Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a magnetic head slider which includes a magnetic recording/reproducing element and a heater which are formed in an air outflow end surface of a slider. The heater includes a heating portion, terminal portions extending from both ends of the heating portion, and lead portions overlapping the respective terminal portions at an overlap ratio of approximately 50% or more.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a clamping mechanism capable of clamping a magnetic disk by an accurate fastening force. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk fastening method includes the steps of: mounting a magnetic disk on a hub structure, setting a thin plate spring having a pressure-bearing part, a flexible part and a disk holding part at a predetermined position relative to the magnetic disk with the disk holding part in contact with a surface of the magnetic disk; pressing the pressure-bearing part by screwing a fastening screw in a threaded hole formed in the hub structure; measuring a deflection by which the flexible part is deflected in the pressure-bearing part pressing step; and stopping pressing the magnetic disk upon the increase of the deflection to a predetermined value.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a method for easily and reliably neutralizing charge in an assembly process for an actuator head suspension assembly used in a magnetic disk device. In one embodiment, a head suspension assembly includes a wire trace that includes a laminated structure of a metal layer, a first dielectric layer, a conductor layer, and a second dielectric layer. The conductor layer includes an exposed portion exposed from the second dielectric layer. The suspension assembly also includes a head/slider supported by the metal layer. An actuator assembly includes an actuator arm and a flexible printed circuit board. The exposed portion of the conductor layer is immersed in a charge neutralizing solvent. The head suspension assembly is mounted to the actuator arm. A terminal of the wire trace is connected to a terminal of the flexible printed circuit board.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider or a precise positioning actuator is electrically and mechanically connected to a suspension, by performing molten-solder connections using solder balls with cores that will not melt even at a solder-melting temperature.

Abstract: A method for adjusting static attitude of a head suspension is provided that includes providing an adjustment pin and adjusting the static attitude of a supported head suspension by contacting the head suspension with the adjustment pin to cause a predetermined attitude change in the head suspension. Once adjusted, the head suspension is exposed to heat for a predetermined period of time. The adjustment pin is manipulated, such as by pivoting, translation or both, about the head slider mounting region to cause angular reorientation of the region prior to exposure to the heat. Measurement of the static attitude of the head suspension may be performed before adjusting, after adjusting or both. A static attitude adjustment system is also provided including a manipulatable adjustment pin to be placed in contact with the head suspension and a heat source configured to expose the suspension to heat.

Abstract: An actuator assembly for supporting a read/write device in an information storage device having an actuator arm having at least one tower protruding from a first surface of the actuator arm, a loadbeam having at least one tower receiving means for receiving the at least one tower, wherein the at least one tower is shaped to extend into the at least one tower receiving means when the loadbeam is joined with the actuator arm, and wherein the tower and tower receiving means are configured such that deforming the at least one tower when within the at least one tower receiving means provides a deformation interference between the at least one tower and the at least one tower receiving means that reduces movement of the tower receiving means relative to the tower.

Abstract: A slider comprises a slider section and a reproducing head section. The slider section has a first medium facing surface, an air inflow end, and a recording head. The reproducing head section has a second medium facing surface, an air outflow end, and a reproducing head. The slider section and the reproducing head section are fabricated separately, and bonded to each other so that the first medium facing surface and the second medium facing surface are continuous.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a write/read head supporting mechanism for a magnetic disk system or optical disk system having a microactuator for effecting a micro-displacement of a slider, wherein any electrostatic breakdown of an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module is prevented without detriment to the displacement capability of the microactuator. The write/read head supporting mechanism of the invention comprises a slider 2 provided with an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module, and a suspension 3. The slider 2 is supported on the suspension 3 by way of a microactuator 4 for displacing the slider 2. A ground region that the suspension 3 has is electrically connected to the slider 2 by way of an electrical connecting member 8 movable and/or deformable in the displacement direction of the slider 2 by the microactuator 4.

