Flex lead extender
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsFrank William Schadewald, Mark James Schaenzer, Robert Paul Ekstrum
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An interface for connection between a printed circuit board and a device associated with a disk drive apparatus for extending the flexible connection between the printed circuit board and the disk drive device. The device includes a planar substrate relatively flexible to the board, and conductors are formed on the substrate. The conductors are in conductive communication with the circuit board and with a circular flexible wire having conductors associated with the head gimbal assembly of a disk drive device.
Claims15
A disk drive unit comprising:
- a head gimbal assembly;
- a flexible wire having a plurality of conductor wires extending from the head gimbal assembly and electrically coupled to a head located on the head gimbal assembly;
- a printed circuit paddleboard located on a test drive mechanism;
- and
- an interface electrically coupling the printed circuit paddleboard to the plurality of conductor wires of the flexible wire extending from the head gimbal assembly, the interface comprising a flexible substrate and a plurality of conductor lines printed on the substrate wherein each of the plurality of conductor lines is coupled to an individual conductor wire of the flexible wire.
A method of testing a component of a disk drive device having a flexible wire, the method comprising the steps of:
- mechanically and electrically connecting a circuit board located in the disk drive device to a test mechanism;
- mechanically and electrically connecting a flexible interface to the circuit board wherein the interface has a plurality of conductive lines;
- mechanically and electrically connecting the conductive lines of the flexible interface to a flexible wire of the disk drive device;
- and
- performing a test on a component of the disk drive device, wherein the electrical and mechanical connection between the test mechanism and device are through the board, interface and the flexible wire.
A system for testing a component of a disk drive device having a flexible wire in the disk drive device, wherein there is included a test mechanism comprising:
- a circuit board mechanically and electrically connected with the test mechanism;
- a flexible interface having conductive lines on a flexible substrate and extending from the circuit board so as to be mechanically and electrically connected with the board;
- and
- a flexible wire from of a head gimbal assembly for a disk drive unit, the wire being mechanically and electrically connected to the interface, the conductive elements on the flexible interface being in conductive communication with conductors on the board, and the flexible conductive elements on the flexible interface are electronically bonded with conductive wires of the flexible wire.
A disk drive unit comprising:
- a head gimbal assembly;
- a flexible wire having a plurality of conductor wires extending from the head gimbal assembly and electrically coupled to a head located on the head gimbal assembly;
- a printed circuit paddleboard located on a test drive mechanism;
- and
- means for electrically coupling the printed circuit paddleboard to the plurality of conductor wires of the flexible wire extending from the head gimbal assembly, the interface comprising a flexible substrate and a plurality of conductor lines printed on the substrate wherein each of the plurality of conductor lines is coupled to an individual conductor wire of the flexible wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.