IP Library Granted Patent US 8,029,637
Granted Patent B2
US 8,029,637 · App. 11/946,956 · Granted Oct 4, 2011

System, method and apparatus for ultraviolet curing of adhesives with light beam shaping in disk drive manufacturing

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,029,637
App. No.
11/946,956
Granted
Oct 4, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

UV curing of adhesives with light beam shaping utilizes a spot curing process that focuses a limited amount of UV light onto a target area, such as glue dots. A focusing lens may be used to direct the UV light beam to the target area. The target areas have different geometrical shapes, and the UV light is advantageously concentrated in a more efficient manner. Beam-shaping optics or lenses are used to facilitate re-shaping and re-defining the UV-light beam. The UV beam may be defined and limited to a rectangular spot to improve the spot process quality and efficiency.

Claims (26)

1. A method of assembling hard disk drive components, comprising:

(a) positioning an actuator comb adjacent to an integrated lead suspension (ILS);

(b) applying a plurality of adhesive drops in a pattern to the actuator comb and ILS such that the adhesive drops extend between the actuator comb and ILS to form an assembly;

(c) providing light from a light source and directing the light through a light guide having an outlet end for emitting light conveyed through the light guide; and

(d) passing the emitted light from the outlet end of the light guide through a lens assembly comprising a collimating lens and a pair of cylindrical lenses, the lens assembly being located between the outlet end of the light guide and the assembly for collimating the emitted light and forming a rectangular light beam that is contoured to the shape of the pattern of adhesive drops to cure the adhesive drops and form a bond between the actuator comb and the ILS.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the collimating lens is located adjacent to the outlet end and light guide emits a diverging beam that passes through the collimating lens prior to passing through the cylindrical lenses.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the cylindrical lenses has a convex leading surface and a planar trailing surface that are normal to an axis of the emitted light.

4. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising rotating and positioning the cylindrical lenses 90 degrees out of phase relative to each other.

5. A method of assembling hard disk drive components, comprising:

(a) positioning an actuator comb adjacent to an integrated lead suspension (ILS);

(b) applying a plurality of adhesive drops in a pattern to the actuator comb and ILS such that the adhesive drops extend between the actuator comb and ILS to form an assembly;

(c) providing light from a light source and directing the light through a light guide having an outlet end for emitting light conveyed through the light guide;

(d) positioning a lens assembly between the outlet end of the light guide and the assembly, the lens assembly comprising a spherical collimating lens and a pair of cylindrical lenses; and then

(e) passing the emitted light from the light guide through the lens assembly for collimating the emitted light and forming a rectangular light beam that is contoured to the shape of the pattern of adhesive drops to cure the adhesive drops and form a bond between the actuator comb and the ILS.

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the collimating lens is located adjacent to the outlet end and light guide emits a diverging beam that passes through the collimating lens prior to passing through the pair of cylindrical lenses.

7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein each of the cylindrical lenses has a convex leading surface and a planar trailing surface that are normal to an axis of the emitted light.

8. A method according to claim 5 , wherein the light source emits UV light, and further comprising:

rotating and positioning the cylindrical lenses 90 degrees out of phase relative to each other.

9. A method of assembling hard disk drive components, comprising:

(a) positioning an actuator comb adjacent to an integrated lead suspension (ILS);

(b) applying a plurality of adhesive drops in a pattern to the actuator comb and ILS such that the adhesive drops extend between the actuator comb and ILS to form an assembly;

(c) providing UV light from a light source and directing the light through a light guide having an outlet end for emitting light conveyed through the light guide;

(d) positioning a lens assembly between the outlet end of the light guide and the assembly, the lens assembly comprising a spherical collimating lens and a pair of cylindrical lenses, and the collimating lens is located closest to the outlet end of the light guide; and then

(e) emitting a diverging beam from the light guide first through the collimating lens prior to passing through pair of cylindrical lenses for collimating the diverging beam and forming a rectangular light beam that is contoured to the shape of the pattern of adhesive drops to cure the adhesive drops and form a bond between the actuator comb and the ILS.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein each of the cylindrical lenses has a convex leading surface and a planar trailing surface that are both normal to an axis of the diverging beam.

11. A method according to claim 9 , further comprising rotating and positioning the cylindrical lenses 90 degrees out of phase relative to each other.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2016
From: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040826/0821 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 25, 2012
From: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 029341/0777 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2007
From: KAVOSH, IRAJ, MR.; MOATES, RUSSELL DEAN, MR.
To: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS BV
Reel/Frame 020173/0320 →