High density slider clamp fixture
AssigneeSanDisk Technologies LLC
InventorsDarrick T. Smith, Glenn P. Gee, Anthony M. Bagus, Teodosio B. Quilapquilap, JR., Sharon C. Agtina
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high density slider clamp fixture is disclosed for accurately positioning a large number of head sliders for metrology testing. The slider clamp fixture may include a single piece, monolithic structure comprising a large number of slider nests, aligned in rows and columns in the slider fixture. Each slider nest includes a reference datum surface machined to precisely align with all other reference datum surfaces in a row of the monolithic structure. Each slider nest further includes a flexure clamp for independent clamping of each slider in the row against the reference datum surfaces.
Claims28
A clamp fixture for clamping a plurality of sliders, comprising:
- a monolithic structure comprising one or more rows of slider nests for receiving the plurality of sliders, a slider nest in a row comprising:
- a reference datum edge formed in the monolithic structure, the reference datum edge aligned with other reference datum edges in the row, and
- a flexure configured to clamp a slider of the plurality of sliders against the reference datum edge, the flexure configured to clamp the slider independently of other flexures in the row.
A clamp fixture for clamping a plurality of sliders, comprising:
- a monolithic structure comprising a row of slider nests for receiving the plurality of sliders, the row comprising:
- an edge configured to provide a reference datum against which sliders in the row are aligned,
- a plurality of flexures configured to move between a clamping position where the plurality of flexures clamp the plurality of sliders against the edge, and an open position with a plurality of flexures do not clamp the plurality of sliders against the edge, the plurality of flexures configured to clamp the plurality of sliders independently of each other.
A clamp fixture for clamping a plurality of sliders, comprising:
- a monolithic structure comprising a plurality of slider nests for receiving the plurality of sliders, the plurality of slider nests defined in rows extending in a first direction along the monolithic structure, each row comprising:
- a plurality of coplanar reference datum edges formed in the monolithic structure, and
- a plurality of flexures configured to clamp a group of the plurality of sliders against the plurality of reference datum edges, the plurality of flexures configured to clamp the plurality of sliders independently of each other;
- and
- one or more cams affixed to the monolithic structure and configured to actuate the plurality of flexures in each row between a clamping position where the plurality of flexures clamp sliders against the plurality of reference datum edges, and an open position where the plurality of flexures do not clamp sliders against the plurality of reference datum edges.
A method of fabricating a clamp fixture for aligning a plurality of sliders in one or more rows against one or more reference datums, comprising:
- (a) machining a monolithic structure in a first direction to define a reference datum in each row of the one or more rows, and to form a pair of gaps in part defining individual flexures in each row of the one or more rows for independently clamping sliders against the reference datum in each row;
- and
- (b) machining the monolithic structure in a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, to in part define the individual flexures in each row.
A clamp fixture for clamping a plurality of sliders, comprising:
- alignment means for aligning the plurality of sliders against one or more reference datums;
- biasing means for independently clamping the plurality of sliders against the alignment means;
- and
- actuation means for actuating the biasing means between a clamping position where the biasing means clamp sliders against the alignment means, and an open position where the biasing means do not clamp sliders against the alignment means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.