Head disc assembly with printed circuit cable connector adapted for automated assembly

• US 5,541,787 A
• Filed: 02/23/1994
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology plc (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Jabbari, Iraj, Darling, Mike J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EVANS, JEFFERSON A
• Application Number:
  US08/200,272
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 360/97.01, 360/98.01, 360/98.07, 360/99.08, 360/106, 360/108, 439/67, 439/74, 439/77, 439/271, 310/71, 310/DIG.6
• US Class Current: 360/97.01
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/122 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4846 Constructional details of the electrical connection between arm and support
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/62 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 310/06 Printed-circuit motors and components

Abstract

A flexible cable is supported within the sealed disc drive housing, with one end of the cable readily, automatically soldered to the end wires of the spindle motor leads. The opposite or outboard end of the cable terminates in a header comprising a plastic mounting piece to support a multi-pin electrical connector with the pins extending from both sides of the header. Two locating pins are provided on the plastic header outside of a channel for defining the location of a gasket. The conductors in the cable terminate at four connecting pins at one end of the header. With the pins extending both above and below the header piece, immediately upon installation of the printed cable, the conductors to the spindle motor may be accessed so that the spindle motor and other elements of the head disc assembly may be tested during assembly of the complete disc drive. The locating pins provided at opposite ends of the header allow the printed circuit cable and header to be quickly and automatically disposed on the base surface of the housing casting, with the locating pins being pushed into recesses in the base housing casting, and the connecting pins extending through an opening in the base housing casting so that wires may be attached thereto to interface the header to external circuits supported on the exterior of the housing. A gasket is located in the channel surrounding the pins on the header to seal the interior of the disc drive so that the contaminant-free nature of the interior of the housing is preserved.

Claims

1. A disc drive comprising:

a base plate having top and bottom surfaces,

a spindle motor supported on said base plate,

a rotatable disc supporting on said motor for rotation,

means for supplying control signals to said spindle motor comprising a flat, flexible cable terminating in a header at a first end,

said header comprising motor lead connector pins connected to wires running through said cable, said pins being adapted to be connected to phase lead wires of said spindle motor, said header pins extending both above said top surface and below said bottom surface of said base plate,

said header further comprising first and second alignment pins extending below said header and sized to interface with apertures in said base plate whereby said header is aligned with said base plate by said alignment pins, said header further comprising a channel encircling a connector portion of said header comprising said pins, and a gasket located in said channel and pressed between said header and said base plate to seal the interior of said disc drive.

2. A disc drive as claimed in claim 1 wherein the size of said apertures in said base plate is sufficiently small relative to the size of said pins that said header is retained in said base plate by the fit of said pins into said apertures.

3. A disc drive as claimed in claim 1 including a transducer supported on an actuator arm pivotally mounted adjacent said disc and responsive to signals to a voice coil motor to position said transducer on the surface of said disc and wherein said connector portion of said header further comprises signal connector pins in said region defined by said gasket and adjacent to said motor lead connector pins connected to said spindle motor, said pins extending above said top surface and below said bottom surface of said base plate and capable of connection to carry signals to and from said transducer.

4. A disc drive as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a curved channel in said base plate running from a region adjacent said header to a region adjacent said actuator arm whereby said connector is easily and reliably incorporated into said disc drive base.

5. A disc drive as claimed in claim 4 wherein said disc drive further includes a shelf raised slightly above the floor of the base casting and located adjacent said curved recess for said connector, so that said connector is easily located on said shelf and extends through said curved region in said base.

6. A connector especially adapted for automated assembly for connecting a spindle motor to external electronics to rotatably drive the spindle motor by control signals delivered over electrical lines included in said connector, the connector comprising a sheath of flexible insulating material substantially surrounding said electrical lines as a unit and terminating at a first end at an inboard end segment supporting connector ends for connection to spindle motor leads, said flexible material connector terminating at a second end in a header comprising a plurality of motor lead connector pins extending both above and below the plane of said header, said header further comprising first and second alignment pins extending below a lower surface of said header and sized to interface with apertures in a base for supporting said header whereby said header is aligned with said base plate by said alignment pins and maintained in position therein so that said pins attached to the lines running to said spindle motor are easily accessible from both above and below said base for energizing and testing said motor during assembly and testing of a disc drive incorporating said connector said header further comprising a channel defined in said underside of said header and surrounding said region where said pins emerge below said header, and a gasket located in said channel and pressed between said header and said base plate to seal said header against said base plate in forming said assembly.

7. A connector as claimed in claim 6 wherein said header comprises a channel running around said underside of said header and surrounding said region where said pins emerge below said header, and a gasket located in said channel and pressed between said header and said base plate to seal said header against said base plate in forming said assembly.

8. A connector as claimed in claim 7 wherein said header further comprises a second plurality of signal connector pins adjacent said motor lead connector pins and within said region defined by said gasket, said pins extending above said top surface and below said bottom surface of said header and capable of connection to sources of and destinations for signals to and from a transducer operating in the region near said spindle motor.