Patent · US Expired

Shorting bar and test clip for protecting magnetic heads from damage caused by electrostatic discharge during manufacture

US6034851A · kind A · utility

186Cited by
2References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 7, 1998
Grant dateMar 7, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 7, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B5/455
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for selectively disabling a magnetic head to protect the head from damage caused by electrostatic discharge (ESD) during manufacture. The magnetic head is electrically attached to a flexure. The flexure has a set of test pads and a hinged portion that includes a shorting bar. The hinged portion of the flexure is folded to cause the shorting bar to short the test pads. The folded portion is secured with a clip which may be removed and replaced. A novel test clip is used with the flexure. The folded flexure is inserted into jaws of the test clip. The jaws clamp the folded flexure. The shorting bar shorts the sensor when the test clip is in a first position and removes the short when the test clip is moved to a second position.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.