# US 10,373,635 B2 · Magnetic head suspension assembly having flexible wiring member with connection terminal including center hole and cover layer and disk device provided with the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,373,635 B2 - Document ID: US10373635B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/693,414 - Filed: 2017-08-31 - Published: 2018-09-27 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-03-24 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba - Inventors: Takafumi Kikuchi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373635B2 ## CPC - G11B 5/486: {with provision for mounting or arranging electrical conducting means or circuits on or along the arm assembly} - G11B 5/40: Protective measures on heads, e.g. against excessive temperature (G11B5/31 takes precedence; protection against wear G11B5/255 {; protective structure of the head: see under structures, e.g. G11B5/3106}) - G11B 5/4846: {Constructional details of the electrical connection between arm and support} - G11B 5/4853: {Constructional details of the electrical connection between head and arm} - H05K 1/028: {Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits (H05K1/0283 takes precedence)} - H05K 1/118: {specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions} - H05K 3/363: {by soldering} - H05K 1/113: {Via provided in pad; Pad over filled via} - H05K 1/189: characterised by the use of flexible or folded printed circuits - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ## Abstract A magnetic head suspension assembly includes a support plate coupled to a magnetic head, and a flexible wiring member disposed on the support plate. The flexible wiring member includes a metal plate fixed to the support plate, an insulating layer disposed on the metal plate, a conductive layer disposed on the insulating layer and forming a plurality of conductive lines and connection terminals, and a cover layer on the conductive layer. The connection end portion includes a plurality of the connection terminals, and each of the connection terminals includes a center hole, a first terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer and is covered with the cover layer so that the first terminal surface is not exposed during a solder-joining process performed on the connection terminals, and a second terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer and faces away from the first terminal surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A magnetic head suspension assembly, comprising: a support plate coupled to a magnetic head, and a flexible wiring member disposed on the support plate, wherein the flexible wiring member includes a tip portion disposed on the support plate and a connection end portion disposed at an opposite end of the flexible wiring member from the tip portion, the flexible wiring member further including a metal plate fixed to the support plate, an insulating layer disposed on the metal plate, a conductive layer which is disposed on the insulating layer and forms a plurality of conductive lines and a plurality of connection terminals, and a cover layer that is disposed on the conductive layer and includes an electrically insulative material, the connection end portion including the plurality of connection terminals formed from the conductive layer, and each of the plurality of connection terminals including a center hole, a first terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer and is fully covered with the cover layer so that the first terminal surface is not exposed during a solder-joining process performed on the connection terminals, and a second terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer and faces away from the first terminal surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection terminals are arranged longitudinally along the connection end portion and are separated by through holes in the conductive layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein in each connection terminal, the cover layer extends inward from a peripheral edge of the center hole toward a center point of the center hole. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the center holes receive solder during a solder-joining process. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein each center hole is formed in a central portion of the connection terminal. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the support plate is coupled to the magnetic head via a load beam on which the magnetic head is mounted. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the second terminal surface is partially covered with the insulating layer. ### Claim 8 A magnetic head suspension assembly, comprising: a support plate coupled to a magnetic head, and a flexible wiring member disposed on the support plate, wherein the flexible wiring member includes a tip portion disposed on the support plate and a connection end portion disposed at an opposite end of the flexible wiring member from the tip portion, the flexible wiring member further including a metal plate fixed to the support plate, an insulating layer disposed on the metal plate, a conductive layer which is disposed on the insulating layer and forms a plurality of conductive lines and a plurality of connection terminals, and a cover layer that is disposed on the conductive layer and includes an electrically insulative material, the connection end portion including the plurality of connection terminals formed from the conductive layer, and each of the plurality of connection terminals including a center hole, a first terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer and has a plurality of discontinuous portions of the cover layer formed thereon, and a second terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer and faces away from the first terminal surface. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The suspension assembly according to claim 8, wherein the connection terminals are arranged longitudinally along the connection end portion and are separated by through holes in the conductive layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 8, wherein in each connection terminal, the plurality of discontinuous portions of the cover layer formed on the first terminal surface covers more than half of the first terminal surface. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 8, wherein the discontinuous portions of the cover layer include a plurality of dot-shaped cover layers disposed on the first terminal surface of each connection terminal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 8, wherein the center holes receive solder during a solder-joining process. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 8, wherein each center hole is formed in a central portion of the connection terminal. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 8, wherein the support plate is coupled to the magnetic head via a load beam on which the magnetic head is mounted. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The magnetic head suspension assembly according to claim 8, wherein in each connection terminal, the second terminal surface is exposed prior to a solder-joining process. ### Claim 16 A disk device comprising: a disk-shaped recording medium having a magnetic recording layer, a carriage assembly with a plurality of connection pads formed thereon, and a magnetic head suspension assembly that is mounted on the carriage assembly and includes a support plate coupled to a magnetic head, and a flexible wiring member disposed on the support plate, wherein the flexible wiring member includes a tip portion disposed on the support plate and a connection end portion disposed at an opposite end of the flexible wiring member from the tip portion, the flexible wiring member further including a metal plate fixed to the support plate, an insulating layer disposed on the metal plate, a conductive layer which is disposed on the insulating layer and forms a plurality of conductive lines and a plurality of connection terminals, and a cover layer that is disposed on the conductive layer and includes an electrically insulative material, the connection end portion including the plurality of connection terminals formed from the conductive layer, and each of the plurality of connection terminals including a center hole, solder disposed within the center hole, a first terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer and is fully covered with the cover layer, and a second terminal surface that is a surface of the conductive layer that faces away from the first terminal surface and contacts the solder. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The disk device according to claim 16, wherein the connection terminals are arranged longitudinally along the connection end portion and are separated by through holes in the conductive layer. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The disk device according to claim 16, wherein each of the connection terminals is aligned with a respective connection pad formed on the carriage assembly. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The disk device according to claim 16, wherein the first terminal surface has a plurality of discontinuous portions of the cover layer formed thereon and a portion of the first terminal surface contacts the solder. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The disk device according to claim 19, wherein in each connection terminal, the plurality of discontinuous portions of the cover layer formed on the first terminal surface covers more than half of the first terminal surface.