Housing for a disc drive having cantilevered base slot to reduce mechanical shock damage

A base plate for a hard disc drive assembly comprising:

• a generally rectangular plate portion adapted to support a head disc assembly thereon, the plate portion having a pair of parallel longitudinal side edges, and a pair of rail portions each extending downward from one of the side edges, wherein each of the rail portions has a longitudinally extending horizontally open slot formed therein wherein each of the slots extends laterally through the rail portion and extends longitudinally from an end of the rail portion thereby forming a cantilever supported member at the end and acts to absorb external impact loads.

A hard disc drive apparatus comprising a head disc assembly enclosed by a generally rectangular base plate and a generally hat shaped cover member, wherein the base plate has a pair of parallel rail portions extending from opposite side edges of the plate and each of the rail portions has a longitudinally extending open slot therein, said slot acting to absorb external impact loads.

A hard disc drive apparatus having a base plate, a head disc assembly operably mounted on the base plate, and a cover over the head disc assembly enclosing the head disc assembly between the base plate and the cover, the apparatus comprising:

• a pair of spaced parallel elongated rail portions extending from the base plate away from the cover;
• and
• means in the rail portions for absorbing an external impact load applied to the base plate.