US6608732B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Damper for disc drive voice coil motor
Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
•
Filing: 2001-06-29
•
Granted: 2003-08-19
•
Expires: 2021-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A disc drive device includes a base plate having an upper surface, a voice coil motor operably attached to the upper surface of the base plate, and a damper pad positioned on the upper surface of the base plate between the base plate and the voice coil motor such that vibrations occurring in the base plate and/or the voice coil motor are effectively damped. In this manner, vibrationally induced noise in a disc drive servo system and vibrationally induced acoustical emissions from the disc drive device are reduced.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank William Bernett
- 👤 Loutfi E. Charara
- 👤 Gary Frank Kelsic
- 👤 David Ray Lapp
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 20:08
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02K; H02K41/00; H02K41/02; H02K41/035; H02K41/0352; H02K41/0354; H02K5/00; H02K5/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
65 words
A disc drive comprising: a base plate having an upper surface; a voice coil motor separate from the base plate operably attached to the upper surface of the base plate; and a damper pad positioned on the upper surface of the base plate between the base plate and the voice coil motor for damping vibrations occurring in the base plate and the voice coil motor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
65 words
A disc drive comprising: a base plate having an upper surface; a voice coil motor separate from the base plate operably attached to the upper surface of the base plate; and a damper pad positioned on the upper surface of the base plate between the base plate and the voice coil motor for damping vibrations occurring in the base plate and the voice coil motor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The disc drive of claim 1 , wherein the damper pad is adhesively attached to the upper surface of the base plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The disc drive of claim 1 , wherein the damper pad comprises a fluoroelastomer damping material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The disc drive of claim 1 , wherein the damper pad comprises a viscoelastic damping material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The disc drive of claim 1 , wherein the damper pad comprises an elastomer having an A scale durometer hardness of between 30 and 90.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The disc drive of claim 1 , wherein the base plate defines a recessed damper pad pocket along the upper surface thereof, and wherein the damper pad is positioned within the damper pad pocket.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
86 words
The disc drive of claim 1 , wherein the voice coil motor includes: a lower magnetic plate having an upper surface; an upper magnetic plate operably connected to the lower magnetic plate in a manner such that the upper magnetic plate is maintained in a spaced relationship to the upper surface of the lower magnetic plate; and a single magnet pair positioned on the upper surface of the lower magnet plate; wherein the damper pad is positioned between the lower magnetic plate and the base plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The disc drive of claim 2 wherein the base plate further includes a plurality of bosses positioned between the base plate and the lower magnet plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The disc drive of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of bosses are integral with, and extend outwardly from, the upper surface of the base plate.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
A disc drive comprising: a base plate having an upper surface; a voice coil motor separate from the base plate operably attached to the upper surface of the base plate, the voice coil motor having a lower magnetic plate spaced from the upper surface of the base plate; a damper pad positioned on the upper surface of the base plate between the base plate and the lower magnetic plate for damping vibrations occurring in the base plate and the lower magnet plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
A disc drive comprising: a base plate having an upper surface; a voice coil motor separate from the base plate operably attached to the upper surface of the base plate, the voice coil motor having a lower magnetic plate spaced from the upper surface of the base plate; a damper pad positioned on the upper surface of the base plate between the base plate and the lower magnetic plate for damping vibrations occurring in the base plate and the lower magnet plate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The disc drive of claim 10 , wherein the lower magnet plate includes an upper surface and wherein the voice coil motor further includes a single magnet pair positioned on the upper surface of the lower magnet plate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
The disc drive of claim 11 , wherein the base plate defines a recessed damper pad pocket along the upper surface of the base plate, and wherein the damper pad is positioned within the damper pad pocket.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
The disc drive of claim 12 , wherein the base plate further defines a plurality of bosses integral with, and extend outwardly from, the upper surface of the base plate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
55 words
The disc drive of claim 11 , wherein the base plate defines a recessed damper pad pocket along the upper surface of the base plate and a plurality of bosses integral with, and extend outwardly from, the upper surface of the base plate, and wherein the damper pad is positioned within the damper pad pocket.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The disc drive of claim 14 , wherein the damper pad comprises a fluoroelastomer damping material having an A scale durometer hardness of between 20 and 100.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
68 words
The disc drive of claim 11 , wherein the voice coil motor includes a single magnet pair operably connected thereto, wherein the base plate defines a recessed damper pad pocket along the upper surface of the base plate and a plurality of bosses integral with, and extend outwardly from, the upper surface of the base plate, and wherein the damper pad is positioned within the damper pad pocket.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The disc drive of claim 16 , wherein the damper pad comprises a polymeric viscoelastic film having an adhesive surface adhered to the base plate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
A disc drive damping system comprising: a disc drive having a base plate and a voice coil motor separate from the base plate connected to the base plate; and a damping means positioned between the voice coil motor and the base plate for damping vibrations in the disc drive.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
A disc drive damping system comprising: a disc drive having a base plate and a voice coil motor separate from the base plate connected to the base plate; and a damping means positioned between the voice coil motor and the base plate for damping vibrations in the disc drive.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The disc drive damping system of claim 18 , wherein the damping means includes attaching means for attaching the damping means to the base plate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The disc drive damping system of claim 18 , further including a guide means for assisting in proper placement of the damper pad during assembly of the disc drive.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The disc drive damping system of claim 18 , wherein the voice coil motor includes a single magnet pair.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4553183A
Cited
US5214549A
Cited
US5260618A
Cited
US5587855A
Cited
US5483398A
Cited
US5982580A
Cited
US5666239A
Cited
US5761184A
Cited
US5757580A
Cited
US5781373A
Cited
US5999374A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-18 | 2007-02-17 | 2007-08-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-18 | 2011-02-17 | 2011-08-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-18 | 2015-02-17 | 2015-08-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |