Flex cable assembly with improved flex cable dynamic loop characteristics

A disc drive data storage device, comprising:

• a rotatable disc having a data storage surface;
• a head stack assembly which controllably moves a data transducing head adjacent the data storage surface;
• and
• a flex cable assembly comprising:
• a flex cable comprising a flexible member with at least one embedded electrical conductor used to transmit electrical signals to the head stack assembly, the flex cable having a nominally planar orientation, a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end affixed to the head stack assembly;
• and
• a flex cable support comprising a base and adjacent first and second flex support portions extending from the base, the first flex support portion comprising a first flex support surface extending along a first direction, the second flex support portion comprising a second flex support surface extending along a second direction, and wherein the proximal end of the flex cable pressingly abuts and exerts a spring force against the first and second flex support surfaces to retain the flex cable against said support surfaces, said spring force generated as the flex cable attempts to return to the nominally planar orientation, and further wherein each of the first and second flex support portions further comprises a retention tab for extension through a corresponding tab aperture in the flex cable to restrict lateral movement of the flex cable.

A disc drive data storage device, comprising:

• a rotatable disc having a data storage surface;
• a head stack assembly which controllably moves a data transducing head adjacent the data storage surface;
• and
• a flex cable assembly comprising:
• a flex cable comprising a laminated, flexible, ribbon-like member with at least one embedded electrical conductor used to transmit electrical signals to the head stack assembly, the flex cable having a nominally planar orientation, a proximal end, a distal end, and a dynamic loop between said proximal and distal ends, wherein the distal end is affixed to the head stack assembly and wherein the dynamic loop has a nominal length when the head is located at a first position adjacent the data storage surface;
• and
• first means for supporting the proximal end of the flex cable and for facilitating extension of the length of the dynamic loop to a second length greater than the nominal length when the head is located at a second position adjacent the data storage surface.