Shorted magnetoresistive head leads for electrical overstress and electrostatic discharge protection during manufacture of a magnetic storage system
First Claim
1. A method for protecting a magnetoresistive sensor element in a magnetic head assembly from damage caused by electrostatic discharge during fabrication of said magnetic head assembly and subsequent handling and assembly of said magnetic head assembly in a magnetic storage system, said method comprising the steps of:
- electrically connecting said magnetoresistive sensor element conductive leads together for providing a short circuit path shunting said magnetoresistive sensor element;
electrically connecting said magnetoresistive sensor element to external circuitry, said external circuitry comprising at least one protective device being electrically connected for providing a current bypass path for said magnetoresistive sensor element, said protective device shorted by said short circuit path; and
opening said short circuit path in parallel with said magnetoresistive sensor element at a desired process or assembly step prior to the completion of said subsequent handling of and assembly of said magnetic head assembly in a magnetic storage system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The magnetoresistive (MR) sensor in a magnetic read/write transducer is protected against the effects of electrical overstress and electrostatic discharge during the manufacture and assembly of a magnetic storage system. The conductive leads of a magnetoresistive (MR) sensor element are shorted together to provide a low resistance, conductive path bypassing the MR element and minimizing electrical current through the MR sensing element during discharge of static electrical charge. The MR sensor lead terminal pads provided on the transducer/slider surface are shorted together by soldering. The other transducer elements such as the MR magnetic shields, the inductive coil and the inductive magnetic yoke structure can also be shorted to the MR sensor leads by soldering together the lead terminal pads at the slider surface. Alternatively, a twisted conductor pair may be used to short the MR terminals together. Remotely located protective devices, such as reversed diode pairs, can also be connected across the MR sensor element utilizing the twisted pair. The short is removed prior to placing the MR head into operation in the magnetic storage system.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for protecting a magnetoresistive sensor element in a magnetic head assembly from damage caused by electrostatic discharge during fabrication of said magnetic head assembly and subsequent handling and assembly of said magnetic head assembly in a magnetic storage system, said method comprising the steps of:
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electrically connecting said magnetoresistive sensor element conductive leads together for providing a short circuit path shunting said magnetoresistive sensor element; electrically connecting said magnetoresistive sensor element to external circuitry, said external circuitry comprising at least one protective device being electrically connected for providing a current bypass path for said magnetoresistive sensor element, said protective device shorted by said short circuit path; and opening said short circuit path in parallel with said magnetoresistive sensor element at a desired process or assembly step prior to the completion of said subsequent handling of and assembly of said magnetic head assembly in a magnetic storage system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A magnetoresistive head assembly for subsequent assembly with other components in a magnetic storage system, comprising:
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a magnetoresistive sensor element; and conductor means connecting each end of said magnetoresistive sensor element together for providing a low resistance conductive path bypassing said magnetoresistive sensor element for discharging static electrical charge, said conductor means being removed thereby .opening said low resistance conductive path at a desired processor assembly step prior to completion of said subsequent assembly in a magnetic storage system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A magnetic storage system comprising:
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a magnetic storage medium having a plurality of tracks for recording of data; a magnetic transducer maintained in a closely spaced position relative to said magnetic storage medium during relative motion between said magnetic transducer and said magnetic storage medium, said magnetic transducer including a magnetoresistive sensor formed on a substrate comprising; a magnetoresistive sensor element; and conductor means connecting each end of said magnetoresistive sensor element together for providing a low resistance conductive path bypassing said magnetoresistive sensor element during discharge of static electrical charge; a switch for opening said low resistance conductive path at desired process and assembly steps during manufacture and assembly of said magnetic storage system, said switch opened at a desired step prior to completion of the manufacture and assembly of said magnetic storage system; actuator means coupled to said magnetoresistive sensor for moving said magnetic transducer to selected tracks on said magnetic storage medium; and means coupled to said magnetoresistive sensor for detecting resistance changes in said magnetoresistive sensor element responsive to magnetic fields representative of data bits recorded in said magnetic storage medium intercepted by said magnetoresistive sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for providing electrostatic discharge protection for a magnetoresistive sensor during fabrication of said magnetoresistive sensor and subsequent handling of and assembly of said magnetoresistive sensor in a magnetic storage system, comprising the steps of:
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electrically connecting conductor means between the lead terminals of the magnetoresistive sensor element of said magnetoresistive sensor for providing a low resistance conductive path bypassing said magnetoresistive sensor element during discharge of static electric charge; and opening said conductor means at a desired process or assembly step prior to the completion of said subsequent handling of and assembly of said magnetoresistive sensor in a magnetic storage system.
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- 21. In a magnetic data transducer and air bearing slider assembly for subsequent assembly in a magnetic storage system, said transducer including at least one magnetoresistive read element and carried on an end surface of said slider, said magnetoresistive read element and other transducer elements having conductive lead terminals formed on an exposed surface of said slider, a method for providing electrostatic discharge protection, comprising the steps of forming an electrically conductive film on said exposed surface electrically connecting together at least the conductive lead terminals for said magnetoresistive read element, and removing at least a portion of said electrically conductive film thereby opening the electrical connection between said conductive leads for said magnetoresistive read element at a selected time prior to the final assembly of said transducer and air bearing slider assembly in a magnetic storage system.
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28. In a magnetic data transducer, slider and suspension assembly for subsequent assembly in magnetic storage systems, said transducer including at least one magnetoresistive read element and one inductive write element, said magnetoresistive read element and other transducer elements having conductive lead connection pads formed on an exposed surface of said slider, a flex cable for electrically coupling said magnetic data transducer to external circuitry, said flex cable comprising:
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a plurality of conductors, each conductor electrically connected to a conductive lead connection pad, respectively, for an associated transducer element for coupling said transducer elements to said external circuitry; and shorting means electrically connected to said plurality of conductors shorting said plurality of conductors together for electrically shorting together all of said transducer elements, said shorting means being removed at a desired time prior to completion of manufacture and assembly of said transducer, slider and suspension assembly in a magnetic storage system. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification