Suspension assembly and disk device

Abstract

To provide a suspension assembly capable of preventing poor joints at joint portions and shortcuts between terminals and a disk device having the same.SOLUTION: According to an embodiment, a suspension assembly includes a support plate, a head supported by the support plate, and a wiring member that is configured as a laminate body including a first insulating layer, a conductive layer, and a second insulating layer and provided on the support plate. The wiring member includes a tip portion electrically connected to the head, a connection tip portion extending outside the support plate, and a plurality of wires extending between the tip portion and the connection tip portion. The connecting tip portion includes an opening extending in a first direction, a plurality of connecting terminals respectively formed by the conductive layer and arranged in the first direction in the opening, and a partition provided on the connecting terminal and protruding from the second insulating layer side.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a suspension assembly for use in a disk device and a disk device including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] As a disk device, for example, a magnetic disk device generally includes a magnetic disk disposed in a base, a spindle motor that supports and rotates the magnetic disk, and a head actuator. The head actuator includes a plurality of suspension assemblies that each support a magnetic head. Each suspension assembly includes a suspension attached to the tip of an arm of the head actuator, and a wiring member (flexure, wiring trace) installed on the suspension. The magnetic head is supported on the gimbal part of the wiring member to form a head suspension assembly. A plurality of connection terminals are provided on the connection end of the wiring member. These connection terminals are electrically connected to the magnetic head via the wiring of the wiring member. The connection terminals of the connection end are soldered to connection pads of a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) provided on the actuator block.

[0003] In a magnetic disk drive with the above structure, if there is a misalignment between the connection end of the head suspension assembly and the connection pad of the FPC, there is a concern that the solder at the joint may short out. The risk of a short circuit increases when the number of magnetic disks and magnetic heads increases, or as the magnetic head functions increase and the number of connection terminals increases, making the pitch between the terminals smaller. Furthermore, if there is a misalignment between the connection end of the head suspension assembly and the connection pad of the FPC, the solder will become uneven and will not reach the connection terminal side sufficiently, resulting in a poor connection. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0279807 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 10,373,635 [Patent Document 3] US Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0326726 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An object of the present invention is to provide a suspension assembly capable of preventing poor bonding at joints and short circuits between terminals, and a disk drive including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to an embodiment, the suspension assembly includes a support plate, a head supported by the support plate, and a wiring member configured as a laminate including a first insulating layer, a conductive layer provided on the first insulating layer and having wiring and connection terminals, and a second insulating layer formed on the conductive layer and the first insulating layer, and installed on the support plate. The wiring member includes a tip portion electrically connected to the head, a connection end portion extending outside the support plate, and a plurality of wirings extending between the tip portion and the connection end portion. The connection end portion includes an opening extending in a first direction, a plurality of connection terminals each formed by the conductive layer and arranged in the opening in the first direction, and a partition wall provided on the connection terminal and protruding from the side of the second insulating layer. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a hard disk drive (HDD) according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an actuator assembly and a board unit (FPC unit) of the HDD. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a suspension assembly of the actuator assembly. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view showing an actuator block of the actuator assembly, a joint (FPC joint) of the FPC unit, and a tail connection end of a flexure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a side view of a joint of the FPC unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the flexure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a plan view of a tail connection end of the flexure. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the tail connection end portion. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view of the tail connection end taken along line AA in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 10] 10 is a cross-sectional view of the tail connection end taken along line BB in FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a schematic view of the tail connection end and the FPC joint portion. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the tail connection end and the joint joined by soldering. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the tail connection end and the joint. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of a tail connection end of an HDD according to a third embodiment. [Figure 15] 15 is a cross-sectional view of the tail connection end and the joint taken along line DD in FIG. 14. FIG. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a part of a tail connection end portion of an HDD according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] A disk device according to an embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. The disclosure is merely an example, and appropriate modifications that are within the spirit of the invention and that can be easily conceived by a person skilled in the art are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. In addition, in order to make the explanation clearer, the width, thickness, shape, etc. of each part may be shown diagrammatically compared to the actual embodiment, but these are merely examples and do not limit the interpretation of the present invention. In this specification and each figure, elements similar to those described above with respect to the previous figures may be given the same reference numerals, and detailed explanations may be omitted as appropriate.

