Patent ID: 6995958
Filing Date: 2006-02-07
Classification: G11B,H05K

Abstract:
1. A method for preventing electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage during the head-suspension assembly (HSA) construction process, comprising: providing a plurality of sliders, each slider having a conductive substrate, and an equal number of GMR magnetic recording heads, each said GMR magnetic recording head comprising: attaching each slider to one end of a conductive suspension to form, thereby, a plurality of head-gimbals assemblies (HGA's), there being also attached to each said suspension a conductive circuit, said circuit comprising a plurality of conducting traces insulated from said suspension and said circuit having a first end with a plurality of connective terminals facing the slider and a second end with a plurality of connective terminals facing an end of the suspension opposite to the end on which the slider is attached; connecting the terminals on the magnetic recording head formed on each slider mounted on its HGA to the terminals on the first end of the conductive circuit; establishing electrical connection between said conductive slider substrate and said conductive suspension on each of said head-gimbals assemblies (HGA's); attaching each of said plurality of HGA's to a conductive rigid frame, said conductive rigid frame having a signal processing circuit, to form, thereby, a head-suspension assembly (HSA), all said suspensions on said HSA being electrically connected to said conductive rigid frame; connecting said second end of all said conductive circuits to said signal processing unit; connecting said conductive rigid frame to a ground potential; connecting all external conductive surfaces which electrically contact said suspensions to said ground potential.