Magnetic disk head

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a head for a magnetic disk. More specifically, the present invention relates to a support structure for a head slider for a floating magnetic disk.

【0002】

[Previous technology]

A floating magnetic head for reading and writing to a magnetic disk is basically composed of a head slider that slides relatively on the surface of the magnetic disk and a load beam that supports the slider. In order to support the floating surface of the head slider on the magnetic disk surface so as to be able to follow the inclination, the road beam supports the head slider via a so-called gimbal support mechanism.

【0003】

FIG. 11 shows a head for a magnetic disk having this configuration. As shown in this figure, the magnetic disk head 1 is composed of a head slider 2 formed of a magnetic material such as ferrite and a load beam 3 that supports the head slider 2. The road beam 3 supports the head slider 2 via a gimbal spring 4. The gimbal spring 4 has an arrow-shaped tongue portion 4a punched out from a strip-shaped leaf spring material, and the tongue portion 4a is adhered to the upper surface 2a of the head slider 2. On the other hand, the end portion 4b on the load beam side of the remaining portion where the tongue portion 4a is punched is fixed to the back surface on the tip end side of the load beam 3 by spot welding or the like. Therefore, the head slider 2 is connected to the side of the road beam via the narrow portion 4c of the gimbal spring. Further, a hemispherically pressed pivot 4d is formed on the tongue portion 4a.

【0004】

During operation, the head slider 2 is supported on the back surface side of the load beam 3 via the pivot 4d, so that rolling and pitching are possible around the pivot 4d. Further, since the head slider 2 is connected to the side of the road beam 3 via the narrow portion 4c of the gimbal spring, such rolling and pitching operations can be easily performed. Therefore, the head slider 2 is supported by the tip of the load beam 3 in a state where the floating surface 2b can easily follow the inclination of the magnetic disk surface 5.

【0005】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

As described above, the conventional gimbal support mechanism has a configuration in which a gimbal spring is adhered to the upper surface of the head slider, and one end of the gimbal spring is fixed to the back surface on the tip side of the road beam. Since the gimbal support mechanism is configured in the thickness direction of the head slider in this way, more dimensions in the thickness direction of the head slider are required accordingly. In general, a plurality of magnetic disks are often stacked and used, and in this case, a head slider portion is inserted between the magnetic disks. Therefore, if the size of the head slider in the thickness direction is large, the number of magnetic disks that can be stored in the limited space is reduced.

【0006】

Further, in the conventional gimbal support mechanism, the gimbal spring is adhered to the upper surface of the head slider. This bonded portion is a portion where stress is concentrated during rolling and pitching of the head slider, and is also a portion where stress is repeatedly applied. Therefore, there is a problem that the adhesive portion is easily peeled off.

【0007】

The main subject of the present invention is to focus on such a drawback of the conventional gimbal support mechanism, and to realize a head for a magnetic disk provided with a gimbal support mechanism that does not increase the thickness direction of the head slider portion. To do.

【0008】

[Means for solving problems]

In order to solve the above problems, in the head for a magnetic disk of the present invention, a gimbal support mechanism for supporting the head slider on the road beam in a rolling and pitching state is configured as follows. That is, the gimbal support mechanism is formed of an elastic connecting member coupled to the head slider and the load beam, and the insertion portion formed by connecting the connecting member and the head slider in the connecting member is formed in the head slider. It is made to be connected by inserting it inside.

【0009】

The connecting member is preferably formed of a flat plate that may have a curved portion.

【0010】

Here, if a neck portion for reducing the torsional rigidity is formed in the connecting member and an insertion portion is formed in a portion closer to the head slider than the neck portion, the head slider can be easily magnetized. It is preferable because it can follow the inclination of the dism surface. Further, the connecting portion of the gimbal support mechanism becomes a slit on the side surface of the head slider or a slit in the vertical internal direction from the upper surface portion of the head slider, so that the support mechanism can be lowered.

【0011】

[Example]

Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

【0012】

FIG. 1 shows the head for a magnetic disk of this example. As shown in this figure, the magnetic disk head 11 supports the head slider 12 and the floating surface (ABS surface) 121 of the head slider 12 in a slightly raised state with respect to the recording surface of the rotating magnetic disk 5. Has a load beam 13 for. The road beam 13 supports the head slider 12 via the gimbal support mechanism 16. The base end side of the load beam 13 is fixed to an arm (not shown) supported on the side of the magnetic disk drive main body (not shown).