[0009] (First embodiment) As a disk device, a hard disk drive (HDD) according to a first embodiment will be described in detail. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an HDD according to a first embodiment with a top cover removed. The HDD includes a flat, substantially rectangular housing 10. The housing 10 has a rectangular box-shaped base 12 with an open top, and a top cover 14. The base 12 has a rectangular bottom wall 12a that faces the top cover 14 with a gap therebetween, and a plurality of side walls 12b that are erected along the periphery of the bottom wall 12a, and is integrally molded from, for example, aluminum. The top cover 14 is formed into a rectangular plate shape from, for example, stainless steel. The top cover 14 is fixed onto the side wall 12b of the base 12 with a plurality of screws 13, and closes the upper opening of the base 12.

[0010] In the housing 10, a plurality of magnetic disks 18 as recording media and a spindle motor 19 as a drive unit for supporting and rotating the magnetic disks 18 are provided. The spindle motor 19 is disposed on the bottom wall 12a. Each magnetic disk 18 is formed in a disk shape having a diameter of, for example, 96 mm (3.5 inches), and has a substrate made of a non-magnetic material, for example, glass or aluminum, and a magnetic recording layer formed on the upper surface and / or lower surface of the substrate. The magnetic disks 18 are coaxially fitted to a hub (not shown) of the spindle motor 19 and clamped by a clamp spring 20. The magnetic disks 18 are supported in a state substantially parallel to the bottom wall 12a of the base 12. The plurality of magnetic disks 18 are rotated at a predetermined rotation speed by the spindle motor 19. In this embodiment, for example, five magnetic disks 18 are accommodated in the housing 10, but the number of magnetic disks 18 is not limited to this.

[0011] Inside the housing 10, there are provided a plurality of magnetic heads 17 for recording and reproducing information on the magnetic disk 18, and an actuator assembly (carriage assembly) 22 that supports these magnetic heads 17 so that they can move freely relative to the magnetic disk 18. Also provided inside the housing 10 are a voice coil motor (hereinafter referred to as VCM) 24 that rotates and positions the actuator assembly 22, a ramp load mechanism 25 that holds the magnetic heads 17 at an unload position separated from the magnetic disk 18 when the magnetic heads 17 move to the outermost periphery of the magnetic disk 18, and a board unit (FPC unit) 21 on which electronic components such as a conversion connector are mounted. The actuator assembly 22 and the VCM 24 constitute a head actuator.

[0012] A printed circuit board (not shown) is screwed to the outer surface of the bottom wall 12a of the base 12. The printed circuit board constitutes a control unit, which controls the operation of the spindle motor 19 and also controls the operation of the VCM 24 and the magnetic head 17 via the board unit 21.

[0013] Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the actuator assembly and the FPC unit, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the suspension assembly. As shown in Fig. 2, the actuator assembly 22 includes an actuator block 29 having a through hole 31, a bearing unit (unit bearing) 28 provided in the through hole 31, a plurality of arms 32 (for example, six arms) extending from the actuator block 29, a suspension assembly 30 attached to each arm 32, and a magnetic head 17 supported by the suspension assembly 30. The actuator block 29 is supported by the bearing unit 28 so as to be rotatable around a support shaft (pivot) 26 erected on the bottom wall 12a. The magnetic head 17 includes a read head, a write head, an assist element, a heater, and the like.

[0014] In this embodiment, the actuator block 29 and the six arms 32 are integrally formed from aluminum or the like to form a so-called E-block. The arms 32 are formed, for example, in the shape of a long, thin plate, and extend from the actuator block 29 in a direction perpendicular to the support shaft 26. The six arms 32 are provided in parallel with gaps between each other. The actuator assembly 22 has a support frame 36 extending from the actuator block 29 in the direction opposite to the arm 32, and a voice coil 34 is supported by this support frame 36. As shown in Fig. 1, the voice coil 34 is located between a pair of yokes 38, one of which is fixed to the base 12, and constitutes the VCM 24 together with these yokes 38 and a magnet fixed to one of the yokes.