Abstract: A magnetic read/write head and slider assembly and method for forming said magnetic read/write head and slider assembly, wherein said assembly has improved heat spreading and dissipation properties and exhibits significantly reduced thermal protrusion during operation. The method of formation is simple and efficient, involving only the extension of one of the conductive mounting pads so that it is in thermal contact with a portion of the slider assembly surface that is over the read/write element.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for assembling a head gimbal assembly useful in a hard disk drive and for testing such an assembly. In a method in accord with the present invention a head/slider is mounted to a circuited gimbal in an automated assembly machine. Following this step the head/slider circuited gimbal assembly will be subjected a dynamic electrical test with those head/slider circuited gimbal assemblies not passing being sorted from the lot. Following this step the head/slider circuited assembly will be attached to a suspension.

Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic head construction, a connection method and a connecting device by which excellent electrical connection can be carried out between a core electrode and a substrate land face on a flexure in a magnetic head employing the piggy back system. In order to attain the object of interest, in the present invention, a fine adjustment actuator is arranged between a core and a flexure; a projection portion which is projected from the fine adjustment actuator when viewed from the flexure is provided in the core; a hole is provided in the position, on the flexure, corresponding to the projection portion; only the core is fixed by a support portion provided through the hole portion and a clamp pin without applying any load to the fine adjustment actuator; and while maintaining this fixing state, an electrode and a substrate land are bonded to each other with a wire.

Abstract: In the head slider of the present invention, recording and reproducing electrode pads and heater electrode pads are attached to the same surface of an overcoat layer. The heater electrode pads are located on both sides of a group constituted by the recording and reproducing electrode pads. As a consequence, leads for the heater are located between respective leads for recording and reproducing head parts, whereby crosstalk can be prevented from occurring between the leads for the recording and reproducing head parts.

Abstract: The head slider in accordance with the present invention comprises a thin-film magnetic head including a magnetoresistive device and an electromagnetic transducer, and a heater adapted to generate heat upon energization. At least one of a reproducing bump, a recording bump, and a heater bump includes a bypass layer extending in a direction intersecting a bump extending direction, a first bump portion positioned closer to a pad-forming surface than is the bypass layer, and a second bump portion positioned on the side of the bypass layer opposite from the first bump portion. The first and second bump portions are displaced from each other in the bypass layer extending direction.

Abstract: A microelectronic device includes a transducer. An overcoat layer is disposed on a transducer surface. A plurality of electrical contact pads are disposed on the overcoat layer. First and second studs that pass through the overcoat layer to connect the transducer to the electrical contact pads. The first and second studs are separated from one another by a reduced spacing distance that is free of trenching.

Abstract: A head stack assembly includes a flex cable assembly. The head stack assembly further includes an actuator arm and a load beam coupled to the actuator arm. The head stack assembly further includes a trace suspension assembly backing layer coupled to the load beam and including a gimbal. The head stack assembly further includes a dielectric layer disposed upon the trace suspension assembly backing layer. The head stack assembly further includes a slider supported by the gimbal. The head stack assembly further includes a ground trace disposed upon the dielectric layer with the dielectric layer between the ground trace and the trace suspension assembly backing layer. The ground trace extends along the actuator arm and is electrically connected to the slider and the flex cable assembly for grounding the slider to the flex cable assembly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for collocating an interface circuit with a disk drive read/write head is described. In one embodiment the interface circuit is attached to the load arm on one side and the miniflex interconnect on the other. The read/write head is mounted on the miniflex directly below the interface circuit. The interface circuit comprises a read signal preamplifier, a write driver, and head selection circuitry. A common multiplexer circuit is used to perform the other conventional read/write circuit functions. The common multiplexer circuit includes a head selection block to determine which heads are activated, a head driver block, and a read receiver block. The common multiplexer circuit is mounted at the base of the miniflex.

Abstract: Leading wires of an electrical circuit and a thin film magnetic head assembly are electrically connected with a conductive film. The leading wires are connected to an element pad and a circuit pad, respectively. An element bump is shared with the electrical circuit and the thin film magnetic assembly. Information of the processing degree of the thin film magnetic head assembly is electrically monitored via the element bump from a bonding pad which is electrically connected with the element bump.

Abstract: Thermal pole tip protrusion is caused by materials in and around head slider expanding during write operations till they protrude, leading to contact with the rotating disk surface, altering the flying height and often wearing down part of the disk surface. While well known that read-write heads expand during writing, the inventors who recognized this situation's significance, particularly as flying height decreases and data rates increase, both required for high areal density disk drives. The inventors realized that they could detect the problem at the spin stand level by testing head gimbal assemblies to reliably, and inexpensively, predict the tendency for thermal pole tip protrusion. This leads to selection of head gimbal assemblies, which do not have the thermal pole tip protrusion tendency. The selected head gimbal assemblies have better reliability, as do actuators and disk drives made with the selected head gimbal assemblies.

Abstract: A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 ?sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are presented for electrically coupling a slider to ground. In one embodiment, a bonding pad is provided on a side of the slider body separate from the bonding pad(s) used for read/write signals. This separate bonding pad is electrically coupled within the slider body to components that are to be coupled to ground. A separate conductor provided on the suspension (e.g., a trace, a flex circuit, etc.) may be electrically coupled to the separate bonding pad via gold ball bonding. The conductor is also coupled to ground in the hard-disk drive device (e.g., via the preamplifier). The use of the separated bonding pad and trace may negate the need to use a conductive adhesive to electrically ground the slider via its attachment to the tongue of a slider.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for coupling a replacement micro-actuator to a drive arm suspension after a micro-actuator, such as a defective micro-actuator, has been detached from the suspension.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a write/read head supporting mechanism for a magnetic disk system or optical disk system having a microactuator for effecting a micro-displacement of a slider, wherein any electrostatic breakdown of an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module is prevented without detriment to the displacement capability of the microactuator. The write/read head supporting mechanism of the invention comprises a slider 2 provided with an electromagnetic transducer element or an optical module, and a suspension 3. The slider 2 is supported on the suspension 3 by way of a microactuator 4 for displacing the slider 2. A ground region that the suspension 3 has is electrically connected to the slider 2 by way of an electrical connecting member 8 movable and/or deformable in the displacement direction of the slider 2 by the microactuator 4.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a slider for a disk drive. The slider includes a slider body including a slider body outer surface. The slider further includes an inductive write head including main and return poles. The slider further includes a slider ground pad disposed at the slider body outer surface. The slider ground pad is disposed in electrical communication with the main and return poles for electrically grounding the main and return poles.

Abstract: A head stack assembly includes an actuator including an actuator arm, a load beam coupled to the actuator arm, and a gimbal coupled to the load beam. The gimbal is formed of an electrically conductive material. The head stack assembly further includes a dielectric layer disposed upon the gimbal. The head stack assembly further includes a slider supported by the gimbal. The head stack assembly further includes slider conductive pads disposed upon the dielectric layer with the dielectric layer interposed between the slider conductive pads and the gimbal. The slider conductive pads are electrically connected to the slider. The head stack assembly further includes a ground conductive pad disposed upon the dielectric layer with the dielectric layer interposed between the ground conductive pad and the gimbal. The ground conductive pad is electrically connected to the slider and the gimbal for electrically grounding the slider.

Abstract: A bond pad is elevated from a slider body by a conductive post. The bond pad is disposed atop the post, which typically possesses a cross-sectional area smaller than the surface are of the bond pad. Thus, rather than having the entire surface of the bond pad in contact with the slider body, only the cross-sectional area of the conductive post is in contact therewith. Alternatively, a bond pad may be split into two electrically coupled pads: one pad used for housing a permanent bond, and a second pad used for housing a temporary bond. The pad used to house the temporary wire bond may be disposed atop a sacrificial layer. After a lapping process, the sacrificial layer may be etched away, thereby permitting the temporary pad to be removed.

Abstract: A slider scale package assembly in a head gimbal assembly (HGA) for electrically coupling a slider/magnetic recording (MR) head to a head interconnect circuit in a disc drive includes a flex circuit attached to the back of the slider/MR head which turns the slider/MR head into the slider scale package with at least one repositioned interconnect pad disposed at the back of the slider/MR head. The flex circuit further includes a conductive material, one end of which is electrically bonded to a bond pad of the slider/MR head, and the other end is electrically bonded to a conductive material of the head interconnect circuit via the interconnect pad. A plurality of flex circuits can be made in a sheet format and dividable into a plurality of individual flex circuits to be attached to a plurality of slider/MR heads.

Abstract: A Head Gimbal Assembly (HGA) for use in a disk drive and comprising an ESD-protected slider comprising a head formed on a slider substrate. The slider may comprise an electrical-isolation circuit; an electrically-resistive path between head input connections and the slider; or both isolation circuits and resistive paths for reducing electrostatic charge on the slider while remaining connected during disk drive operations.

Abstract: A system and method using a connection plate to electrically couple a magnetic read/write head to a printed circuit assembly. The connection plate has a set of contact pads to control reads and a set of contact pads to control. The printed circuit assembly also allows control of the micro-actuator arms. The connection plate can be attached to a framing assembly of the micro-actuator by laser welding or by using an ultraviolet cured epoxy.

Abstract: A micro-actuator that reduces suspension tongue stiffness and a method of manufacturing the micro-actuator are disclosed. In one embodiment, the micro-actuator has a base piece with two arms extending from the base piece. The electric contact pads for the arms are situated on the exterior of the arms at the end opposite the base piece. In one embodiment, the electric contact pads are electrically coupled to the same connection plate that the magnetic read/write head is coupled to, reducing the number of connection traces.

Abstract: The invention includes at least one head arm providing head electrical interconnection as essentially parallel traces on at least one face of the head arm using the metallic body of the head arm as a ground plane. This insures that the neighboring pairs of parallel traces used for differential read and write interconnection have essentially matched impedance, lowering crosstalk between the write and read signal pairs. The invention includes voice coil actuator arms comprising at least one of these head arms, as well as, disk drives made using these voice coil actuator arms.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head is provided that includes bumps capable of securing high conductivity. The thin film magnetic head includes a coil layer for inducing a recording magnetic field between lower and upper core layers, a lead conductor layer for supplying a current to the coil layer, a conductive protective layer deposited on the lead conductor layer, a conductive bump formed on the conductive protective layer, and an insulating protective layer formed around the conductive protective layer and the conductive bump. The insulating protective layer includes a first insulating protective sub-layer formed around the conductive protective layer, the surface thereof being coplanar with the surface of the conductive protective layer, and a second insulating protective sub-layer formed separately from the first insulating protective sub-layer after the conductive bump is formed.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a magnetic read/write head and slider assembly, wherein the assembly has improved heat spreading and dissipation properties and the read/write head exhibits significantly reduced thermal protrusion during operation. The method of fabrication is simple and efficient, involving only the extension of at least one of the conductive mounting pads so that it is in thermal contact with a portion of the slider surface that is directly above the read/write element.

Abstract: A technique for electrically interconnecting a disk drive suspension assembly and a micro-actuator mounting a transducer-carrying slider. A first set of termination pads is provided on a generally planar surface of the micro-actuator, adjacent a front edge portion of the micro-actuator. A set of leads is provided on the suspension assembly so as to extend generally orthogonally to the first set of termination pads and in adjacent relationship therewith. Electrical connections are provided between the first set of termination pads and the suspension assembly leads. A second set of termination pads can be provided on the micro-actuator planar surface adjacent to a front edge portion of the slider and a third set of termination pads can be provided on the slider front edge portion. The second and third sets of termination pads are then electrically connected.

Abstract: A magnetic head includes a slider having a recording and/or reproducing thin film element, and a flexure having an elastically deformable tongue piece, the slider and the flexure being bonded together and electrically connected with a conductive resin film. The conductive resin film includes at least one conductor containing carbon particles, carbon nano-tubes, or a metal nano-powder, a resin adhesive, and a metal conductive filler. The conduction-start voltage of the conductive resin film is set to 1.0 V or less.

Abstract: The invention allows a thin-film magnetic head that meets specifications required by the customer to be provided in a short period of time and manufacturing costs to be reduced. A slider includes a first surface and a second surface each facing opposite directions. Two magnetic head element portions are formed in the slider near an end face orthogonal to the direction of air flow. One of the element portions is placed to face the first surface. The other element portion is placed to face the second surface. The element portions are placed in symmetrical positions with respect to a place parallel to the first and second surfaces. On the end face four pad-shaped electrodes are provided for electrically connecting the two element portions to an external device. The electrodes are selectively connected to any of the element portions through four conductors.

Abstract: A new type of suspension circuit electrical bonding pad for electrically and mechanically connecting the magnetic recording head is described. The new type of bonding pad will serve as the joint material as well as the joint interface. Thus, there is no need to apply the conductive material in between the bonding pads and the magnetic recording head terminals, consequently reducing the process leading time and simplifying the magnetic recording head assembly process.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of an HAA includes a step of fixing a first lead conductor member onto a suspension, a step of attaching a second lead conductor member to at least one actuator arm, a step of fixing the suspension onto the at least one actuator arm, a step of electrically connecting the first lead conductor member fixed on the suspension with the second lead conductor member attached on the at least one actuator arm, a step of, thereafter, fixing a head slider provided with at least one head element onto the suspension, and a step of electrically connecting the at least one head element with the first lead conductor member.

Abstract: An assembly includes a suspension, a magnetic head assembly, first and second write wires and first and second read wires wherein the magnetic head assembly includes a write head and a read head with the first and second write wires connected to the write head and the first and second read wires connected to the read head and wherein the first and second insulative sheaths are disposed about the first and second read wires and first and second conductive sheaths are disposed about the first and second insulative sheaths. In another aspect of the invention, third and fourth insulative sheaths are disposed about the first and second write wires and third and fourth conductive sheaths are disposed about the third and fourth insulative sheaths.

Abstract: In the head slider of the present invention, recording and reproducing electrode pads and heater electrode pads are attached to the same surface of an overcoat layer. The heater electrode pads are located on both sides of a group constituted by the recording and reproducing electrode pads. As a consequence, leads for the heater are located between respective leads for recording and reproducing head parts, whereby crosstalk can be prevented from occurring between the leads for the recording and reproducing head parts.

Abstract: A technique for electrically interconnecting a disk drive suspension assembly and a micro-actuator mounting a transducer-carrying slider. A first set of termination pads is provided on a generally planar surface of the micro-actuator, adjacent a front edge portion of the micro-actuator. A set of leads is provided on the suspension assembly so as to extend generally orthogonally to the first set of termination pads and in adjacent relationship therewith. Electrical connections are provided between the first set of termination pads and the suspension assembly leads. A second set of termination pads can be provided on the micro-actuator planar surface adjacent to a front edge portion of the slider and a third set of termination pads can be provided on the slider front edge portion. The second and third sets of termination pads are then electrically connected.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider with at least one thin-film magnetic head element on a suspension is mounted. This mounting includes electrically connecting the magnetic head slider with the suspension with ball bonding connections. Electrical property of the thin-film magnetic head element is inspected, and then the ball bonding connections are separated when it is judged that the thin-film magnetic head element has defective electrical property. Then, the magnetic head slider is detached from the suspension, and thereafter a new magnetic head slider with at least one thin-film magnetic head element is mounted on the suspension from which the magnetic head slider was detached.

Abstract: An upper portion of a protrusion has a sidewall part extending outward from a periphery of a base portion to form an extending part, and a coil insulating layer is also present under the extending part. Since the coil insulating layer is present under the extending part of the protrusion, the mechanical strength around the protrusion is improved. Accordingly, cracking is not likely to occur in a protective layer (insulating layer), and corrosion resistance of a conductive connection structure is improved.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a magnetic head device includes a preheating step of irradiating a laser beam to terminal pads of a magnetic head slider and to connection pads of a lead conductor member that is to be electrically connected to the magnetic head slider, a supply step of supplying conductive metal material for connecting the terminal pads and the connection pads during or after the preheating step, and a heating step of performing molten-metal connections between the terminal pads and the connection pads by irradiating a laser beam to the conductive metal material.

Abstract: A transducing head formed upon a slider has a transducer, an electrical contact layer, a stud electrically connected to the contact layer, and a bond pad electrically connected to the stud. The electrical contact layer is electrically connected to the transducer. The stud is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than about 1.3 times a coefficient of thermal expansion of a slider material forming the slider. The bond pad has a metallic underlayer and a top layer. The metallic underlayer is formed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than about 1.1 times the coefficient of thermal expansion of the slider material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for collocating an interface circuit with a disk drive read/write head is described. In one embodiment the interface circuit is attached to the load arm on one side and the miniflex interconnect on the other. The read/write head is mounted on the miniflex directly below the interface circuit. The interface circuit comprises a read signal preamplifier, a write driver, and head selection circuitry. A common multiplexer circuit is used to perform the other conventional read/write circuit functions. The common multiplexer circuit includes a head selection block to determine which heads are activated, a head driver block, and a read receiver block. The common multiplexer circuit is mounted at the base of the miniflex.

Abstract: An actuator assembly for supporting a read/write device in an information storage device having an actuator arm having at least one tower protruding from a first surface of the actuator arm, a loadbeam having at least one tower receiving means for receiving the at least one tower, wherein the at least one tower is shaped to extend into the at least one tower receiving means when the loadbeam is joined with the actuator arm, and wherein the tower and tower receiving means are configured such that deforming the at least one tower when within the at least one tower receiving means provides a deformation interference between the at least one tower and the at least one tower receiving means that reduces movement of the tower receiving means relative to the tower.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for manufacturing a hard disk drive suspension flexure and for preventing damage due to electrical arcing between traces and between a trace and a grounding structure. In one embodiment, one or more portions of the suspension flexure is etched and laminated with an insulative coating.

Abstract: An automated data storage library accesses data storage media from storage shelves in response to commands from external host(s). The library receives a code update image while continuing to operate. The library is operated to an off-line status at external interface(s) that permit communication with the host(s). Then, and after the image is stored in nonvolatile memory, the processor(s) are reset, thereby activating the code update image, the processor(s) subsequently coming up from the reset to an operational state. Then, the library goes to an on-line status at the external interface(s).

Abstract: A conductive path is provided to discharge electrostatic charges from a slider in a magnetic disk drive directly to the housing of the disk drive. In one embodiment conductive fibers electrically connect the slider with the housing. In another embodiment a cantilevered conductive finger electrically connects the slider with the housing. By providing a discharge path the accumulation of potentially damaging electrostatic charges is prevented.

Abstract: The invention is a suspension gimbal-head assembly that includes a magnetic head having a leading edge and a following edge, a suspension gimbal, the magnetic head is mechanically connected to the suspension gimbal at the head leading edge and the head following edge. There is also provided a disk drive that includes a suspension gimbal-head assembly that includes a magnetic head having a leading edge and a following edge, a suspension gimbal, the magnetic head mechanically connected to the suspension gimbal at the head leading edge and the head following edge.