friction reduction and friction linearization in linear actuator for disk drive

摘要

There is disclosed a disk drive having a linear actuator for carrying read/write heads into engagement with a recording medium. The heads are mounted on a carriage assembly along with a voice coil motor for driving the carriage assembly into and out of engagement of the heads with the medium. The carriage assembly slides linearly on a central guide track. A flexible mounting suspension is provided for the central guide track for linear movement by the carriage assembly so that initial linear movement of the carriage assembly is by flexing the suspension and further, larger linear movement of the carriage assembly is by sliding along the guide track. In one form of the invention the central guide track is suspended at the front end by a flexure and at the rear end by a bearing. In another form of the invention the central guide track is suspended at each end by a flexure.