[0015] 2, the actuator assembly 22 includes ten suspension assemblies 30, each supporting a magnetic head 17, and these suspension assemblies 30 are attached to the tip 32a of each arm 32. The suspension assemblies 30 include an up-head suspension assembly that supports the magnetic head 17 facing upward, and a down-head suspension assembly that supports the magnetic head 17 facing downward. These up-head suspension assemblies and down-head suspension assemblies are formed by arranging suspension assemblies 30 of the same structure with their up-down orientation changed.

[0016] 3, the suspension assembly 30 has a substantially rectangular base plate 44, an elongated leaf spring-like load beam 46, and an elongated band-like flexure (wiring member) 48. The load beam 46 has a base end portion overlapping the tip end portion of the base plate 44 and is fixed to the base plate 44 by welding at multiple points. The load beam 46 extends from the base plate 44 and tapers toward the extended end. The base plate 44 and the load beam 46 are made of, for example, stainless steel, and form a support plate (suspension). The base plate 44 has a circular opening at its base end and an annular protrusion 45 located around the opening. The protrusion 45 of the base plate 44 is fitted into a crimping hole 40 formed in the tip end 32a of the arm 32, and the base plate 44 is fastened to the tip end 32a of the arm 32 by crimping the protrusion 45 (see FIG. 2).

[0017] The flexure 48 of the suspension assembly 30 has a metal plate (backing layer) such as stainless steel that serves as a base, and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) placed on this metal plate, forming a long, narrow, belt-like laminate. The flexure 48 has a tip portion 48a and a base portion 48b. The tip portion 48a is attached to the load beam 46 and the base plate 44. The base portion 48b extends outward from the side edge of the base plate 44 and further extends along the arm 32 to the base end of the arm 32 (the actuator block 29). The tip portion 48a of the flexure 48 has a tip located on the load beam 46 and a displaceable gimbal portion (elastic support portion) 52 formed on the tip. The magnetic head 17 is mounted on the gimbal portion 52. A pair of piezoelectric elements 53 constituting a microactuator are mounted on the gimbal portion 52 and disposed on both sides of the magnetic head 17. The tip of the flexure 48 is electrically connected to the read head element, write head element, heater, assist element, HDI sensor, other members, and piezoelectric element 53 of the magnetic head 17 via wiring and connection pads (not shown).

[0018] The flexure 48 has a connection end (tail connection end) 48c provided at one end of the base end portion 48b. The connection end 48c is formed in an elongated rectangular shape. The connection end 48c is bent at a substantially right angle to the base end portion 48b and positioned substantially perpendicular to the arm 32. The connection end 48c is provided with a plurality of connection terminals 50, for example, thirteen connection terminals 50. These connection terminals 50 are respectively connected to the wiring of the flexure 48. That is, the plurality of wirings of the flexure 48 extend over substantially the entire length of the flexure 48, one end is electrically connected to the magnetic head 17, and the other end is connected to the connection terminals (connection pads) 50 of the connection end 48c.

[0019] 2, the FPC unit 21 integrally comprises a substantially rectangular base portion 60, a long and narrow strip-like relay portion 62 extending from one side edge of the base portion 60, and a substantially rectangular joint portion (corresponding to a wiring board) 64 provided continuously to the tip portion of the relay portion 62. The base portion 60, the relay portion 62, and the joint portion 64 are formed of a flexible printed wiring board (FPC). Electronic components such as a conversion connector (not shown) and a plurality of capacitors 63 are mounted on one surface (outer surface) of the base part 60 and are electrically connected to wiring (not shown). Two metal plates 70, 71 functioning as reinforcing plates are attached to the other surface (inner surface) of the base part 60. The base part 60 is placed on the bottom wall 12a of the housing 10 and is screwed to the bottom wall 12a by two screws. The conversion connector on the base part 60 is connected to a control circuit board provided on the bottom side of the housing 10.

