Restrictively damped actuator mount for disc drives

Claim 1

A data storage apparatus including: a substantially rigid housing having a first interface surface, and a plurality of data storage discs mounted within the housing to rotate about a common axis extended in a longitudinal direction, said discs having substantially planar and transverse data recording surfaces; a carriage assembly within said housing including ga carriage, a plurality of head support arms extended transversely from said carriage toward said discs, and a plurality of data transducing heads, each head supported by a respective one of said arms and disposed proximate one of the data recording surfaces of an associated one of said discs, said carriage being movable with respect to the housing to move said heads transversely; a substantially rigid actuator in said housing for controllably moving said carriage to enable a controlled variable positioning of said transducing heads with respect to said discs, said actuator including means defining a substantially planar second interface surface; one of said housing and said actuator having a registration surface longitudinally displaced from at least one of said first interface surface and said second interface surface; fastening means including a substantially rigid spacing means integral with the other of said housing and said actuator and projected longitudinally toward the registration surface, and means for maintaining said spacing means engaged with the registration surface, said fastening means securing said actuator with respect to said housing with said first interface surface and second interface surface in parallel and opposed relation to one another and spaced apart in said longitudinal direction a selected distance, said fastening means substantially preventing movement of said actuator relative to said housing in said longitudinal direction, but sufficiently flexible to permit a limited transverse displacement of the actuator with respect to the housing; and a resilient damping layer between said actuator and said housing and contiguous with said first and second interface surfaces, said damping layer undergoing shear strain in response to said limited displacement.