Particle-capturing device including a component configured to provide an additional function within an enclosure exclusive of capturing particles

A hard-disk drive, comprising:

• at least one a magnetic-recording disk;
• at least one a magnetic-recording head disposed to read data from, and to write data to, said magnetic-recording disk;
• and
• at least one particle-capturing device, comprising:
• a component having a surface that is configured to be disposed within a disk enclosure and configured to make contact with an air-stream carrying particles within said disk enclosure, said component comprising:
• an electrostatic particle-capturing portion comprising:
• a dielectric electrically insulating portion;
• and
• a plurality of charged portions, said charged portions embedded in said dielectric electrically insulating portion and configured to generate an electrostatic field coupled with said surface that captures said particles from a flow of said air-stream and confines said particles at said surface;
• wherein said component is configured to provide at least one additional function within said disk enclosure exclusive of capturing particles.

A method for capturing particles from a flow of an air-stream within a space, said method comprising:

• enclosing said space in an enclosure;
• producing within said space said air-stream;
• providing a component with a plurality of charged portions embedded in a dielectric electrically insulating portion;
• generating, with said plurality of charged portions, an electrostatic field coupled with a surface of said component;
• disposing said surface of said component within said space within said enclosure;
• configuring said surface of said component to come into contact with said air-stream;
• capturing, with said electrostatic field, said particles from said flow of said air-stream;
• confining said particles at said surface with said electrostatic field;
• and
• configuring said component to provide at least one additional function within said enclosure exclusive of capturing particles.