Lightweight dual head support assembly for magnetic disk drives

Claim 1

In a disk drive mass storage unit of the type having at least a pair of read/write heads and a slider member associated with each head for creating an air bearing to support the head when the head is stationed over the surface over a rotating storage disk, each head and associated slider forming a head/slider assembly, and a head positioning arm member adapted to move the head slider assemblies accross the surface of the disk, the improvement comprising: head suspending means for suspendingly supporting each head from a common point on the arm member, in cantilevered fashion, with one head disposed on each side of the longitudinal axis of the arm member; the head suspending member means including a unitary flexure member adapted to be secured to the arm member proximate the middle of the flexure member, the flexure member further having first and second ends distal the middle of the flexture, and, at each of such ends a slider frame adapted to support a head/slider assembly and further including, for each head/slider assembly, means for applying a pre-load force thereto; the means for applying a pre-load force including, for each head/slider assembly, a resilient spring member and means for transferring a force from the spring to the head/slider assembly; a channel-shaped member running the length of the flexure member along one side thereof and adapted to receive a stiff, elongate wire or needle therein; the force-transferring means associated with each head/slider assembly including a ramp member depending toward the channel-shaped member; the channel-shaped member having a cut-away portion adapted to receive the ramp from the forced-transferring means; a stiff, elongate wire adapted to be inserted in the channel member from one end thereof; and the ramp members being adapted to ride up over the elongate wire when the wire is inserted into the channel member from one end thereof, to remove the pre-load force from the head/slider assemblies.