Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head mounting – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-03
2001-03-20
Evans, Jefferson (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head mounting
Disk record
C360S245800
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205003
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention has to do with disk drive suspensions, and more particularly with improvements in the design and structure of disk drive suspension electrical connectors that are used to carry current between a load beam-supported slider and suspension-associated signal circuitry. In a specific aspect, the invention provides a disk drive suspension in which the advantages of wire bundle conductors, including lower cost and better electrical properties, especially at higher frequencies, are maximally obtained while freeing the suspension flexure from biasing forces normally incident in a wire bundle connector, by using flexible circuit conductor for that portion of the connector likely to bias movement of the flexure.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a novel disk drive suspension having electrical connections which provide substantially the benefits of the wire bundle conductors and which avoid the problems of excessive torque exertion on the slider by the wire bundle. It is another object to provide an improved suspension in which the manufacturing advantages of flexible circuit, including ready automation of slider-to-flexure assembly and substantially bias-free attachment to the slider, are also realized along with the just-mentioned benefits of a wire bundle conductor. It is a further object to provide a suspension having a novel hybrid connector of wire bundle conductor and flexible circuit conductor, maximizing the advantages of each and minimizing the disadvantages of each in the resultant disk drive suspension.
These and other objects of the invention to become apparent hereinafter are realized in a disk drive suspension comprising a load beam, and supported by the load beam a flexure carrying a slider head, an electrical connector running substantially the length of the load beam to the slider, the connector comprising an electrically integrated hybrid of different segments including a wire bundle segment and a flexible conductive laminate segment, the segments being arranged sequentially and in such manner that the slider head is electrically coupled by the wire bundle segment at the proximal end of the load beam, and by the flexible conductor at the distal end of the load beam, whereby the flexure is free of wire bundle bias in its movement.
In this and like embodiments, preferably, the electrical connector is carried by the load beam alongside the load beam for a major portion of its length, the electrical connector wire bundle segment comprises at least one twisted pair of conductive wires, the electrical conductor flexible conductive laminate segment comprises at least one pair of conductive leads laminated with plastic film, the wire bundle segment extends from the proximate end of the load beam and terminates short of the flexure, the flexible conductive laminate defining an electrically conductive extension of the wire bundle from its locus of termination to the slider, the flexible conductive laminate segment is electrically connected to the slider substantially in slider movement bias free relation, and/or the wire bundle segment constitutes about two-thirds of the length of the electrical connector, and the flexible conductive laminate about one-third of the length of the electrical connector.
In a further embodiment, the invention provides a disk drive suspension comprising a load beam, and supported by the load beam a flexure carrying a slider head, an electrical connector carried by the load beam along a major portion of the connector length, the connector comprising a two-component structure of separate, physically different conductors, the conductors being joined to define a continuous electrical path for carrying current from the slider head to signal circuitry beyond the load beam while keeping the slider head movement free of wire bundle induced bias.
In this and like embodiments, preferably, the separate, physically different conductors include a wire bundle conductor and a flexible conductive laminate conductor, the conductors are joined at a locus adjacent the proximate end edge of the flexure, the wire bundle conductor comprises at least one twisted pair of conductive wires, the flexible conductive laminate conductor comprises at least one pair of conductive leads laminated with plastic film, the wire bundle conductor extends from the proximate end of the load beam to the locus, the flexible conductive laminate conductor extends from the locus to the slider, the flexible conductive laminate conductor is electrically connected to the slider substantially in slider movement bias free relation, the wire bundle conductor constitutes about two-thirds of the length of the electrical connector, and the flexible conductive laminate conductor about one-third of the length of the electrical connector; and the load beam is apertured at the locus, the slider is located on a first surface of the load beam, and the wire bundle conductor is located on the opposite surface of the load beam, the flexible conductive laminate conductor being connected to the wire bundle through the load beam aperture.
A further aspect of the invention comprises in combination on a load beam: a wire bundle conductor and a flexible conductive laminate conductor, electrically coupled into a single electrical connector and arranged to conduct current from a slider to signal circuitry.
In its method aspects the invention contemplates the method of conducting current from a load beam and flexure-carried slider to suspension associated signal circuitry, including conducting the current through a wire bundle conductor, and interposing a sufficient extent of flexible conductive laminate conductor between the wire bundle and the slider to block the wire bundle conductor biasing movement of the slider.
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patent: 5103359 (1992-04-01), Marazzo
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patent: 5404636 (1995-04-01), Stefansky et al.
patent: 5597496 (1997-01-01), Masaichi et al.
patent: 5598307 (1997-01-01), Bennin
patent: 5604649 (1997-02-01), Hernandez
patent: 5631788 (1997-05-01), Richards
patent: 5657186 (1997-08-01), Kudo et al.
patent: 5663854 (1997-09-01), Grill et al.
patent: 5883758 (1999-03-01), Bennin et al.
patent: 1-78313 (1989-05-01), None
patent: 3-290801 (1991-12-01), None
Bachand Louis J.
Evans Jefferson
Magnecomp Corp.
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