US Patent 7259938 Actuator latch for disk drive

An actuator latch for a disk drive comprises at least one damping structure disposed at a wall within a recess of a latch body. Such a damping structure absorbs impact force between the latch body and a distal end of the actuator to minimize noise at a transducer on the actuator and to preserve the integrity of the transducer and actuator over time. The recess of the latch body engages with the distal end of the actuator for maintaining the position of the transducer within a parking zone. The damping structure exerts force on the distal end of the actuator with the force being used toward stopping rotation of the actuator.