ELECTRICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN A SUSPENSION FLEXURE CABLE AND A HEAD STACK ASSEMBLY FLEXIBLE CIRCUIT
A method and apparatus for electrically coupling a slider to a controller circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a pre-amplifier with an integrated electrical connector (I-connector) may be connected via an electrical trace to a slider and via a head stack assembly flexible circuit to a control circuit. The pre-amplifier may have two parallel series of spring probe claws, two parallel series of contact pegs, two slots, or a slot and a rotary cam.
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The present invention relates to magnetic hard disk drives. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method of electrically connecting the actuator and micro-actuator to a control circuit.
In the art today, different methods are utilized to improve recording density in hard disk drives.
In order to carry out previous methods of establishing an electrical connection, the flex cable on the suspension must be aligned properly to the pads of the actuator board 205. If soldering is used to connect the pads, the solder bump must be preliminarily formed on the pads for solder bonding. Laser or ultrasonic bonding can be prohibitively expensive and time consuming due to the necessary calibration work.
A method and apparatus for electrically coupling a slider to a controller circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a pre-amplifier with an integrated electrical connector (I-connector) may be connected via an electrical trace to a slider and via a head stack assembly flexible circuit to a control circuit. The pre-amplifier may have two parallel series of spring probe claws, two parallel series of contact pegs, two slots, or a slot and a rotary cam.
Although several embodiments are specifically illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated that modifications and variations of the present invention are covered by the above teachings and within the purview of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intended scope of the invention.
Claims
1. An actuator circuit assembly, comprising:
- at least one electrical trace termination pad electrically coupled to a slider;
- a head stack assembly flexible circuit electrically coupled to a control circuit; and
- a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector to electrically connect the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
2. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 1, wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm.
3. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 2, wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to the actuator circuit board by a fastener.
4. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 2, further comprising:
- at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and
- at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to an electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
5. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward.
6. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 4, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward.
7. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 2, further comprising:
- at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and
- at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to an electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
8. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
- a slider slot into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and
- a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.
9. The actuator circuit assembly of claim 1, further comprising:
- a slider rotary cam into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and
- a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.
10. A head stack assembly, comprising:
- an actuator arm to place a slider above a magnetic storage medium;
- a control circuit to control the slider and the actuator arm;
- at least one electrical trace termination pad electrically coupled to the slider;
- a head stack assembly flexible circuit electrically coupled to the control circuit; and
- a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector to electrically connect the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
11. The head stack assembly of claim 10, wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm.
12. The head stack assembly of claim 11, wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to the actuator circuit board by a fastener.
13. The head stack assembly of claim 11, further comprising:
- at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and
- at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to an at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
14. The head stack assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward.
15. The head stack assembly of claim 13, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward.
16. The head stack assembly of claim 11, further comprising:
- at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and
- at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
17. The head stack assembly of claim 10, further comprising:
- a slider slot into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and
- a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.
18. The head stack assembly of claim 10, further comprising:
- a slider rotary cam into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and
- a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.
19. A hard disk drive, comprising:
- a magnetic storage medium to store data;
- a base to support the magnetic storage medium;
- an actuator arm to place a slider above a magnetic storage medium;
- a pivot to move the actuator arm in relation to the magnetic storage medium;
- a printed circuit board to control the slider and the actuator arm;
- at least one electrical trace termination pad electrically coupled to the slider;
- a head stack assembly flexible circuit electrically coupled to the control circuit; and
- a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector to electrically connect the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
20. The hard disk drive of claim 19, wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm.
21. The hard disk drive of claim 20, wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to the actuator circuit board by a fastener.
22. The hard disk drive of claim 20, further comprising:
- at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and
- at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
23. The hard disk drive of claim 22, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward.
24. The hard disk drive of claim 22, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward.
25. The hard disk drive of claim 20, further comprising:
- at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and
- at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.
26. The hard disk drive of claim 19, further comprising:
- a slider slot into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and
- a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.
27. The hard disk drive of claim 19, further comprising:
- a slider rotary cam into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and
- a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.
28. A method, comprising:
- electrically coupling at least one electrical trace termination pad to a slider;
- electrically coupling a head stack assembly flexible circuit to a control circuit; and
- electrically coupling the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit with a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector.
29. The method of claim 28, further comprising coupling the pre-amplifier to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm.
30. The method of claim 29, further comprising coupling the pre-amplifier to the actuator circuit board by a fastener.
31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:
- pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to the at least one electrical trace termination pad using at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier; and
- pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit using at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward.
33. The method of claim 31, wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward.
34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:
- pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to the at least one electrical trace termination pad using at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier; and
- pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit using at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier.
35. The method of claim 28, further comprising:
- inserting the at least one electrical trace termination pad into a slider slot; and
- inserting the head stack assembly flexible circuit into a controller slot.
36. The method of claim 28, further comprising:
- inserting the at least one electrical trace termination pad into a slider rotary cam; and
- inserting the head stack assembly flexible circuit into a controller slot.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 12, 2008
Publication Date: Feb 19, 2009
Applicant: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd. (Shatin)
Inventors: Li Xing Wu (Dongguan City), Yiu Sing Ho (Shatin), Jeffery L. Wang (Tai Po), Liu Jun Zhang (Dongguan City)
Application Number: 12/190,470
International Classification: G11B 5/55 (20060101);