EP0458528A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Data storage device with vapour pressure control system
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1991-05-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-05-16
Abstract
Abstract A data storage device such as a magnetic disk file often has a sealed enclosure that must be kept as free as possible of contaminants. By including a vapour drain 25 inside the sealed enclosure, contaminants can be removed from the atmosphere within the enclosure, reducing their vapour pressure. The vapour drain can either be a filter, typically one of activated carbon, or else a controlled leak from the enclosure. Some disk files rely on a vapour transport system to maintain a coating of lubricant on the disks 5. In such systems, lubricant vapour is supplied into the enclosure atmosphere from a reservoir 3. The vapour drain reduces the vapour pressure of the lubricant, thereby avoiding the problem of too much lubricant being deposited onto the disks, which could leave them sticky. Care is taken to ensure that the vapour drain will not totally deplete the lubricant reservoir during the lifetime of the disk file.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles Allen Brown
- 👤 Thomas Allen Gregory
- 👤 Christopher Guild Keller
- 👤 Herman Russell Wendt
- 👤 Arthur Richard Zingher
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 07:58
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B33/00; G11B33/14; G11B33/1446; G11B33/1453; G11B25/00; G11B25/04; G11B25/043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A data storage device including a substantially sealed enclosure, the atmosphere inside said enclosure containing one or more vapour components, said device being characterised by a system for controlling the vapour pressure of said vapour components comprising: reservoir means (3) for supplying a particular vapour component into said atmosphere; and vapour drain means (25) for controlled withdrawal of vapour components from said atmosphere, said vapour drain means being adapted so as not to fully deplete said reservoir within a predetermined time period.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said vapour drain means comprises a filter that removes vapour components from said atmosphere by adsorption, absorption or chemical reaction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 2 wherein the active element of said filter comprises at least one of activated carbon, silica gel, activated alumina, synthetic zeolite, or other material having a large surface to volume ratio and the ability to absorb certain vapour components.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 2 or 3, wherein said filters can be removed from within said enclosure, and said device further comprises means (54) preventing unfiltered air from entering the enclosure when said filter is being removed.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
52 words
The device of any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the capacities of said filter and said reservoir means are such that total amount of vapour that the reservoir means is capable of supplying to the atmosphere is greater than the total amount of vapour that the filter is capable of removing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The device of claim 5, wherein said reservoir means and said vapour drain means are aerodynamically similar structures, so as to maintain a controlled ratio of atmospheric flow through or past the two structures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device of claim 6, wherein said reservoir means and said vapour drain means comprise independent passageways (31, 32) disposed in parallel and attached to a wall in said enclosure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said passageways are arcuate and coplanar.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
22 words
The device of any of preceding claim, wherein said reservoir means and said vapour drain means are integrated into a single unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The device of claim 1, wherein said vapour drain means comprises outlet means for allowing a controlled escape of atmosphere from said enclosure, said outlet means comprising an opening in the wall of said enclosure, and an inlet filter that admits an equal flow of atmosphere into said enclosure.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The device of claim 10, wherein said outlet means further comprises a passageway of substantial length on one or other side of said opening in the enclosure wall.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
49 words
The device of any preceding claim, wherein said enclosure contains at least one magnetic storage disk coated with a layer of lubricant, and said particular vapour supplied by the reservoir means is lubricant vapour to maintain by vapour transport the layer of lubricant on said at least one disk.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 12, wherein the rotation of disks induces the atmosphere within said enclosure to flow through or past said vapour drain means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
21 words
The device of any preceding claim, wherein the rate of vapour removal by said vapour drain is limited by convective flow.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0127444A1
Cited
US4789913A
Cited
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