Solder tack bonding of hard disk drive actuator arm assemblies
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsXiong Liu, Lihong Zhang, Barish Chakravarty, Chee Yin Chan, Xiaolei Liao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described are actuator assemblies for use in hard disk drives (HDDs), and methods for making such actuator assemblies, in which solder tacks are used to fasten and secure the trace gimbal assembly (TGA) tail to the head stack arm assembly (HSA). Using one or more solder tacks as a mechanical connection rather than using conventional adhesives and epoxies can avoid undesired outgassing inside the HDD enclosure while also providing the ability for reworking the solder bond.
Claims18
A hard disk drive comprising:
- an actuator stack comprising a plurality of actuator arm assemblies, each actuator arm assembly including a TGA tail fitted between upper and lower elements of the arm assembly and fastened by a solder material, wherein the solder material is a high purity lead free alloy composed of x=3% to 4% of silver, y=0.5% to 0.7% of copper, and z=100%−(x+y) of tin.
A method for bonding a plurality of actuator arm assemblies in an actuator stack, the method comprising, for each actuator arm assembly:
- fitting a TGA tail between upper and lower elements of the arm assembly;
- applying a solder material to a gap between the upper and lower elements of the arm assembly;
- allowing the solder material to flow in a melted state;
- and
- allowing the solder material to cool and solidify, thereby forming a solder tack that bonds the TGA tail to the arm assembly,
- wherein the solder material is a high purity lead free alloy composed of x=3% to 4% of silver, y=0.5% to 0.7% of copper, and z=100%−(x+y) of tin.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.