Abstract: A printed circuit cable (PCC) connector attachment assembly is provided for a disc drive. The PCC connector attachment assembly includes alignment pins and a compressive member. The alignment pins help to align a PCC connector for assembly and help to prevent lateral movement of the PCC connector with respect to the base deck after assembly. In one embodiment, the alignment pins are located on the PCC connector and align with pinholes provided in a base deck of the disc drive. The compressive member has a height selected such that the compressive member pressingly engages the PCC connector when a cover is attached to the base deck with cover screws. Grounding pads are located between the PCC connector and the base deck, so that the grounding pads provide a grounding path from the PCC connector to the base deck.

Abstract: A technique to be applied to improve the reliability of a magnetic disk apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: An optical assembly including a service loop extended from a focus section of an actuator arm. A portion of the service loop bends when a tracking section of the actuator arm rotates around a tracking axis while a portion of the flex circuit twists when the focus section of the actuator arm rotates around a focus axis.

Abstract: To provide an FPC mounting apparatus for automatically mounting an FPC within a holding portion formed in a carriage arm of a carriage, an FPC can be automatically mounted within a holding portion by an FPC mounting apparatus provided with push-in means for pushing the FPC into the holding portion and mounting it therein. In addition, guiding means is provided, the FPC is guided from both sides in the thickness direction, and the FPC can be mounted within the holding portion more securely.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multiple rotary actuator assembly consisting of a plurality of modular actuators, wherein each modular actuator is mounted to and rotates independently about a common pivot shaft. Modular actuators consist of Integrated and Data arms, upon which multiple read/write transducers are mounted, for the recording and recovery of digital data. An integrated arm also contains a spiral conductor pattern that interacts with a multi-gap voice coil motor, to provide the necessary torque to rapidly position the modular actuator.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus comprising a flexible printed circuit for supplying power to a magnetic head and a coil of a voice coil motor, included is a dummy flexible printed circuit having the same mechanical characteristic as that of the flexible printed circuit. The dummy flexible printed circuit and the flexible printed circuit are located at positions establishing an axial-symmetrical relation with respect to a line connecting a pivot bearing, which rotatably supports a suspension, with a center of the coil of the voice coil motor. With this construction, the variation of the load on the voice coil motor due to the dummy flexible printed circuit offsets the variation of the load on the voice coil motor due to the dummy flexible printed circuit.

Abstract: On each arm of a head actuator is provided a relay PFC that extends from a magnetic head to the proximal end portion of the arm. Each relay FPC includes a connecting portion having a first contact, a short-circuit contacts and a short-circuit piece that constitutes a closed loop. The connecting portions are opposed to each other and form a female connector. A male connector attached to a main FPC has a projection detachably fitted in the female connector, second contacts provided on the projection and connected to the main FPC, and a pressing projection that presses the short-circuit piece and release the closed loop. As the projection of the male connector is fitted between the connecting portions of the female connector, the first and second contacts come into contact with each other, whereupon the relay FPC and the main FPC are connected electrically to each other.

Abstract: A magnetic data recording system and apparatus providing the flexibility of using a magnetoresistive read/write head in other than its standard orientation. The invention includes a plurality of magnetic recording disks supported on a spindle rotated by a motor. A plurality of arms, each mounted to a common actuator for arcuate motion, support at their distal ends the magnetoresistive read/write heads. The arms suspend the heads in close proximity to upper and lower surfaces of the disks so that the heads may record signals thereto and read signals therefrom. Generally such systems comprise two sets of such heads, a set of up-heads designed for facing upward to read the bottom surface of a disk and another set of down-heads designed to face downward to read an upper surface of a disk.

Abstract: A head interconnect circuit for connecting transducer elements of a data head to drive circuitry including an alignment finger on a lead tip for aligning leads relative to connectors or solder pads for electrically connecting heads to drive circuitry. A method for connecting a head interconnect circuit to a printed circuit supported on an head actuator including aligning an alignment finger on the lead tip with a printed surface of a drive circuit for soldering leads on the lead tip to solder pads or connectors on the drive circuit.

Abstract: A technique of connection between VCM system wires and a FPC of a disk drive is improved in the following manner to enable miniaturization and thinning of the disk drive and reduction in cost. There is provided a disk drive comprising a disk-shaped medium for recording information, an actuator on which a head for recording/reproducing information is mounted, a VCM for driving the actuator, a coil holder supporting a coil of the VCM, a FPC for transmitting a signal, which is read by the head, and a signal to the VCM, a cut groove formed on a side of the coil holder, ends of coil lead wires and an end of a ground wire, which are arranged in the cut groove, and an end of the FPC inserted into the cut groove to thereby be connected to the ends of the coil lead wires and the end of ground wire.

Abstract: A flex cable assembly for use in a disc drive data storage device includes a laminated flex cable and a flex cable support. The flex cable provides electrical communication paths between a moveable head stack assembly and a disc drive printed circuit board. The flex cable support comprises a base and adjacent first and second flex support portions with respective first and second flex support surfaces. The flex cable is routed along the flex support surfaces and exerts a spring force thereagainst as the flex cable attempts to return to a nominally planar orientation. The direction of the second flex support surface establishes the orientation of a dynamic loop between the flex cable support and the head stack assembly. Preferably, a portion of the flex cable pulls away from the second flex support surface to lengthen the dynamic loop in response to movement of the head stack assembly.

Abstract: The present invention for a disk drive is a damping feature applied to the contact area between the flexible circuit and the pivot housing, reducing the resonance energy transferred from the flexible circuit to the pivot housing. This invention reduces the direct energy transfer from the flexible circuit to the pivot house by applying a damping feature as embodied by damping material on the flexible circuit or pivot housing at the point at which they make contact or by adding a damper to the flexible circuit re-routing tip area between the pivot housing and the flexible circuit. The damping feature absorbs the resonance energy from the flexible circuit to the damping feature material and reduces the energy transferred from the flexible circuit to the pivot housing.

Abstract: A method manufactures a head suspension for a disk drive. The method includes a first step of forming a semi-finished suspension (55) having a base plate (37), a rigid part (27) solidly joined with the base plate through a bridge (57), and a positioning hole (63) formed through the bridge. This positioning hole is aligned with a positioning hole (51) formed through part of a flexure (41). A second step of the method fixes a resilient material (31) to the base plate and rigid part of the semi-finished suspension so that the base plate may resiliently support the rigid part through the resilient material. A third step of the method aligns the positioning hole of the flexure with the positioning hole of the bridge and fixes the flexure to the rigid part. A fourth step of the method cuts off the positioning-hole-formed part of the flexure and the bridge including the positioning hole. This suspension is compact and the load beam and flexure thereof are correctly positioned to secure balance.

Abstract: A connector that can couple a flexible circuit board of a head gimbal assembly to driving circuits of an apparatus coupled to a hard disk. The connector includes a pair of spring biased plates that push the flexible circuit into contact with a printed circuit board. The circuit board is coupled to the driving circuits. The pressure plates can be manually pushed into an open position to allow an operator to insert or remove the flexible circuit board from the connector.

Abstract: A multiple actuator disk drive is disclosed. The mechanical vibration in one actuator induced by motion in the second actuator is greatly reduced by providing an independent bearing shaft for each actuator. The bearing shafts are mounted substantially along the same geometric axis.

Abstract: An actuator assembly including a head actuator, a read/write FPC band, and a relay FPC. The head actuator includes an actuator arm with both a recessed step and a non-recessed surface on a mounting side thereof. The read/write FPC band has an end portion thereof disposed within the recessed step, such that the outer surface of the end portion of the read/write FPC band is aligned with the non-recessed surface. The relay FPC is attached to the non-recessed surface of the actuator arm, such that a connection area of the relay FPC is superposed upon a connection area of the read/write FPC band. Preferably, the connection area of the relay FPC and an area of said relay FPC attached to the non-recessed surface lie along a single plane. Such an arrangement eliminates a step or bend near the connection area of the relay FPC, allowing for simplified positioning of the relay FPC, as well as improved positioning accuracy.

