Dynamic performance of parallel link suspension with seek motion during contact-sliding

Seek behavior and orientation of a contact-sliding head were investigated for two types of suspension with a ball slider. In a fundamental measurement, a seek behavior of the ball slider with a parallel link suspension was independent of kinetic friction in the sliding direction. A torsional displacement of the ball slider was inverse proportional to a ratio of torsional rigidity between a single beam and a parallel link suspension. In a dynamic measurement on a rotary disk, the ball slider with the single beam bounced intensely and showed large torsional displacement. While the parallel link suspension showed negligible torsion and kept stable orientation during seek motion.