IP Library Granted Patent US 7,551,406
Granted Patent B1
US 7,551,406 · App. 11/414,468 · Granted Jun 23, 2009

Dual electrical lapping guides with common bonding pad

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,551,406
App. No.
11/414,468
Granted
Jun 23, 2009
Kind
B1
Abstract

A recording head comprises a write element, including a coil and a dynamic fly-height heater, and two electrical lapping guides. The head also comprises a number of bonding pads including a DFH bonding pad and a shared bonding pad both electrically connected to the dynamic fly-height heater. Each lapping guide defines a circuit between the shared bonding pad and a dedicated bonding pad and each includes a resistive element. The resistive elements of the two lapping guides can be vertically aligned to be used to control a lapping tilt angle when a bar of unfinished heads is lapped. After lapping, a channel is defined into the transducer of the recording head. Forming the channel can remove at least a portion of each lapping guide in order to break the electrical circuit of that guide.

Claims (13)

1. A magnetic recording head comprising:

a write element including a write coil and a dynamic fly-height heater;

a DFH bonding pad and a shared bonding pad both electrically connected to the dynamic fly-height heater;

a first electrical lapping guide electrically connected to a first electrical lapping guide bonding pad and the shared bonding pad; and

a second electrical lapping guide electrically connected to a second electrical lapping guide bonding pad and the shared bonding pad.

2. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 further comprising a pair of write coil bonding pads electrically connected to the write coil.

3. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 further comprising an MR stripe and a pair of read bonding pads electrically connected therewith.

4. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 wherein the total number of bonding pads is no more than eight.

5. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 wherein the first electrical lapping guide includes an open circuit between the shared bonding pad and the first electrical lapping guide bonding pad.

6. The magnetic recording head of claim 5 wherein the second electrical lapping guide includes an open circuit between the shared bonding pad and the second electrical lapping guide bonding pad.

7. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 further comprising an air bearing surface including a channel that creates the open circuit between the shared bonding pad and the first electrical lapping guide bonding pad.

8. The magnetic recording head of claim 7 wherein the channel also creates an open circuit between the shared bonding pad and the second electrical lapping guide bonding pad.

9. The magnetic recording head of claim 1 wherein the magnetic recording head comprises a perpendicular recording head.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 038710 FRAME 0845 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC; WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058965/0445 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2019
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 050450/0582 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
Reel/Frame 045501/0158 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0755 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038710/0845 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0675 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE NAME PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 017840 FRAME 0585. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNEE NAME IS WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), INC. Recorded Jan 9, 2009
From: THOMAS, MARK D.; LUO, PENG; CHUNG, LUC VING; ZHANG, LEI LARRY
To: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), INC.
Reel/Frame 022085/0321 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2006
From: THOMAS, MARK D.; LUO, PENG; CHUNG, LUC VING; ZHANG, LEI LARRY
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 017840/0585 →