Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-08
2001-01-09
Cao, Allen T. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172842
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording disk apparatus, which is represented by a magnetic disk apparatus such as a hard disk drive unit (HDD), and in particular, to a housing thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known that a magnetic disk apparatus makes noise in the seek operation because of the rotation of the magnetic disk. The noise is originally caused by vibration which is generated by the rotation of the magnetic disk and transmitted to the housing through the rotation axis and the like. Accordingly, an overall housing with high rigidity, formed by die-casting, serves to suppress the noise. On the other hand, it is preferable to employ a press for forming a housing when taking account of reduction in weight and manufacturing cost. In particular, reduction in manufacturing cost for housings becomes one of the indispensable factors in distributing cheap personal computers in the market.
Currently, most housings comprise a box-shaped housing body formed by die-casting and a cover plate closing the opening of the housing body. This structure enables a cover to be formed with a press. However, a cover with low rigidity tends to vibrate, so that the generation of noise cannot be avoided. It is known to suppress noise by employing a cover made of a vibration suppression metallic plate, which in general comprises a pair of metallic plates sandwiching a synthetic resin layer. The plate may absorb vibration so that the suppression of noise can be achieved.
A housing accommodates many components such as a magnetic disk for recording, a magnetic head for reading and writing information out of and into the magnetic disk, an actuator for driving a carriage supporting at the tip end the magnetic head, a spindle motor for driving the magnetic disk for rotation, and the like. Employment of a box-shaped housing tends to lead to trouble in assembling components, because the side walls of the housing hinder the assembling operation. It is known to overcome this inconvenience by employing a housing comprising a base plate and a cover formed by deep-drawing. This structure allows operators to easily assemble components on the base plate, thereby improving the efficiency in assembling operation.
On the other hand, a cover formed by deep-drawing cannot suppress vibration. Accordingly, a vibration suppression metallic plate is adhered to the outer surface of the cover around a screw which connects the rotation axis of the magnetic disk to the cover, as is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 9-128955, for example.
Recently, some factors, such as improved performance of spindle motors, appropriate management on electric current to spindle motors, and the like, have served to suppress vibration caused by the rotation of a magnetic disk. As a result, vibration generated by driving operation of an actuator comes to occupy large percentage in the cause of the total noise. The vibration from an actuator is transmitted to the cover through the rotation axis of the carriage, thereby making noise.
The employment of the above-described box-shaped housing serves to suppress vibration from an actuator because the overall cover is made from a vibration suppression metallic plate. Still, the increase in thickness of the cover leads to a reduction in the interior space of the overall housing. The technique disclosed in the above mentioned publication completely fails to consider vibration caused by an actuator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a housing for a recording disk apparatus, capable of suppressing vibration from a drive mechanism for displacing the head with respect to the recording disk, even if the housing comprises a base plate and a cover formed by deep-drawing.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a housing for a recording disk apparatus, capable of avoiding suppression of the interior space within the housing while reducing noise caused by the drive mechanism.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording disk apparatus comprising: a recording disk; a head; a drive mechanism capable of displacing the head with respect to the recording disk; a base on which at least the drive mechanism is mounted; a metallic cover formed by deep-drawing, to accommodate at least the drive mechanism when it is coupled to the base; a connecting mechanism disposed between the cover and drive mechanism; and a vibration absorber adhered to an outer surface of the cover in a vibration range of a connecting mechanism.
With the recording disk apparatus, the vibration absorber absorbs vibration transmitted to the cover from the drive mechanism via the connecting mechanism. Accordingly, noise caused by the vibration may be suppressed even in case where the cover is formed by deep-drawing. The employment of deep-drawing can provide cheaper housings of recording disk apparatuses, leading to reduction in the price of computer apparatuses such as personal computers.
The vibration absorber may be disposed in a recess formed on the outer surface of the cover, so that the vibration absorber can easily be positioned on the outer surface of the cover. In particular, the face of the vibration absorber is level with the outer surface of the cover may lead to a superior appearance of the housing.
The connecting mechanism is preferably received in a void formed in the vibration absorber. In general, the thickness of the housing is supposed to be the maximum at a portion of the connecting mechanism in the recording disk apparatuses such as HDDs. Accordingly, the vibration absorber being absent from the portion around the connecting mechanism serves to avoid the increase in thickness of the housing. For example, general HDDs have a standard for the height of a housing, so that such vibration absorber can provide a larger interior space in the housing with a standardized height.
Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording disk apparatus comprising: a recording disk; a head; a carriage on which the head is mounted; a carriage axis supporting the carriage for rotation; a housing accommodating at least the carriage axis; a connecting mechanism provided between the carriage axis and housing; and a vibration absorber adhered to an outer surface of the housing, with a void in which the connecting mechanism is disposed.
With the recording disk apparatus, the vibration absorber absorbs vibration transmitted to the cover from the carriage via the connecting mechanism. In general, the thickness of the housing is supposed to be the maximum at a portion of the carriage axis in the recording disk apparatuses such as HDDs. Accordingly, the vibration absorber being absent from the portion around the connecting mechanism serves to avoid the increase in thickness of the housing. For example, general HDDs have a standard for the height of a housing, so that such vibration absorber can provide a larger interior space in the housing with a standardized height. In particular, since the vibration absorber is adhered to the outer surface of the cover, the operation of the recording disk apparatus cannot be deteriorated in the case where the gas is generated from an adhesive or a double-sided adhesive tape employed to attachment of the vibration absorber, or the vibration absorber peels off from the cover.
The vibration absorber is disposed in a recess formed on the outer surface of the cover, so that the vibration absorber can easily be positioned on the outer surface of the cover. In particular, the face of the vibration absorber is level with the outer surface of the cover may lead to a superior appearance of the housing.
In any of the aspects, the vibration absorber can cover not only over the vibration range in the vicinity of the connecting mechanism but also over a vibration range of a rotation axis connecting mechanism which connects the cover and a rotation axis supporting the recording disk for rotation. With th
Bitoh Takayuki
Hachiya Toshiyuki
Samma Shoji
Satoh Ichi
Cao Allen T.
Fujitsu Limited
Greer Burns & Crain Ltd
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