IP Library Granted Patent US 8,031,437
Granted Patent B2
US 8,031,437 · App. 12/313,641 · Granted Oct 4, 2011

Disk drive device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,031,437
App. No.
12/313,641
Granted
Oct 4, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a highly reliable hard disk drive (HDD). In an HDD according to an embodiment of the present invention, solder at a solder joint for joining a pad of a head slider and a pad of a transmission wiring comprises the main component of Sn and atomic percent to atomic percent of indium. The solder exhibits the γ phase within the range of −150° C. to 120° C. Accordingly, even if the HDD is left at a low temperature for a long time, the solder joint is not broken.

Claims (34)

1. A disk drive device comprising:

a head for accessing a disk;

an actuator for supporting the head to move the head above the magnetic disk;

a transmission wiring disposed on the actuator for transmitting signals of the head; and

solder for connecting the transmission wiring on the actuator and comprising the first main component of tin and the second main component of indium, the solder having a crystal structure, formed by the first main component of tin and the second main component of indium, being a simple hexagonal structure at least within a temperature range of −40° C. to 90° C.

2. The disk drive device according to claim 1 , wherein the solder is used for connecting an electrode pad of the head and the transmission wiring.

3. The disk drive device according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a gold film formed on a contact surface of the electrode pad to the solder; and

a layer mainly composed of an intermetallic compound or a solid solution of gold, tin, and indium between the pad and the solder.

4. The disk drive device according to claim 1 , wherein the solder contains at least one element selected from a group of cobalt, silver, and copper as an additive element.

5. The disk drive device according to claim 4 , wherein the solder contains 0.001 atomic percent to 1 atomic percent of cobalt.

6. The disk drive device according to claim 4 , wherein the solder contains 0.1 atomic percent to 3.8 atomic percent of silver.

7. The disk drive device according to claim 4 , wherein the solder contains 0.1 atomic percent to 1.3 atomic percent of copper.

8. The disk drive device according to claim 1 , wherein the solder contains 15 atomic percent to 27 atomic percent of indium.

9. A disk drive device comprising:

a head for accessing a disk;

an actuator for supporting the head to move the head above the magnetic disk;

a transmission wiring disposed on the actuator for transmitting signals of the head; and

solder containing the main component of tin and 15 atomic percent to 27 atomic percent of indium for connecting the transmission wiring on the actuator, the solder having a crystal structure, formed by said tin and said indium, being a simple hexagonal structure at least within a temperature range of −40° C. to 90° C.

10. The disk drive device according to claim 9 , wherein the solder is used for connecting an electrode pad of the head and the transmission wiring.

11. The disk drive device according to claim 10 , further comprising:

a gold film formed on the contact surface of the electrode pad to the solder; and

a layer mainly composed of an intermetallic compound or a solid solution of gold, tin, and indium between the pad and the solder.

12. The disk drive device according to claim 9 , wherein the solder contains at least one element selected from a group of cobalt, silver, and copper as an additive element.

13. The disk drive device according to claim 12 , wherein the solder contains 0.001 atomic percent to 1 atomic percent of cobalt.

14. The disk drive device according to claim 12 , wherein the solder contains 0.1 atomic percent to 3.8 atomic percent of silver.

15. The disk drive device according to claim 12 , wherein the solder contains 0.1 atomic percent to 1.3 atomic percent of copper.

16. A method of soldering transmission wiring in a disk drive device (HDD), comprising:

connecting, using solder, a transmission wiring for transmitting signals between an actuator of the HDD and a read/write head of the HDD,

wherein the solder comprises tin and indium, and wherein the solder has a crystal structure, formed by the tin and the indium, being a simple hexagonal structure while the solder is within a temperature range of −40° C. to 90° C.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the solder contains 15 atomic percent to 27 atomic percent of indium.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the solder further contains 0.001 atomic percent to 1 atomic percent of cobalt.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the solder further contains 0.1 atomic percent to 3.8 atomic percent of silver.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the solder further contains 0.1 atomic percent to 1.3 atomic percent of copper.

Assignments (7)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052915 FRAME 0566 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059127/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 052915/0566 →
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 Mar 9, 2009
From: SUZUKI, HIROYUKI; UEMATSU, YOSHIO
To: HITACHI GLOBAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGIES NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 022364/0591 →