Split ring mounting for disk drive spindle and actuator shafts

A data storage apparatus, including:

• a disk drive housing having first and second opposed housing walls, an elongate spindle shaft having first and second opposite spindle shaft ends and supporting at least one data storage disk for rotation relative to the spindle about a spindle axis, and an elongate rotary actuator shaft having first and second opposite rotary shaft ends and supporting at least one data transducing head for arcuate travel about an actuator axis spaced apart from and substantially parallel to the spindle axis;
• a substantially rigid but elastically deformable first spindle fastener having an elongate first shank inserted axially into the spindle shaft via the first shaft end, and a first head larger in diameter than the first shank;
• a substantially rigid but elastically deformable first spindle alignment means surrounding the first spindle fastener and having:
• a frusto-conical first inner spindle guide surface converging in an axially inward direction toward the spindle shaft and engaged with the first head;
• a frusto-conical second inner spindle guide surface diverging in the axially inward direction and engaged with the first spindle shaft end;
• and a radially outward first edge surrounded by a first rim of the first wall;
• a first actuator fastener substantially identical in construction to the first spindle fastener and inserted axially into the actuator shaft via the first actuator shaft end, and having an enlarged second head;
• a first actuator alignment means surrounding the first inner actuator fastener and having:
• a frusto-conical first actuator guide surface converging in the axial direction toward the spindle shaft and engaged with the second head;
• a frusto-conical second inner actuator guide surface diverging in the axially inward direction and engaged with the first actuator shaft end;
• and a radially outward second edge surrounded by a second rim of the first wall;
• wherein each of the first fasteners is so inserted to a predetermined axial location beyond a point at which its associated inner guide surfaces engage their associated heads and first shaft ends, respectively, to cause a residual axial tensile force in each said fastener while urging its associated radially outward edge into a firm frictional engagement with the associated rim, thereby radially aligning and integrally securing the first actuator shaft end and first spindle shaft end with respect to the first wall;
• and
• means for mounting the second spindle shaft end and second actuator shaft end integrally with respect to the second wall whereby the at least one disk and at least one transducing head are supported by their respective shafts inside of the housing.

In a disk drive including a housing and an elongate shaft integral with the housing for mounting components to rotate relative to the housing about the shaft, a means for mounting the shaft integrally with the housing;

• said mounting means including:
• a first fastener including an elongate shank projected axially away from a first end of a shaft, and an enlarged first head at an end of the shank remote from the shaft;
• a first alignment ring surrounding the fastener and having:
• a frusto-conical first inner guide surface converging in an axially inward direction toward the shaft and engaged with the first head;
• a frusto-conical second inner guide surface diverging in the axially inward direction and engaged with the first shaft end;
• and a radially outward first mounting edge surrounded by a first rim of a first wall of a disk drive housing;
• wherein the first fastener and the first alignment ring are substantially rigid but elastically deformable;
• wherein the first fastener, at least along the shank, is elastically elongated under axial tension whereby the first head and the first shaft end cooperate to radially expand the first alignment ring, thus to urge the radially outward first mounting edge into a firm frictional engagement with the first rim and thus radially align and integrally secure the first shaft end with respect to the first wall;
• and
• a means for mounting a second and opposite end of the shaft integrally to a second wall of the housing opposed to the first wall.

In a disk drive, a means for mounting a shaft integrally with a housing of the disk drive to support components for rotation relative to the housing about the shaft, including:

• a disk drive housing having first and second opposed housing walls, and an elongate shaft having first and second opposite shaft ends and a first interfacing surface formed at the first shaft end;
• a substantially rigid but elastically deformable fastener including an elongate shank projected axially away from the first shaft end, and an enlarged head at the end of the shank remote from the shaft, said enlarged head having a second interfacing surface;
• a substantially rigid but elastically deformable alignment means surrounding the fastener, said alignment means having a first inner guide surface engaged with the first interfacing surface of the shaft, a second inner guide surface engaged with the second interfacing surface of the enlarged head, and a radially outward mounting edge;
• wherein at least one of the first interfacing surface and the first inner guide surface is frusto-conical and diverges in an axially inward direction toward the spindle shaft;
• at least one of the second interfacing surface and the second inner guide surface is frusto-conical and converges in the axially inward direction;
• and the radially outward mounting edge is surrounded by a rim of said first wall;
• wherein the fastener, at least along the shank, is elastically elongated under axial tension whereby the head and shaft, acting through the second interfacing surface and second inner guide surface, and through the first interfacing surface and the first inner guide surface respectively, cooperate to radially expand the alignment means, thus to urge the radially outward mounting into a firm frictional engagement with the rim, to radially align and integrally secure the first shaft end with respect to the first wall;
• and
• a means for mounting the second shaft end integrally to the second wall of the housing.