Seagate Technology Incorporated

Alvin E Cox

Steven S Eckerd

Housan Dakroub

David S Allsup

Mark S Maggio

Steve Scott Eckerd

Stephen R Genheimer

Loren D Skarky

Brian L Harden

Matthew Glenn Duvall

Tom Metzner

Carrie R McKie

Leon J Valley

Maureen A Aragon

Gary P Oldham

An improved interconnection assembly is disclosed suitable for use, for example, in completing an electronic signal path between a printed circuit board (PCB) and an internal component within a head disc assembly (HDA) of a disc drive. The (PCB) has a primary side suitable for mounting surface mount devices and a secondary side facing a basedeck of the disc drive. The interconnection assembly comprises a conductive pin provisioned within a pin aperture in the PCB and a connector provisioned within a connector aperture in the HDA. The pin is inserted and secured within the pin aperture using primary side operations. A distal end of the conductive pin includes an electrical contact surface at the distal extent of the pin and which intersects an axis of insertion in the pin aperture. The electrical contact surface contacts the connector when the PCB is mated with the HDA.

Printed circuit board assembly with secondary side rigid electrical pin to mate with compliant contact

A low inductance electrical spring connector for a disc drive interconnecting the conductors of a flex circuit support and seal apparatus to conductive traces on a PCB, the electrical spring connector having a dielectric housing with a plurality of spaced-apart insulator portions, and a plurality of conductive spring contacts disposed between the insulator portions. The dielectric housing forms an open ended insertion cavity disposable below the flex circuit support and seal apparatus. First ends of the conductive spring contacts are solderable to conductive traces on the PCB, while second ends of the conductive spring contacts are contact surfaces disposed in the insertion cavity . Inserting the conductors of the flex circuit adjacent the contact surfaces into the insertion cavity causes the contact surfaces to engage the conductors of the flex circuit to secure the flex circuit support and seal apparatus while providing electrical contact between the head-disc assembly and the printed circuit board.

Low inductance flex-to-PCB spring connector for a disc drive

A disc drive is provided with rotatable discs and an actuator assembly having heads adjacent the discs. A flex circuit assembly providing electrical connection between the heads and the disc drive circuitry comprises flex strips routed on the actuator assembly from the heads and a flex affixed on the actuator assembly. A flex support snubber mounted on the side of the actuator assembly has a body portion with a plurality of arms extending therefrom. Each pair of the arms form a groove so that the arms are disposed above and below discs while the discs extend into the grooves. A plurality of slits are interposed between the grooves to support the flex strips therein. An opposite end of the flex support snubber curves to form a U-shaped snubber bend for turning and guiding a dynamic portion of the flex.

Flex support snubber

A flex circuit support and apparatus (,) for a disc drive (,) comprising a flex circuit (,) with a conductor portion (,), a rigid dielectric support bracket (,), and a compressible, deformable resilient dielectric gasket seal (,), and extends through a connector aperture (,) of a basedeck (,). The support bracket (,) has a base portion (,) and a connector portion (,) vertically extending bi-directionally from the base portion (,). The gasket seal (,) is secured between the basedeck,and the support bracket (,). The connector portion,supports the conductor portion (,) of the flex circuit (,) and extends through the connector aperture (,). The support bracket (,) and the attached flex circuit (,) is secured to the basedeck (,) in a conventional manner through the use of fasteners (,). The flex circuit support and seal apparatus (,) conducts electrical signals between read/write heads (,) of the disc drive (,) and an electrical spring connector on a printed circuit board (,). The support bracket (,) may include a flex circuit tensioning portion (,) and a strain relief portion (,). The flex circuit (,) may be attached to stiffeners (,) and to wire routing channels. The assembly may include a seal (,) having a nest portion (,) for sealingly fitting into a nesting portion (,) in the basedeck (,).

Flex support and seal apparatus for a disc drive

A low inductance electrical compression connector for a disc drive interconnecting conductors of a flex circuit to conductive traces on a PCB, the electrical compression connector having a dielectric housing with a plurality of spaced apart insulator portions and conductive compression contacts disposed between the insulator portions. The insulator portions, the dielectric housing and the conductive compression contacts form open ended deflection cavities disposable above the PCB. First ends of the conductive compression contacts and solderable to conductive traces on the PCB, while second ends of the conductive compression contacts are pre-load spring contacts disposable above respective deflection cavities. Inserting the conductors of the flex circuit beneath the pre-load spring contacts into the deflection cavities causes the pre-load spring contacts to engage the conductors of the flex circuit to secure the flex circuit against the printed circuit while providing electrical contact.

