US Patent 7800865 Disc drive head actuator

A disc drive head actuator includes a suspension structure and a slider integrated with the suspension structure. The actuator is one of at least two actuator assemblies batch-fabricated on a common substrate. The head actuator may be fabricated using mircofabrication techniques. The head actuator may have a reduced size, including package height relative to conventionally manufactured disc drives. Using mircofabrication and/or batch fabrication techniques provides reduced tolerances, which allows for increased actuation forces and/or reduced power consumption. Some embodiments include four-bar linkage actuators, which increase lateral stiffness of the actuator, allowing for a precise motion of the head relative to a media surface.