Load beam opening-mounted chip on suspension

• US 6,621,662 B1
• Filed: 06/18/1999
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation (TDK Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Magnecomp Corporation (TDK Corporation)
• Inventors: Khan, Amanullah, Coon, Warren
• Primary Examiner(s): Tupper, Robert S.
• Application Number:
  US09/336,503
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 360/244.1, 360/244.9, 360/245.9
• US Class Current: 360/244.1
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/486 with provision for mounting or arranging electrical conducting means or circuits on or along the arm assembly

Abstract

A protective mounting for a microchip on a suspension is provided by locating the microchip in an opening in the load beam extending from the edge rail side through to the slider side and attaching the microchip there to a flexible circuit conductor extending on the slider side.

Claims

1. A disk drive suspension for supporting a slider in operating proximity to a disk, said suspension comprising a signal-processing microchip of a given configuration, a load beam having a base portion, a spring portion and a rigid portion, said load beam rigid portion being solid and having a first side proximate to said slider, a second side remote from said slider, opposed edge rails on its said second, remote side, and a predetermined thickness between said first and second sides, said load beam rigid portion having an opening formed therein generally congruent with said microchip given configuration and sized to closely laterally surround said microchip, and a conductor defining a locus of electrical contact along the extent of said load beam rigid portion, said signal-processing microchip being located between said edge rails and disposed within said opening, said microchip being electrically connected to said conductor at said electrical contact locus.

2. A disk drive suspension for supporting a slider in operating proximity to a disk, said suspension comprising a signal-processing microchip of a given configuration, a load beam having a base portion, a spring portion and a rigid portion, said load beam rigid portion having a first side proximate to said slider, a second side remote from said slider and a predetermined thickness between said first and second sides, said load beam rigid portion having an opening formed therein generally congruent with said microchip given configuration and sized to closely laterally surround said microchip, and a flexible circuit conductor is located on said rigid portion first side defining a locus of electrical contact along the extent of said load beam rigid portion and opposite said microchip, said signal-processing microchip being disposed within said opening, said microchip being electrically connected to said conductor at said electrical contact locus.

3. A disk drive suspension for supporting a slider in operating proximity to a disk, said suspension comprising a microchip of a predetermined configuration, a stainless steel load beam having a base portion, a spring portion and a rigid portion having a given thickness and a microchip-receiving opening therethrough, said opening including a wall immediately laterally surrounding said microchip and generally congruent therewith, and a slider mounted on a first side of said rigid portion, said microchip being mounted in said through-opening from said second side of said rigid portion.

4. The disk drive suspension according to claim 3, in which said microchip is adhesively bonded in said opening.

5. The disk drive suspension according to claim 4, in which said microchip has a given height, said height being such that said microchip is not fully received within said load beam rigid portion opening and has a projecting section beyond said rigid portion second side, said rigid portion second side having edge rails on opposite sides of said microchip, said microchip projecting section projecting from said rigid portion second side no higher than said edge rails.

6. The disk drive suspension according to claim 5, in which said microchip is generally polygonal, said load beam rigid portion microchip-receiving opening wall is congruently polygonal and extends through said rigid portion.

7. The disk drive suspension according to claim 5, in which said suspension further comprises a conductor extending along said load beam rigid portion first side.

8. The disk drive suspension according to claim 7, in which said conductor comprises a flexible circuit having conductive traces and dielectric plastic laminated to a steel layer, said flexible circuit conductor being attached to said load beam rigid portion.

9. The disk drive suspension according to claim 8, in which said flexible circuit conductor is located on said rigid portion first side and defines a locus of electrical contact opposite said microchip.

10. The disk drive suspension according to claim 9, in which said flexible circuit conductor defines a flexure supporting said slider.

11. The disk drive suspension according to claim 10, in which said flexible conductor supports said microchip in its load beam rigid portion received relation.

12. The disk drive suspension according to claim 11, in which said conductor defines a locus of electrical contact for electrical connection of said conductor to said microchip.

13. The disk drive suspension according to claim 12, including also electrical contact pads at said load beam base portion and at said slider, and in which said conductor locus of electrical contact is a center locus, said flexible circuit also defining a proximate locus of electrical contact at said load beam base portion, and a distal locus of electrical contact at said slider for coupling said microchip to electrical contact pads at said slider and to electrical contact pads at said base portion.

14. The disk drive suspension according to claim 13, in which said microchip is adhesively attached to said load beam rigid portion.

15. A disk drive suspension supporting a slider in operating proximity to a disk, said suspension comprising, a signal-processing microchip having a predetermined configuration, an elongated load beam having in outward sequence a generally rectangular base portion mounted to an actuator with a mounting plate, a spring portion and an outwardly tapered rigid portion having a wider part adjacent said spring portion, said rigid portion wider part having an opening configured congruently with said microchip and sized to closely receive said microchip, and a narrower part adjacent said slider and left and right edge rails terminating at the distal end of said load beam, said load beam rigid portion having a first side proximate to said slider and a second side remote from said slider and carrying said edge rails, and a flexible circuit conductor fixed to said load beam rigid portion first side and comprising a dielectric layer, a plurality of conductive traces on said dielectric layer, and a spring metal supporting layer, said flexible circuit conductor defining a center locus of electrical contact comprising a plurality of contact pads located along the wider part of said load beam rigid portion, said microchip being adhesively mounted within said rigid portion wider part opening, said microchip extending from said rigid portion second side through to said rigid portion first side, said microchip being electrically connected to said contact pads at said center locus;

said flexible circuit defining a proximate locus of electrical contact comprising base portion electrical contact pads and a distal locus of electrical contact at said slider comprising slider electrical contact pads, and said flexible circuit spring metal layer defining a flexure support for said slider.