Abstract: A base plate and load beam for an HG assembly are formed in series, stacked, and transferred by a transfer system in the form of the stacked-layer series to undergo the necessary assembly processes such as layer joining, slider attachment, and electrical connections between the terminals thereon. When uncompleted HG assemblies are transferred for each of the manufacturing processes, the uncompleted HG assembly is mounted on the assembly jig such as a tray or a block for transference. For this reason, assembling jigs, the number of which is at least equal to the number of the uncompleted HG assemblies remaining at the respective assembly processes would be needed. Accordingly, the efficiency of work space is reduced, and a rise in manufacturing cost is brought about by the need for the assembling jigs.

Abstract: A base plate and load beam for an HG assembly are formed in series, stacked, and transferred by a transfer system in the form of the stacked-layer series to undergo the necessary assembly processes such as layer joining, slider attachment, and electrical connections between the terminals thereon. When uncompleted HG assemblies are transferred for each of the manufacturing processes, the uncompleted HG assembly is mounted on the assembly jig such as a tray or a block for transference. For this reason, assembling jigs, the number of which is at least equal to the number of the uncompleted HG assemblies remaining at the respective assembly processes would be needed. Accordingly, the efficiency of work space is reduced, and a rise in manufacturing cost is brought about by the need for the assembling jigs.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly, which is a component of a hard disk drive, has a bending portion that has elasticity and is bent at a predetermined angle under an unloaded condition, and a slider is bonded to a holding portion thereof by mounting the head gimbal assembly on a bonding jig in a state in which the bending portion is stretched. When the head gimbal assembly is separated from the bonding jig after bonding, the bending portion is not restored freely, so that the head gimbal assembly is caught by the bonding jig during the separating process and a locked state is sometimes established.

Abstract: A base plate and load beam for an HG assembly are formed in series, stacked, and transferred by a transfer system in the form of the stacked-layer series to undergo the necessary assembly processes such as layer joining, slider attachment, and electrical connections between the terminals thereon. When uncompleted HG assemblies are transferred for each of the manufacturing processes, the uncompleted HG assembly is mounted on the assembly jig such as a tray or a block for transference. For this reason, assembling jigs, the number of which is at least equal to the number of the uncompleted HG assemblies remaining at the respective assembly processes would be needed. Accordingly, the efficiency of work space is reduced, and a rise in manufacturing cost is brought about by the need for the assembling jigs.

Abstract: An apparatus joins bonding pads of a slider and lead pads of lead wires in a head gimbals assembly to improve efficiency, downsizing, and maintenance of solder-ball disposing devices, and solder-ball reflow devices for reflowing solder balls. The solder-ball disposing apparatus discharges solder balls from solder-ball discharging holes of a solder-ball feeder unit which are evacuated by a suction pad. An environmental space and an inert-gas supply portion for forming inactive atmosphere are formed on a table to eliminate an inert-gas supply unit from an optical unit, so that converged laser beams are directly radiated onto the solder balls.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension includes a solder ball that is placed between a lead wiring pad provided on a flexure of the suspension, and a bonding pad provided on a slider of a head gimbal section. The lead wiring pad and bonding pad are soldered by melting the solder ball. As a result, there is provided a recessed section into which a solder ball is placed by way of surface raised sections, using gravitational force, in the vicinity of the center line of the surface of the lead wiring pad. In this way the position of the solder ball is not displaced from the center line when a bonding pad and lead wiring pad are connected by means of a solder ball.

Abstract: A jig for inspecting the appearance of small parts with an optical microscope, the jig is equipped with a base, having an upper flat surface which becomes a mounting stage of the optical microscope, and is also provided with a member for moving the upper flat surface at least in a direction approximately parallel to a direction of an optical axis of an objective lens of the optical microscope in order to focus the optical microscope on an inspection portion of the small parts mounted on the upper flat surface. The jig is also equipped with an inspection-object supporting portion, provided with a member for supporting the small parts at the predetermined portion on the base. Furthermore, the jig is equipped with reflecting mirrors which have a mirrorlike surface with an inclined angle of approximately 45 degrees to the upper flat surface of the base.

Abstract: The present invention provides a head supporting arm that allows for laser tacking while having a merging lip and limiters for loading/unloading respectively. A head supporting arm according to the present invention includes a load beam, and a flexure connecting the load beam to a slider. The load beam having a dimple for generating a gimbal motion between the flexure and the slider. The slider having a head connected to its one end. The head supporting arm of the present invention further including an exposure opening formed in the load beam. The exposure opening allowing for the exposing of the bonding portion of the flexure that is bonded to the other end of the slider. The exposure opening further providing an opening to extend the limiters formed unitarily with the flexure 36 onto a surface of the load beam that is opposite to the surface on which the flexure 36 is provided. The extended limiters are hooked to the load beam at the opposite surface.

Abstract: An integrated lead suspension includes a solder ball that is placed between a lead wiring pad provided on a flexure of the suspension, and a bonding pad provided on a slider of a head gimbal section. The lead wiring pad and bonding pad are soldered by melting the solder ball. As a result, there is provided a recessed section into which a solder ball is placed by way of surface raised sections, using gravitational force, in the vicinity of the center line of the surface of the lead wiring pad. In this way the position of the solder ball is not displaced from the center line when a bonding pad and lead wiring pad are connected by means of a solder ball.