【0013】

The load beam 13 is formed of an elastic material such as stainless steel, and flanges 13a that are received upward and bent at a right angle are formed on both side edges in the middle thereof, which is desired for the load beam. Rigidity is given. The tip of the load beam 13 is a vertical surface 13b bent at a right angle upward, and a notch 13c for fixing the wiring tube 18 accommodating the winding 17 described later is provided on the upper edge thereof. There is. When the head slider is small, the steel property of the support mechanism for supporting the head slider is not strongly required. Therefore, according to the present invention, a flat plate may be used without providing the flange 13a of the load beam portion.

【0014】

The head slider 12 has a structure in which a slider body 122 formed of a magnetic material such as ferrite and a head core 123 are integrated with each other via a magnetic gap 124. The head core 123 has a C shape as a whole, and the winding 17 is wound around the front core portion 123a. The winding 17 is pulled out to the side of the magnetic disk drive device (not shown) in a state of being covered with the wiring tube 18.

【0015】

The gimbal support mechanism 16 of this example is configured around the flexure 21. The flexure 21 can be formed of an elastic material such as stainless steel. The structure of the gimbal support mechanism 16 of this example will be described with reference to FIG.

【0016】

As shown in FIG. 2, the flexure 21 is formed by punching a plate material, and has a bifurcated fork shape as a whole. The fork-shaped base end-side portion is integrated with the load beam 13, and the fork-shaped head-side portion is the head slider-side coupling portion 212 that is coupled to the head slider 12 side. A narrow neck portion 213 is formed between these joint portions 211 and 212. The head slider side coupling portion 212 has a U shape having substantially the same width as the head slider 12. The arm portions on both sides of the U shape have narrow insertion portions 212a and 212b on the tip side and wide portions 212c and 212d on the base end side.

【0017】

On the other hand, on the side of the head slider 12, a pair of insertion slits 22 and 23 extending from the side of the front end surface 122a of the slider main body 122 toward the side of the rear end surface 122b are formed. These slits 22 and 23 are formed at substantially the center position in the thickness direction of the slider body 122, and are opened on the left and right side surfaces 122c and 122d of the slider body, respectively. The widths of these slits 22 and 23 in the left-right direction and the up-down direction are set so that the insertion portions 212a and 212b on the flexor 21 side can be inserted exactly. However, the width is set narrower than the wide portions 212c and 212d on the base end side of the insertion portion. Therefore, when the flexor 21 is inserted into the slider body 122, as can be seen from FIG. 1, the insertion portions 212a and 212b of the step portions 212e and 212f from the insertion portions 212a and 212b to the wide portions 212c and 212d have the insertion portions 212a and 212b. When inserted into the slits 22 and 23, it comes into contact with the slider front end surface 122a to form a stopper for positioning the support and the slider.

【0018】

In the gimbal support mechanism 16 of this example configured in this way, since the neck portion 213 is formed in the flexure 21, the torsional rigidity of this portion is sufficiently low. Therefore, the side of the head slider 12 is supported on the side of the road beam 13 in a state where it can be rolled and pitched.

【0019】

In the gimbal support mechanism 16 of this example, the flexor 21 which is a component thereof extends rearward from the rear end surface 122a of the slider main body 122. Therefore, unlike the case where the gimbal support mechanism is configured in the thickness direction of the slider body as in the conventional case, the dimension of the head slider 12 in the thickness direction can be substantially suppressed to the thickness of the slider body 122.

【0020】

Further, by inserting the flexure 21 into the slider main body 122 and fixing the inserted portion to the side of the slider main body with an adhesive, the flexure 21 is firmly bonded to the slider main body 122.

【0021】

In this example, as a preferred embodiment having a stable flexor function, a pair of insertion slits 22 and 23 are formed on the side of the slider main body 122, but instead, they are connected as shown in FIG. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which one insertion slit 24 is formed. Further, as shown in this figure, the depth of the slit 24 may be set to a length at which the insertion portions 212a and 212b of the flexure 21 can be inserted.

