Electrical connection between a suspension flexure cable and a head stack assembly flexible circuit

Abstract

A method and apparatus for electrically coupling a slider to a controller circuit are disclosed. In one embodiment, a pre-amplifier with an integrated electrical connector (I-connector) may be connected via an electrical trace to a slider and via a head stack assembly flexible circuit to a control circuit. The pre-amplifier may have two parallel series of spring probe claws, two parallel series of contact pegs, two slots, or a slot and a rotary cam.

1 . An actuator circuit assembly, comprising:
 at least one electrical trace termination pad electrically coupled to a slider;   a head stack assembly flexible circuit electrically coupled to a control circuit; and   a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector to electrically connect the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       2 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm. 
   
   
       3 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to the actuator circuit board by a fastener. 
   
   
       4 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and   at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to an electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       5 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward. 
   
   
       6 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward. 
   
   
       7 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and   at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to an electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       8 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a slider slot into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and   a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.   
   
   
       9 . The actuator circuit assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a slider rotary cam into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and   a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.   
   
   
       10 . A head stack assembly, comprising:
 an actuator arm to place a slider above a magnetic storage medium;   a control circuit to control the slider and the actuator arm;   at least one electrical trace termination pad electrically coupled to the slider;   a head stack assembly flexible circuit electrically coupled to the control circuit; and   a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector to electrically connect the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       11 . The head stack assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm. 
   
   
       12 . The head stack assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to the actuator circuit board by a fastener. 
   
   
       13 . The head stack assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and   at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to an at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       14 . The head stack assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward. 
   
   
       15 . The head stack assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward. 
   
   
       16 . The head stack assembly of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and   at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       17 . The head stack assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a slider slot into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and   a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.   
   
   
       18 . The head stack assembly of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a slider rotary cam into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and   a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.   
   
   
       19 . A hard disk drive, comprising:
 a magnetic storage medium to store data;   a base to support the magnetic storage medium;   an actuator arm to place a slider above a magnetic storage medium;   a pivot to move the actuator arm in relation to the magnetic storage medium;   a printed circuit board to control the slider and the actuator arm;   at least one electrical trace termination pad electrically coupled to the slider;   a head stack assembly flexible circuit electrically coupled to the control circuit; and   a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector to electrically connect the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       20 . The hard disk drive of  claim 19 , wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm. 
   
   
       21 . The hard disk drive of  claim 20 , wherein the pre-amplifier is coupled to the actuator circuit board by a fastener. 
   
   
       22 . The hard disk drive of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and   at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       23 . The hard disk drive of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward. 
   
   
       24 . The hard disk drive of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward. 
   
   
       25 . The hard disk drive of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to the at least one electrical trace termination pad; and   at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier and pressure coupled to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit.   
   
   
       26 . The hard disk drive of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a slider slot into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and   a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.   
   
   
       27 . The hard disk drive of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a slider rotary cam into which the at least one electrical trace termination pad is inserted; and   a controller slot into which the head stack assembly flexible circuit is inserted.   
   
   
       28 . A method, comprising:
 electrically coupling at least one electrical trace termination pad to a slider;   electrically coupling a head stack assembly flexible circuit to a control circuit; and   electrically coupling the at least one electrical trace termination pad to the head stack assembly flexible circuit with a pre-amplifier with an integrated connector.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising coupling the pre-amplifier to an actuator circuit board mounted on an actuator arm. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising coupling the pre-amplifier to the actuator circuit board by a fastener. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to the at least one electrical trace termination pad using at least one slider spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier; and   pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit using at least one controller spring probe claw protruding from the pre-amplifier.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw curve inward. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the at least one slider spring probe claw and the at least one controller spring probe claw extend outward. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to the at least one electrical trace termination pad using at least one slider contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier; and   pressure coupling the pre-amplifier to at least one electrical actuator controller connection tab of the head stack assembly flexible circuit using at least one controller contact peg protruding downward from the pre-amplifier.   
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 inserting the at least one electrical trace termination pad into a slider slot; and   inserting the head stack assembly flexible circuit into a controller slot.   
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 inserting the at least one electrical trace termination pad into a slider rotary cam; and   inserting the head stack assembly flexible circuit into a controller slot.