Shorting bar and test clip for protecting magnetic heads from damage caused by electrostatic discharge during manufacture

A flexure for selectively disabling a magnetic head comprising:

• conductive contact pads for electrically attaching said magnetic head to said flexure;
• a set of test pads;
• and
• a hinged portion of said flexure adjacent to said test pads;
• said hinged portion including a shorting bar.

A magnetic head suspension assembly for transducing data from and onto a surface of a rotating magnetic disk comprising:

• a load beam;
• a flexure secured to said load beam, said flexure including a dielectric layer within which a pattern of conductive traces is formed, said flexure having a proximal end and a distal end;
• an air bearing slider secured to said flexure at said distal end, said slider supporting a magnetic transducer, said load beam supplying a force to said slider to maintain said slider at a desired height above said surface of said magnetic disk;
• said conductive traces being patterned for electrically connecting said transducer to read/write circuitry;
• said conductive traces terminating in test pads at said proximal end;
• a hinged portion of said flexure at said proximal end;
• said hinged portion including a conductive bar for shorting said test pads when said hinged portion is folded to a folded position.

For use with a magnetic head suspension assembly for transducing data from and onto a surface of a rotating magnetic disk, a magnetic head suspension including a load beam for supplying a directed force to a slider, so as to maintain the slider at a desired height above said disk surface, a flexure comprising:

• a flexible laminate;
• said flexible laminate having a proximal end and a distal end;
• a pattern of conductive traces formed on said flexible laminate;
• said conductive traces including contact pads for electrically connecting said slider to said conductive traces;
• said flexible laminate terminating in test pads at said proximal end, said test pads being connected to said conductive traces;
• a hinged portion of said flexible laminate at said proximal end;
• said hinged portion including a conductive bar for shorting said test pads when said hinged portion is folded to a folded position.

An apparatus for protecting a magnetic head from electrostatic discharge comprising:

• a flexure having a distal end and a proximal end, said proximal end being attached by a hinge to a hinged portion that includes a shorting bar;
• and
• multiple lead wires connected to said magnetic head along said flexure from the distal end to the proximal end, said wires being terminated at a number of test pads at the proximal end;
• said shorting bar being attached to said hinged portion in a position such that the shorting bar electrically shorts said test pads when said hinged portion bends toward said test pads about said hinge.

A clip for clamping a hinged portion of a flexure in a folded position comprising:

• an upper jaw and lower jaw at one end of said clip;
• handles at an end of said clip opposite said upper jaw and said lower jaw;
• a fulcrum;
• said jaws and handles being pivotally joined at said fulcrum;
• said handles providing leverage about said fulcrum to open said jaws so that the folded flexure fits into said open jaws;
• said test clip being provided with a knife edge adapted to slip under said folded flexure;
• and
• a clamping block for clamping said folded flexure against said lower jaw when said jaws are closed.