【0022】

Further, in this example, a narrow neck portion 213 is formed in order to impart a desired torsional rigidity to the flexure 21. When such a neck portion is not formed, for example, the desired torsional rigidity may be imparted to the flexure 21 as follows. That is, the flexure 21 may be formed from a material having desired flexibility or elasticity, and the width W of the load beam side coupling portion 211 may be set to an appropriate dimension as shown in FIG. Specific dimensions and the like have properties that should be appropriately set according to each case.

【0023】

Figure 5 shows another shape of the flexor. In the example shown in this figure, the fork-shaped head 31a of the flexure 31 is curved so as to be convex upward. In this way, elasticity in the vertical direction can be imparted to the fresher 31, which is preferable.

【0024】

In the above example, a bifurcated fork shape is adopted as the flexure, but it goes without saying that a bifurcated fork shape may be used, for example, a trifurcated or more branched shape.

【0025】

Next, FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 show another gimbal support mechanism of this example. In the examples shown in these figures, a pair of insertion slits 41 and 42 extending in the vertical direction are formed at a position in the middle of the upper surface 122e of the slider main body 122. The flexor 43 has a bifurcated fork shape as a whole, and the insertion portions 43a, 43a, and 43b bent at right angles toward the lower side are located in the slits 41 and 42, respectively, at the tip portions on both sides of the head side. It is plugged in, filled with glue and glued here. Even if the gimbal support mechanism is configured in this way, the same effect as the example shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained. In addition to this, in the case of this example, the insertion portions 43a and 43b of the flexor 43 are mechanically engaged with the slits 41 and 42 of the slider body 122. Therefore, there is also an advantage that the bond strength of both of them can be increased.

【0026】

Of course, the pair of slits 41 and 42 formed on the side of the slider main body 122 may be connected to each other as shown in FIG. 9 to form a single slit 44. Further, although the flexor 43 forms a narrow neck portion 43c in the example shown in the figure, such a neck portion can be omitted. This point is the same as in the case of the example of FIG.

【0027】

Next, FIG. 10 shows another shape of the flexure. In the above example, the flexor has a bifurcated fork shape, but as shown in this figure, it can also be a spoon shape as a whole. Alternatively, it is possible to form an ice pick shape that gradually narrows toward the side of the slider body.

【0028】

Although each of the above examples relates to a so-called monolithic or winchester type head slider, the present invention can be similarly applied to a so-called composite type head slider or a thin film head slider.

【0029】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, in the present invention, an insertion portion is formed in a flexible connecting member (flexor) connecting the head slider of the magnetic disk head to the side of the load beam, and this is used as the head slider. The gimbal support mechanism is configured by inserting it into the insertion slit formed on the side and fixing it here. Therefore, according to the present invention, such a gimbal support mechanism can be configured without increasing the thickness direction dimension of the head slider portion.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

[Figure 1]

It is a perspective view which shows the head for the magnetic disk of one Example of this invention.

[Figure 2]

It is an exploded perspective view which shows the part of the gimbal support mechanism in the head for a magnetic disk of FIG. 1 taken out.

[Fig. 3]

It is a perspective view which shows another structure of the slider main body in FIG.

[Fig. 4]

It is a perspective view which shows another structure of a flexor in FIG.

[Fig. 5]

It is a partial perspective view which shows another Example of this invention.

[Fig. 6]

It is a partial perspective view which shows another Example of this invention.

[Fig. 7]

It is a perspective view which shows the head slider of FIG.

[Fig. 8]

It is a perspective view which shows the flexor of FIG.

[Fig. 9]

It is a perspective view which shows the modification of the head slider of FIG.

[Fig. 10]

It is a partial perspective view which shows another Example of this invention.

[Fig. 11]

It is a perspective view which shows the head for a conventional magnetic disk.

[Explanation of symbols]

11 Head for magnetic disk 12 Head slider 13 Road beam 16 ... Gimbal support mechanism 21 Flexher (connecting member) 22, 23 ... Slit for insertion 211 Road beam side coupling 212 Head slider side joint 212a, 212b ... Insert