[0020] The relay portion 62 extends from the base portion 60 toward the actuator assembly 22. A joint portion 64 provided at the extending end of the relay portion 62 is formed in a rectangular shape with a height and width approximately equal to the side surface (mounting surface) of the actuator block 29. The joint portion 64 is affixed to the mounting surface of the actuator block 29 via a backing plate made of aluminum or the like, and is further fixed to the mounting surface with fixing screws.

[0021] The connection ends 48c of the ten flexures 48 are joined to a plurality of connection parts of the joint 64, and are electrically connected to the wiring of the joint 64. The connection ends 48c are arranged side by side in a direction parallel to the support shaft 26. A head IC (head amplifier) ​​54 is mounted on the joint 64. The head IC 54 is connected to the connection ends 48c and the base portion 60 via wiring of the FPC. Furthermore, the joint 64 has a pair of connection pads 55, and the voice coil 34 is connected to these connection pads 55. The ten magnetic heads 17 of the actuator assembly 22 are each electrically connected to the base portion 60 through the wiring of the flexure 48, the connection end portion 48c, the joint portion 64 of the FPC unit 21, and the relay portion 62. Furthermore, the base portion 60 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board on the bottom side of the housing 10 via a conversion connector.

[0022] A detailed description will be given of the wiring structure of the joint 64. Fig. 4 is a side view showing the joint 64 attached to the actuator block and a number of connection ends, and Fig. 5 is a side view showing the joint 64 before the connection ends are joined. As shown in FIG. 5, the joint portion 64 of the FPC has ten connection pad groups 72 corresponding to the connection end 48c of the suspension assembly 30. Each connection pad group 72 includes a plurality of, for example, thirteen connection pads 73 arranged in a row. Each connection pad 73 is electrically connected to the head IC 54 or the base portion 60 via wiring. The thirteen connection pads 73 of each connection pad group 72 are arranged in a row at a predetermined interval from each other in a direction substantially parallel to the arm 32. The ten connection pad groups 72 are arranged at a predetermined interval from each other and substantially parallel to each other in a direction parallel to the support shaft 26, i.e., in the height direction of the actuator block 29. These connection pads 73 are located in a strip-shaped groove 76 formed in the cover insulating layer of the joint portion 64 described later, and are exposed to the outside through this groove 76. Before the connection end 48c is joined, a solder layer 78 is formed on each connection pad 73.

[0023] 4 and 5, the joint 64 of the FPC is fixed to the installation surface of the actuator block 29 via a backing plate. The connection end 48c of the flexure 48 is disposed so as to overlap each of the connection pad groups 72 of the joint 64. The connection terminals 50 of the connection end 48c abut on the corresponding connection pads 73 via a solder layer 78. As will be described later, for example, the solder layer 78 is melted by laser irradiation, whereby each connection terminal 50 is mechanically and electrically soldered to the corresponding connection pad 73.

[0024] Next, the structure of the flexure 48 and the structure of the tail connection end 48c will be described in detail. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the laminated structure of the flexure 48, and FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan view showing a connection end portion of the flexure. As shown in FIG. 6, the flexure 48 has a metal plate (backing layer) 80 such as stainless steel serving as a base layer, and a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) 82 formed on the metal plate. In this embodiment, an adhesive layer (thermal insulation layer) 84 is provided between the metal plate 80 and the FPC 82. The FPC 82 is also configured as a laminate having a base insulating layer (first insulating layer) 86a, a conductive layer 86b laminated on the base insulating layer 86a, and a cover insulating layer (second insulating layer) 86c laminated on the base insulating layer 86a and the conductive layer 86b. The base insulating layer 86a and the cover insulating layer 86c are formed of, for example, polyimide. The conductive layer 86b is formed of, for example, copper foil, and the copper foil is patterned to form a plurality of wirings, connection terminals, and connection pads. The conductive layer (copper foil) 86b has a thickness of, for example, 9 μm or less. The FPC 82 is not limited to a single-layer structure, and may be an FPC having a multi-layer structure having a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating cover layers. The adhesive layer (heat insulating layer) 84 may be omitted.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 7, the connection end (tail connection end) 48c of the flexure 48 is formed in a substantially elongated rectangular shape having a predetermined length and width. The connection end 48c has a metal plate 80, a base insulating layer (first insulating layer) 86a provided on the metal plate 80, a conductive layer 86b provided on the base insulating layer 86a and having wiring and connection terminals formed thereon, and a cover insulating layer (second insulating layer) 86c formed on the conductive layer 86b and the base insulating layer 86a. In FIG. 7, the bottom layer is the cover insulating layer 86c, and the top layer is the metal plate 80. The side of the cover insulating layer 86c is assumed to abut against the joint 64 of the FPC unit. In addition, in the following figures, the longitudinal direction of the connection end 48c is defined as a first direction X, and the width direction of the connection end 48c, i.e., the direction perpendicular to the first direction X, is defined as a second direction Y.

