US 10,593,370 B1Granted

Reducing vibration of data storage device in a data storage system

AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.

InventorsShaomin Xiong, Toshiki Hirano, Satoshi Yamamoto, Jeff Wilke, Dave Niss

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Abstract

A data storage system may include multiple data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, a cooling fan, and a sound balancer structure between the fan and the drives. The sound balancer is intentionally positioned where it substantially balances, about the center of rotation of and along at least one axis of a fan-facing storage device, the sound pressure from the fan that impinges upon the fan-facing face of the storage device. This redistribution of the sound pressure suppresses sound pressure-induced torque upon and therefore rotational vibration of the storage device, which in turn enhances the track following capability of the storage device.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A data storage system comprising:

a cooling fan configured to generate sound pressure in a direction toward a plurality of data storage devices;
the plurality of data storage devices, wherein:
at least one data storage device of the plurality of data storage devices comprises a face located closest to the fan, and
the face has a long axis and a short axis perpendicular to the long axis;
and
a variably-positionable sound balancer mechanism located between the fan and the plurality of data storage devices and which is attached to a mounting mechanism at one of a plurality of mount locations along the length of the mounting mechanism, wherein the sound balancer is specifically positioned where the sound balancer substantially balances the particular sound pressure impinging upon the at least one data storage device as configured particular to the data storage system while allowing a non-negligible amount of airflow from the cooling fan to reach the at least one data storage device, about the center of mass and along at least one of the long axis and the short axis.

3 more elements

A method of suppressing rotational vibration of a data storage device housed within a data storage system enclosure, the method comprising:

positioning a variably-positionable sound balancer structure between a cooling fan and the data storage device, wherein the sound balancer is specifically positioned at one of a plurality of mount locations along the length of a mounting mechanism to substantially balance, in at least one direction about the center of mass of the data storage device as configured particular to the data storage system, particular sound pressure imparted upon the data storage device from the cooling fan while allowing a non-negligible amount of airflow from the cooling fan to reach the data storage device.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/182,447Filed 6 Nov 2018
Granted: 17 Mar 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G11B 33/08
Cabinets; Cases; Stands; Disposition of apparatus therein or thereon: insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
G11B 33/125
Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules: the apparatus comprising a plurality of…
H05K 7/20172
Forced ventilation, e.g. by fans: fan mounting or fan specifications
G11B
Information storage based on relative movement between record carrier and transducer