Electrical compression connector for a disc drive

A low inductance electrical spring connector for a disc drive interconnecting the conductors of a flex circuit support and seal apparatus to conductive traces on a PCB, the electrical spring connector having a dielectric housing with a plurality of spaced-apart insulator portions, and a plurality of conductive spring contacts disposed between the insulator portions. The dielectric housing forms an open ended insertion cavity disposable below the flex circuit support and seal apparatus. First ends of the conductive spring contacts are solderable to conductive traces on the PCB, while second ends of the conductive spring contacts are contact surfaces disposed in the insertion cavity. Inserting the conductors of the flex circuit adjacent the contact surfaces into the insertion cavity causes the contact surfaces to engage the conductors of the flex circuit to secure the flex circuit support and seal apparatus while providing electrical contact between the head-disc assembly and the printed circuit board.

A connector contact assembly for receiving insertion of a corresponding connector pin to establish an interconnected electrically conductive path is disclosed suitable for use, for example, to provide drive current to a spindle motor of a disc drive. The connector contact assembly comprises a rigid, nonconductive housing and an electrically conductive contact which pressingly engages the connector pin when the connector pin is inserted along a pin insertion axis. The contact comprises a contact base rigidly secured to a first surface of the housing, a central flexure extending from the contact base along a curvilinear path apart from the first surface, and a distal end rigidly secured to a second surface of the housing. When the connector pin is inserted, the central flexure is deflected toward the first surface, with the second surface limiting movement of the distal end in a direction parallel to the pin insertion axis.

Connector contact assembly with high normal force compression

An improved spindle motor connector for a disc drive. The spindle motor connector includes a central housing having socket connectors for mating engagement with connector pins of the spindle motor. Electrical leads are connected to the socket connectors and extend radially from the central housing, and spoke arms are connected to the central housing and extend radially from the central housing adjacent the electrical leads. Spacer arms are connected to the spoke arms and maintain the desired spacing between the spindle motor connector pins and a disc drive printed wiring assembly, which is mounted below the spindle motor. The connector pins of the spindle motor are located at an end of and within the axial extent of a spindle motor stator shaft, so that the central housing extends into the end of the stator shaft. The end of the stator shaft extends through a hole in the disc drive printed wiring assembly. The spindle motor connector spans the hole in the disc drive printed wiring assembly and the distal ends of the leads of the spindle motor connector are soldered to the printed wiring assembly adjacent the spacer arms.

Spindle motor connector having supported electrical leads

An apparatus connects a flexible circuit to an actuator arm of a disc drive. The actuator arm supports a transducer head assembly, and the flexible circuit includes an electrical circuit supporting structure supporting a first electrical circuit coupled to the transducing head assembly. The apparatus comprises a solder joint. In one embodiment, the solder joint comprises a pin, respective first and second pin receiving holes in the actuator arm and supporting structure, and a solder connection between the pin and the supporting structure. Connecting the flexible circuit to the actuator arm entails inserting the pin through the second pin receiving hole, press-fitting the pin into the first pin receiving hole, and soldering it to the supporting structure. Another embodiment includes a solder connection between a ground plane on the supporting structure and the pin.

Apparatus connecting a flexible circuit to an actuator arm of a disc

An apparatus for securing a ribbon cable plug to a 3-in-1 printed circuit board connector. The ribbon cable plug mates with a signals section of the connector and an address section of the printed circuit board connector, adjacent the signal section, includes a plurality of pins that extend from the connector parallel to a line along which the ribbon cable plug is moved to mate the ribbon cable plug with the signals section of the connector. The pins, which have square cross sections, are received in circular sockets formed in one end to a body member of a retaining plug constructed of glass filled polyester. The sockets are sized so that the pins will deform portions of the retaining plug body member about the sockets and thereby clamp the retaining plug to the printed circuit board connector. A tongue is formed on the retaining plug body member, at the distal end thereof, and projects from one side of the retaining plug body member to overlay the distal end of a ribbon cable plug that has been mated with the printed circuit board connector.

Apparatus for securing a ribbon cable plug to a printed circuit board

A transducer signal terminator for providing electrical connections between a plurality of read/write transducer lead wires and a preamplifier includes a substrate having a plurality of layers and has a plurality of intermediate strips attached to the substrate. A plurality of head pads are located on the substrate to provide interconnection points between the lead wires and the substrate. Each intermediate strip is placed on the substrate such that each of a plurality of holes therein is aligned with one of the head pads on the substrate. An electrical connection is then formed between each head pad and a corresponding conductive pad of the intermediate strip.

Growing community of inventors

Yukon, OK, United States of America

Alvin E Cox