Flexible Printed Circuit Board Electronics Mounting for Disc Drive Signal Integrity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing disc drive systems experience signal losses due to multiple connections between printed circuit board components and flex-circuit cables, and the manufacturing process requires separate steps for attaching and connecting these components, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating actuator servo-controls and signal processing electronics onto a flexible printed circuit assembly positioned on the base plate adjacent to the head disc assembly, with a stiffener plate serving as an electrical ground and power plane, and using a flexible circuit board with pigtail lead traces to connect components within the disc drive, eliminating the need for a pass-through connector and reducing physical connections.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional separate printed circuit board and flex-circuit cable connections are used, then manufacturing flexibility is maintained, but signal losses increase due to multiple connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the printed circuit board and flex-circuit cable into a single integrated flexible printed circuit board assembly. This merging eliminates the multiple separate connections between components, reducing signal losses while maintaining manufacturing flexibility. The integrated design allows all electronic control circuits to be mounted on one continuous flexible substrate, thereby resolving the contradiction between signal integrity and connection complexity.
2Productivity
If separate attachment steps for printed circuit board, pass-through connector, and flex-circuit cable are used, then assembly precision is maintained, but manufacturing productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate assembly steps into a single integrated manufacturing process. By combining the printed circuit board, pass-through connector, and flex-circuit cable into one flexible printed circuit board assembly, the manufacturing process requires only one attachment step to the base plate, significantly improving productivity while maintaining assembly precision through integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the traditional multi-component assembly (printed circuit board, connector, and cable as separate parts) into a single integrated flexible printed circuit board assembly. This segmentation at the design level enables simplified manufacturing while maintaining the functional separation of components within the integrated structure.
3Temperature
If electronics components are enclosed within the head disc assembly, then contamination is prevented, but heat dissipation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the electronics components from the enclosed head disc assembly environment and relocates them to the flexible printed circuit board assembly mounted on the base plate. This extraction allows the electronics to be cooled by ambient air circulation while the head disc assembly maintains its sealed contamination-free environment. The flexible circuit board acts as an intermediary that provides electrical connections without requiring the electronics to be enclosed.
Data Source
AI summary
A disc drive has actuator servo-controls and signal processing electronics positioned on, and electrically connected to, a flex printed circuit board positioned on a top surface of a base along with the actuator assembly and the spindle motor of the disc drive. A power combo chip is also positioned on the flex printed circuit board that is positioned on the top surface of the base. A top cover is attached to the base to form an enclosed space. The actuator assembly and the spindle motor are within the enclosed space and the actuator servo-controls and signal processing electronics are outside the enclosed space.