Head-gimbal assembly with a suspension-lead pad having a form that is configured to inhibit formation of an inter-pad solder bridge

1. A head-gimbal assembly (HGA) with a suspension-lead pad having a form that is configured to inhibit formation of an inter-pad solder bridge, said HGA comprising:

a gimbal;

a head-slider coupled with said gimbal, said head-slider comprising a plurality of head-slider pads; and

a plurality of suspension-lead pads coupled respectively with said plurality of head-slider pads by a plurality of respective solder bonds, a suspension-lead pad of said plurality of suspension-lead pads comprising a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a proximal side, disposed in proximity to a respective head-slider pad, and a distal side, disposed distally from said respective head-slider pad;

wherein a first width of said suspension-lead pad closer to said proximal side is substantially larger than a second width of said suspension-lead pad further from said proximal side than said first width, wherein a second suspension-lead pad of said plurality of suspension-lead pads comprises a first lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad, and a second lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad; and

wherein said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad lie substantially along respective straight-line segments, and a straight-line segment corresponding to said first lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad is substantially parallel to a straight-line segment corresponding to said second lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad.

2. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said suspension-lead pad lie substantially along respective straight-line segments, and a straight-line segment corresponding to said first lateral side of said suspension-lead pad is not parallel to a straight-line segment corresponding to said second lateral side of said suspension-lead pad.

3. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein a proximal inter-pad distance defined between said second lateral side of said suspension-lead pad and an adjacent first lateral side of an adjacent suspension-lead pad at said proximal side of said suspension-lead pad is substantially less than a distal inter-pad distance defined between said second lateral side of said suspension-lead pad and said adjacent first lateral side of said adjacent suspension-lead pad at said distal side of said suspension-lead pad.

4. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein a head-slider pad of said plurality of head-slider pads comprises a first lateral side of said head-slider pad, and a second lateral side of said head-slider pad; and

wherein said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said head-slider pad lie substantially along respective straight-line segments, and a straight-line segment corresponding to said first lateral side of said head-slider pad is not parallel to a straight-line segment corresponding to said second lateral side of said head-slider pad.

5. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein said second suspension-lead pad of said plurality of suspension-lead pads is configured with a shape in a plane in which said second suspension-lead pad substantially lies that is substantially rectangular.

6. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein said plurality of suspension-lead pads comprises a fan-out structure, wherein proximal sides of said plurality of suspension-lead pads disposed in proximity to said plurality of respective head-slider pads are spaced closer together than distal sides of said plurality of suspension-lead pads disposed distally from said plurality of respective head-slider pads.

7. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein a width of a proximal side of a head-slider pad disposed in proximity to a respective suspension-lead pad is larger than a width of a distal side of said head-slider pad disposed distally from said respective suspension-lead pad.

8. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein said suspension-lead pad is configured with a shape in a plane in which said suspension-lead pad substantially lies that is selected from shapes of figures of the group consisting of a trapezoid, an isosceles trapezoid, and a trapezoid that is a truncation of a right triangle.

9. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein a head-slider pad is configured with a shape in a plane in which said head-slider pad substantially lies that is selected from shapes of figures of the group consisting of a rectangle, a trapezoid, an isosceles trapezoid, and a trapezoid that is a truncation of a right triangle.

10. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein a distal portion of a head-slider pad disposed distally from a respective suspension-lead pad is configured with a broadened portion.

11. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein a proximal portion of said suspension-lead pad disposed in proximity to a respective head-slider pad is configured with a broadened portion.

12. The HGA of claim 1 , wherein widths of an end pair of pads comprising a respective head-slider pad and a respective suspension-lead pad disposed at an end of an array of respective head-slider pads and respective suspension-lead pads are configured with greater widths than corresponding widths of a pair of pads comprising a head-slider pad and a respective suspension-lead pad not disposed at an end of said array of respective head-slider pads and respective suspension-lead pads.

13. A head-slider with a head-slider pad having a form that is configured to inhibit formation of an inter-pad solder bridge, said head-slider comprising:

a slider;

a magnetic-recording head coupled with said slider, said magnetic-recording head comprising:

a write element configured for writing data to a magnetic-recording disk;

a read element configured for reading data from said magnetic-recording disk; and

a plurality of head-slider pads, a head-slider pad of said plurality of head-slider pads comprising a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a proximal side, configured for being disposed in proximity to a respective suspension-lead pad, and a distal side, configured for being disposed distally from said respective suspension-lead pad;

wherein a first width of said head-slider pad closer to said proximal side is substantially wider than a second width of said head-slider pad towards said proximal side than said first width and includes a broadened portion more distal than said second narrower width of said head slider portion, wherein a distal portion of said head-slider pad configured for being disposed distally from said respective suspension-lead pad is configured with a broadened portion.

