US 5,703,734 A · Disc drive having an integral gasket and continuous outer perimeter shock bumper

Abstract

A disk drive has at least one disk for storing data and at least one transducer for reading or writing data to or from the disk. The transducer is attached to an actuator which positions the transducer with respect to the disk. The actuator includes a controllable motor which is used to move the actuator and the transducer attached thereto. The disk drive also includes a ramp for off loading the transducer or for parking the transducer off of the surface of the disk. The disk drive includes a combination shock absorber and gasket that has locking tabs to keep the combination shock absorber and gasket in place during a shock or impact loading event. The combination shock absorber and gasket also can be provided with additional extensions to lessen shocks caused by flat drops. Elastomeric blocks or pads can be provided on the cover and the base to lessen shocks caused by flat drops. The drive can also have rotatable elastomeric blocks that can rotate to a position above the disk drive to lessen shocks resulting from flat drops. The drive also is provided with a shock sensor which provides visual evidence that the drive has undergone a shock of a predetermined threshold. Another shock absorbing system uses a shroud around the connector on the disk drive.

Claims5

Dependent claims

A disk drive comprising:

a base;
at least one disk rotatably attached to said base;
an actuator rotatably attached to said base, said actuator further including a transducer located proximate one end of said actuator, said actuator positioning said transducer over said at least one disk in a transducing relationship with said at least one disk;
a cover attached to said base to form an enclosure for said at least one disk and said transducer, said enclosure having four sides, each of said four sides having a given height;
a connector associated with one of said four sides;
and
a unitary gasket and outer perimeter shock bumper which extends between said base and said cover to form a continuous gasket at the joint between said base and said cover and which forms a continuous shock bumper around said enclosure, said shock bumper having a height equal to the height of at least three of said four sides of said enclosure such that an impact on a corner of said enclosure is absorbed by said unitary gasket and outer perimeter shock bumper, said corner being defined by two of said four sides and one of a top side and a bottom side of said enclosure.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Disc drive having an integral gasket and continuous outer perimeter shock bumper

Life of this patent

Disc drive having an integral gasket and continuous outer perimeter shock bumper

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims5