Reduced-height disc drive that positions circuitry between the interior surface of the drive and the surface of the disc

Claim 2

A reduced height disc drive comprising: a tightly closed box; a disc record medium disposed entirely within the box; a motor and disc hub assembly disposed entirely within the box for rotating the disc record medium, wherein the dimensions of the motor and disc hub assembly and the disc record medium are chosen relative to the interior dimensions of the box such that a mounting space is created between an interior top surface of the box and the disc record medium; a circuit board contained within the box and mounted to an interior surface of the box so that the circuit board projects into the mounting space; and a circuit mounted on the circuit board for controlling an operation of the disc drive.

Claim 3

The hard-disc device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board is comprised of a layer of a conductive foil and a thin film insulating layer formed of a polyimide resin which seals the layer of conductive foil.

Claim 4

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the circuit board is formed of a polyimide resin.

Claim 5

A reduced-height disc drive apparatus comprising: a disc having a top surface and a bottom surface; a disc fixing hub having a top surface, the disc fixing hub being connectable to the disc and extending a distance away from the top surface of the disc; a spindle motor having a bottom surface, the spindle motor being connectable to the disc fixing hub and extending a distance away from the bottom surface of the disc; a tightly-closed housing entirely encompassing the disc, the disc fixing hub, and the spindle motor and having an interior top surface formed adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub, an interior bottom surface fastened to the bottom surface of the spindle motor, and a plurality of interior side surfaces; and a circuit board contained within the housing and having circuitry for controlling the apparatus, the circuit board being fastened to the interior top surface of the housing in an area formed between the top surface of the disc and the interior top surface of the housing, wherein the height of the disc drive apparatus is reduced by forming the interior top surface of the housing adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub and by mounting the circuit board in the area formed between the top surface of the disc and the interior top surface of the housing.

Claim 6

A reduced-height disc drive apparatus comprising: a disc having a top surface and a bottom surface; a disc fixing hub having a top surface, the disc fixing hub being connectable to the disc and extending a distance away from the top surface of the disc; a spindle motor having a bottom surface, the spindle motor being connectable to the disc fixing hub and extending a distance away from the bottom surface of the disc; a tightly-closed housing entirely encompassing the disc, the disc fixing hub, and the spindle motor and having an interior top surface formed adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub, an interior bottom surface fastened to the bottom surface of the spindle motor, and a plurality of interior side surfaces; and a circuit board contained within the housing and having circuitry for controlling the apparatus, the circuit board being fastened to the interior top surface of the housing in an area formed between the top surface of the disc and the interior top surface of the housing, wherein the height of the disc drive apparatus is reduced by forming the interior top surface of the housing adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub and by mounting the circuit board in the area formed between the top surface of the disc and the interior top surface of the housing.

Claim 7

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the circuit board is formed of a polyimide resin.

Claim 8

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of conductive layers.

Claim 9

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the conductive layers each comprises a conductive foil sealed within a thin film insulating layer.

Claim 10

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the thin film insulating layer includes a polyamide resin.

Claim 11

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the circuit board is further connected to the interior bottom surface of the housing in the area formed between the bottom surface of the disc and the interior bottom surface of the housing.

Claim 12

The disc drive apparatus of claim 9 wherein the circuit board is further connected to one of the interior side surfaces of the housing.

Claim 13

A reduced-height disc drive apparatus comprising: a disc having a top surface and a bottom surface; a disc fixing hub having a top surface, the disc fixing hub being connectable to the disc and extending a distance away from the top surface of the disc; a spindle motor having a bottom surface, the spindle motor being connectable to the disc fixing hub and extending a distance away from the bottom surface of the disc; a rotary arm assembly having a top surface and a bottom surface; a tightly-closed housing entirely encompassing the disc, the disc fixing hub, the spindle motor, and the rotary arm assembly, and having an interior top surface formed adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub, an interior bottom surface fastened to the bottom surface of the spindle motor and the bottom surface of the rotary arm assembly, and a plurality of interior side surfaces; and a circuit board contained within the housing and having circuitry for controlling the apparatus, the circuit board being fastened to the interior top surface of the housing around the disc fixing hub and the rotary arm assembly so that the circuit board allows free movement of the disc fixing hub and the rotary arm assembly, wherein the height of the disc drive apparatus is reduced by forming the interior top surface of the housing adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub and by mounting the circuit board to the interior top surface of the housing around the disc fixing hub and the rotary arm assembly.

Claim 14

A reduced-height disc drive apparatus comprising: a disc having a top surface and a bottom surface; a disc fixing hub having a top surface, the disc fixing hub being connectable to the disc and extending a distance away from the top surface of the disc; a spindle motor having a bottom surface, the spindle motor being connectable to the disc fixing hub and extending a distance away from the bottom surface of the disc; a rotary arm assembly having a top surface and a bottom surface; a tightly-closed housing entirely encompassing the disc, the disc fixing hub, the spindle motor, and the rotary arm assembly, and having an interior top surface formed adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub, an interior bottom surface fastened to the bottom surface of the spindle motor and the bottom surface of the rotary arm assembly, and a plurality of interior side surfaces; and a circuit board contained within the housing and having circuitry for controlling the apparatus, the circuit board being fastened to the interior top surface of the housing around the disc fixing hub and the rotary arm assembly so that the circuit board allows free movement of the disc fixing hub and the rotary arm assembly, wherein the height of the disc drive apparatus is reduced by forming the interior top surface of the housing adjacent to the top surface of the disc fixing hub and by mounting the circuit board to the interior top surface of the housing around the disc fixing hub and the rotary arm assembly.

Claim 15

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the circuit board is further fastened to the interior bottom surface of the housing in the area formed between the bottom surface of the disc and the interior bottom surface of the housing.

Claim 16

The disc drive apparatus of claim 12 wherein the circuit board is further connected to one of the interior side surfaces of the housing.

Claim 17

The disc drive apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the circuit board includes a plurality of layers of a conductive material and a plurality of layers of thin-film resin, wherein the plurality of layers of thin-film seal the plurality of layers of conductive material.