Abstract: In devices for solder-ball bonding of a bonding pad of a slider of a head gimbal assembly to a lead pad of a lead, although a device that can perform (1) the supply of solder balls, (2) the positioning of a solder ball, (3) the blowing of nitrogen gas N2, and (4) the melting of the solder ball by laser radiation in one device is available, there are various problems that cannot improve the efficiency of laser radiation, maintenance, or operation efficiency, due to spatial restriction, difficulty of weight reduction, or fixed operation procedures. A solder-ball holder and an optical device are configured separately, and a vacuum pad is provided. A solder ball held in a solder-ball holding hole of the solder-ball holder is transported by the vacuum pad to a connecting portion of a head gimbal assembly, and solder reflow is carried out by the optical device.

Abstract: An air tweezer capable of efficiently performing an operation in which an article with a very small size, such as a pico slider or a femto slider, is sucked and set at a predetermined position of a suspension, and having countermeasures against ESD.

Abstract: In devices for solder-ball bonding of a bonding pad of a slider of a head gimbal assembly to a lead pad of a lead, although a device that can perform (1) the supply of solder balls, (2) the positioning of a solder ball, (3) the blowing of nitrogen gas N2, and (4) the melting of the solder ball by laser radiation in one device is available, there are various problems that cannot improve the efficiency of laser radiation, maintenance, or operation efficiency, due to spatial restriction, difficulty of weight reduction, or fixed operation procedures. A solder-ball holder and an optical device are configured separately, and a vacuum pad is provided. A solder ball held in a solder-ball holding hole of the solder-ball holder is transported by the vacuum pad to a connecting portion of a head gimbal assembly, and solder reflow is carried out by the optical device.

Abstract: Apertures are formed in the portion of a flexure adjacent to the soldered portions between the bonding pads of the slider and the lead pads of lead end portions. With this, an adhesive agent for bonding the slider to a flexure tongue is moved downward from the apertures so there is no fear that the adhesive agent will contact the lead pads and the bonding pads. This design prevents the protrusion of an adhesive agent from short-circuiting the flexure, and absorbs a warp produced by shrinkage of a soldered portion by decreasing rigidity of the flexure. When both the bonding pad formed on the slider and the lead pad of a lead fixed to the platform of the flexure are disposed and soldered, the quality of the soldered portion is improved by locating the pads as close to each other as possible.

Abstract: An apparatus joins bonding pads of a slider and lead pads of lead wires in a head gimbals assembly to improve efficiency, downsizing, and maintenance of solder-ball disposing devices, and solder-ball reflow devices for reflowing solder balls. The solder-ball disposing apparatus discharges solder balls from solder-ball discharging holes of a solder-ball feeder unit which are evacuated by a suction pad. An environmental space and an inert-gas supply portion for forming inactive atmosphere are formed on a table to eliminate an inert-gas supply unit from an optical unit, so that converged laser beams are directly radiated onto the solder balls.

Abstract: A base plate and load beam for an HG assembly are formed in series, stacked, and transferred by a transfer system in the form of the stacked-layer series to undergo the necessary assembly processes such as layer joining, slider attachment, and electrical connections between the terminals thereon. When uncompleted HG assemblies are transferred for each of the manufacturing processes, the uncompleted HG assembly is mounted on the assembly jig such as a tray or a block for transference. For this reason, assembling jigs, the number of which is at least equal to the number of the uncompleted HG assemblies remaining at the respective assembly processes would be needed. Accordingly, the efficiency of work space is reduced, and a rise in manufacturing cost is brought about by the need for the assembling jigs.

Abstract: An integrated suspension for a slider in a magnetic record system has a simplified structure relatively easy to manufacture. This new integrated suspension is assembled from separate pieces including a load beam a flexure and a mount plate. The flexure includes a flexible member and a conductive lead integrally formed thereon. Since the flexible member is of super-thin type, the flexion of the flexure is minimized by the support using a platform support in an ultrasonic bonding of its conductive lead with a bonding pad of the slider. Besides, to minimize the deflection, an ultrasonic bonding is executed in close order of distance to support portion. Furthermore, a tab extending from the tip of the load beam is used so as not to affect the flexure regarded as a fine piece.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a structure of a head supporting arm for preventing a read/write head from being damaged during a heating process for bonding a slider to a flexure and a method for fabricating the head supporting arm with preventing the read/write head from being damaged during the heating process. A head supporting arm of the present invention comprises: a load beam, a flexure including a portion coupled to said load beam and a bonding portion; and a slider bonded on said bonding portion by an adhesive; wherein said bonding portion of said flexure includes an edge placed on a surface of said slider; and wherein an exposing aperture, which exposes both a portion of a surface region, including said one edge, of said bonding portion and a portion of said surface of said slider, is formed on said load beam.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly, which is a component of a hard disk drive, has a bending portion that has elasticity and is bent at a predetermined angle under an unloaded condition, and a slider is bonded to a holding portion thereof by mounting the head gimbal assembly on a bonding jig in a state in which the bending portion is stretched. When the head gimbal assembly is separated from the bonding jig after bonding, the bending portion is not restored freely, so that the head gimbal assembly is caught by the bonding jig during the separating process and a locked state is sometimes established.

Abstract: A plurality of bonding pads formed on a slider are integrally joined to an elastic flexure for a disk drive suspension. The pads are ultrasonically bonded to the slider with leads that are held by the flexure. The bonding portions of the leads face and are pressed against the pads with ultrasonic waves. The leads are plastically deformed during these steps to prevent the flexure from being deformed after the ultrasonic bonding process.

Abstract: An air tweezer capable of efficiently performing an operation in which an article with a very small size, such as a pico slider or a femto slider, is sucked and set at a predetermined position of a suspension, and having countermeasures against ESD.