Gimbal Flexure Test System for Hard Disk Drive Circuit Verification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Modern data storage systems, particularly hard disk drives, face limitations in structural configurations due to complex testing requirements, which hinder the efficient testing of electrical interconnections in head gimbal assemblies, leading to potential data access errors and reduced performance.
Innovation Solution
A gimbal test system with a flex circuit attached to a gimbal flexure, allowing a test probe to access electrical components from the air bearing side, enabling efficient and accurate testing of flex circuits and microactuators without damaging the components, by positioning test vias to align with the gimbal flexure for single-sided probe engagement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a flex circuit is physically attached to the gimbal flexure to electrically connect the transducing head to a controller, then the electrical interconnections can be tested, but the structural configuration becomes more complex and harder to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The flex circuit is segmented into distinct regions: a first region electrically connected to the microactuator, a second region electrically connected to the air bearing, and a third region electrically connected to the gimbal flexure. This segmentation allows the circuit to be tested at multiple locations without requiring complex routing, thereby improving testability while maintaining manageable structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gimbal flexure serves as an intermediary structure that provides both mechanical support and electrical testing capabilities. By integrating the testing function into the existing gimbal flexure structure, the patent avoids adding separate testing mechanisms, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
2Ease of operation
If test vias are positioned to allow single-sided probe engagement from the air bearing side, then the ease of operation for testing is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The test vias are pre-positioned during the manufacturing process to extend from the air bearing side through the flex circuit to the gimbal flexure. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the assembly is complete, the vias are already aligned for easy single-sided probe engagement, eliminating the need for complex post-manufacturing alignment while maintaining precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The test vias are configured to extend in the vertical dimension (perpendicular to the recording surface) rather than requiring lateral routing. This dimensional approach allows probes to engage from the air bearing side without requiring precise lateral positioning, thereby improving ease of operation while maintaining manufacturing precision through vertical alignment.
3Measurement precision
If the probe portion is backed by the gimbal flexure along a plane perpendicular to the recording surface, then the measurement precision of electrical connections is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gimbal flexure serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the transducing head, enables lateral movement, and serves as a backing structure for electrical testing. By making the gimbal flexure multi-functional, the patent improves measurement precision without adding separate testing components, thus avoiding increased device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gimbal flexure structure itself serves the dual purpose of mechanical support and electrical testing backing. The existing structural elements are utilized for testing without requiring additional dedicated components, thereby achieving precise electrical connection measurement while maintaining the original device complexity level.
Data Source
AI summary
A data storage system may utilize a gimbal test system to find open circuits and short circuits in a head gimbal assembly. The gimbal test system can have a gimbal flexure suspended between a load beam and a data storage medium with a flex circuit physically attached to the gimbal flexure to electrically connect a transducing head to a controller. The flex circuit can be tested with a test via that continuously extends through the flex circuit to a probe portion and a test pad located on an air bearing side of the gimbal flexure. The probe portion can be backed by the gimbal flexure along a plane perpendicular to a recording surface of the data storage medium.