Actuator assembly with compensated outer arms

摘要

An apparatus and method to compensate the outer actuator arms of a disk drive actuator assembly from an imbalanced moment to maintain a selected preload force. The present invention advantageously utilizes thin actuator arms to hold read/write head assemblies. During disk drive operation, the outer actuator arm receives an unbalanced outward moment originating from the flying read/write head associated with the outer actuator arm. This unbalanced outward moment is balanced by initially displacing the outer read/write heads inward so that they are not aligned straight. This special alignment creates an additional preload force which is decreased to a normal preload force when the outer actuator arm is returned to a straight alignment by said imbalanced moment. The present invention maintains a uniform preload value and therefore uniform read/write head flying height. In so doing, the outer actuator arms remain aligned during operation and the disk drive system of the present invention offers greater reliability.