INTEGRATED HEAD-ELECTRONICS INTERCONNECTION SUSPENSION FOR A DATA RECORDING DISK DRIVE

AN INTEGRATED TRANSDUCER-ELECTRONICS INTERCONNECTION SUSPENSION (12) FOR A DISK DRIVE HAVING A HIGH DATA TRANSFER RATE GENERALLY ABOVE 15 MBYTES/SEC BETWEEN THE TRANSDUCER AND THE READ/WRITE ELECTRONICS. A SUSPENSION (12) SUPPORTS A SLIDER (27) TO WHICH A TRANSDUCER (28) IS MOUNTED AND MAINTAINS THE SLIDER (27) IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE DISK SURFACE. AN INTEGRATED TRANSDUCER-ELECTRONICS INTERCONNECTION SUSPENSION (12) IS A LAMINATE STRUCTURE HAVING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE TRACES (24) AS PART OF THE STRUCTURE AND CONNECTING THE TRANSDUCER (28) WITH THE READ/ WRITE ELECTRONICS. IT CAN SUPPORT HIGH DATA TRANSFER RATES BETWEEN THE TRANSDUCER (28) AND THE READ/WRITE ELECTRONICS BY AVOIDING SUDDEN CHANGES IN THE CHARACTERISTIC IMPEDANCE OF THE TRACES TO MINIMIZE SIGNAL REFLECTION ON THEM. THE WIDTH OF THE TRACES ARE SHAPED ACCORDINGLY TO PREVENT ABRUPT CHANGES IN THE TRACE IMPEDANCE CAUSED BY TRACE BONDING AREAS. APERTURES AND OTHER MECHANICAL OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE SUSPENSION. CHANGES IN THE TRACES'' DIRECTION ARE GRADUAL TO AVOID SIGNAL REFLECTION. ALSO A PATTERNED ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE BACK PLANE MAY BE PROVIDED IN THE LAMINATE TO BETTER CONTROL THE TRACE CHARACTERISTIC IMPEDANCE. WHERE A TRACE CROSSES ABOVE A BACK PLANE OPENING LATERAL EXTENSIONS FROM THE TRACE''S SIDE EDGES ARE FORMED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE RESULTING IMPEDANCE CHANGE. IN ADDITION. THE TRACES AND BONDING AREAS ARE GROUPED BY SIGNAL TYPE. WITH SUFFICIENT SPACING BETWEEN THE GROUPS. TO MINIMIZE CROSS-COUPLING OF THE SIGNALS.(FIG.3)