Stepped enclosure for minimizing airflow excitation in a data storage device
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsSvetlana I Kovinskaya, Kenneth L Pottebaum
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A stepped enclosure for a rotating disc data storage device having an actuator operably moveable within a range of movement adjacent the rotating disc in a data reading and writing relationship. The stepped enclosure comprises an airflow conditioning surface disposed in a substantially close-fitting relationship with the disc and spatially disposed therefrom a first distance. The enclosure further comprises a niche, or recessed area, in the airflow conditioning surface apart from the actuator range of movement defined by a recessed surface disposed a second distance from the disc greater than the first distance.
Claims28
A stepped enclosure for a data storage device having an actuator operably moveable in a data reading and writing relationship within a range of movement adjacent a disc rotated by a motor, the enclosure comprising:
- an airflow conditioning surface comprised of substantially parallel opposing surfaces disposed in a substantially close-fitting relationship to a respective surface of the disc;
- a countering niche in the airflow conditioning surface apart from the actuator range of movement commutatively suppressing airflow excitation forces propagating from the enclosure within the actuator range of movement;
- and
- a clearance niche associated with the actuator operable range of movement and comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge and an included angle therebetween receivingly engaging a radial sector of the disc.
A data storage device, comprising:
- a moveable data storage medium;
- an actuator moveable relative to the medium within a range of movement in a data reading and writing relationship;
- and
- a stepped enclosure supporting the medium and the actuator comprising:
- an airflow conditioning surface comprised of substantially parallel opposing surfaces disposed in a substantially close-fitting relationship to a respective surface of the medium;
- a countering niche in the airflow conditioning surface apart from the actuator range of movement commutatively suppressing airflow excitation forces propagating from the enclosure within the actuator range of movement;
- and
- a clearance niche associated with the actuator operable range of movement and comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge and an included angle therebetween receivingly engaging a radial sector of the medium.
A data storage device, comprising:
- a data storage disc in an operable data reading and writing relationship with an actuator, and
- first means for commutatively suppressing airflow excitation forces propagating from a clearance niche associated with an operable range of movement of the actuator, the clearance niche comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge and an included angle therebetween receivingly engaging a radial sector of the disc.
A method for reducing airflow excitation forces acting on an actuator in a data storage device, comprising:
- providing an enclosure defining an airflow conditioning surface comprised of substantially parallel opposing surfaces in a closely-fitting relationship with a data storage surface of the data storage device;
- defining a clearance niche in the airflow conditioning surface permitting operable movement of the actuator relative to the data storage surface and comprising a leading edge and a trailing edge and an included angle therebetween receivingly engaging a radial sector of the disc;
- and
- defining a countering niche in the airflow conditioning surface apart from the clearance niche commutatively suppressing airflow excitation forces propagating from the clearance niche.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.