Head-gimbal assembly with reduced vertical spacing envelope and alignment structures

• US 5,850,320 A
• Filed: 05/13/1997
• Issued: 12/15/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology plc (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Lucas, Michael Sweney, Hagen, Tracy Michael, Warmka, Scott Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Renner, Craig A.
• Application Number:
  US08/854,905
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 360/104, 360/103, 360/106
• US Class Current: 360/245.2
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/4846 Constructional details of the electrical connection between arm and support

Abstract

A head-gimbal assembly supports a transducer proximate a magnetic surface for magnetic recording. This assembly comprises a flexure used in conjunction with a slider having a recess of sufficient depth provided in its top surface such that when a flexure member is set in the recess, and the member is attached during the HGA assembly process, the top of the flexure is flush with or is below the top surface of the slider. The gimbal component of the flexure is further provided with lateral alignment tab(s) to contact an interior wall of the recess, thereby providing alignment of the slider to the gimbal in the lateral direction, and longitudinal alignment tabs to contact the trailing surface of the slider, thereby providing alignment in the longitudinal direction. The slider is further provided with an identifying code on a non-recessed portion of the top surface of the slider such that the code is not obstructed by the flexure in the top plan view.

Claims

1. A flexure for supporting a slider for magnetic recording against a fluid bearing generated by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface, said flexure being formed from a single, contiguous piece of resilient material and comprising:

means for attaching said flexure to a mounting plate or head positioning support arm;

at least one compliant beam means attached at a first end to the attachment means and formed out of plane to exert a load force to oppose a hydrodynamic lifting force generated by the fluid bearing;

a rigid beam section attached at a second end of the compliant beam means to provide the load force of said compliant beam means to said slider; and

a gimbal section, said gimbal section attached to said rigid beam section opposite the compliant beam means, said gimbal section including;

a load point tab proximal and extending from said rigid beam section;

a pair of compliant gimbal beams laterally displaced from said load point tab and having first ends attached near the base of said load point tab, said gimbal beams being partially etched;

a cross member connecting second ends of said gimbal beams;

a slider mounting tab attached to the cross member and extending toward said load point tab, having the free end of said slider mounting tab being longitudinally displaced from the free end of said load point tab, said slider mounting tab having, over at least a part of its length, a width approximately one-third of the width of the slider whereby approximately one-third of the width of the slider on either side of said slider mounting tab is unobstructed by said slider mounting tab in a top plan view;

at least one lateral alignment tab means attached to at least one lateral side of said slider mounting tab, said lateral alignment tab means extending laterally toward and displaced laterally from at least one of said gimbal beams, thereby providing lateral alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a first surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said first surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said lateral alignment tab means; and

at least one longitudinal alignment tab means attached to said cross member, said longitudinal alignment tab means being laterally disposed between said slider mounting tab and at least one of said gimbal beams, said longitudinal alignment tab means extending longitudinally toward and displaced longitudinally from said load point tab, thereby providing longitudinal alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a second surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said second surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said longitudinal alient tab means.

2. An assembly for magnetic recording on a magnetic surface comprising:

a flexure for supporting a slider for magnetic recording against a fluid bearing generated by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface, said flexure being formed from a single, contiguous piece of resilient material and comprising;

means for attaching said flexure to a mounting plate or head positioning support arm;

at least one compliant beam means attached at a first end to the attachment means and formed out of plane to exert a load force to oppose a hydrodynamic lifting force generated by the fluid bearing;

a rigid beam section attached at a second end of the compliant beam means to provide the load force of said compliant beam means to said slider; and

a gimbal section, said gimbal section attached to said rigid beam section opposite the compliant beam means, said gimbal section including;

a load point tab proximal and extending from said rigid beam section;

a pair of compliant gimbal beams laterally displaced from said load point tab and having first ends attached near the base of said load point tab, said gimbal beams being partially etched;

a cross member connecting second ends of said gimbal beams;

a slider mounting tab attached to the cross member and extending toward said load point tab, having the free end of said slider mounting tab being longitudinally displaced from the free end of said load point tab, said slider mounting tab having, over at least a part of its length, a width approximately one-third of the width of the slider whereby approximately one-third of the width of the slider on either side of said slider mounting tab is unobstructed by said slider mounting tab in a top plan view;

at least one lateral alignment tab means attached to at least one lateral side of said slider mounting tab, said lateral alignment tab means extending laterally toward and displaced laterally from at least one of said gimbal beams, thereby providing lateral alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a first surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said first surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said lateral alignment tab means; and

