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US 6,208,484 B1Granted
Recirculation filter for use in a disk drive
AssigneeMaxtor Corporation
InventorRonald L. Voights
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A recirculation filter is optimally placed within a disk drive to achieve enhanced filtration performance. The recirculation filter is located in a corner of the disk drive proximate to the pivot point of the actuator arm assembly. In a preferred embodiment, air flowing through the recirculation filter then travels through the voice coil motor, providing a source of clean air for cooling the VCM during disk drive operation.
Claims23
A disk drive comprising:
- a baseplate forming a base for said disk drive;
- at least one disk for storing data within substantially concentric data tracks;
- a spin motor, coupled to said baseplate and said at least one disk, for spinning said at least one disk about an axis of rotation, wherein the spinning of said at least one disk generates circulating air currents within said disk drive;
- a transducer for sensing data from a surface of said at least one disk as said at least one disk rotates about said axis of rotation;
- an actuator arm coupled to said transducer for use in positioning said transducer with respect to said at least one disk;
- a motor, coupled to said baseplate and said actuator arm, for imparting controlled motion to said actuator arm to position said transducer adjacent to desire track of said at least one disk in response to a control signal;
- and
- a recirculation filter located beside an outer edge of said at least one disk and proximate to said actuator arm for receiving and removing airborne particles from the air currents circulating within said disk drive, wherein said recirculation filter includes a frame having a lower portion which is held within a recessed pocket portion of said baseplate, and a shape of said lower portion of said frame conforms to a shape of said recessed pocket portion.
5 more elements
A disk drive comprising:
- a baseplate forming a base for said disk drive;
- at least one disk for storing data within substantially concentric data tracks;
- a spin motor, coupled to said baseplate and said at least one disk, for spinning said at least one disk about an axis of rotation, wherein the spinning of said at least one disk generates circulating air currents within said disk drive;
- a transducer for sensing data from a surface of said at least one disk as said at least one disk rotates about said axis of rotation;
- an actuator arm coupled to said transducer for use in positioning said transducer with respect to said at least one disk;
- a motor, coupled to said baseplate and said actuator arm, for imparting controlled motion to said actuator arm to position said transducer adjacent to a desired track of said at least one disk in response to a control signal;
- and
- a recirculation filter located between said at least one disk and said motor for receiving and removing airborne particles from air currents generated by said at least one disk, wherein said air currents flow through said recirculation filter and then about said motor, said recirculation filter includes a frame having a lower portion which is held within a recessed pocket portion of said baseplate, and a shape of said lower portion of said frame conforms to a shape of said recessed pocket portion.
5 more elements
A disk drive comprising:
- a baseplate forming a base for said disk drive;
- at least one disk for storing data within substantially concentric data tracks;
- a spin motor, coupled to said baseplate and said at least one disk, for spinning said at least one disk about an axis of rotation, wherein the spinning of said at least one disk generates circulating air currents within said disk drive;
- a transducer for sensing data from a surface of said at least one disk as said at least one disk rotates about said axis of rotation;
- an actuator arm coupled to said transducer for use in positioning said transducer with respect to said at least one disk;
- a motor, coupled to said baseplate and said actuator arm, for imparting controlled motion to said actuator arm to position said transducer adjacent to a desired track of said at least one disk in response to a control signal;
- and
- a recirculation filter located beside an outer edge of said at least one disk for receiving and removing airborne particles from the air currents generated by said at least one disk;
- wherein said baseplate includes means for channeling air currents circulating between said at least one disk and a floor of said baseplate outward toward said recirculation filter, and said means for channeling includes a recessed portion of said baseplate floor.
6 more elements
A disk drive comprising:
- a baseplate forming a base for said disk drive;
- at least one disk for storing data within substantially concentric data tracks;
- a spin motor, coupled to said baseplate and said at least one disk, for spinning said at least one disk about an axis of rotation, wherein the spinning of said at least one disk generates circulating air currents within said disk drive;
- a transducer for sensing data from a surface of said at least one disk as said at least one disk rotates about said axis of rotation;
- an actuator arm coupled to said transducer for use in positioning said transducer with respect to said at least one disk;
- a motor, coupled to said baseplate and said actuator arm, for imparting controlled motion to said actuator arm to position said transducer adjacent to a desired track of said at least one disk in response to a control signal;
- and
- a recirculation filter located beside an outer edge of said at least one disk and proximate to said actuator arm for receiving and removing airborne particles from the air currents circulating within said disk drive;
- wherein said said baseplate includes a recessed portion proximate to an input of said recirculation filter, said recessed portion creating a low pressure zone along said baseplate that channels circulating air into said recirculation filter.
6 more elements
A disk drive comprising:
- a baseplate forming a base for said disk drive;
- at least one disk for storing data within substantially concentric data tracks;
- a spin motor, coupled to said baseplate and said at least one disk, for spinning said at least one disk about an axis of rotation, wherein the spinning of said at least one disk generates circulating air currents within said disk drive;
- a transducer for sensing data from a surface of said at least one disk as said at least one disk rotates about said axis of rotation;
- an actuator arm coupled to said transducer for use in positioning said transducer with respect to said at least one disk;
- a motor, coupled to said baseplate and said actuator arm, for imparting controlled motion to said actuator arm to position said transducer adjacent to a desired track of said at least one disk in response to a control signal;
- a recirculation filter located beside an outer edge of said at least one disk and proximate to said actuator arm for receiving and removing airborne particles from the air currents circulating within said disk drive;
- and
- a cover plate for covering an internal chamber of said disk drive, said cover plate including a recessed portion proximate to a location of said recirculation filter, said recessed portion creating a low pressure zone along said cover plate that channels circulating air outward toward said recirculation filter.
6 more elements
A disk drive comprising:
- a baseplate forming a base for said disk drive;
- at least one disk for storing data within substantially concentric data tracks;
- a spin motor, coupled to said baseplate and said at least one disk, for spinning said at least one disk about an axis of rotation, wherein the spinning of said at least one disk generates circulating air currents within said disk drive;
- a transducer for sensing data from a surface of said at least one disk as said at least one disk rotates about said axis of rotation;
- an actuator arm coupled to said transducer for use in positioning said transducer with respect to said at least one disk;
- a motor, coupled to said baseplate and said actuator arm, for imparting controlled motion to said actuator arm to position said transducer adjacent to a desired track of said at least one disk in response to a control signal;
- a recirculation filter located beside an outer edge of said at least one disk for receiving and removing airborne particles from the air currents generated by said at least one disk;
- and
- a cover plate for covering the disk drive, said cover plate including second means for channeling air currents circulating between said at least one disk and a lower surface of said cover plate outward toward said recirculation filter, wherein said second means for channeling includes a recessed portion of said lower surface of said cover plate.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.