[0026] The cover insulating layer 86c has a rectangular opening 90 formed in its center. The opening 90 is formed, for example, with a length L in the longitudinal direction (first direction X) of 6 mm or less and a width W in the second direction Y of 0.5 mm. The thirteen connection terminals 50 described above are disposed facing the openings 90, and are arranged at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the openings 90. Each connection terminal 50 has, for example, a rectangular shape and extends from one end to the other end in the width direction of the cover insulating layer 86c. The longitudinal center portion of the connection terminal 50 is located within the opening 90, and constitutes a flying lead that serves as a joint. Both longitudinal ends of the connection terminal 50 are located overlapping the cover insulating layer 86c.

[0027] In the cover insulating layer 86c, a plurality of wirings S are provided in respective regions on both sides in the width direction of the opening 90. Each connection terminal 50 is connected to the wirings S. As a result, the thirteen connection terminals 50 are electrically connected to the connection pads at the tip end of the flexure 48 via the wirings S. The base insulating layer 86a and the metal plate 80 are provided so as to overlap the entire surface of the cover insulating layer 86c and the thirteen connection terminals 50 and wirings S. The base insulating layer 86a and the metal plate 80 have a substantially rectangular opening 91 formed in their central portions. The opening 91 is formed to have a length and width sufficiently larger than those of the opening 90 of the cover insulating layer 86c. As a result, the metal plate 80 covers the outer peripheral edge and base end of the connection end 48c.

[0028] Fig. 8 is a plan view showing an enlarged portion of the connection end 48c. As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the width (the distance between a pair of side edges) WT of the central portion of each connection terminal 50 exposed in the openings 90, 91 of the connection end 48c is set to, for example, 0.2 mm. The distance WS between the connection terminals 50 is set to 0.15 mm or more. A distance WS or a gap is provided between one end of the opening 90 in the first direction X and the connection terminal 50, and between the other end of the opening 90 in the first direction X and the connection terminal 50. In this embodiment, exposed means that it is not covered with an insulating film. The connection terminals 50 may be spaced apart at equal intervals, but in this embodiment, wide intervals (e.g., 0.3 mm) are set for every three connection terminals 50 from the extending end side of the connection end portion 48c. These wide intervals 90a are provided for setting up a jig when soldering the connection terminals 50.

[0029] A through hole 50a is provided in the center of each connection terminal 50. In one example, the through hole 50a has a substantially rectangular shape. The width of the through hole 50a is smaller than the width WT of the connection terminal 50, and the length is smaller than the width W2 of the opening 90. The through hole 50a communicates with the openings 90 and 91. The ratio of the area of ​​all the connection terminals 50 (including the through-hole portions) to the area of ​​the openings 90 is set to 40% or more, for example, 43%.

