Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-08
2004-12-14
Heinz, A. J. (Department: 2653)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
active
06831811
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to sealed disk drive environments and, more particularly, to evacuating a fluid from and/or directing a fluid into a sealed disk drive environment using a biased sealing member.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional disk drives typically include a base plate and a cover that is detachably connected to the base plate to define an enclosure for various disk drive components. One or more data storage disks are generally mounted on a spindle which is rotatably interconnected with the base plate and/or cover so as to allow the data storage disk(s) to rotate relative to both the base plate and cover via a spindle motor. An actuator arm assembly (e.g., a single actuator arm, a plurality of actuator arms, an E-block with a plurality of actuator arm tips), is interconnected with the base plate and/or cover by an appropriate bearing or bearing assembly so as to enable the actuator arm assembly to pivot relative to both the base plate and cover in a controlled manner.
A suspension or load beam may be provided for each data storage surface of each data storage disk. Typically each disk has two of such surfaces. All suspensions are appropriately attached to and extend away from the actuator arm assembly in the general direction of the data storage disk(s) during normal operations. A slider is mounted on the free end of each suspension. One or more transducers, such as in the form of a read/write head, is mounted (e.g., embedded) on each slider for purposes of exchanging signals with the corresponding data storage surface of the corresponding data storage disk. The position of the actuator arm assembly, and thereby each transducer, is controlled by a voice coil motor or the like which pivots the actuator arm assembly to dispose the transducer(s) at the desired radial position relative to the corresponding data storage disk. Linearly actuated actuator arm assemblies are also known. In any case, each data storage surface of each data storage disk has a plurality of concentrically disposed tracks that are available for data storage. Typically these tracks are circular and are concentrically disposed on a data storage disk of a disk drive. As the track density or the number of tracks per inch increases, so to does the need to be able to precisely position the transducer(s) relative to its corresponding data storage surface. Various types of technologies have been proposed for controlling transducer positionings in disk drives.
One type of disk drive design has the slider in spaced relation to its corresponding data storage surface during normal disk drive operations. This is commonly referred to as a flying-type slider in that the slider flies on what is commonly referred to as an air bearing. This air bearing is a thin boundary layer of air that is carried by the rotating data storage disk. The surface of the slider that projects toward its corresponding data storage disk is configured with one or more air bearing surfaces that compress this boundary layer of air. Compression of the boundary layer of air exerts increased pressure on the slider that results in a sufficient resultant lifting force on the slider, that in turn allows it to remain in vertically spaced relation to its corresponding data storage disk during its rotation. Other read/write disk drive technologies are based upon establishing/maintaining contact between the transducer and the data storage surface of the relevant data storage disk at least at certain times during disk drive operations. This has been commonly referred to in the art as contact or near-contact recording.
Rotating data storage desks within a drive may be excited by both internal and external vibrations. Vibrations may cause an undesired relative motion between a given transducer and its corresponding data storage disk. In at least certain cases this can lead to an error in the transfer of data based upon an inaccurate positioning of a given transducer relative to its corresponding data storage disk. This is commonly referred to in the art as “track misregistration” or TMR.
Other factors may increase the occurrence or frequency of TMR. For instance, the need to rapidly access information has led to disk drives having data storage disks that are rotated at ever increasing speeds. Higher rotational speeds for the data storage disk(s) of the drive may increase the vibration of various disk drive components and thereby the occurrence of TMR. Increased vibrations in this case may be due to a turbulent excitation of the head/disk assembly or the HDA of the disk drive. The HDA is commonly contained within a rather small and enclosed space that may be characterized as a disk drive housing (e.g., a cover that is detachably interconnected with a base plate or the like). As such, increased airflow within this small enclosed space due to the increased rotational speeds of data storage disk(s) may cause various disk drive components to vibrate, which in turn may lead to increased occurrences of TMR.
Higher rotational speeds of data storage disks within a drive also generate more aerodynamic drag on the data storage disks and a corresponding increase in the amount of power that is consumed to operate the drive, as well as the operating temperature within the disk drive housing. One solution that has been proposed to reduce the magnitude of both the turbulent excitation of the HDA and aerodynamic drag due to the increased rotational speeds of the data storage disk(s) of the drive has been to replace the air within the enclosed space of the disk drive housing with an inert gas such as helium, nitrogen, or argon. Various ways of providing a hermetically sealed disk drive housing to accommodate the storage of these types of fluids have been proposed. However, these designs have principally focused on sealing the interface between the cover and the base plate of the disk drive, and not the manner in which the air is evacuated from the disk drive housing and then replaced with the desired inert gas.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One way to characterize a first aspect of the present invention is as a method for establishing an operating environment for a data storage device. Another way to characterize this first aspect is as a method for assembling a data storage device. In any case, a first fluid (e.g., one or more gases) is withdrawn from an enclosed space within a housing used by the data storage device. Representative componentry of the data storage device that may be contained within this housing includes a computer-readable data storage medium (e.g., a data storage disk assembly of any appropriate type/configuration), as well as possibly other components such as an actuator assembly of any appropriate type/configuration. A second fluid (e.g., one or more gases) is introduced into this enclosed space through a first port that extends through an entire wall thickness of the housing. Thereafter, this first port is sealed. In this regard, a sealing member is biased into engagement with the housing with a sufficient force to establish a suitable seal for the second fluid within the housing.
Various refinements exist of the features noted in relation to the first aspect of the present invention. Further features may also be incorporated in the first aspect of the present invention as well. These refinements and additional features may exist individually or in any combination. The first port may be formed at any appropriate location on the housing, including on a base plate or cover of the housing. Preferably, the sealing member interfaces with an exterior surface of the housing. However one or more aspects of the present invention cover having the sealing member interface with an interior surface of the housing.
Any amount of the first fluid may be removed from the housing, including all of the first fluid or only part of the first fluid. The pressure within the housing may be at any desired or required level after the withdrawal as well (including a positive or a negative pressure). Preferably, the first fluid w
Andrikowich Thomas G.
Mann Kimberly C.
Strzepa Michael C.
Heinz A. J.
Marsh & Fischmann & Breyfogle LLP
Maxtor Corporation
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