US5696649A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Elastic insert shroud to provide maximum effective shrouding shock mitigation and filtering in high speed disk drives
Assignee: HGST Netherlands BV
•
Filing: 1995-05-22
•
Granted: 1997-12-09
•
Expires: 2015-05-22
Abstract
Abstract A separate elastic shroud to surround a disk pack is inserted into a disk drive housing after the disk pack and the actuator of the disk drive have been merged. This improvement simplifies manufacturing and assembly. The shroud may contain a filter which permits the passage of air from within the shrouded enclosure to outside the shrouded enclosure, and the filter is disposed in a region wherein a positive pressure exists within the disk pack enclosure relative to the pressure immediately outside the shroud. The shroud further may be provided with flanges or ribs which will engage the periphery of deflected disks of the disk pack to eliminate disk-to-disk contact, thereby reducing damage to the disk drive mechanisms and the disks proper. The shroud, filter design and placement, as well as the inlet and outlet shapes of the shroud each contribute therefore to reduce energy consumption and temperature rises within the disk drive.
Inventors
- 👤 Zine-Eddine Boutaghou
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:51
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B21/00; G11B21/02; G11B33/00; G11B33/14; G11B33/1446
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A disk drive comprising: a frame; a plurality of recordable data storage disks spatially fixed and mounted for rotation relative to said frame; an actuator mounted for rotation relative to said frame and for scanning movement relative to said disk; an enclosing member cooperatively associated with said frame to enclose said disk and said actuator; an elastic shroud member disposed within said enclosing member and substantially encircling said data storage disks and insertable into said disposition after said data storage disks and said actuator have been merged; said shroud comprising a filter disposed in an opening radially extending through said shroud.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
101 words
A disk drive comprising: a frame; a plurality of recordable data storage disks spatially fixed and mounted for rotation relative to said frame; an actuator mounted for rotation relative to said frame and for scanning movement relative to said disk; an enclosing member cooperatively associated with said frame to enclose said disk and said actuator; an elastic shroud member disposed within said enclosing member and substantially encircling said data storage disks and insertable into said disposition after said data storage disks and said actuator have been merged; said shroud comprising a filter disposed in an opening radially extending through said shroud.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The disk drive of claim 1 wherein said shroud member comprises a flanged inlet/outlet region accommodating said actuator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The disk drive of claim 2 wherein said filter is disposed in said shroud at a location which is more than one third of the circumferential distance around said shroud from said inlet/outlet region in the direction of said disk rotation.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The disk drive of claim 2 wherein said filter is disposed in said opening in said shroud at a location where air pressure within said shroud exceeds air pressure outside said shroud within said enclosing member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The disk drive of claim 1 wherein said shroud member further comprises at least one flange extending inwardly from said shroud to a distance sufficient to be partially disposed between at least outer regions of said disks and extending substantially the entire length of said shroud.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The disk drive of claim 1 wherein said frame and said enclosing member each comprise shroud engaging surfaces for positioning and holding said shroud therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
111 words
A disk drive comprising: a disk pack; an actuator; a housing supporting and enclosing said disk pack and said actuator; and a separate elastic shroud substantially encircling said disk pack; said housing comprising means for mounting said shroud, said means for mounting comprising means for receiving and engaging opposed edges of said shroud to conform said shroud into a substantially cylindrical shape substantially encircling said disk pack and provide an access gap for said actuator, whereby said shroud may be inserted into said housing after assembly and merger of said actuator and said disk pack, thereby permitting more complete enclosure of said disk pack and simplified assembly of said disk drive.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
111 words
A disk drive comprising: a disk pack; an actuator; a housing supporting and enclosing said disk pack and said actuator; and a separate elastic shroud substantially encircling said disk pack; said housing comprising means for mounting said shroud, said means for mounting comprising means for receiving and engaging opposed edges of said shroud to conform said shroud into a substantially cylindrical shape substantially encircling said disk pack and provide an access gap for said actuator, whereby said shroud may be inserted into said housing after assembly and merger of said actuator and said disk pack, thereby permitting more complete enclosure of said disk pack and simplified assembly of said disk drive.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The disk drive of claim 7 wherein said shroud further comprises: an opening therein extending radially through said shroud, and a filter, and said filter disposed co-extensive with said opening, permitting airflow from within said shrouded disk pack to a region outside said shroud through said shroud.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The disk drive of claim 8 wherein said shroud comprises an air circulation input and output opening formed by two ends of said shroud and wherein said ends form outwardly projecting flanges.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The disk drive of claim 9 wherein said flanges form a smooth curved continuation of said shroud extending outwardly from said disk pack.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The disk drive of claim 8 wherein said filter is disposed at a location where internal air pressure within said shroud exceeds air pressure external to said shroud.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The disk drive of claim 11 wherein said filter is comprised of a mass of fibers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The disk drive of claim 7 wherein said shroud further comprises at least one said inwardly extending flange disposed intermediate the outer regions of said disks, whereby excursions of said disks are limited by engagement with said inwardly extending flange.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The disk drive of claim 13 wherein adjacent disks of said disk pack form interdisk spaces and one said inwardly extending flange is disposed within each said interdisk space, thereby limiting excursions of said disks.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3720931A
Cited
US4581668A
Cited
US4334302A
Cited
US4636891A
Cited
US4471395A
Cited
US4660110A
Cited
JPS59203286A
Cited
US4583213A
Cited
JPS61280090A
Cited
US5031059A
Cited
US4821130A
Cited
US5124855A
Cited
US5124856A
Cited
US5517372A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-12-08 | 2001-06-09 | 2001-12-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-08 | 2005-06-09 | 2005-12-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-08 | 2009-06-09 | 2009-12-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |