Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head mounting – For shifting head between tracks
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-28
2002-09-17
Letscher, George J. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head mounting
For shifting head between tracks
C174S1170FF
Reexamination Certificate
active
06452754
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter abbreviated to “FPC”) attachment structure for signal transmission to a recording head in a recording and reproducing device using a recording/reproducing disk such as a floppy disk or a hard disk, and the recording and reproducing device using the structure.
A recording and reproducing device using a conventional flexible printed circuit board (FPC) attachment structure will be described in accordance with a magnetic recording and reproducing device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. Sho 63-72712. As shown in
FIG. 14
, as a part of the structure of the magnetic recording and reproducing device, a head support arm
11
is attached to a carriage
8
and a head attachment base
8
a
of the carriage
8
via a plate spring
12
. The head support arm
11
is elastically biased so as to be rotatable upward and downward.
A pair of opposed recording heads
6
and
7
, respectively comprising a magnetic head, are attached to the end of the head attachment base
8
a
and that of the head support arm
11
. The recording heads
6
and
7
are elastically brought into contact with front and rear surfaces of a recording disk
10
comprising a floppy disk, represented by an alternate long and short dashed line, and the carriage
8
, guided by a guide shaft
15
, reciprocates in arrow A directions along a radial direction of the recording disk
10
.
Then, while the recording disk
10
is rotated at a high speed, the recording heads
6
and
7
are moved in the arrow A directions, to record/reproduce or erase information with respect to the front and rear surfaces of the recording disk
10
.
In the recording and reproducing device of this type, the recording heads
6
and
7
are connected to ends of FPC's
21
and
22
, and the other ends of the FPC's
21
and
22
are connected to a circuit pattern (not shown) of a printed circuit board
23
via connectors
24
.
As shown in
FIG. 15
, in an attachment structure for the conventional FPC's
21
and
22
as described above, the connectors
24
previously attached to the printed circuit board
23
are projected from a through hole
25
a
of a chassis
25
of the recording and reproducing device.
On the other hand, the other ends of the FPC's
21
and
22
, opposite to the ends connected to the recording heads
6
and
7
, are guided to the outside from the head attachment base
8
a
and the head support arm
11
. In these end portions, the FPC's
21
and
22
have terminals
21
a
and
22
a
such that terminals
21
a
are exposed on one surface of the FPC
21
while the terminals
22
a
are exposed on one surface of the FPC
22
.
Electrical conduction is made between the recording heads
6
and
7
, and the wiring pattern (not shown) of the printed circuit board
23
, by inserting the ends of the FPC's
21
and
22
having the terminals
21
a
and
22
a
into connecting portions
24
a
of the connectors
24
having a plurality of contacts.
Note that reinforcing plates
26
as shown in
FIG. 15
are attached to rear surfaces of the FPC's
21
and
22
at the portions of the terminals
21
a
and
22
a,
to increase the strength of the terminals
21
a
and
22
a
and neighboring parts of the FPC's
21
and
22
, such that the FPC's
21
and
22
do not break even if the carriage
8
is reciprocated in the arrow A directions at a high speed.
Further, as the reinforcing plates
26
are attached to the portions of the terminals
21
a
and
22
a,
the thickness of the FPC's
21
and
22
at the terminals
21
a
and
22
a
is about 0.3 mm, which ensures connection between the terminals
21
a
and
22
a
and the connecting portions
24
a
of the connectors
24
when the terminals
21
a
and
22
a
are inserted into the connecting portions
24
a
of the connectors
24
.
Further, in another conventional FPC attachment structure, as shown in
FIG. 16
, an attachment surface
21
b
(
22
b
) of the FPC
21
(
22
) is attached to an inner side surface
27
a
(
27
b
) of an approximately turned square U-shaped auxiliary member
27
by adhesive or the like, and the auxiliary member
27
is mounted on the printed circuit board
23
. The terminals
21
a
(
22
a
) projected downward are directly inserted into an attachment hole
23
a
of the printed circuit board
23
and attached thereto by solder or the like.
In this manner, in the conventional FPC attachment structure for the FPC's
21
and
22
, the reinforcing plates
26
or auxiliary member
27
reinforces the thin-plate flexible FPC's
21
and
22
, and the FPC's are directly attached, or attached via the connectors
24
, to the printed circuit board
23
. Accordingly, even if the carriage
8
is reciprocated along the arrow A directions, the FPC's
21
and
22
do not fall, or the terminal portions
21
a
and
22
a
directly attached to the printed circuit board
23
do not cause conduction failure. Thus, high reliability can be attained.
However, in the above-described conventional FPC attachment structures for the FPC's
21
and
22
, as the FPC's
21
and
22
are reinforced by the reinforcing plates
26
or the auxiliary member
27
, the number of parts increases, thus increasing the cost of manufacture.
Further, in the recording and reproducing device using the conventional FPC attachment structure as above-described structures for the FPC's
21
and
22
, the number of assembling steps must be increased for attaching the reinforcing plates
26
or auxiliary member
27
to the FPC's. Assembly operability is therefore degraded and manufacture, thus productivity is lowered.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has its object to solve the above problems and to provide an FPC attachment structure which increases strength with a reduced number of parts and without any specific reinforcing member, and a recording and reproducing device using the structure.
Accordingly, as a first solution to these problems, the present invention provides a flexible printed circuit board attachment structure comprising: a printed circuit board having an attachment hole; and a flexible printed circuit board having a terminal formation portion where terminals are exposed at an end of one surface, and a connection portion where a circuit pattern is extended from the terminal formation portion to a signal transmission side, wherein the terminal formation portion has a base portion extending the connection portion to the signal transmitting side, and a bend base portion and a bend portion, bent from the base portion, along a bending line in a direction of insertion into the attachment hole of the printed circuit board, such that the terminals are exposed outside, and wherein the bend portion and the base portion are inserted into and attached to the attachment hole.
Further, as a second solution to these problems, in the above structure, the terminals are exposed on an outer surface of the base portion and the bend portion.
Further, as a third solution to these problems, in the above structure, the base portion is a terminal formation region where the terminals are, and the bend portion is a terminal non-formation region where the terminals are not formed.
Further, as a fourth solution to these problems, in the above structure, the attachment hole is formed so as to have a T shape comprising a long hole and a short hole, and in the base portion or the bend portion, a narrow width portion is formed by providing a notch in the bend base portion and in an end surface on a side opposite to the bend base portion, further, the narrow width portion is inserted into the short hole.
Further, as a fifth solution to these problems, in the above structure, the attachment hole is formed such that a side where the bend base portion is positioned has a narrow width, while a side where an end surface on a side opposite to the bend base portion is positioned has a wide width.
Further, as a sixth solution to these p
Mizuta Koji
Nakai Takashi
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Letscher George J.
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