[0030] In this embodiment, the 13 connection terminals 50 are arranged in the following order. As shown in Fig. 7, in one example, from the extending end side of the connection end 48c, four connection terminals 50(R) for the read head, two connection terminals 50(S) for the HDI sensor, two connection terminals 50(A) for the assist element (high frequency assist element or thermal assist element), two connection terminals 50(H) for the heater, two connection terminals 50(W) for the light head, and finally, one connection terminal 50(G) for the gimbal microactuator (GMA) (piezoelectric element 53) are arranged in this order. That is, the connection terminals 50(A) for the assist element are arranged in the center (sixth and seventh from the base end side) in the arrangement direction, the connection terminals 50(W) for the light head are arranged on the base end side of the connection end 48c, and the connection terminal 50(H) for the heater is provided between the connection terminals 50(A) for the assist element and the connection terminals 50(W) for the light head. The connection terminal 50(R) for the read head is arranged at the tip side of the connection end 48c, and the connection terminal 50(S) for the HDI sensor is provided between the connection terminal 50(A) for the assist element and the connection terminal 50(R) for the read head. The arrangement of the connection terminals 50 is not limited to the above arrangement, and may be other arrangements. In order to avoid crosstalk, the arrangement may be such that the connection terminals for the write head and the connection terminals for the read head are not adjacent to the connection terminals for the assist elements.

[0031] 9 is a cross-sectional view of the connection end 48c taken along line AA in FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the connection end 48c taken along line BB in FIG. 8, each connection terminal 50 has a pair of side edges 51 that are substantially parallel to each other. The pair of side edges 51 extend in a direction intersecting the first direction X (longitudinal direction). In this embodiment, the pair of side edges 51 extend in the second direction Y across the opening 90.

[0032] 8, 9 and 10, two partition walls PW1, PW2 are provided upright on the surface of each connection terminal 50 facing the cover insulating layer 86c. The partition walls PW1, PW2 are provided along a pair of side edges 51 of the connection terminal 50, and each extends over substantially the entire width W of the opening 90 in the second direction Y. The partition walls PW1, PW2 protrude downward (to the side of the FPC joint portion 64 described later) from the connection terminal 50 beyond the cover insulating layer 86c. In one example, the width WP of the partition walls PW1, PW2 in the first direction X is 1 / 6 to 1 / 4 of the width WT of the connection terminal 50, for example, 0.03 to 0.06 mm, and the protrusion height T1 is about 0.04 to 0.1 mm. The length of the partition walls PW1, PW2 in the second direction Y is about 1 / 2 to 1 / 1 of the width of the groove 76 of the bonding portion 64 (see FIG. 5). In this embodiment, each of the partition walls PW1 and PW2 is formed by stacking a plurality of insulating layers Id, for example, four insulating layers Id. The number of layers can be appropriately changed depending on the height of the partition wall.

[0033] 11 is a perspective view showing the tail connection end 48c and the joint 64 on the FPC side when joined. As shown in the figure, when joined, each connection end 48c is arranged overlapping the connection pad group 72 of the joint 64. The connection end 48c is arranged in a direction in which the cover insulating layer 86c faces the joint 64. At this time, each connection terminal 50 of the connection end 48c faces the corresponding connection pad 73 and solder 78. A pair of partition walls PW1, PW2 of each connection terminal 50 protrudes toward the joint 64 and is located on both sides of the solder 78 in the first direction X. Furthermore, the pair of partition walls PW1, PW2 face the groove 76 of the joint 64.

[0034] FIG. 12 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the soldered connection end and joint portion, and FIG. 13 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the soldered connection end and joint portion. As shown in FIG. 12, at the time of bonding, the 13 connection terminals 50 are arranged so as to overlap the corresponding connection pads 73 and solder layers 78 of the bonding portion 64 through the openings 90. In this state, a laser beam is irradiated from the side of the connection end 48c to the connection end 48c and the bonding portion 64. The laser beam is irradiated to the connection terminals 50 and the solder layer 78 through the openings 91 of the connection end 48c. The connection terminals 50 and the solder layer 78 absorb heat, causing the solder layer 78 to melt, and the connection terminals 50 and the connection pads 73 are solder-bonded to each other. At this time, the molten solder layer 78 is blocked by the partition wall PW1 or PW2, and is prevented from spreading to the adjacent connection pads 73 and solder layers 78. Therefore, even if a positional deviation occurs between the connection terminals 50 and the connection pads 73 in the first direction X, a short circuit between the adjacent connection terminals 50 is prevented.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 11 and FIG. 13, in this embodiment, the joint portion 64 has a groove 76, and the connection pad group 72 is disposed in the groove 76. The partition walls PW1 and PW2 of the connection terminal 50 engage with the groove 76 to restrict the movement and positional deviation of the connection end 48c in the second direction Y. It is preferable that the width of the groove 76 is approximately equal to the length of the partition walls PW1 and PW2 in the second direction Y. This allows the connection end 48c to be positioned in the second direction Y with respect to the connection pad group 72. The multiple connection terminals 50 are soldered to the corresponding connection pads 73 in a predetermined position. This makes it possible to prevent the occurrence of uneven soldering due to positional deviation or poor jointing due to insufficient soldering.

[0036] 1, with the actuator assembly 22 and FPC unit 21 configured as described above installed in the base 12, the actuator assembly 22 is supported so as to be rotatable about the support shaft 26. Each magnetic disk 18 is positioned between two suspension assemblies 30. When the HDD is in operation, the magnetic head 17 supported by the suspension assemblies 30 faces the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetic disk 18, respectively. A base portion 60 of the FPC unit 21 is fixed to the bottom wall 12a of the base 12.

[0037] According to the suspension assembly and HDD configured as above, the connection end 48c of the flexure 48 includes the partition walls PW1 and PW2 erected on each of the connection terminals 50. When the connection end 48c is soldered to the joint 64 of the FPC, the molten solder is blocked by the partition wall PW1 or PW2 and is prevented from spreading to the adjacent connection pad 73 and the solder layer 78. Therefore, even if a positional deviation occurs between the connection terminal 50 and the connection pad 73 in the first direction X, it is possible to prevent a short circuit between the adjacent connection terminals 50. In addition, in this embodiment, the joint 64 has a groove 76, and the connection pad group 72 is arranged in the groove 76. The partition walls PW1 and PW2 of the connection terminal 50 engage with the groove 76 to restrict the movement and positional deviation of the connection end 48c in the second direction Y. As a result, the connection end 48c is positioned in the second direction Y with respect to the connection pad group 72. The multiple connection terminals 50 are soldered to the corresponding connection pads 73 while being positioned at predetermined positions. Therefore, soldering can be performed without causing poor bonding. The above-described effects of the present embodiment are more effective in a flexure with a narrower arrangement pitch in which the number of connection terminals increases in accordance with an increase in the number of magnetic disks and an increase in the functionality of the magnetic head. As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to provide a suspension assembly capable of preventing poor joints at joints and short circuits between terminals, and a disk device including the suspension assembly.

[0038] Next, an HDD and a suspension assembly according to another embodiment will be described. In the following embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted or simplified. The following description will focus on the parts that are different from the first embodiment. Second embodiment FIG. 14 is a plan view showing a portion of a connection end portion of a flexure in an HDD according to a second embodiment, and FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along line DD in FIG. 14, showing a state in which the connection end portion of the flexure is arranged overlapping a group of connection pads of a joint portion. 14 and 15, according to the second embodiment, each connection terminal 50 of the connection end portion 48c has only one partition wall PW1, and the other partition wall PW2 is omitted.

[0039] The partition wall PW1 is provided along one side edge (the left side edge in FIG. 14) of the connection terminal 50 and extends in the second direction Y. In this embodiment, the partition wall PW1 is provided along the side edge 51 on the same side (the left side in the figure) for all of the connection terminals 50. The shape, dimensions, etc. of the partition wall PW1 are the same as those of the partition wall PW in the first embodiment. The other configurations of the suspension assembly are common to the suspension assembly in the first embodiment described above.

[0040] 15, in the second embodiment as well, the partition wall PW1 restricts the flow of solder, and the engagement between the partition wall PW1 and the groove 76 restricts the positional deviation of the connection end 48c in the second direction. That is, in the second embodiment as well, the same effects as those of the first embodiment described above can be obtained. Moreover, according to the second embodiment, by reducing the number of partition walls, it is possible to simplify the configuration of the connection end and reduce the manufacturing cost. In the second embodiment, the partition wall only needs to be provided at a common position for all the connection terminals, and may be provided along the right side edge, not limited to the left side edge.

[0041] Third embodiment FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a connection end portion of a flexure in an HDD according to the third embodiment. As shown in the drawings, according to the third embodiment, the partition wall PW1 of the connection end 48c is integrally formed with other insulating layers constituting the connection end 48c. For example, the partition wall PW1 is made of an insulator and integrally formed with the cover insulating layer 86c. Other configurations of the suspension assembly are the same as those of the suspension assembly in the above-described first embodiment. In the third embodiment, the same effects as those in the above-described first embodiment can be obtained. In the fourth embodiment, the other configuration of the connection end 48c is the same as that of the connection end 48c in the first embodiment. In the fourth embodiment having 14 connection terminals, the same effects as those of the first embodiment can be obtained.

[0042] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. For example, the number of magnetic disks is not limited to five, but may be four or less or six or more, and the number of suspension assemblies and the number of magnetic heads may be increased or decreased according to the number of magnetic disks installed. At the connection end of the suspension assembly, the shape, size, etc. of the connection terminal are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be variously changed as necessary. The number, type, and function of the connection terminal are not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and can be variously changed according to the functions of the magnetic head and suspension assembly. [Explanation of symbols]

[0043] 10: housing; 12: base; 12a: bottom wall; 12b: side wall; 14: top cover; 18...magnetic disk, 17...magnetic head, 19...spindle motor, 21...FPC unit, 22...actuator assembly, 30...Suspension assembly, 48...Flexure (wiring member), 48c...connection end (tail connection end), 50...connection terminal, 51...side edge, 64...joint, 72: connection pad group, 73: connection pad, 76: groove, 78: solder layer 86a...base insulating layer, 86b...conductive layer, 86c...cover insulating layer, 90, 91...Opening, PW1, PW2...Bulkhead

Claims

1. A support plate; A head supported by the support plate; a wiring member configured as a laminate including a first insulating layer, a conductive layer provided on the first insulating layer and having wiring and connection terminals, and a second insulating layer formed on the conductive layer and the first insulating layer, the wiring member being disposed on the support plate; the wiring member includes a tip portion electrically connected to the head, a connection end portion extending to an outside of the support plate, and a plurality of wires extending between the tip portion and the connection end portion, the connection end portion includes an opening extending in a first direction, a plurality of connection terminals each formed of the conductive layer and arranged in the opening in the first direction, and a partition wall provided on the connection terminal and protruding from a side of the second insulating layer. Suspension assembly.

2. Each of the connection terminals has a pair of side edges extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the partition wall is provided along one side edge of the connection terminal.

3. The suspension assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the partition wall is provided along a side edge on the same side of the pair of side edges of each of the plurality of connection terminals.

4. Each of the connection terminals has a pair of side edges extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, 2. The suspension assembly according to claim 1, wherein the connection end portion has a partition wall provided along one side edge of the connection terminal and a partition wall provided along the other side edge of the connection terminal and protruding from a side of the second insulating layer.

5. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the partition extends in a second direction intersecting the first direction and is formed to a size that fits within a width of the opening in the second direction.

6. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the partition wall is formed of a plurality of insulating layers laminated on the connection terminal.

7. The suspension assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the partition wall is integrally formed with the second insulating layer by an insulator.

8. A disk-shaped recording medium; a head actuator comprising: a rotatable actuator block; a plurality of arms extending from said actuator block; a suspension assembly as claimed in claim 1 fixed to each of said arms; a wiring board having a plurality of connection pads arranged side by side and overlaid on a mounting surface of said actuator block; and solder provided on each of said connection pads; a connection end portion of the wiring member is disposed on the wiring board so as to overlap the connection pad and the solder, and the plurality of connection terminals are joined to the connection pad by the solder; Disk device.

9. 9. The disk drive according to claim 8, wherein the wiring board has a groove extending in a first direction, the plurality of connection pads are disposed in the groove, and the partition wall of the connection end is engaged with the groove.

Images