14. The head-slider of claim 13 , wherein said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said head-slider pad lie substantially along respective straight-line segments, and a straight-line segment corresponding to said first lateral side is not parallel to a straight-line segment corresponding to said second lateral side.

15. The head-slider of claim 13 , wherein a proximal inter-pad distance defined between said second lateral side of said head-slider pad and an adjacent first lateral side of an adjacent head-slider pad at said proximal side of said head-slider pad is substantially less than a distal inter-pad distance between said second lateral side of said head-slider pad and said adjacent first lateral side of said adjacent head-slider pad at said distal side of said head-slider pad.

16. The head-slider of claim 13 , wherein said head-slider pad is configured with a shape in a plane in which said head-slider pad substantially lies that is selected from shapes of figures of the group consisting of a trapezoid, an isosceles trapezoid, and a trapezoid that is a truncation of a right triangle.

17. The head-slider of claim 13 , wherein an end head-slider pad disposed at an end of an array of respective head-slider pads is configured with a greater width than a corresponding width of a head-slider pad not disposed at an end of said array of head-slider pads.

18. A hard-disk drive (HDD) including a HGA with a suspension-lead pad having a form that is configured to inhibit formation of an inter-pad solder bridge, said HDD comprising:

a magnetic-recording disk;

a disk enclosure comprising a disk-enclosure base;

a spindle motor affixed in said disk-enclosure base, for rotating said magnetic-recording disk;

an actuator arm; and

a HGA attached to said actuator arm, said HGA comprising:

a gimbal;

a head-slider coupled with said gimbal, comprising:

a slider;

a magnetic-recording head coupled with said slider, said magnetic-recording head comprising:

a write element configured to write data to said magnetic-recording disk;

a read element configured to read data from said magnetic-recording disk; and

a plurality of head-slider pads; and

a plurality of suspension-lead pads coupled respectively with said plurality of head-slider pads by a plurality of respective solder bonds, a suspension-lead pad of said plurality of suspension-lead pads comprising a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a proximal side, disposed in proximity to a respective head-slider pad, and a distal side, disposed distally from said respective head-slider pad;

wherein a first width of said suspension-lead pad closer to said proximal side is substantially larger than a second width of said suspension-lead pad further from said proximal side than said first width;

wherein said HGA is configured to support said head-slider in proximity with a recording surface of said magnetic-recording disk when said magnetic-recording disk is rotated by said spindle motor, and said actuator arm is configured to be pivoted by a voice coil motor for accessing data on said magnetic-recording disk; and

wherein widths of an end pair of pads comprising a respective head-slider pad and a respective suspension-lead pad disposed at an end of an array of respective head-slider pads and respective suspension-lead pads are configured with greater widths than corresponding widths of a pair of pads comprising a head-slider pad and a respective suspension-lead pad not disposed at an end of said array of respective head-slider pads and respective suspension-lead pads.

19. The HDD of claim 18 , wherein a head-slider pad of said plurality of head-slider pads comprises a first lateral side of said head-slider pad, and a second lateral side of said head-slider pad; and

wherein said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said head-slider pad lie substantially along respective straight-line segments, and a straight-line segment corresponding to said first lateral side of said head-slider pad is not parallel to a straight-line segment corresponding to said second lateral side of said head-slider pad.

20. The HDD of claim 18 , wherein a second suspension-lead pad of said plurality of suspension-lead pads comprises a first lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad, and a second lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad; and

wherein said first lateral side and said second lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad lie substantially along respective straight-line segments, and a straight-line segment corresponding to said first lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad is substantially parallel to a straight-line segment corresponding to said second lateral side of said second suspension-lead pad.

21. The HDD of claim 18 , wherein said suspension-lead pad is configured with a shape in a plane in which said suspension-lead pad substantially lies that is selected from shapes of figures of the group consisting of a trapezoid, an isosceles trapezoid, and a trapezoid that is a truncation of a right triangle.

22. The HDD of claim 18 , wherein a head-slider pad is configured with a shape in a plane in which said head-slider pad substantially lies that is selected from shapes of figures of the group consisting of a rectangle, a trapezoid, an isosceles trapezoid, and a trapezoid that is a truncation of a right triangle.