IP Library Granted Patent US 12706115
Granted Patent B2
US 12706115 · App. 18/340,033 · Granted Aug 11, 2026

Temperature measuring unit, disk drive suspension manufacturing apparatus, and disk drive suspension manufacturing method

Inventor: Takeshi Shimoda (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
G11B5/5565G01K1/14G01K7/02G01K13/00G11B33/144G11B5/483Y10T29/49025
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12706115
App. No.
18/340,033
Granted
Aug 11, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A temperature measuring unit includes a base including a first face, a second face on a side opposite to the first face, and a first opening portion penetrating the first face and the second face, a support member including a body portion provided on the second face side to overlap with the first opening portion, and a plurality of extending portions extending from the body portion along the second face and overlapping with the second face, and a thermocouple inserted into the first opening portion and including a measuring portion located on the body portion.

Claims (34)

1 . A temperature measuring unit comprising:

a base including a first face, a second face on a side opposite to the first face, and a first opening portion penetrating the first face and the second face;

a support member including a body portion provided on the second face side to overlap with the first opening portion, and a plurality of extending portions extending from the body portion along the second face and overlapping with the second face; and

a thermocouple inserted into the first opening portion and including a measuring portion located on the body portion,

wherein the plurality of extending portions are circumferentially spaced apart around the body portion.

2 . The temperature measuring unit of claim 1 , wherein

the support member includes a second opening portion overlapping with a center of the first opening portion and penetrating the body portion, and

the measuring portion is located in the second opening portion.

3 . The temperature measuring unit of claim 1 , wherein each of the extending portions includes a proximal portion connected to the body portion, and a distal end portion overlapping with the second face and having a width smaller than a width of the proximal portion.

4 . The temperature measuring unit of claim 3 , wherein the support member further includes a fixed portion connected to the distal end portion, overlapping with the second face, and having a width greater than the distal end portion.

5 . The temperature measuring unit of claim 1 , wherein the support member further includes a frame portion connected to the plurality of extending portions and overlapping with the second face.

6 . The temperature measuring unit of claim 1 , further comprising:

adhesives bonding the base with the support member,

wherein

the support member further includes a plurality of third opening portions overlapping with the second face and penetrating the support member, and

the adhesives are located in the third opening portions.

7 . An apparatus for manufacturing a disk drive suspension comprising an actuator mounted portion on which a piezoelectric element is mounted, the apparatus comprising:

a coating device configured to apply an adhesive to the actuator mounted portion;

an infrared irradiation device configured to heat the adhesive by irradiating infrared rays to the applied adhesive;

the temperature measuring unit of claim 1 which measures a temperature at an irradiation position of the infrared rays; and

a control device configured to adjust irradiation conditions of the infrared rays, based on a temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein

the disk drive suspension includes a metal base located on the actuator mounted portion, and

a material for forming the support member is the same as a material for forming the metal base.

9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein

the disk drive suspension includes a metal base located on the actuator mounted portion, and

a thickness of the support member is equal to a thickness of the metal base.

10 . A method of manufacturing a disk drive suspension comprising an actuator mounted portion on which a piezoelectric element is mounted, the method comprising:

applying an adhesive to the actuator mounted portion;

irradiating infrared rays to the adhesive applied to the actuator mounted portion;

arranging the temperature measuring unit of claim 1 , at an irradiation position of the infrared rays irradiated to the adhesive applied to the actuator mounted portion;

irradiating the infrared rays to the temperature measuring unit;

measuring a temperature at the irradiation position by the temperature measuring unit;

adjusting irradiation conditions of the infrared rays, based on the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit.