Cleaning tray for electrical components and carrying tool with the same
A cleaning tray for electrical components includes a holder having a frame and a pair of crossed inner bars. End portions of the crossed inner bars connect to the frame to separate the frame into four sub-frames. The frame has a bottom bar, two opposite side bars and a top bar which is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water. Several male fasteners are formed along inner borders of each of the sub-frames. The cleaning tray is shared by those different electrical components and consequently to reduce tray cost, simplify manufacturing process and increase productive efficiency. The invention also discloses a carrying tool for electrical components with the cleaning tray.
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The present invention relates generally to a device for fabricating hard disk drives, and more particularly to a cleaning tray for electrical components, such as FPC (flexible printed circuit), AFA (ACA (arm coil assembly) and FPC Assembly), and HSA (head stack assembly) of the hard disk drives, and a carrying tool for the electrical components with the cleaning tray.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDisk drives are information storage devices that use thin film magnetic media to store data. A typical disk drive comprises a head stack assembly (HSA) with slider(s) thereon, a magnetic disk mounted on a spindle motor which causes the magnetic disk to spin, and a motor base to enclose the above-mentioned components. The slider(s) flies over the surface of the magnetic disk at a high velocity to read data from or write data to concentric data tracks on the magnetic disk, which is positioned radially by an ACA embedded (e.g. by epoxy potting or overmolding) in a fantail spacer of the HSA. Generally, a voice coil motor (VCM) is used to drive the ACA.
A traditional HSA comprises one or several HGAs, a fantail spacer interposed between the HGAs, and a plurality of securing means to couple the HGAs with the fantail spacer together. A FPC aligns with the fantail spacer by a FPC assembly to electrically connect with the HGAs. The plurality of securing means comprises a bearing, a washer and a nut. In addition, mounting holes are formed in the HGAs, respectively. The fantail spacer also defines a mounting hole. These mounting holes are provided to permit the bearing extend therethrough so as to combine the above-mentioned components together with the help of the washer and the nut.
The HSA is a very precision and critical part in the disk drive, so frequent cleaning and inspection/testing of electrical components of the HSA, such as ACA, FPC, and slider, and the HSA itself are required during the whole AFA/HSA manufacturing process. The manufacturing process of the AFA/HSA will be described hereinafter. For facilitating the description, the assembly of the ACA and the FPC Assembly is designated as AFA hereinafter. The term AFA cleaning means cleaning focus on ACA and FPC prior to assembling the HGAs and the bearing with the AFA. The term HSA cleaning means slider focus cleaning after the bearing and the HGAs have assembled.
As shown in
As indicated above, the AFA/HSA process needs three kinds of trays, such as metal tray, AFA/HSA flow line tray, and HSA injection tray. The trays used in the prior AFA/HSA process are generally vacuum forming trays which are easily contaminated, such as forming burrs, metal particles and black particles. In order to meet the cleanliness requirement, the trays must be cleaned before the AFA/HSAs are loaded to them. That is, the trays and the AFA/HSAs have to be cleaned separately. Moreover, the AFA/HSA process also needs one or two kinds of cleaning jigs. In one word, the tray and cleaning cost is high.
In addition, in the above-mentioned process, the AFA/HSAs are loaded/unloaded so many times that much no-value stations and operators are needed in the process. Moreover, the AFA/HSAs loaded/unloaded operation causes contamination from directly handle parts.
Hence, a need has arisen for providing a device for fabricating HSA and important components thereof to simplify the AFA/HSA process, avoid contamination, reduce cost, and increase productive efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning tray for carrying, cleaning, and shipping electrical components, such as FPC, AFA, and HSA of hard disk drives, during the whole AFA/HSA process, which can be shared by different electrical components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a carrying tool for electrical components of disk drive devices during fabricating thereof, which can simplify manufacturing process, save several kinds of trays/jigs traditionally used for fabricating the HSA, and thereby improve productive efficiency and reduce cost.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, the present invention provides a cleaning tray for electrical components comprising: a holder having a frame and a pair of crossed inner bars. End portions of the crossed inner bars connect to the frame to separate the frame into a plurality of sub-frames. The frame has a bottom bar, two opposite side bars and a top bar which is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water. A plurality of male fasteners are formed along inner borders of each of the sub-frames.
