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US 6,556,372 B2Granted
Hermetically sealed data storage device with double seam seal
AssigneeMaxtor Corporation
InventorsPatrick Hearn, Kumaraswamy Kasetty
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hermetic seals that maintain a data storage device atmosphere enable the use of alternate atmospheres to reduce the aerodynamic drag and turbulent excitation within the head/disk assembly (HDA). A metallic seal having a base layer and a plating layer is compressed between the data storage device cover and base such that the plating layer fills surface asperities of the cover and base to create a hermetic seal therein between. Alternatively, the data storage device is encased inside a metallic can formed by seam sealing two housings together. Alternatively, an epoxy seam is dispensed around the periphery of the data storage device base to seal the cover thereon. An O-ring acts as a barrier to isolate the epoxy from the HDA atmosphere.
Claims54
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure for attaching the base to the cover and hermetically sealing the enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment, wherein the double seam seal includes intertwined metal and the base and the cover do not contact one another.
3 more elements
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure that attaches the base and the cover, wherein the double seam seal includes a base flange, a cover flange and a sealing material, the base flange is integral with and extends around a periphery of the base, the cover flange is integral with and extends around a periphery of the cover, the sealing material contacts and separates the base flange and the cover flange, the base flange and the cover flange have hook-shaped distal end portions that are intertwined with one another, the double seam seal protrudes outside and is spaced from sidewalls of the base and the cover, the double seam seal is essentially coplanar with an exposed top major surface of the cover, and the double seam seal hermetically seals the enclosure, thereby inhibiting escape of helium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a data storage device, comprising:
- providing a base;
- securing a disk assembly to the base;
- securing an actuator assembly to the base;
- and then
- forming a double seam seal including intertwining metallic elements, thereby attaching a cover to the base and creating a hermetically sealed enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment without contacting the base to the cover.
2 more elements
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure for attaching the base to the cover and hermetically sealing the enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment, wherein the double seam seal includes a sealing material that contacts and separates the base and the cover and protrudes outside and is spaced from sidewalls of the base and the cover.
3 more elements
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure for attaching the base to the cover and hermetically sealing the enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment, wherein the double seam seal includes an elastomeric gasket that protrudes outside and is spaced from sidewalls of the base and the cover.
3 more elements
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure for attaching the base to the cover and hermetically sealing the enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment, wherein the double seam seal protrudes outside and is spaced from sidewalls of the base and the cover.
3 more elements
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure for attaching the base to the cover and hermetically sealing the enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment, wherein the double seam seal is essentially coplanar with an exposed top major surface of the cover and protrudes outside and is spaced from sidewalls of the base and the cover.
3 more elements
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure for attaching the base to the cover and hermetically sealing the enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment, wherein the double seam seal protrudes outside and is spaced from sidewalls of the base and the cover, and the base and the cover do not contact one another.
3 more elements
A data storage device, comprising:
- a base;
- a cover sized to fit over the base to form an enclosure therein between;
- a disk assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- an actuator assembly in the enclosure and secured to the base;
- and
- a double seam seal around a periphery of the enclosure for attaching the base to the cover and hermetically sealing the enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment, wherein the double seam seal includes a base flange around a periphery of the base and a cover flange around a periphery of the cover, the base flange and the cover flange are intertwined with one another, and the base and the cover do not contact one another.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a data storage device, comprising:
- providing a base;
- securing a disk assembly to the base;
- securing an actuator assembly to the base;
- and then
- forming a double seam seal, thereby attaching a cover to the base and creating a hermetically sealed enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment without contacting the base to the cover, wherein the double seam seal protrudes outside and is spaced from sidewalls of the base and the cover.
2 more elements
A method of manufacturing a data storage device, comprising:
- providing a base;
- securing a disk assembly to the base;
- securing an actuator assembly to the base;
- and then
- forming a double seam seal, thereby attaching a cover to the base and creating a hermetically sealed enclosure to inhibit escape of a gaseous medium within the enclosure to an external ambient environment without contacting the base to the cover, wherein the double seam seal includes a base flange around a periphery of the base and a cover flange around a periphery of the cover and the base flange and the cover flange are intertwined with one another.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.