IP Library Granted Patent US 11,240,919
Granted Patent B2
US 11,240,919 · App. 16/778,234 · Granted Feb 1, 2022

Connecting device and disk device

Inventor: Norio Yoshikawa (Yokohama Kanagawa, JP)
Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
H05K3/363G11B5/105H05K1/118H05K1/147H05K3/323
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,240,919
App. No.
16/778,234
Granted
Feb 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A connecting device includes a first flexible printed circuit including a bonding end in which a plurality of connecting pads are provided, a first base portion, a junction portion extending between the bonding end and the first base portion, and a plurality of traces extending from the first base portion to the bonding end, a first connector that is mounted on the first base portion, a second flexible printed circuit including a bonding end in which a plurality of connecting pads are provided, a second base portion, a junction portion extending between the bonding end and the second base portion, and a plurality of traces extending from the second base portion to the bonding end, and a second connector that is mounted on the second base portion. The first connector and the second connector are disposed side by side in a same plane.

Claims (56)

1. A connecting device comprising: a first flexible printed circuit including a bonding end in which a plurality of connecting pads are provided, a first base portion, a junction portion extending between the bonding end and the first base portion, and a plurality of traces extending from the first base portion to the bonding end; a first connector that is mounted on the first base portion; a second flexible printed circuit including a bonding end in which a plurality of connecting pads are provided, a second base portion, a junction portion extending between the bonding end and the second base portion, and a plurality of traces extending from the second base portion to the bonding end; and a second connector that is mounted on the second base portion, wherein the first connector and the second connector are disposed side by side in a same plane, wherein a first support that is attached to the first base portion and supports the first connector, and a second support that is attached to the second base portion and supports the second connector.

2. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first support includes a first engaging portion that engages the second support and a housing space portion that houses at least part of the second support, and

the second support includes a second engaging portion with which the first engaging portion is brought into engagement, and is held by the first support in a state in which at least part of the second support is disposed in the housing space portion and the first engaging portion is in engagement with the second engaging portion.

3. The connecting device according to claim 2 , wherein

the first support includes a first pressing portion that presses the second support toward the second connector, and

the second support includes an abutment portion that abuts the first pressing portion.

4. The connecting device according to claim 3 , wherein

the first support comprises

a main body including a bottom face, a top face opposite to the bottom face, and a first side face that intersects the bottom face, and

a side plate including a second side face extending in a direction intersecting the bottom face, and

the first engaging portion includes an engaging arm extending from the side plate.

5. The connecting device according to claim 4 , wherein

the first pressing portion includes a pressing arm that extends from the main body and is elastically deformable.

6. The connecting device according to claim 5 , wherein

the first base portion of the first flexible printed circuit is fixed to the bottom face and the second side face of the first support, and

the first connector is placed on the bottom face with the first base portion sandwiched therebetween.

7. The connecting device according to claim 6 , wherein

the second support comprises

a main body including a bottom face and a top face opposite to the bottom face, and

a side plate including a side face that intersects the bottom face, and

the second engaging portion includes an engaging recess portion formed in the main body.

8. The connecting device according to claim 7 , wherein

the second base portion of the second flexible printed circuit is fixed to the bottom face and the side face of the second support,

the second connector is placed on the bottom face with the second base portion sandwiched therebetween, and

the bottom face of the first support and the bottom face of the second support are located side by side in a same plane in a state in which the second support is held by the first support.

9. The connecting device according to claim 8 , wherein

the abutment portion of the second support includes a positioning recess formed in the top face of the main body.

10. The connecting device according to claim 1 , wherein

a length of a trace of the first flexible printed circuit is equal to a length of a trace of the second flexible printed circuit.

11. A disk device comprising: a casing; a plurality of magnetic disks disposed in the casing; a plurality of head actuators that include magnetic heads and are rotatably provided in the casing; and a connecting device provided in the casing and connected to the plurality of head actuators, the connecting device including: a first flexible printed circuit including a bonding end in which a plurality of connecting pads are provided, a first base portion, a junction portion extending between the bonding end and the first base portion, and a plurality of traces extending from the first base portion to the bonding end; a first connector that is mounted on the first base portion; a second flexible printed circuit including a bonding end in which a plurality of connecting pads are provided, a second base portion, a junction portion extending between the bonding end and the second base portion, and a plurality of traces extending from the second base portion to the bonding end; and a second connector that is mounted on the second base portion, wherein the first connector and the second connector are disposed side by side in a same plane, wherein the connecting device further comprises a first support that is attached to the first base portion and supports the first connector, and a second support that is attached to the second base portion and supports the second connector.

12. The disk device according to claim 11 , wherein

the first support includes a first engaging portion that engages the second support and a housing space portion that houses at least part of the second support, and

the second support includes a second engaging portion with which the first engaging portion is brought into engagement, and is held by the first support in a state in which at least part of the second support is disposed in the housing space portion and the first engaging portion is in engagement with the second engaging portion.

13. The disk device according to claim 12 , wherein

the first support includes a first pressing portion that presses the second support toward the second connector, and

the second support includes an abutment portion that abuts the first pressing portion.

14. The disk device according to claim 13 , wherein

the first support comprises

a main body including a bottom face, a top face opposite to the bottom face, and a first side face that intersects the bottom face, and

a side plate including a second side face extending in a direction intersecting the bottom face, and

the first engaging portion includes an engaging arm extending from the side plate.

15. The disk device according to claim 14 , wherein

the first pressing portion includes a pressing arm that extends from the main body and is elastically deformable.

16. The disk device according to claim 15 , wherein

the first base portion of the first flexible printed circuit is fixed to the bottom face and the second side face of the first support, and

the first connector is placed on the bottom face with the first base portion sandwiched therebetween.

17. The disk device according to claim 16 , wherein

the second support comprises

a main body including a bottom face and a top face opposite to the bottom face, and

a side plate including a side face that intersects the bottom face, and

the second engaging portion includes an engaging recess portion formed in the main body.

18. The disk device according to claim 17 , wherein

the second base portion of the second flexible printed circuit is fixed to the bottom face and the side face of the second support,

the second connector is placed on the bottom face with the second base portion sandwiched therebetween, and

the bottom face of the first support and the bottom face of the second support are located side by side in a same plane in a state in which the second support is held by the first support.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 31, 2020
From: YOSHIKAWA, NORIO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA; TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 051683/0119 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP JP2019-164840 · Sep 10, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210076506A1 · Mar 11, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,593,413