Patent
Magnetic spring arm assembly including structure for preventing damage to a conductive layer resulting from bending
| العنوان: | Magnetic spring arm assembly including structure for preventing damage to a conductive layer resulting from bending |
|---|---|
| Patent Number: | 5,612,840 |
| تاريخ النشر: | March 18, 1997 |
| Appl. No: | 08/248,334 |
| Application Filed: | May 24, 1994 |
| مستخلص: | A magnetic head unit is provided by which damage to a conductive-pattern layer formed on a spring arm during a bending process of the spring arm can be prevented. The magnetic head unit comprises a magnetic head and a spring arm having a bent portion which is bent to generate an elastic force. The magnetic head is mounted on an end of the spring arm. At least one conductive-pattern layer is formed on a surface of the spring arm to extend from a gimbal portion where the magnetic head is mounted to a attachment portion where the spring arm is mounted to a member of a magnetic head driving mechanism. The bent portion has a first portion and a second portion separated from the first portion. The conductive-pattern layer passes through the second portion. No external force is applied to the conductive-pattern layer formed during a bending process for the bent portion. A dispersing-pattern layer may be provided for dispersing an external force exerted on the conductive-pattern layer during the bending process of the bent portion so that said conductive-pattern layer is protected from being damaged due to the external force being concentrated onto said conductive-pattern layer. |
| Inventors: | Hiraoka, Sinji (Kawsaki, JPX); Matsumoto, Yoshihisa (Kawsaki, JPX); Itoh, Isamu (Kawsaki, JPX); Terashima, Shigeo (Kawsaki, JPX) |
| Assignees: | Fujitsu Limited (JPX) |
| Claim: | What is claimed is |
| Claim: | 1. A magnetic head unit used for a magnetic disk apparatus, said magnetic head unit comprising |
| Claim: | a magnetic head; |
| Claim: | a spring arm having a gimbal portion, a bent portion and an attachment portion, said gimbal portion being provided for mounting said magnetic head, said bent portion being provided between said gimbal portion and said attachment portion so that an elastic force for pressing said magnetic head onto a magentic disk is generated, said attachment portion being provided for mounting said spring arm to a rigid arm; and |
| Claim: | a conductive-pattern layer for transmitting electric signals to and from said magnetic head, said conductive pattern layer passing along a surface of said spring arm and extending from said gimbal portion across said bent portion to said attachment portion; |
| Claim: | wherein said bent portion comprises means for relaxing a bending force applied to said conductive-pattern layer when said bent portion is bent. |
| Claim: | 2. The magnetic head unit of claim 1 wherein said relaxing means comprises a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being bent for generating the elastic force, said second portion being bent separate from said first portion; and |
| Claim: | said conductive-pattern layer passing along a surface of said second portion. |
| Claim: | 3. The magnetic head unit of claim 2 wherein an opening is formed between said first portion and said second portion so as to separate said second portion from said first portion. |
| Claim: | 4. The magnetic head unit of claim 2, wherein said second portion is recessed from said first portion so as to separate said second portion from said first portion. |
| Claim: | 5. The magnetic head unit of claim 2, wherein said relaxing means includes a dispersing-pattern layer formed on a surface of said bent portion, for dispersing a force exerted on said conductive-pattern layer during a bending process for said bent portion. |
| Claim: | 6. The magnetic head unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein said dispersing-pattern layer comprises a widened portion located in said bent portion, said widened portion having a width wider than other portions of said conductive-pattern layer. |
| Claim: | 7. The magnetic head unit of claim 5, wherein said dispersing-pattern layer comprises a zigzagging portion located in said bent portion, said zigzagging portion comprising a portion of said conductive-pattern layer extending in a direction oblique to a direction in which other portions of said conductive-pattern layer extend from said first portion to said second portion. |
| Claim: | 8. The magnetic head unit of claim 5, wherein said dispersing-pattern layer comprises at least one dummy-pattern layer located in said bent portion, said dummy-pattern layer having the same structure as that of the conductive-pattern layer. |
| Claim: | 9. The magnetic head unit of claim 5, wherein said dispersing-pattern layer comprises a protective layer formed over said conductive-pattern layer located on said bent portion of said spring arm, said protective layer comprising an insulating layer and a conductive layer having the same structure as that of said conductive-pattern layer. |
| Claim: | 10. The magnetic head unit of claim 5, wherein said dispersing-pattern layer comprises at least one extra conductive-pattern layer extending from said gimbal portion to said attachment portion, both ends of said extra conductive-pattern layer being connected to said conductive-pattern layer, said extra conductive-pattern layer having the same structure as that of said conductive-pattern layer. |
| Claim: | 11. A method for making a magnetic head unit having a magnetic head, a spring arm having a gimbal portion, a bendable portion and an attachment portion, comprising the steps of |
| Claim: | mounting the magnetic head on the gimbal portion; |
| Claim: | mounting a conductive-pattern layer, for transmitting electric signals to and from said magnetic head, along a surface of the spring arm, said conductive-pattern layer extending from the gimbal portion across a first part of the bendable portion to the attachment portion; and |
| Claim: | bending the bendable portion into a bent part by pressing a bending device against a second part of the bendable portion other than said first part having said conductive-pattern layer, said bent portion being provided between said gimbal portion and said attachment portion so that an elastic force for pressing the magnetic head onto a magnetic disk is generated. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 360/104 |
| Current International Class: | G11B 548 |
| Patent References Cited: | 5185683 February 1993 Oberg 5198945 March 1993 Blaeser 5392179 February 1995 Sendoda |
| Primary Examiner: | Heinz, A. J. |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Greer, Burns & Crain, Ltd. |
| رقم الانضمام: | edspgr.05612840 |
| قاعدة البيانات: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| الوصف غير متاح. |