Abstract:
A method for assembling a slider suspension assembly for use in a disk drive is disclosed. A ceramic slider with an attached recording head is placed on a suspension and is held in alignment by soldering the electrical connections while the epoxy placed between the slider and the suspension hardens. The method results in a much more economical process which does not require the number of expensive tools needed to carry out the conventional process.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    A method for assembling a slider suspension assembly for use in a disk drive is disclosed. A ceramic slider with an attached recording head is placed on a suspension and is held in alignment by soldering the electrical connections while the epoxy placed between the slider and the suspension hardens. The method results in a much more economical process which requires far fewer expensive assembly fixturing tools compared to the conventional process.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Background Art  
           [0004]    A slider with attached magnetic recording head in a disk drive is attached to a flexible metal structure generally referred to as a suspension. The usual method of attachment is to place a small amount of epoxy to the interface between the slider and the suspension. Electrical connections must also be made to the recording head. These connections are either wires or thin metal stripes called traces which are attached to the suspension or fabricated as part of the suspension, and subsequently attached to the recording head structure.  
           [0005]    There are several conventional methods of constructing this slider suspension assembly, also known as a head-gimbal assembly. One method, the most common, is to place the slider precisely onto the suspension and hold it there with a precision tool while the epoxy hardens. After the epoxy hardens, the electrical connections are then completed. This method has the disadvantage that precision alignment and clamping tools are needed to hold the slider in place while the epoxy hardens. Since the hardening process takes some time, there is a need to replicate many of these precision tools in a manufacturing environment resulting in an expensive process. It is known to use conductive epoxy to accomplish both the slider suspension mechanical connection in addition to the electrical connection. However this compromises both physical and electrical connections and does not result in appreciable process cost reduction. It is also known to mount the slider using only the soldered electrical connections without any epoxy mechanical connection. This approach has the process advantage of avoiding the hardening time required for epoxy. However since solder is not a very compatible material with the ceramic slider material, additional structural elements and complexity is required. This approach results in either compromised mechanical performance or an undesirable increase in thickness of the slider suspension assembly. Technically, an epoxy connection for the slider suspension mechanical interface and a solder connection for the electrical connections work well. The main problem is the expensive process step of requiring continuous precision alignment during the hardening of the epoxy.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The invention described below is an improved method wherein the need for precision alignment tooling has been minimized.  
           [0007]    In the preferred embodiment of the method of the present invention a slider is placed into position on a suspension in an alignment device such as an alignment fixture and an amount of epoxy is applied to the mechanical interface between the slider and suspension. Then, before the epoxy has hardened, a solder electrical connection is made between the recording head and the wires or traces on the suspension. The soldered connection is rigid enough so that the slider can then be removed from the alignment device and set aside without any supporting alignment device while the epoxy is hardening. This method greatly reduces the amount of time during which the slider suspension combination must remain in the alignment device. Thus the number of these expensive fixtures can be greatly reduced resulting in a much more economical process. In an alternative embodiment, this invention also makes the use of a robotic positioning device economically feasible for achieving precision alignment of the slider and suspension. A robotic positioning device would be used in place of an alignment device. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIGS. 1 a, b,  and  c  illustrate the method steps where the solder is applied to the head connections on the slider and the electrical connections on the suspension.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 a  shows the slider prior to placement on the suspension.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 1 b  shows the attached slider prior to the reflow solder process.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 c  shows the completed assembly after the reflow solder step.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIGS. 2 a, b,  and  c  shows an illustration of the method steps where the solder is applied to the head connections on the slider but not on the electrical connections on the suspension.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 a  shows the slider prior to placement on the suspension.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 b  shows the attached slider prior to melting the solder bump.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 c  shows the completed assembly after the solder is melted.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 shows an illustration of the method steps where the slider is positioned on the suspension before the solder is applied to the head and electrical connections.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 a  shows the slider before placement on the suspension.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 b  shows the slider after placement on the suspension but before the solder is placed.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 c  shows the slider after placement of the solder.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 3 d  shows the slider after the solder has melted.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 4 shows an illustration of the method steps where the slider is positioned on the suspension before the solder is applied. In this case the electrical leads on the suspension are bent out of the plane of the suspension.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 4 a  shows the slider before placement on the suspension.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 4 b  shows the slider after placement on the suspension and before the placement of solder.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 c  shows the slider after placement of the solder between the bent leads and the slider.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 d  shows the slider after melting the solder.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 shows a view of the completed slider suspension assembly.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram outlining the present invention.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 7 shows a view of a typical precision fixture.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 8 shows a typical robotic positioning device. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]    In all of the embodiments of the invention the slider is a conventional ceramic material upon which the recording head assembly is constructed. The slider material is commonly, but not limited to, Alumina-TiC. The recording head structure is constructed on the trailing surface of the slider. This trailing surface also has metallic pads which are connected to the elements of the recording head. Recording heads typically have a separate read and write element and thus require four separate metallic pads on the trailing surface for electrical connection. One of the surfaces of the slider is designed to be flown in close proximity to the disk and accordingly has an air bearing surface. This side of the slider accordingly has a first surface which has features or rails which will be in close proximity to the disk and a second surface, recessed from the first surface, which delineate the features of the air bearing. The slider recording head assembly is then mounted on a suspension using an epoxy adhesive for the mechanical connection of the slider to the suspension and solder for the electrical connection from the head elements to the wires or traces on the suspension.  
         [0031]    One preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 a  shows the slider  101  with an air bearing surface  108  before it is mounted on the suspension  105 . Also shown is solder  103  which has been deposited on the metallic pads  102  of the head assembly and also on the ends of the wires or traces  104 . The epoxy  106  is generally placed on the suspension before the slider  101  is positioned. FIG. 1 b  shows the slider  101  as it has been positioned on the suspension  105  using a precision alignment device such as a fixture. One view of a typical fixture is shown in FIG. 7. In FIG. 1 b  the two depositions of solder have not yet been joined or connected. FIG. 1 c  shows the process of adding heat to the solder in order to cause solder reflow. The solder connection can be produced by various methods such as solder screening and reflow, solder wire ball bumping with or without reflow, and solder plating with or with reflow. The result is that the two bumps of solder merge into one and form an electrical connection. The solder connection is made by only heating the solder without heating the entire slider. One method of making the solder connection is to apply heat using a laser. Even though the epoxy adhesive has not yet hardened, the strength from the solder connection allows the slider suspension assembly to be removed from the precision alignment device and set aside until the epoxy has hardened. This allows the alignment device to be immediately used to assemble another slider suspension assembly in the manufacturing environment.  
         [0032]    For purposes of this invention a precision alignment device can be either a fixture or a precision robot apparatus. An example of a precision fixture is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,827 which is incorporated by reference herein. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,827 the precision alignment fixture is referred to as a tool block. FIG. 8 shows a view of a robotic apparatus. A robotic tool  800  which has a central suction tube  802  and a flexible suction cup  804  precisely positions the slider  801  with respect to the suspension  805 . A heating means  806  then makes the solder connection  808 .  
         [0033]    A second preferred embodiment is shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 a  shows a slider before positioning onto the suspension  205 . The adhesive epoxy  206  is also shown. There is no initial solder place on the electrical leads  204 . However the amount of solder  203  placed on the head pads  202  is larger than was the case for the first embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. This solder  203  subsequently makes electrical connection to the electrical leads  204 . The remainder of the process is similar to that illustrated in FIG. 1. The slider is positioned onto the suspension as shown in FIG. 1 b.  The heating step is shown in FIG. 1 c.  Suitable heating methods include using a laser, or an appropriate light source delivered with a fiber optics bundle. The result is a solder connection  207  between the pads and the electrical connection on the suspension. After the soldering step, the slider suspension is then removed from the precise device or fixturing allowing the fixturing to be immediately used for another iteration of the manufacturing process.  
         [0034]    A third preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 a  shows a slider  301  with attached head pads  302  before positioning onto the suspension  305  which has the adhesive epoxy  306  and the ends of the electrical leads  304 . In this case the solder has not yet been applied to either the pads  302  or the electrical leads  304 . FIG. 3 b  shows the slider  301  positioned on the suspension  305 . FIG. 3 c  shows the addition of a solder ball  303  at the junction of the head pads  302  and the electrical leads  304 . FIG. 3 d  shows the solder after heating and making contact with the head pads  302  and the leads on the suspension  304 . After the soldering step, the slider suspension is then removed from the fixturing allowing the fixturing to be immediately used for another iteration of the manufacturing process.  
         [0035]    A fourth embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 a  the slider  401  is shown before placement on the suspension  405 . The adhesive epoxy  406  is shown. In this case the end of the electrical leads  404  on the suspension is lifted away from the plane of the slider suspension interface. FIG. 4 b  shows the assembly after positioning the slider but before application of the solder. The bent leads can be more conducive for holding the solder ball  403  (FIG. 4 c ) in place. FIG. 4 d  shows the completed assembly after heating in which the solder  407  makes electrical contact with the head pads  402  and the bent leads  404 . After the soldering step, the slider suspension is then removed from the precision alignment device allowing the device to be immediately used for another iteration of the manufacturing process.  
         [0036]    A common and critical aspect of all of the preferred embodiments is that after the electrical connection is made, the slider suspension assembly may be immediately removed from the alignment device prior to hardening of the epoxy in order to increase throughput on this expensive equipment.  
         [0037]    A completed slider suspension assembly  500  is shown in FIG. 5. The slider  501  is attached to the suspension  505 . The electrical leads  508  usually extend along the length of the suspension  505  and provide electrical connection to be made to the recording head  509  through the solder connection to the head pads  502 . In some cases these electrical leads are fabricated as part of the suspension. In other cases the leads are attached to the suspension after being fabricated separately.  
         [0038]    A flow diagram which illustrates the invented process is shown in FIG. 6. The suspension is placed on a precision fixture  601 . Epoxy is then added to the suspension  602 . The slider is then positioned onto the suspension  603 . A solder connection is made between the electrical leads on the suspension and the head pads by using any of the preferred embodiments  604 . The slider suspension assembly is then removed from the fixture  605  which releases the fixture to be recycled in the process  606 . The assembly is then set aside and the epoxy is allowed to harden  607 .  
         [0039]    A single fixture for slider suspension assembly can cost well over a thousand dollars. A manufacturing process which might require 100 fixtures for a conventional process would require approximately 10 fixtures using the invented process. This results in a ten fold reduction of cost and an increase in efficiency in the invented process.  
         [0040]    While the invention has been shown and described with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that changes in form and detail may be made in these embodiments without departing from the scope and teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the method herein disclosed is to be considered merely as illustrative, and the invention is to be limited only as specified in the claims.