Suspension assembly having a microactuator grounded to a flexure

Abstract

Disclosed is a dual stage actuation suspension, including: a stainless steel component having a plated contact, the plated contact comprising a first material plated directly on a second material, the first material conductive and non-corrosive, the first material comprising a metal or metal alloy, the second material comprising stainless steel of the stainless steel component, the stainless steel component including a stainless steel layer of a flexure; a motor having an electrical contact; and a conductive adhesive joint between the electrical contact of the motor and the plated contact of the stainless steel component, the conductive adhesive joint extending from the motor, over an edge of the motor and into contact with the plated contact on the stainless steel layer of the flexure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dual stage actuation suspension, including:
 a stainless steel component having a plated contact, the plated contact comprising a first material plated directly on a second material, the first material conductive and non-corrosive, the first material comprising a metal or metal alloy, the second material comprising stainless steel of the stainless steel component, the stainless steel component including a stainless steel layer of a flexure;   a motor having an electrical contact; and   a conductive adhesive joint between the electrical contact of the motor and the plated contact of the stainless steel component, the conductive adhesive joint extending from the motor, over an edge of the motor and into contact with the plated contact on the stainless steel layer of the flexure.   
     
     
         2 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein the first material is gold or gold and nickel. 
     
     
         3 . The suspension of  claim 2  wherein the electrical contact on the motor is a ground contact. 
     
     
         4 . The suspension of  claim 3  wherein the motor is a PZT motor. 
     
     
         5 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein:
 the stainless steel component includes a hinge; and 
 the conductive adhesive joint extends from the motor to the plated contact on the hinge. 
 
     
     
         6 . The suspension of  claim 5  wherein the conductive adhesive extends from a contact area on the motor, over an edge of the motor and onto the plated contact on the hinge. 
     
     
         7 . The suspension of  claim 6  wherein:
 the suspension further includes a baseplate; and 
 the conductive adhesive extends over an edge of the baseplate. 
 
     
     
         8 . The suspension of  claim 5  wherein:
 the suspension further includes a baseplate; and 
 the conductive adhesive extends over an edge of the baseplate. 
 
     
     
         9 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein:
 the stainless steel component includes a hinge having a formed tab; and 
 the conductive adhesive joint extends between the plated contact on the formed tab and the motor. 
 
     
     
         10 . The suspension of  claim 9  wherein:
 the suspension further includes a baseplate; 
 the formed tab extends over the baseplate; and 
 the conductive adhesive joint extends over the baseplate. 
 
     
     
         11 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein:
 the suspension further includes a baseplate; 
 the stainless steel component is a feature welded to the baseplate; and 
 the conductive adhesive joint extends from the motor to the plated contact on the feature. 
 
     
     
         12 . The suspension of  claim 1  wherein:
 the suspension further includes a baseplate; and 
 the conductive adhesive joint extends between the plated contact on the baseplate and the motor. 
 
     
     
         13 . A dual stage actuation suspension including:
 a stainless steel component having a plated contact, the plated contact comprising a first material plated directly on a second material, the first material conductive and non-corrosive, the first material comprising a metal or metal alloy, the second material comprising stainless steel of the stainless steel component, the stainless steel component including a stainless steel layer of a flexure;   a motor having an electrical contact;   a conductive adhesive joint between the electrical contact of the motor and the plated contact of the stainless steel component; and   a baseplate having a through hole,   wherein the conductive adhesive joint extends from the motor, across a portion of the baseplate, into the though hole of the baseplate and into contact with the plated contact on the stainless steel layer of the flexure.   
     
     
         14 . A dual stage actuation suspension including:
 a stainless steel component having a plated contact, the plated contact comprising a first material plated directly on a second material, the first material conductive and non-corrosive, the first material comprising a metal or metal alloy, the second material comprising stainless steel of the stainless steel component, the stainless steel component including a stainless steel layer of a flexure having a through hole in the stainless steel layer, the through hole exposing plated traces;   a motor having an electrical contact;   a conductive adhesive joint between the electrical contact of the motor and the plated contact of the stainless steel component; and   a baseplate having a through hole aligned with the through hole in the flexure,   wherein the conductive adhesive joint extends from the motor, across a portion of the baseplate, into the though holes of the baseplate and flexure and into contact with the plated contact on the traces of the flexure.   
     
     
         15 . A dual stage actuation suspension including:
 a stainless steel component having a plated contact, the plated contact comprising a first material plated directly on a second material, the first material conductive and non-corrosive, the first material comprising a metal or metal alloy, the second material comprising stainless steel of the stainless steel component;   a motor having an electrical contact;   a conductive adhesive joint between the electrical contact of the motor and the plated contact of the stainless steel component; and   a baseplate having a hole;   wherein the stainless steel component includes a plated plug force fit into the hole in the baseplate, and   wherein the conductive adhesive joint extends from the plated contact on the plated plug onto the motor.   
     
     
         16 . A method of assembling a disk drive, the method comprising:
 attaching a spindle attached to a disk drive base;   mounting a disk on the spindle;   attaching a coarse actuator to the disk drive base, the coarse actuator including an actuator arm; and   attaching a suspension assembly to the actuator arm, the suspension assembly including:
 a flexure, the flexure including a metal layer, an insulator layer, a trace layer which includes a gold-plated ground trace; 
 a mounting plate; 
 a microactuator mounting structure formed in the mounting plate; and 
 a microactuator mounted in the microactuator mounting structure, the microactuator to position a read head; 
   attaching the flexure to the mounting plate; and   bonding a conductive epoxy to the microactuator and extending the conductive epoxy to bond to the gold-plated ground trace of the flexure, such that the microactuator is grounded to the flexure.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the microactuator is a piezoelectric microactuator. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the piezoelectric microactuator is gold (Au) plated. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the conductive epoxy includes silver (Ag). 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the metal layer of the flexure is stainless steel and the insulator layer is a polyimide. 
     
     
         21 . A suspension assembly comprising:
 a mounting plate;   a microactuator mounting structure formed in the mounting plate;   a microactuator mounted in the microactuator mounting structure, the microactuator to position a read head;   a flexure attached to the mounting plate, the flexure including a stainless steel layer, an insulator layer, a trace layer which includes a gold-plated ground trace; and   a conductive epoxy bonded to the microactuator extending to bond to the flexure, wherein the epoxy extends to the gold-plated ground trace of the flexure such that the microactuator is grounded to the flexure.   
     
     
         22 . The suspension assembly of  claim 21  wherein the microactuator is a piezoelectric microactuator. 
     
     
         23 . The suspension assembly of  claim 22  wherein the piezoelectric microactuator is gold (Au) plated. 
     
     
         24 . The suspension assembly of  claim 21  wherein the conductive epoxy is silver (Ag). 
     
     
         25 . The suspension assembly of  claim 21  wherein the insulator layer is a polyimide.