Electric heating – Metal heating – By arc
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-09
2001-08-14
Evans, Geoffrey S. (Department: 1725)
Electric heating
Metal heating
By arc
C219S121140, C360S133000, C369S291100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06274844
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to assembly techniques for storage systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a welding process for the assembly of disk cartridges.
Disk based data storage devices for storing digital electronic information have been in use in the computer industry for several decades. The storage devices operate by storing digital information on magnetic disk media, which can be either rigid or flexible and are mounted on a rotating hub. These storage devices are commonly referred to as disk drives. Disk drives come in two varieties: removable media and fixed media drives.
Removable media drives accept the disk media in the form of a removable disk cartridge. When the disk cartridge is inserted into a disk drive, a spindle motor in the drive couples with the disk hub in order to rotate the disk within the cartridge at a given speed. In fixed media drives, by contrast, the disk hub is permanently attached to the spindle motor. Disk drives typically employ either a linear actuator mechanism or a rotary actuator mechanism. The actuator positions the read/write head(s) of the disk drive on the recording surface(s) of the disk.
The general technological trend is one of shrinking component sizes. This trend also applies to the disk drive industry. For example, 2″ inch disk drives (and smaller) are becoming prevalent. Correspondingly, disk cartridges, and the tolerances required in manufacturing them, are shrinking as well. In such disk cartridges, the relative placement of components becomes a key technical issue. For example, to ensure proper operation of the disk cartridge, as well as to ensure portability of the disk cartridge from one disk drive to another, the spatial dimensions of the cartridge, such as its thickness, must be controlled precisely. Traditionally, disk cartridge components were assembled by screwing or gluing components together. However, where the coplanarity and dimensional relationship of the components is critical, this traditional method provides insufficient precision. Additionally, the screws or glue used to assemble the components takes up space in the cartridge. As cartridges become smaller, less space in the cartridge can be budgeted for the assembling mechanisms.
Traditional welding techniques of metal components use lap joints or butt joint of metallic components. However, where the dimensional tolerances are critical the lap joint and butt joint methods may be untenable. If lap joint methods were used in such critical applications, such as the assembly of disk cartridges, small variations in component tolerances, such as bends and burrs in the metal components that occur during stamping, may be enough to cause tolerance problems in the finished disk cartridge. The dimensional tolerance problems would eventually prevent further technological advances that might be achieved due to further reductions in the size of disk cartridges. Moreover, to account for the component tolerance variations, the components themselves would have to meet extreme tolerances. As a result of the extreme component tolerances that would be necessary, the increased component cost would ultimately increase disk cartridge cost.
The extreme component tolerances and higher disk cartridge costs could be circumvented by an improved assembly process. Thus there is a need for an improved, economical assembly process of disk cartridges that insures consistency in the dimensional relationships among components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention meets the above need by providing a process for assembling a disk cartridge. The process comprises the steps of snapping a top shell half of the disk cartridge over a bottom shell half of the disk cartridge; adjusting the top shell half and the bottom shell half until the top shell half and the bottom shell half are in abutment contact with each other at a weld site; and directing an energy beam at the weld site until a portion of the top shell half and a portion of the bottom shell half fuse so that the top shell half is fixed to the bottom shell half.
In a preferred embodiment in which a plurality of weld sites are used, the process of the present invention comprises the additional steps of adjusting the top shell half and the bottom shell half until the top shell half and the bottom shell half are in abutment contact at a second weld site; and directing an energy beam at the second weld site until a portion of the top shell half and a portion of the bottom shell half fuse at the second weld site.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the shell halves has a tab and the shell half having the tab is adjusted until the tab and the other shell half are in abutment contact with each other at the weld site. The welding process is accomplished by use of a welding fixture in which set screws and spring loaded plungers are employed to ensure that the shell halves are in abutment contact with each other and that the disk cartridge has the desired thickness.
In another preferred embodiment, an energy beam (for example, a laser beam) is split into a plurality of split energy beams. The plurality of split energy beams are focused on a plurality of weld sites until a portion of the top shell half and a portion of the bottom shell half fuse so that the top shell half is fixed to the bottom shell half at the plurality of weld sites.
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Beuch Donald
Gucker Carl Thomas
Hales Ronald F.
Nordmeyer Michael William
Schick Brian
Evans Geoffrey S.
Iomega Corporation
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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