Bayonet-style disk clamp
AssigneeWestern Digital Technologies, Inc.
InventorsJoshua P. Weiher, Paul Hughey Henry, Mark S. Seymour
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A disk drive assembly having a disk hub having a cylindrical portion; and a disk clamp retaining portion formed on a vertical portion of the cylindrical portion of the disk hub; a disk clamp having: a body portion; and a retained portion which engages the disk clamp retaining portion of the disk hub to secure the disk clamp to the disk hub; and a disk media disposed between the disk clamp and the disk hub, the disk media being secured in place by the disk clamp.
Claims27
A disk drive assembly comprising:
- a disk hub comprising:
- a cylindrical portion;
- and
- a disk clamp retaining portion formed on a vertical portion of the cylindrical portion of the disk hub, wherein the disk clamp retaining portion comprises an entry portion forming a reduced radius region with a cutout portion at a top surface of an upper edge of the cylindrical portion and
- a retaining portion that communicates with the entry portion and forms a reduced radius region spaced below and apart from the upper edge of the cylindrical portion;
- a disk clamp comprising:
- a body portion;
- and
- a retained portion which engages the disk clamp retaining portion of the disk hub to secure the disk clamp to the disk hub;
- and
- a disk media disposed between the disk clamp and the disk hub, the disk media being secured in place by the disk clamp.
A disk hub for a disk drive assembly comprising:
- a cylindrical portion;
- and
- a disk clamp retaining portion formed on a vertical portion of the cylindrical portion,
- wherein the disk clamp retaining portion is configured to engage a portion of a disk clamp to secure the disk clamp to the disk hub;
- and
- wherein the disk clamp retaining portion comprises an entry portion forming a reduced radius region with a cutout portion at a top surface of an upper edge of the cylindrical portion and
- a retaining portion that communicates with the entry portion and forms a reduced radius region spaced below and apart from the upper edge of the cylindrical portion.
A disk clamp for a disk drive assembly comprising:
- a body portion;
- and
- a retained portion which extends radially inward from the body portion and is configured to engage a disk clamp retaining portion of a disk hub to secure the disk clamp to the disk hub, the disk clamp retaining portion of the disk hub comprising
- an entry portion forming a reduced radius region with a cutout portion at a top surface of an upper edge of the cylindrical portion and
- a retaining portion that communicates with the entry portion and forms a reduced radius region spaced below and apart from the upper edge of the cylindrical portion.
A method of assembling a disk drive comprising:
- providing a disk hub having a disk clamp retaining portion formed in a vertical portion of a central cylindrical portion of the disk hub, a disk clamp having a retained portion extending radially inward from a body portion, and a disk;
- positioning the disk proximate to the disk hub such that the central cylindrical portion of the disk hub is inserted into a hole formed through the disk;
- apply deflecting force to the body portion of the disk clamp to deflect a circumferential region of the disk clamp either upward or downward away from a horizontal plane of the retained portion of the disk clamp;
- positioning the retained portion of the disk clamp to align with a reduced radius entry portion with a cutout portion at a top surface of an upper edge of the disk clamp retaining portion of the disk hub;
- and
- releasing the deflecting force to allow the circumferential region of the clamp to return to an un-deflected position to engage the disk and apply clamping force to the disk.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.