Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Electrical device making
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2001-03-20
Hall, Carl E. (Department: 3729)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Electrical device making
C029S603060, C029S840000, C360S100100, C360S100100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202288
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a magnetic head suspension assembly with a head IC chip. The assembly includes a slider with at least one thin-film magnetic head element and a resilient suspension for supporting the slider.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
In such head suspension assembly, at least one thin-film magnetic head element for writing magnetic information into and/or reading magnetic information from a magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic disk is in general formed on a slider flying in operation above the magnetic recording medium. The slider is supported by the suspension made of a resilient thin metal plate.
A head IC chip used for amplifying writing current to the magnetic head element, for amplifying reading current from the head element and for controlling the writing and reading operations of the head element is also mounted on the suspension. Japanese patent unexamined publications nos. 53(1978)-69623, 55(1980)-150130 and 3(1991)-108120 disclose magnetic head suspension assemblies with the head IC chips mounted on the suspensions.
In fabricating these conventional magnetic head suspension assemblies, both the sliders and the head IC chips are mounted on the respective suspensions after bend portions called as “gram-loads” and side rail bend portions for reinforcement are formed at the suspensions. For example, Japanese patent unexamined publications nos. 54(1979)-94312 and 3(1991)-134875 disclose manufacturing processes of attaching sliders onto respective bent suspensions which are coupled to each other and of separating thereafter the coupled suspensions into the individual pieces.
As aforementioned, since the bent suspension according to the conventional art has a complicated three dimensional shape, fixing of the suspension itself to an assembling tool or a jig used for mounting the head IC chip becomes very difficult. Thus, precise alignment of the suspension with the head IC chip cannot be expected causing that assembling of the head IC chip with the suspension cannot be automated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a magnetic head suspension assembly, whereby extremely accurate assembling of a head IC chip with a suspension can be expected.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a magnetic head suspension assembly, whereby assembling of a head IC chip with the suspension can be easily automated.
According to the present invention, a method for manufacturing a magnetic head suspension assembly includes a step of forming a plurality of flexure pieces coupled with each other and kept substantially flat, each of the flexure pieces being provided with conductive connection pattern, a step of mounting head IC chips on the respective substantially flat flexure pieces, the mounting being executed before fixing of said flexure pieces to load beams, and a step of separating said flexure pieces with the head IC chips into individual pieces.
In case of fabricating a magnetic head suspension assembly with a three-piece structure suspension formed from discrete components of a flexure piece and a load beam, the load beam is fixed to the flexure piece after the head IC chip is mounted on the flexure piece.
Since the head IC chips are mounted on the flexure pieces which are coupled with each other and kept substantially flat, the alignment and mounting of the head IC chips to the respective flexure pieces can be accurately and easily executed, and thus extremely accurate assembling of the head-suspension assemblies can be expected. This accurate assembling will greatly improve characteristics of the magnetic head suspension assembly. Furthermore, assembling of the head IC chips with the suspensions can be easily automated. Thus, the manufacturing costs of the fabricated magnetic head suspension assembly can be reduced without sacrificing quality.
It is preferred that the method further includes a step of checking electrical characteristics of the mounted head IC chips before fixing of the flexure pieces to the load beams.
It is also preferred that the method further includes a step of mounting sliders with magnetic head elements on the separated flexure pieces.
It is preferred that the head IC chip mounting step includes a step of mounting the head IC chips on the respective flexure pieces by flip chip bonding process or by ultrasonic bonding.
It is preferred that each of the flexure pieces has a tongue portion for fixing the slider, and that the method further includes a step of bending the tongue portions of the respective flexure pieces so as to adjust static attitude of the sliders to be attached. The tongue portion bending step may be executed before the head IC chips are mounted, after the head IC chips are mounted but before the coupled flexure pieces are separated into individual pieces, or after the coupled flexure pieces are separated into individual pieces.
It is also preferred that the method further includes a step of fixing a load beam to each of the separated flexure piece. This fixing step may be executed after the head IC chips are mounted but before the coupled flexure pieces are separated into individual pieces, or after the coupled flexure pieces are separated into individual pieces.
It is preferred that the forming step includes a step of forming the plurality of flexure pieces coupled with each other from a flat sheet material, or from a rolled hoop material.
It is also preferred that the mounting step includes a step of mounting sliders with magnetoresistive type read out magnetic head elements on the respective flexure pieces.
According to the present invention, a method for manufacturing a magnetic head suspension assembly includes a step of forming a plurality of flexure-load beam pieces coupled with each other and kept substantially flat, each of the flexure-load beam pieces being provided with conductive connection pattern, a step of mounting head IC chips on the respective substantially flat flexure-load beam pieces, the mounting being executed before the flexure-load beam pieces are bent, and a step of separating the flexure-load beam pieces with the head IC chips into individual pieces.
In case of fabricating a magnetic head suspension assembly with a two-pieces structure suspension formed from a flexure-load beam piece which serves both as a flexure and a load beam, bending process of the flexure-load beam piece is executed after the head IC chip is mounted on the flexure-load beam piece.
Since the head IC chips are mounted on the flexure-load beam pieces which are coupled with each other and kept substantially flat, the alignment and mounting of the head IC chips to the respective flexure-load beam pieces can be accurately and easily executed, and thus extremely accurate assembling of the head-suspension assemblies can be expected. This accurate assembling will greatly improve characteristics of the magnetic head suspension assembly. Furthermore, assembling of the head IC chips with the suspensions can be easily automated. Thus, the manufacturing costs of the fabricated magnetic head suspension assembly can be reduced without sacrificing quality.
It is preferred that the method further includes a step of checking electrical characteristics of the mounted head IC chips before the flexure-load beam pieces are bent.
It is also preferred that the method further includes a step of mounting sliders with magnetic head elements on the separated flexure-load beam pieces.
It is preferred that the head IC chip mounting step includes a step of mounting the head IC chips on the respective flexure-load beam pieces by flip chip bonding process or by ultrasonic bonding process.
It is preferred that each of the flexure-load beam pieces has a tongue portion for fixing the slider, and that the method further includes a step of bending the tongue portions of the respective flexure-load beam pieces so as to adjust static attitude of the sliders to be attached. The tongue portion b
Morita Haruyuki
Sakai Masanori
Shiraishi Masashi
Takano Ken-ichi
Umehara Tsuyoshi
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Hall Carl E.
TDK Corporation
LandOfFree
Method for manufacturing magnetic head suspension assembly... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for manufacturing magnetic head suspension assembly..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for manufacturing magnetic head suspension assembly... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2494691