Abstract: A disc drive comprises an improved electrical interconnect for connecting the head to read/write circuitry on a printed circuit board. A single-cable interconnect has both head suspension capability and dynamic loop function. A pre-amplifier can be connected at either the printed circuit board or mounted on the interconnect. The present invention has improved electrical performance, improved reliability, and lower assembly cost compared to a dual-cable interconnect.

Abstract: The suspension for a head assembly is capable of securely limiting the small static electricity, which cannot be limited by improving a factory environment. In the suspension of the present invention, a gimbal section is provided to a front end of the suspension and capable of holding a slider. A terminal section is provided to a base end of the suspension and electrically connected to a magnetic disk drive unit. Terminals are formed in the terminal section and connected to a cable pattern, which will be connected to the slider. A short pattern is formed in an edge part of the terminal section, and one end of the short pattern is connected to a first terminal of the terminals. The edge part of the terminal section is bent so as to elastically make the other end of the short pattern contact a second terminal of the terminals. A slit is formed in the terminal section, so that the second terminal is capable of leaving from the short pattern.

Abstract: On each arm of a head actuator is provided a relay PFC that extends from a magnetic head to the proximal end portion of the arm. Each relay FPC includes a connecting portion having a first contact, a short-circuit contacts and a short-circuit piece that constitutes a closed loop. The connecting portions are opposed to each other and form a female connector. A male connector attached to a main FPC has a projection detachably fitted in the female connector, second contacts provided on the projection and connected to the main FPC, and a pressing projection that presses the short-circuit piece and release the closed loop. As the projection of the male connector is fitted between the connecting portions of the female connector, the first and second contacts come into contact with each other, whereupon the relay FPC and the main FPC are connected electrically to each other.

Abstract: Impedance controlled trace flexure for a disk drive suspension comprising a laminated of a metal layer, an insulative film layer and at least one pair of conductive traces extending between spaced points on the flexure and adhered to the film layer in metal layer-spaced relation, at least one member of the pair being varied relative to the other pair member in that the length of at least one member between the spaced points is made greater than the distance between the spaced points or in width or thickness to control the impedance of the one pair member to match or not match the impedance of said the pair member.

Abstract: A flexible cable assembly (FCA) has a flexible cable, first and second brackets attached to the flexible cable, and a band for holding the first and second brackets while the flexible cable is folded back and the first and second brackets overlap. The band is detachably mounted to the first and second brackets to facilitate efficient manufacturing and disassembly methods. The FCA may be implemented at various manufacturing stages including the head suspension assembly (HSA) or the entire hard disk drive (HDD) assembly.

Abstract: A bonding pad and a copper bump are bonded to each other by soldering. When the amount of Au melting into a soldering junction is not more than 9 percent by weight, the amounts of the precipitation of compounds of Au in the solder or on the surface thereof can be reduced and the bonding strength of the soldering junction can be enhanced.

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: A head actuator has two of arms that extend from a bearing assembly, and a relay FPC is fixed to each arm. The relay FPC extends from a head to the proximal end portion of the arm. The relay FPC includes a connecting portion located on the proximal end portion of the corresponding arm and has a first contact each. The connecting portions are opposed to each other across a space and form a female connector. A male connector attached to a main FPC has a projection detachably fitted in the female connector and second contacts provided on the projection and connected to the main FPC. As the projection of the male connector is fitted between the connecting portions of the female connector, the first and second contacts are pressed against each other, whereupon the relay FPC and the main FPC are connected electrically to each other.

Abstract: Mechanically formed standoffs in a disk drive integrated circuit interconnect reduces the cost of manufacturing and improves the reliability of the electrical interconnections thereof. Connection pads defined along the interconnect are bonded with bonding pads of a signal producing source and a signal processing source. The standoffs provide mechanical stops during the bonding process, enabling sufficient bonding material to form between bonding areas. The standoffs are mechanically formed with a punch and die assembly either directly through a bonding pad predefined along traces on the interconnect or adjacent the bonding pad. The standoffs formed through the bonding pads are covered with solder or other electrically conductive bonding material.

