US5103359A — Connector apparatus for electrically coupling a t…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 377 words

In a magnetic recording system including an apparatus for controlling the movement of the transducer across the surface of a rotatable magnetic disk medium, said apparatus comprising an actuator selectively rotatable about an axis, an arm-assembly rigidly secured to said actuator at one end and to said transducer at the other end, and a conductive cable having a plurality of terminals secured to said actuator, an improvement comprising: a first connector means for providing electrical connection from said terminals to a point located along said arm-assembly, said first connector means comprising an elongated first substrate having a first and a second end, and onto which are formed a plurality of first bonding pads positioned near said second end so as to be aligned with and placed in electrical contact with said terminals when said first connector means is securely attached to said arm-assembly, each of said first bonding pads also being electrically connected via a conductive trace through a corresponding one of a plurality of second bonding pads formed in said first substrate at said point, said second bonding pads being located at said point when said first connector means is securely attached to said arm-assembly; means for attaching said first connector means to said arm-assembly; a second connector means for electrically coupling said transducer to said first connector means, said second connector means comprising a second substrate having a plurality of third bonding pads located at a first end and a plurality of fourth bonding pads located at a second end, each of said third bonding pads being electrically coupled via a conductive trace to a corresponding one of said fourth bonding pads, said third bonding pads also being electrically coupled to said transducer through a plurality of transducer wires; and a pair of alignment posts attached to said first substrate near said point, and wherein said second connector means includes first, second, and third openings such that when first and second openings accept said alignment posts, said fourth bonding pads are aligned with a first set of said second bonding pads, and when said second and third openings accept said alignment posts, said fourth bonding pads are aligned with a second set of said second bonding pads, thereby coupling said transducer to said conductive cable.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 377 words

In a magnetic recording system including an apparatus for controlling the movement of the transducer across the surface of a rotatable magnetic disk medium, said apparatus comprising an actuator selectively rotatable about an axis, an arm-assembly rigidly secured to said actuator at one end and to said transducer at the other end, and a conductive cable having a plurality of terminals secured to said actuator, an improvement comprising: a first connector means for providing electrical connection from said terminals to a point located along said arm-assembly, said first connector means comprising an elongated first substrate having a first and a second end, and onto which are formed a plurality of first bonding pads positioned near said second end so as to be aligned with and placed in electrical contact with said terminals when said first connector means is securely attached to said arm-assembly, each of said first bonding pads also being electrically connected via a conductive trace through a corresponding one of a plurality of second bonding pads formed in said first substrate at said point, said second bonding pads being located at said point when said first connector means is securely attached to said arm-assembly; means for attaching said first connector means to said arm-assembly; a second connector means for electrically coupling said transducer to said first connector means, said second connector means comprising a second substrate having a plurality of third bonding pads located at a first end and a plurality of fourth bonding pads located at a second end, each of said third bonding pads being electrically coupled via a conductive trace to a corresponding one of said fourth bonding pads, said third bonding pads also being electrically coupled to said transducer through a plurality of transducer wires; and a pair of alignment posts attached to said first substrate near said point, and wherein said second connector means includes first, second, and third openings such that when first and second openings accept said alignment posts, said fourth bonding pads are aligned with a first set of said second bonding pads, and when said second and third openings accept said alignment posts, said fourth bonding pads are aligned with a second set of said second bonding pads, thereby coupling said transducer to said conductive cable.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 29 words

The improvement of claim 1 further comprising a means for solder bonding said first bonding pads to said terminals and said fourth bonding pads to said second bonding pads.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 16 words

The improvements of claim 2 wherein said attachment means is integrally formed into said first substrate.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 31 words

The improvement of claim 3 wherein said first substrate comprises an injection-molded plastic, said plastic having a low mass and being substantially rigid, and each of said conductive traces comprises copper.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 269 words

In a magnetic recording system including an actuator rotatable around an axis for random movement of a head element over a magnetic medium, said head element being attached to one end of an arm-assembly, the other end of said arm-assembly being attached to said actuator, an improved method of electrically coupling said head element to a conductive cable of attached to said actuator, said cable being coupled to the read/write electronics of said system, said method comprising the steps of: (a) bonding each of a plurality of head wires emanating from said head element to a corresponding one of a plurality of first conductive traces embedded in the body of a first connector member, said first conductive traces terminating at a plurality of first contact points; (b) attaching a second connector member to said arm-assembly, said second connector member including a plurality of second conductive traces formed on a substrate which terminate in a plurality of second contact points at a first end and in a corresponding plurality of third contact points at a second end, said second contact points being aligned with, and making electrical contact to, a plurality of terminals of said cable upon attachment; and (c) attaching said first connector member to said second connector member at said second end such that said first contact points are aligned with, and make electrical contact to, said third contact points, said second connector member including a plurality of alignment posts, and said first connector member includes a plurality of openings for receiving said alignment posts, so as to align said first contact points to said third contact points.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 269 words

In a magnetic recording system including an actuator rotatable around an axis for random movement of a head element over a magnetic medium, said head element being attached to one end of an arm-assembly, the other end of said arm-assembly being attached to said actuator, an improved method of electrically coupling said head element to a conductive cable of attached to said actuator, said cable being coupled to the read/write electronics of said system, said method comprising the steps of: (a) bonding each of a plurality of head wires emanating from said head element to a corresponding one of a plurality of first conductive traces embedded in the body of a first connector member, said first conductive traces terminating at a plurality of first contact points; (b) attaching a second connector member to said arm-assembly, said second connector member including a plurality of second conductive traces formed on a substrate which terminate in a plurality of second contact points at a first end and in a corresponding plurality of third contact points at a second end, said second contact points being aligned with, and making electrical contact to, a plurality of terminals of said cable upon attachment; and (c) attaching said first connector member to said second connector member at said second end such that said first contact points are aligned with, and make electrical contact to, said third contact points, said second connector member including a plurality of alignment posts, and said first connector member includes a plurality of openings for receiving said alignment posts, so as to align said first contact points to said third contact points.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 29 words

The method according to claim 5 further comprising the steps of: soldering said first contact points to said third contact points and said second contact points to said terminals.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method according to claim 6 wherein said body of said first connector member comprises polyimide.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1995-04-07	1995-10-07	1996-04-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1999-04-07	1999-10-07	2000-04-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2003-04-07	2003-10-07	2004-04-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Connector apparatus for electrically coupling a transducer to the electronics of a magnetic recording system

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