Disk drive with interlocking disk clamp

Details Disk drive with interlocking disk clamp Disk drive with interlocking disk clamp

2001-10-01

2002-08-06

Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)

Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval

Record transport with head stationary during transducing

Disk record

C360S098080

Reexamination Certificate

active

06430002

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to disk drives employed in computer systems, and more particularly, to a disk drive arrangement that provides for the enhanced clamping of one or more storage disks to a disk drive spindle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Disk clamps are utilized in computer disk drives to maintain the desired positioning of one or more disks relative to a drive spindle. If disk slippage occurs after assembly, and particularly after the disks are formatted (e.g., after burn-in of servo tracks), the read/write capabilities of the system may be severely compromised.
As such, much attention has been directed to the provision of effective disk clamping assemblies. See e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,486,962 to Boutaghou; U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,024 to Briggs et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,517,374 to Katakura et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,548,457 to Brooks et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,349 to Morehouse et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,663,851 to Jeong et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,269 to Lee; U.S. Pat. No. 5,712,746 to Moir et al; U.S. Pat No. 5,790,346 to Fletcher; U.S. Pat. No. 5,828,519 to Sasa; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,847,900 to Iwabuchi. As reflected by the art, several interrelated design considerations exist.
Of particular importance, it has been recognized that the localized provision of clamping forces to a disk clamp, and in turn to the clamped disks, may result in undesirable disk flatness distortion. As such, effective clamping assemblies should provide for the relatively uniform application of clamping forces. Relatedly, effective clamping assemblies should provide for a highly predictable clamping force. It has also been recognized that effective clamping assemblies should allow for ready assembly and provide consistent assembly positioning in large-scale production operations. For example, effective clamping assemblies should provide for precise and repeatable positioning of the clamped storage disks, both axially and in lateral orientation. Such positioning is important for accurate functioning of read/write heads.
In addition to the noted criteria, the present inventor has recognized a number of other design considerations that will become increasingly important as data storage capacity requirements per unit space continue to increase.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a primary objective of the present invention is to provide a disk drive apparatus having a clamping arrangement that maintains disk flatness, provides reliable clamping forces, and may be readily employed in an assembly operation to afford repeatable disk positioning. Additional advantages may include one or more of the following:
improved disk resonance attenuation;
reduced disk drive servicing requirements;
reduced contaminant generation;
improved ease-of-assembly with low part count and inventory; and
convenient implementation into existing disk drive systems.
One or more of the above-noted objectives and advantages may be realized in the present invention by virtue of an inventive disk clamp/drive spindle arrangement. More particularly, a disk drive apparatus is provided that comprises a drive spindle and at least one axial-restraining member fixedly interconnected to the drive spindle about an outer periphery thereof. The axial restraining member(s) may be integrally defined with the outer periphery of the drive spindle and defined to arcuately extend around only a limited portion of a cylindrical drive spindle. The drive spindle extends through a central opening of one or more disks which are disposed about the drive spindle. The disk clamp includes a central aperture which is positionable over a top end of the drive spindle at a predetermined, axially-fixed location relative to the drive spindle and disk(s) so as to engage and provide a desired clamping force to the top disk. Such predetermined axial positioning and clamping force is maintained by a mechanical interface between the disk clamp and the axial restraining member(s).
In one aspect of the invention, the disk clamp includes a bottom side having an outer surface adapted for substantially uniform application of the clamping force to the top disk. In this regard, such outer clamping surface may be provided for engaging the top disk of a disk stack in a flush, face-to-face manner about clamping contact region (e.g. an annular region). The clamping surface of the disk clamp may be preferably configured for substantially continuous engagement with the top disk about a circular engagement region.
In another aspect of the present invention, the axial restraining member(s) is provided to project outwardly from the outer periphery of the drive spindle, thereby defining a corresponding lip. Such lip is disposed to restrainably engage an inner surface located on the top side of the disk clamp. In this regard, such inner, restrained surface may be defined by at least one or more projection(s) extending inwardly at the central aperture of the disk clamp. The projection(s) may be provided to arcuately extend around only a limited portion of the central aperture.
Preferably, a plurality of outwardly extending, axial restraining members are circumferentially spaced about and integrally defined with the outer periphery of the drive spindle, and a plurality of inwardly extending projections are spaced about the central aperture of the disk clamp, wherein one or more of the restraining members is engageable with at least one of the projections to maintain predetermined axial positioning of the disk clamp and attendant disk clamping forces. Most preferably, a plurality of axial restraining members are spaced about the drive spindle to allow for the passage of a corresponding plurality of inward disk clamp projections therebetween, thereby facilitating ready assembly/disassembly of the apparatus.
In a further related aspect of the present invention upon interconnection of the disk clamp and drive spindle the disk clamp may downwardly deflect, or bowed, between an outer bottom disk clamping surface engaging a top disk and an inner top disk clamp surface engaging the axial restraining member(s) provided about the drive spindle. Such deflection readily and reliably provides a desired clamping force upon clamping of the storage disk(s) to the drive spindle via the disk clamp. Preferably, the inner surface on the top side of the disk clamp engages a plurality of axial restraining member spaced about the circumference of the drive spindle, and the outer surface on the bottom side of the disk clamp engages the top storage disk about a continuous annular ring, with the disk clamp downwardly deflected, or bowed, therebetween (e.g. so as to define a shallow dish or ring configuration).
The disk clamp may assume a variety of cross-sectional configurations. By way of example, the disk clamp may be substantially flat, or plate-shaped, wherein the clamp may be deflected into a shallow disk or ring configuration upon assembly. In another arrangement, the disk clamp may be fabricated to define an upwardly-oriented, frusto-conical configuration prior to interconnection with the drive spindle.
In one arrangement, a disk drive is provided which includes a cylindrical drive spindle and a plurality of stacked disks disposed thereabout on a lower shelf of the drive spindle. One or more spacer members may be provided in the stack therebetween each storage disk. A plurality of axial restraining members are defined about a top end of the drive spindle by outwardly extending tabs which in turn define inwardly extending recesses therebetween. Such tabs may be integrally formed with the top end of the spindle. Correspondingly, a plurality of projections may be integrally defined at the central aperture of a circular disk clamp (e.g. plate-shaped) by inwardly extending tabs. Such tabs serve to define outwardly extending recesses therebetween. The plurality of tabs and recesses at the top end of the spindle and of the disk clamp, respectively, are sized and shaped so that the disk clamp may be positioned over the top end of the drive spindle and axially advanced with the applica

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