Abstract: A plurality of connecting pads are provided at an extended end portion of a main FPC, and a solder bump is formed on each connecting pad. A plurality of openings corresponding to the solder bumps are formed on a connecting end portion of a relay FPC. Second electrode pads of the connecting end portion project into the respective openings so as to close a part of each opening. Each of the second electrode pads contacts with the corresponding bump through the opening. By directly heating the second electrode pad through the opening, so that the solder bump is melted and each electrode pad is soldered to the corresponding connecting pad.

Abstract: Apparatus for providing nominally laminar flow of air currents in a disc drive. An actuator supports a head adjacent a rotatable disc and includes a rigid actuator arm with opposing planar top and bottom surfaces and a pair of opposing tapered surfaces which taper to a trailing edge. The top, bottom and tapered surfaces define a cross-sectional enclosure to provide nominally laminar flow of air currents adjacent the actuator arm induced by rotation of the disc. A channel is formed in the enclosure by a plurality of adjoining recessed surfaces to at least partially recess a head conductor along the length of the actuator arm within the enclosure to prevent obstruction of the air currents by the conductor. The conductor is preferably a flex circuit with a semi-flexible dielectric layer which supports a plurality of conductive traces.

Abstract: A method of making a balance-compensated (BC) rotary actuator for use in a rotatable BC head stack assembly (HSA) portion in a disk drive based upon track-follow characteristics of a rotatable test HSA portion is provided. The test HSA portion includes a test rotary actuator having a test actuator weight specification. The test rotary actuator has an actuator body portion, a test pivot axis extending through the actuator body portion and a head connected to the actuator body portion. The test rotary actuator is controlled to rotate about the test pivot axis for positioning the head over a selected disk track. The test rotary actuator has a test rotary actuator center-of-gravity torque vector associated therewith about the test pivot axis. The method provides for vibrating the disk drive at a vibration frequency in order to vibrate the test HSA portion. Position error information is read using the head while performing a track-follow operation during the vibrating of the test HSA portion.

Abstract: The invention provides continuing shunt protection of wireless suspension assemblies with a shunt structure that is readily attached to and detached from the contact pads or other exposed areas of the conductive traces of the flexible conductive laminate portion of the wireless suspension for use as needed to protect the MR and GMR elements/heads. The shunt structure comprises a conductive web to connect the conductive traces in parallel, and adhesive allowing the separable attachment of the web to the traces.

Abstract: A suspension system comprises an actuator arm and two suspensions. Each suspension has a load beam and a laminated member comprised of a support layer, an electrically insulating layer, and an electrically conducting layer. The laminated members are etched to form electrical lines for each suspension. The laminate member of each suspension is bent along the side of the arm such that they overlap one another in order to reduce the required space.

Abstract: A conductor trace array includes an electrically insulative support substrate and a plurality of pairs of electrical signal conductor traces and a plurality of pairs of passive electrical conductor traces. All of the traces are formed along substantially parallel paths in a single layer on the substrate. Each pair of the electrical signal conductor traces is arranged on the support substrate such that they are positioned in a space defined between each pair of passive electrical conductor traces. As a result, each pair of signal conductor traces has a passive electrical conductor trace positioned immediately adjacent thereto. The passive conductor traces generally follow a geometry of the signal conductor traces and thereby form a capacitive coupling relationship therebetween. This capacitive coupling relationship increases the characteristic impedance of the signal conductor traces.

Abstract: A technique to be applied to improve the reliability of a magnetic disk apparatus is disclosed.

Abstract: Amplifier chips for heads in a disk drive are interspaced adjacent to junctions between actuator arms and suspension arms that hold the heads. This allows decreased spacing between plural disks in the drive system and accelerated data rates. This also decreases assembly steps and damage to the chips as they are further removed from mechanical processes such as swaging that attach the suspension arms to the actuator arms. Damage to the disks or chips during operation is also averted, as the chips are removed from each other and from the rapidly spinning disk surfaces with which the suspension arms and heads are proximate. The interspacing can also improve performance characteristics of the preamplifier chips, which do not need to be made as thin in order to fit between disks, decreasing costs and problems such as overheating of the chips.

