US 7,095,594 B2 · Active read/write head circuit with interface circuit

Abstract

A method and apparatus for collocating an interface circuit with a disk drive read/write head is described. In one embodiment the interface circuit is attached to the load arm on one side and the miniflex interconnect on the other. The read/write head is mounted on the miniflex directly below the interface circuit. The interface circuit comprises a read signal preamplifier, a write driver, and head selection circuitry. A common multiplexer circuit is used to perform the other conventional read/write circuit functions. The common multiplexer circuit includes a head selection block to determine which heads are activated, a head driver block, and a read receiver block. The common multiplexer circuit is mounted at the base of the miniflex.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A disk drive head-arm assembly comprising:

a vertical head;
an interface circuit, said interface circuit having a first and a second side, wherein said interface circuit preamplifies signals from said vertical head;
a load arm, said load arm coupled to said first side of said interface circuit;
an interconnect, said interconnect having a first and a second side, said first side of said interconnect coupled to said interface circuit;
said second side of said interconnect coupled to said vertical head;
wherein said interconnect couples said signals from said vertical head to said interface circuit interconnect,
wherein said interface circuit comprises:
a substrate;
an integrated circuit formed on said substrate with solder bumps in a wafer solder bump circuit fabrication process;
said substrate is a backgrinded substrate, whereby a head-chip profile is made small.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Active read/write head circuit with interface circuit

Life of this patent

Active read/write head circuit with interface circuit

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims4