Protecting and merging a head stack assembly of a data storage device

Abstract

A method for protecting and merging a cantilevered flexure. In accordance with various embodiments. A carrier support surface supports a distal end of a cantilevered flexure. A merge support surface of a merge tool is aligned with a medial portion of the flexure. The merge support surface is used to displace the distal end of the flexure from the carrier support surface and to advance a transducer supported by said distal end to a final position.

1 . A method comprising: 
 supporting a distal end of a cantilevered flexure with a carrier support surface;    aligning a merge support surface of a merge tool with a medial portion of the flexure; and    using the merge support surface to displace the distal end of the flexure from the carrier support surface and to advance a transducer supported by said distal end to a final position.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aligning step comprises contactingly engaging the medial portion of the flexure with the merge support surface while the carrier support surface contactingly engages the distal end of the flexure.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the merge support surface forms a portion of a merge tool.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aligning and using steps are carried out while advancing the merge support surface in a common rotational direction.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the final position is adjacent a rotatable medium.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flexure is supported by a rotatable actuator body, and wherein carrier support surface forms a portion of a carrier affixed to said actuator body.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the carrier comprises a main body from which the carrier support surface extends, the main body disposed on a selected side of the actuator body opposite a rotatable medium, and wherein the using step comprises advancing the actuator body so that the main body of the carrier contactingly engages an outermost peripheral edge of the rotatable medium.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the using step further comprises advancing the flexure to the final position while the carrier remains contactingly engaged against the edge of the rotatable medium.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 retracting the carrier support surface to a position beyond the edge of the medium; and    removing the carrier from the actuator body.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flexure supports a transducer adjacent a rotatable medium of a data storage device, and wherein the aligning and using steps are carried out during manufacture of said device.  
     
     
         11 . A method comprising: 
 placing a carrier onto an actuator, the actuator comprising an actuator body and at least one cantilevered flexure which supports a transducer at a distal end thereof, the carrier affixed to the actuator body and individually supporting each said flexure;    mounting the actuator to a base deck adjacent a rotatable medium while the carrier remains placed on the actuator; and    merging the actuator with the medium by advancing a merge tool which displaces the carrier from each said flexure and moves each said flexure to a final position adjacent the medium.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the carrier has a main body portion affixed to the actuator body, and wherein the merging step comprises advancing the main body portion to contactingly engage an outermost peripheral edge of the medium while the merge tool continues advancement of each said flexure to the final position.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the placing step comprises contactingly engaging the distal end of the flexure with a carrier support surface of the carrier.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the merging step comprises contactingly engaging a medial portion of the flexure with a merge support surface of the merge tool.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising: 
 retracting the merge tool to a position beyond the edge of the medium; and then    removing the carrier from the actuator body.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator and the rotatable medium form a portion of a data storage device, and wherein the placing, mounting and merging steps are carried out during manufacture of said device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator comprises a plurality of said flexures each supported by a respective carrier support surface of the carrier, wherein the merge tool comprises a corresponding plurality of merge support surfaces of the merge tool, and wherein the merging step comprises contactingly engaging each of the plurality of said flexures with a corresponding one of the merge support surfaces while the carrier remains affixed to the actuator.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the merge support surfaces slidingly engage the corresponding plurality of said flexures while the merge tool advances in a first direction, and wherein the merge tool continues movement in said first direction to advance the flexures to the final position while an outermost peripheral edge of the medium operates as a limit stop to prevent further advancement of the carrier.