Abstract: Mechanically formed standoffs in a disk drive integrated circuit interconnect reduces the cost of manufacturing and improves the reliability of the electrical interconnections thereof. Connection pads defined along the interconnect are bonded with bonding pads of a signal producing source and a signal processing source. The standoffs provide mechanical stops during the bonding process, enabling sufficient bonding material to form between bonding areas. The standoffs are mechanically formed with a punch and die assembly either directly through a bonding pad predefined along traces on the interconnect or adjacent the bonding pad. The standoffs formed through the bonding pads are covered with solder or other electrically conductive bonding material.

Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic disk apparatus constructed to reduce a track positional deviation of a magnetic head. This magnetic disk apparatus includes a rotary mechanism for rotating the magnetic disk and a rotary type actuator, provided with the magnetic head at its front end, which magnetic head has a write head and a read head, for moving the magnetic head in such a direction as to traverse tracks of the magnetic disk by making rotations about a rotary shaft. A distance A from the center of rotation of the rotary type actuator to the magnetic head is set equal to or larger than a distance B from the center of rotation of the rotary type actuator to the center of rotation of the magnetic disk. Even when separating a write element and a read element, the track positional deviation of the magnetic head can be reduced.

Abstract: A disc drive is provided with rotatable discs and an actuator assembly having heads adjacent the discs. A flex circuit assembly providing electrical connection between the heads and the disc drive circuitry comprises flex strips routed on the actuator assembly from the heads and a flex affixed on the actuator assembly. A flex support snubber mounted on the side of the actuator assembly has a body portion with a plurality of arms extending therefrom. Each pair of the arms form a groove so that the arms are disposed above and below discs while the discs extend into the grooves. A plurality of slits are interposed between the grooves to support the flex strips therein. An opposite end of the flex support snubber curves to form a U-shaped snubber bend for turning and guiding a dynamic portion of the flex.

Abstract: An arm assembly for a disk drive device in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of arms arranged in parallel to each other, one end of each of said arms supporting a read/write head, and each of said arms having an extended plate which cantilevers from one of side edges of said arm, said extended plate being capable of deflecting in a direction which is vertical to a plane of said arm, and rotationally gimbal to a limited degree about two axes in the plane of said arm, a plurality of first connecting pads provided on each of said extended plates, said first connecting pads being connected to said read/write head, a circuit board which engages with said cantilevered extended plate and is provided with a plurality of second connecting pads characterized in that the plane of said circuit board is approximately orthogonal to said extended plate and is so located with respect to said extended plates of said plurality of arms to align said second connecting pads to said first connecting pads

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive having an electrical connection structure capable of supplying/recalling a reliable magnetic head signal. The magnetic disk drive includes an actuator arm rotatably mounted on a base, a spring arm whose basal end portion is secured to a distal end portion of the actuator arm, and a magnetic head supported by the distal end portion of the spring arm. The spring arm has a first conductor pattern one end of which is connected to the magnetic head. The magnetic disk drive further includes a main FPC having a second conductor pattern, and a relaying FPC for interconnecting the conductor pattern of the spring arm and the conductor pattern of the main FPC. The relaying FPC includes a third conductor pattern and terminals. Each terminal is constituted of a convex metal and a solder formed on the convex metal.

Abstract: A disk drive having a connection structure between a head and a main flexible printed circuit sheet, allowing a signal to be supplied to and taken out of a head in response to size reduction and thickness reduction of the disk drive. The disk drive includes an actuator arm rotatably mounted in a housing, and a suspension having a base end portion fixed to a front end portion of the actuator arm and a front end portion for supporting the head. The main flexible printed circuit sheet is fixed at its one end portion to the actuator arm. An interconnection flexible printed circuit sheet is mounted along one side surface of the actuator arm so as to extend substantially parallel to the upper surface of the actuator arm, and connects terminals of the suspension and terminals of the main flexible printed circuit sheet.