Tray used for holding hard disk drive heads

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tray used for transporting a number of hard disk drive heads (HDD heads). The tray ( 10 ) according to the invention has small-projections provided on a part of the surface of the positioning part ( 12, 15 ) which contacts the HDD head ( 30 ) when the HDD heads ( 30 ) are set in the tray ( 10 ). An example of the small-projection ( 20 ) is a hemispherical projection ( 20 ) whose height is slightly larger than the thickness of the wiring ( 34 ) (e.g. about a few to several hundreds of micrometers). Another example of the small-projection is a ridge ( 21 ) of about one to several hundreds of micrometers in diameter and about a few millimeters in length. By virtue of such a design, the friction between the wire-applied surface of the HDD head ( 30 ) and the positioning part ( 12, 15 ) of the tray ( 10 ) is substantially reduced because they contact with each other only at the top of the small-projection ( 20, 21 ). Thus, various troubles caused by the friction, such as the damage or fault of the wiring ( 34 ), are assuredly prevented.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tray for holding a plurality of hard disk drive heads each having a wire-applied surface, the tray comprising a plurality of positioning parts each for holding a hard disk drive head and facing the hard disk drive head, wherein each positioning part is provided with: 
 a positioning structure for holding the hard disk drive head in a preset position for the wire-applied surface of the hard disk drive head to contact a part of the positioning part surface; and    a small-projection formed on the part of the positioning part surface and extending toward the hard disk drive head to contact the wire-applied surface of the hard disk drive head to be held by the positioning structure.    
     
     
         2 . The tray for holding a plurality of hard disk heads according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the small-projection is adapted to contact the wire-applied surface at a plain area where no wiring is applied when the hard disk drive head is positioned by the positioning structure.  
     
     
         3 . The tray for holding a plurality of hard disk drive heads according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the positioning part comprises a contacting part which is adapted to contact the hard disk drive head at a side extension where a precision electronic circuit is to be printed.  
     
     
         4 . The tray for holding a plurality of hard disk drive heads according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a conductive coating is applied thereto.  
     
     
         5 . The tray for holding a plurality of hard disk drive heads according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the tray comprises a frame for stacking a plurality of the trays.  
     
     
         6 . The tray for holding a plurality of hard disk drive heads according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the frame is provided with at least one notch.  
     
     
         7 . A structure constructed by stacking a plurality of the trays of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         8 . A structure constructed by stacking a plurality of the trays of  claim 6 .  
     
     
         9 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the small-projection contacts the hard disk drive head at an area where no wiring is applied to support the hard disk drive head with a gap between the wiring and the positioning part surface.    
     
     
         10 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a height of the small-projection is set to be larger than a thickness of the wiring of the hard disk drive head.    
     
     
         11 . The tray of  claim 1 , wherein the small-projection is a hemispherical projection.