Structure and method for localizing solder ball strain on hard disk drive suspension gimbal
US7830638B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 13, 2007 |
| Grant date | Nov 9, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 26, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B5/4853
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
In a flexure assembly for a hard disk drive suspension, a structure for preventing strains introduced by solder ball bonding from affecting the pitch static attitude (PSA) and other characteristics of the flexure assembly is presented. The structure includes a flexure that features two side rails that support a gimbal tongue, with the side rails also supporting a laterally extending bridge which is attached at its two ends to the side rails. The bridge is wide enough at its central portion to accommodate the flex trace circuit bonding pads, yet narrow enough at its ends to relieve strains caused by solder ball bonding and cooling and prevent those strains from significantly affecting the PSA. The gimbal tongue is thus, to an effective extent, mechanically and thermally isolated from the solder ball bonding pads, while at the same time the bridge provides strong mechanical support for the solder ball bonding pads.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.