In an embodiment of the present invention, one of the crossed inner bars is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water.
Preferably, the bottom bar is thinner than the top bar for facilitating ultrasonic cleaning.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the cleaning tray for electrical components further comprises at least one supporter configured for supporting the electrical components thereon. The supporter has a plurality of female fasteners for detachably engaging with the male fasteners of the sub-frames. The male fasteners of the sub-frames each have a raised portion, and the female fasteners of the supporter each have a recessed portion for engaging with the raised portion.
Preferably, the supporter further has a plurality of poles and sockets adapted to hold the electrical components tightly.
A carrying tool for electrical components in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of cleaning trays and a pair of covers for respectively covering the two outmost cleaning trays to sandwich the stacked cleaning trays. Each cleaning tray comprises a holder and at least one supporter. The holder has a frame and a pair of crossed inner bars. End portions of the crossed inner bars connect to the frame to separate the frame into a plurality of sub-frames. A plurality of male fasteners are formed along inner borders of each of the sub-frames. The plurality of supporters are configured for supporting the electrical components thereon. Each of the supporters has a plurality of female fasteners for detachably engaging with the male fasteners of the sub-frames. One side of the frame forms at least one protrusion, and an opposite side of the frame defines at least one cutout such that the plurality of cleaning trays are able to be stacked by aligning and engaging the protrusion of one of the cleaning tray with the cutout of another cleaning tray.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there are two kinds of supporters, one is HSA/AFA supporter, and the other one is FPC supporter. Each holder can be engaged with one HSA/AFA supporter and one FPC supporter, or four FPC supporters, or two HSA/AFA supporters. Therefore, the cleaning tray can be shared by FPC/AFA/HSA.
Preferably, the carrying tool further has a hand-bar for picking up the electrical components to avoid directly handling the electrical components. Therefore, cross contamination of the electrical components is avoided.
In comparison with the prior art, the cleaning tray can replace four kinds of trays/cleaning jigs traditionally used in the AFA/HSA process. For different projects, the holder, the cover, and the hand-bar can be shared, while the supporters can be changed based on the size of any of the FPC/AFA/HSA to be carried. Thus, the tray cost is reduced.
Since the cleaning tray can replace four kinds of trays/cleaning jigs traditionally used in the AFA/HSA process, the load/unload operations of the FPC/AFA/HSA can be reduced, that is, the no-value stations and operators can be reduced. Thereby the productive efficiency is improved, and simultaneity manufacturing cost is reduced.
Since the top bar is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water, thereby, the dryness requirement is met.
To summarize, the instant invention meets the cleaning and dryness requirement, avoids contamination, improves productive efficiency, and reduces the cost of fabricating the AFA/HSAs.
Other aspects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this disclosure and which illustrate, by way of example, principles of this invention.
The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments of this invention. In such drawings:
Various preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures. As indicated above, the present invention is directed to a cleaning tray for carrying, cleaning, and shipping electrical components, such as FPC, AFA, and HSA of hard disk drives, during the whole AFA/HSA manufacturing process. The cleaning tray is designed so as to be shared by those different electrical components and consequently to reduce tray cost, simplify manufacturing process and increase productive efficiency. This will be described in great detail hereinafter.
As shown in
Referring to
In another embodiment of the present invention, the bottom bar 202 is thinner than the top bar 201 for facilitating ultrasonic cleaning.
Referring to
In one embodiment of the present invention, the male fasteners 207 of the holder 20 each have a raised portion 207a, and the female fasteners 301, 401 501, 601, 701 of the supporters 21, 22 each have a recessed portion 301a, 401a, 501 a, 601 a, 701a for engaging with the raised portion 207a.
As is shown in
The cover 23 shown in
In another embodiment of the instant invention, the carrying tool further includes a hand-bar 25 shown in
Referring to
It can be seen from above detailed description that each holder of the cleaning tray can be engaged with one HSA/AFA supporter and one FPC supporter, or four FPC supporters, or two HSA/AFA supporters. Therefore, the cleaning tray can be shared by FPC/AFA/HSA, and several jigs or tools traditionally used for fabricating the FPC/AFA/HSA are saved.
In comparison with the prior art, the cleaning tray can replace four kind of trays/cleaning jigs traditionally used in the AFA/HSA process. For different projects, the holder, the cover, and the hand-bar can be shared, while the supporters can be changed based on the size of any of the FPC/AFA/HSA to be carried. Thus the tray cost is reduced.
Since the cleaning tray can replace four kinds of trays/cleaning jigs traditionally used in the AFA/HSA process, the load/unload operations of the FPC/AFA/HSA can be reduced, that is, the no-value stations and operators can be reduced. Thereby the productive efficiency is improved, and simultaneity manufacturing cost is reduced. The top bar and one cross bar are tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water, thereby the dryness requirement is met. Furthermore, since the cleaning tray can be cleaned with the AFA/HSA at the same time, the additional tray cleaning cost is avoided.
The foregoing description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to those skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined by the accompanying claims.
Claims
1. A cleaning tray for electrical components comprising:
- a holder having a frame and a pair of crossed inner bars, end portions of the crossed inner bars connecting to the frame to separate the frame into a plurality of sub-frames;
- wherein the frame has a bottom bar, two opposite side bars and a top bar which is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water, and a plurality of male fasteners are formed along inner borders of each of the sub-frames.
2. The cleaning tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the crossed inner bars is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water.
3. The cleaning tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom bar is thinner than the top bar for facilitating ultrasonic cleaning.
4. The cleaning tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein one side of the frame forms at least one protrusion and an opposite side of the frame defines at least one cutout such that two holders are stacked by aligning and engaging the protrusion of one of the holders with the cutout of the other holder.
5. The cleaning tray as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one supporter configured for supporting the electrical components thereon, the supporter having a plurality of female fasteners for detachably engaging with the male fasteners of the sub-frames.
6. The cleaning tray as claimed in claim 5, wherein the male fasteners each have a raised portion, and the female fasteners each have a recessed portion for engaging with the raised portion.
7. The cleaning tray as claimed in claim 5, wherein the supporter further has a plurality of poles and sockets adapted to hold the electrical components tightly.
8. The cleaning tray as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electrical components are HSA, AFA and/or FPC of disk drive devices.
9. A carrying tool for electrical components comprising:
- a plurality of cleaning trays, each cleaning tray comprising a holder and at least one supporter, the holder having a frame and a pair of crossed inner bars, end portions of the crossed inner bars connecting to the frame to separate the frame into a plurality of sub-frames, a plurality of male fasteners being formed along inner borders of each of the sub-frames, the supporters being configured for supporting the electrical components thereon, each of the supporters having a plurality of female fasteners for detachably engaging with the male fasteners of the sub-frames, one side of the frame forming at least one protrusion, and an opposite side of the frame defining at least one cutout such that the plurality of cleaning trays are able to be stacked by aligning and engaging the protrusion of one of the cleaning tray with the cutout of another cleaning tray; and
- a pair of covers for respectively covering the two outmost cleaning trays thereby sandwiching the stacked cleaning trays.
10. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a hand-bar for picking up the electrical components to avoid directly handling the electrical components.
11. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein two opposite sides of each of the cover each define a notch for securing a clip for locking the pair of covers.
12. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the frame has a bottom bar, two opposite side bars and a top bar which is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water.
13. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 12, wherein one of the crossed inner bars is tilted against the bottom bar for facilitating dropping water.
14. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bottom bar is thinner than the top bar for facilitating ultrasonic cleaning.
15. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the male fasteners each have a raised portion, and the female fasteners each have a recessed portion for engaging with the raised portion.
16. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the supporter further has a plurality of poles and sockets adapted to hold the electrical components tightly.
17. The carrying tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electrical components are HSA, AFA and/or FPC of disk drive devices.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 2, 2007
Publication Date: Oct 2, 2008
Applicant: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd. (Hong Kong)
Inventor: Toshinobu Yoshida (Hong Kong)
Application Number: 11/730,466