Cover structure of hard disk drive with air damping layer

Claim 2

A cover structure of a hard disk drive, comprising: a cover; a cover damper mounted on the cover; and at least one recess formed in the cover, at least one air layer being formed between the cover and the cover damper when the cover damper is mounted on the cover to at least partly enclose the at least one air layer within the at least one recess, the at least one recess being formed to prevent air from passing from an exterior of the hard disk drive to an interior of the hard disk drive directly through the at least one recess, the at least one air layer not encircling a rotation axis of an actuator of the hard disk drive.

Claim 3

The cover structure as claimed in claim 1 , the cover damper fully enclosing the at least one air layer within the at least one recess.

Claim 4

The cover structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least one air layer is formed on a cover surface at a location being apart from the rotation axis of an actuator.

Claim 5

The cover structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least one air layer corresponds to a plurality of air layers formed in a plurality of separately spaced recesses on the cover surface, the plurality of recesses including the at least one recess.

Claim 6

The cover structure as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the cover surface has an “X”-shaped bead separating the plurality of recesses formed on the cover surface.

Claim 7

The cover structure of claim 5 , the plurality of air layers in the plurality of recesses not directly exchanging air with the interior of the hard disk drive.

Claim 8

The cover structure of claim 6 , the plurality of air layers in the plurality of recesses not directly exchanging air with each other.

Claim 9

The cover structure of claim 5 , the plurality of air layers in the plurality if recesses not exchanging air with the interior of the hard disk drive.

Claim 10

The cover structure as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the cover surface has an “+”-shaped bead separating the plurality of recesses formed on the cover surface.

Claim 11

The cover structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one air layer corresponds to a plurality of air layers in a plurality of recesses, the recesses being formed at predetermined parts on the cover surface apart from a rotation axis of a spindle motor, the plurality of recesses including the at least one recess.

Claim 12

The cover structure as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the at least one recess us rectangular.

Claim 13

The cover structure as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the at least one air layer is enclosed at a location on a cover surface apart from a rotating axis of an actuator.

Claim 14

The cover structure of claim 2 , the at least one air layer fully enclosed in the at least one recess not exchanging air with the interior of the hard disk drive.

Claim 15

The cover structure as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one air layer is several millimeters.

Claim 16

The cover structure of claim 1 , the at least one air layer in the at least one recess not directly exchanging air with the interior of the hard disk drive.

Claim 17

A cover structure of a hard disk drive, comprising: a cover having a stepped surface formed at an upper portion thereof and at a portion being apart from a rotation axis of an actuator; a cover damper; and at least one air layer formed between the cover and the cover damper, the at least one air layer being formed to prevent air from passing from an exterior of the hard disk drive to an interior of the hard disk drive directly through the at least one air layer, the at least one air layer not encircling the rotation axis of an actuator of the hard disk.

Claim 18

A cover structure of a hard disk drive, comprising: a cover having a stepped surface formed at an upper portion thereof and at a portion being apart from a rotation axis of an actuator; a cover damper; and at least one air layer formed between the cover and the cover damper, the at least one air layer being formed to prevent air from passing from an exterior of the hard disk drive to an interior of the hard disk drive directly through the at least one air layer, the at least one air layer not encircling the rotation axis of an actuator of the hard disk.

Claim 19

The cover structure as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the cover and the cover damper have a thickness of 0.8 mm and the at least one air layer has a thickness of 1-2 mm.

Claim 20

The cover structure as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the cover damper is made of material having higher density than material of the cover.

Claim 21

A hard disk drive, comprising: a rectangular base; a spindle motor mounted in the base, and having a rotation axis perpendicular to the base; a hard disk mounted to the spindle motor; an actuator mounted on the base, said actuator having a second rotation axis perpendicular to the base; a flexible printed circuit connected to the actuator and located on one side of the rotation axis of the actuator; a cover formed of a first material mounted on the base, said cover comprising: a top cover substantially parallel to said rectangular base; at least one recess formed on one portion of the top surface, said at least one recess being formed spaced apart from said rotation axis of said spindle motor and spaced apart from said second rotation axis of said actuator; and a damper formed of a second material mounted on the top surface of said cover, enclosing an air gap between the damper and the at least one recess of the top surface, the at least one recess being formed to not allow air to directly pass from an exterior of the hard disk drive to an interior of the hard disk drive through the at least one recess, the air gas not encircling the second rotation axis of the actuator of the hard disk.

Claim 22

A hard disk drive, comprising: a rectangular base; a spindle motor mounted in the base, and having a rotation axis perpendicular to the base; a hard disk mounted to the spindle motor; an actuator mounted on the base, said actuator having a second rotation axis perpendicular to the base; a flexible printed circuit connected to the actuator and located on one side of the rotation axis of the actuator; a cover formed of a first material mounted on the base, said cover comprising: a top cover substantially parallel to said rectangular base; at least one recess formed on one portion of the top surface, said at least one recess being formed spaced apart from said rotation axis of said spindle motor and spaced apart from said second rotation axis of said actuator; and a damper formed of a second material mounted on the top surface of said cover, enclosing an air gap between the damper and the at least one recess of the top surface, the at least one recess being formed to not allow air to directly pass from an exterior of the hard disk drive to an interior of the hard disk drive through the at least one recess, the air gas not encircling the second rotation axis of the actuator of the hard disk.

Claim 23

The hard disk drive of claim 19 , further comprising: said second material being denser than said first material.

Claim 24

The hard disk drive of claim 20 , further comprising: the density of said second material being approximately 7860 kg/m 3 and the density of said first material being approximately 2650 kg/m 3 .

Claim 25

The hard disk drive of claim 19 , further comprising: said second material having a higher elastic modulus than said first material.

Claim 26

The hard disk drive of claim 22 , further comprising: the elastic modulus of said second material being approximately 200 GPa and the elastic modulus of said first material being approximately 70 GPa.

Claim 27

The hard disk drive of claim 19 , further comprising: said air gap having a thickness in the range of approximately 1.2 to 2 mm.

Claim 28

The hard disk drive of claim 19 , further comprising: said top surface of said cover having a thickness of approximately 0.8 mm.

Claim 29

The hard disk drive of claim 19 , further comprising: said damper having a thickness of approximately 0.8 mm.

Claim 30

The hard disk drive of claim 19 , further comprising: said first material being aluminum and said second material being steel.

Claim 31

The hard disk drive of claim 19 , further comprising: said at least one recess including a first recess being formed in the cover in a region over a portion of the hard disk.

Claim 32

The hard disk drive of claim 28 , further comprising: said at least one recess further including a second recess formed in the cover over a portion of the hard disk, said second recess separated from said first recess by a first arm of said top surface formed radially to the rotation axis of the spindle motor.

Claim 33

The hard disk drive of claim 29 , further comprising: said at least one recess further including a third recess formed in the cover over a portion of the hard disk, said third recess separated from said second recess by a second arm of said top surface formed radially to the rotation axis of the spindle motor and perpendicular to said first arm.

Claim 34

The hard disk drive of claim 30 , further comprising: said first, second and third recesses being formed along three edges of the cover.

Claim 35

The hard disk drive of claim 31 , further comprising: said at least one recess further including a fourth recess formed in the cover near the rotation axis of the actuator.

Claim 36

The hard disk drive of claim 32 , further comprising: said fourth recess being rectangular in shape.

Claim 37

The hard disk drive of claim 33 , further comprising: said fourth recess being formed on the same side of the rotation axis of the actuator as the flexible printed circuit.

Claim 38

The hard disk drive of claim 28 , further comprising: said at least one recess further including a second recess formed in the cover near the rotation axis of the actuator.

Claim 39

The hard disk drive of claim 35 , further comprising: said second recess being rectangular in shape.