Disk drive including unitary deck for aligning and supporting axially retractable spindle assembly

A data storage apparatus including:

• a substantially rigid deck including first and second opposed support walls and an intermediate peripheral wall means cooperating with the support walls to define a chamber within the deck and with one end of the deck open to allow access to the chamber;
• first and second bores in the first and second support walls, respectively, the bores being aligned with and opposite one another and open to the chamber;
• a retractable spindle assembly for mounting at least one data storage disk in the chamber for rotation about a spindle axis relative to the deck, said assembly including an elongate spindle shaft, a first bushing means at a first end portion of the spindle shaft, and a first bearing means for securing the first bushing means for rotation about the spindle axis relative to the shaft;
• and a second bushing means at a second and opposite end portion of the shaft, and a second bearing means for securing the second bushing means for rotation about the spindle axis relative to the spindle shaft;
• wherein each of the first and second bushing means surrounds its associated one of the bearing means;
• and
• wherein the first and second bearing means are constructed of a first material and the first and second bushing means are constructed of a second material having a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than the thermal expansion coefficient of the first material, each of the bearing means being retained in a compression fit within its associated bushing means up to a predetermined maximum temperature;
• and
• wherein at least one of the first and second bearing means is mounted to slide axially with respect to the spindle shaft, to enable axial movement of the selected bearing means and its associated bushing means with respect to the spindle shaft and thereby permit a retraction of the spindle assembly for its insertion into the chamber and subsequent movement of the first and second bushing means axially away from one another and into press fit engagement into the first and second bores, respectively, thus to integrally secure the bushing means with respect to the deck while aligning the spindle shaft for rotation relative to the deck and bushing means about the spindle axis.