at least one longitudinal alignment tab means attached to said cross member, said longitudinal alignment tab means being laterally disposed between said slider mounting tab and at least one of said gimbal beams, said longitudinal alignment tab means extending longitudinally toward and displaced longitudinally from said load point tab, thereby providing longitudinal alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a second surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said second surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said longitudinal alignment tab means;

said slider mounted on said slider mounting tab where said slider is located substantially centrally with respect to said gimbal section, said slider including;

a bottom surface that generates the fluid bearing by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface;

a transducer mounted to the trailing surface and proximate the bottom surface of said slider as a means for reading stored data from and writing data for storage to a magnetic surface;

a recess substantially centered laterally on the top surface and extending from the leading surface to the trailing surface of said slider;

wherein said load point tab and said slider mounting tab are located within said recess such that the top surface of said flexure is displaced vertically below the top surface of said slider;

said compliant gimbal beams are laterally displaced such that there is lateral clearance between the side edges of said slider and said compliant gimbal beams;

a load bearing protrusion on said load point tab contacts directly on said slider on the bottom surface of said recess;

at least one of said lateral alignment tab means contacts directly on an interior wall of said recess as a means of alignment reference in the lateral direction; and

said longitudinal alignment tab means contact directly on the trailing surface of said slider as a means of alignment reference in the longitudinal direction.

3. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein said load point tab has, proximate its distal end, a region of reduced material thickness forming the load bearing protrusion substantially centered in the region of reduced material thickness.

4. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein said load point tab is formed out of plane such that said load bearing protrusion will be substantially coplanar with said rigid beam section when the flexure is loaded against a magnetic surface.

5. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein said longitudinal alignment tab means are contiguous with said slider mounting tab.

6. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein said recess is substantially prismatic.

7. An assembly as in claim 6, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said slider is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

8. An assembly as in claim 7, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said slider is substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

9. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein said recess varies in depth along its length.

10. An assembly as in claim 9, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said slider is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

11. An assembly as in claim 10, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said slider is substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

12. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein said recess varies in width along its length.

13. An assembly as in claim 12, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said slider is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

14. An assembly as in claim 13, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said slider is substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

15. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein an identifying code is provided on a non-recessed portion of the top surface of said slider such that said identifying code is not obstructed by said gimbal section in a top plan view.

16. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein transducer termination points for wires connected to read/write electronics of a hard disc file direct access storage device are provided on a non-recessed portion of the top surface of said slider.

17. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein transducer termination points for wires connected to read/write electronics of a hard disc file direct access storage device are provided on the trailing surface of said slider.

18. An assembly as in claim 2, wherein a region proximate the distal end of the load point tab of said gimbal section is formed out of plane, thereby providing clearance between the base of the load point tab and the slider when said region is in contact with a surface on the top of the slider.

19. A flexure as in claim 18, wherein said load point tab is formed out of plane such that the out of plane region proximate the distal end of the load point tab will be substantially coplanar with said rigid beam section when the flexure is loaded against a magnetic surface.

20. An assembly for magnetic recording on a magnetic surface comprising:

a flexure for supporting a slider for magnetic recording against a fluid bearing generated by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface, said flexure being formed from a single, contiguous piece of resilient material and comprising;

means for attaching said flexure to a mounting plate or head positioning support arm;

at least one compliant beam means attached at a first end to the attachment means and formed out of plane to exert a load force to oppose a hydrodynamic lifting force generated by the fluid bearing;

a rigid beam section attached at a second end of the compliant beam means to provide the load force of said compliant beam means to said slider; and

a gimbal section, said gimbal section attached to said rigid beam section opposite the compliant beam means, said gimbal section including;

a load point tab proximal and extending from said rigid beam section;

a pair of compliant gimbal beams laterally displaced from said load point tab and having first ends attached near the base of said load point tab, said gimbal beams being partially etched;

a cross member connecting second ends of said gimbal beams;

a slider mounting tab attached to the cross member and extending toward said load point tab, having the free end of said slider mounting tab being longitudinally displaced from the free end of said load point tab, said slider mounting tab having, over at least a part of its length, a width approximately one-third of the width of the slider whereby approximately one-third of the width of the slider on either side of said slider mounting tab is unobstructed by said slider mounting tab in a top plan view;

at least one lateral alignment tab means attached to at least one lateral side of said slider mounting tab, said lateral alignment tab means extending laterally toward and displaced laterally from at least one of said gimbal beams, thereby providing lateral alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a first surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said first surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said lateral alignment tab means; and

at least one longitudinal alignment tab means attached to said cross member, said longitudinal alignment tab means being laterally disposed between said slider mounting tab and at least one of said gimbal beams, said longitudinal alignment tab means extending longitudinally toward and displaced longitudinally from said load point tab, thereby providing longitudinal alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a second surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said second surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said longitudinal alignment tab means;

said slider for magnetic recording comprising;

a bottom surface that generates the fluid bearing by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface;

a recess on the top surface for which at least one gimbal member of the gimbal section is located and where said slider is attached to the gimbal section of the flexure, thereby providing a means of accurately positioning said slider with respect to a magnetic surface; and

a load bearing protrusion that rises out of the bottom surface of said recess;

wherein said slider is mounted on said slider mounting tab and said slider is located substantially centrally with respect to said gimbal section, said slider further including a transducer mounted to the trailing surface and proximate the bottom surface of said slider as a means for reading stored data from and writing data for storage to a magnetic surface, wherein;

said load point tab and said slider mounting tab are located within said recess such that the top surface of said flexure is displaced vertically below the top surface of said slider;

said compliant gimbal beams are laterally displaced such that there is lateral clearance between the side edges of said slider and said compliant gimbal beams;

said load bearing protrusion contacts directly on the out of plane region proximate the distal end of said load point tab;

at least one of said lateral alignment tab means contacts directly on an interior wall of said recess as a means of alignment reference in the lateral direction; and

said longitudinal alignment tab means contact directly on the trailing surface of said slider as a means of alignment reference in the longitudinal direction.

21. A slider as in claim 20, wherein the top surface of said load bearing protrusion is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the center of gravity of said slider, when said slider is loaded against a magnetic surface.

22. A slider as in claim 20, wherein the top surface of said load bearing protrusion is substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

23. A slider as in claim 20, wherein said recess varies in depth along its length.

24. A slider as in claim 23, wherein the top surface of said load bearing protrusion is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the center of gravity of said slider, when said slider is loaded against a magnetic surface.

25. A slider as in claim 24, wherein the top surface of said load bearing protrusion is substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

26. A slider as in claim 31, wherein said recess varies in width along its length.

27. A slider as in claim 26, wherein the top surface of said load bearing protrusion is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the center of gravity of said slider, when said slider is loaded against a magnetic surface.

28. A slider as in claim 27, wherein the top surface of said load bearing protrusion is substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

29. A slider as in claim 20, wherein said recess is substantially centered laterally on the top surface and extends from the leading surface to the trailing surface of said slider.

30. A slider as in claim 20, wherein said recess is substantially prismatic.

31. An assembly as in claim 20, wherein transducer termination points for wires connected to read/write electronics of a hard disc file direct access storage device are provided on the trailing surface of said slider.

32. An assembly as in claim 20, wherein an identifying code is provided on a non-recessed portion of the top surface of said slider such that said identifying code is not obstructed by said gimbal section in top plan view.

33. An assembly as in claim 20, wherein transducer termination points for wires connected to read/write electronics of a hard disc file direct access storage device are provided on a non-recessed portion of the top surface of said slider.

34. A flexure for supporting a slider for magnetic recording against a fluid bearing generated by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface, said flexure comprising:

means for attaching said flexure to a mounting plate or head positioning support arm;

at least one compliant beam means attached at a first end to the attachment means and formed out of plane to exert a load force to oppose a hydrodynamic lifting force generated by the fluid bearing;

a rigid load beam section attached at a second end of the compliant beam means to said slider;

a gimbal section, said gimbal section attached to said rigid load beam section opposite the compliant beam means, said gimbal section including;

a pair of compliant gimbal beams laterally displaced from a longitudinal center of said load beam section and having first ends attached near the base of attachment with said load beam section;

a cross member connecting second ends of said gimbal beams, said cross member having a portion of its length in a plane that is offset from the plane defined by said gimbal beams;

a gimbal bond tongue attached to the cross member and extending from said offset portion of said cross member and toward said load beam section, said gimbal bond tongue having a free end, said gimbal bond tongue having a width approximately one-third of the width of the slider, whereby approximately one-third of the width of the slider on either side of said gimbal bond tongue is unobstructed by said gimbal bond tongue in a top plan view;

at least one lateral alignment tab means attached to at least one lateral side of said gimbal bond tongue, said lateral alignment tab means extending laterally toward and displaced laterally from at least one of said gimbal beams, thereby providing lateral alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a first surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said first surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said lateral alignment tab means;

at least one longitudinal alignment tab means attached to the offset portion of said cross member, said longitudinal alignment tab means being laterally disposed between said gimbal bond tongue and at least one of said gimbal beams, said longitudinal alignment tab means extending longitudinally toward said load beam section, thereby providing longitudinal alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a second surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said second surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said longitudinal alignment tab means; and

a load bearing protrusion rising out of said gimbal bond tongue and positioned between said load beam section and said gimbal bond tongue, wherein said gimbal bond tongue is offset a distance from said gimbal beams such that the height of said load bearing protrusion is substantially equal to the amount of the offset and the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said load beam section lies substantially in the same plane as that defined by said gimbal beams.

35. An assembly for magnetic recording on a magnetic surface comprising:

a flexure for supporting a slider for magnetic recording against a fluid bearing generated by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface, said flexure comprising;

means for attaching said flexure to a mounting plate or head positioning support arm;

at least one compliant beam means attached at a first end to the attachment means and formed out of plane to exert a load force to oppose a hydrodynamic lifting force generated by the fluid bearing;

a rigid load beam section attached at a second end of the compliant beam means to said slider;

a gimbal section, said gimbal section attached to said rigid load beam section opposite the compliant beam means, said gimbal section including;

a pair of compliant gimbal beams laterally displaced from a longitudinal center of said load beam section and having first ends attached near the base of attachment with said load beam section;

a cross member connecting second ends of said gimbal beams, said cross member having a portion of its length in a plane that is offset from the plane defined by said gimbal beams;

a gimbal bond tongue attached to the cross member and extending from said offset portion of said cross member and toward said load beam section, said gimbal bond tongue having a free end, said gimbal bond tongue having a width approximately one-third of the width of the slider, whereby approximately one-third of the width of the slider on either side of said gimbal bond tongue is unobstructed by said gimbal bond tongue in a top plan view;

at least one lateral alignment tab means attached to at least one lateral side of said gimbal bond tongue, said lateral alignment tab means extending laterally toward and displaced laterally from at least one of said gimbal beams, thereby providing lateral alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a first surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said first surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said lateral alignment tab means;

at least one longitudinal alignment tab means attached to the offset portion of said cross member, said longitudinal alignment tab means being laterally disposed between said gimbal bond tongue and at least one of said gimbal beams, said longitudinal alignment tab means extending longitudinally toward said load beam section, thereby providing longitudinal alignment of the slider to said gimbal section when in contact with a second surface of the slider, a component of the normal of said second surface being in an opposite direction as an extension of said longitudinal alignment tab means; and

a load bearing protrusion rising out of said gimbal bond tongue and positioned between said load beam section and said gimbal bond tongue, wherein said gimbal bond tongue is offset a distance from said gimbal beams such that the height of said load bearing protrusion is substantially equal to the amount of the offset and the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said load beam section lies substantially in the same plane as that defined by said gimbal beams;

said slider mounted on said gimbal bond tongue where said slider is located substantially centrally with respect to said gimbal section, said slider including;

a bottom surface that generates the fluid bearing by relative motion between said slider and a moving magnetic surface;

a transducer mounted to the trailing surface and proximate the bottom surface of said slider as a means for reading stored data from and writing data for storage to a magnetic surface; and

a recess substantially centered laterally on the top surface, wherein;

said gimbal bond tongue is located within said recess such that the top surface of said flexure is displaced vertically below the top surface of said slider;

said compliant gimbal beams are laterally displaced such that there is lateral clearance between the side edges of said slider and said compliant gimbal beams;

at least one of said lateral alignment tab means contacts directly on an interior wall of said recess as a means of alignment reference in the lateral direction; and

said longitudinal alignment tab means contact directly on the trailing surface of said slider as a means of alignment reference in the longitudinal direction.

36. An assembly as in claim 35, wherein transducer termination points for wires connected to read/write electronics of a hard disc file direct access storage device are provided on the trailing surface of said slider.

37. An assembly as in claim 35, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said load beam section is substantially in the same horizontal plane as the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

38. An assembly as in claim 37, wherein the point of contact between said load bearing protrusion and said load beam section is substantially coincident with the center of gravity of said slider, when said assembly is loaded against a magnetic surface.

39. An assembly as in claim 35, wherein an identifying code is provided on a non-recessed portion of the top surface of said slider such that said identifying code is not obstructed by said gimbal section in top plan view.

40. An assembly as in claim 35, wherein transducer termination points for wires connected to read/write electronics of a hard disc file direct access storage device are provided on a non-recessed portion of the top surface of said slider.