Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Maxtor Corporation

Dana C Fisher

Jeffrey David Wilke

David William Niss

Brian Lee Rappel

Vaclav Prochazka

D Michael Keffeler

Matthew J Sandor

John R Gustafson

Scott Edward Watson

David D Brause

Hussam Zebian

Andrew A Lucas

Lionel Young

A data storage system includes a chassis housing multiple data storage devices, such as hard disk drives, a compartment housing cooling fans, and an air plenum positioned between the fans and the storage devices. A multibody chambered acoustic attenuator, which may be installed in the air plenum, includes a plate part having airflow holes therethrough and may include a convex arched part having airflow holes therethrough and coupled with the plate part to form a chamber. Acoustic damping material lines an interior surface of the plate part and the interior and exterior surfaces of the arched part, and the airflow holes of the plate part and of the arched part are not aligned, such that direct acoustic emissions and reflections would contact the acoustic damping material and a circuitous airflow path is provided from the cooling fans to the storage devices, to reduce the acoustic sound pressure upon the devices.

Multibody chambered acoustic attenuator for a data storage system

Provided herein are systems and apparatus for capturing a shock mount in a storage enclosure divider. In one implementation, a divider assembly comprises a divider guide comprising a plurality of alignment stops configured to engage an alignment feature of a device carrier, a front top divider coupled to the divider guide, a rear top divider coupled to the divider guide, and a grommet assembly coupled to the divider guide and to the front top divider and to the rear top divider. The front and rear top dividers comprise pluralities of alignment stop apertures and grommet apertures formed therein with respective alignment stops extending therethrough. Each alignment stop aperture of the rear top divider has a respective alignment stop of the plurality of alignment stops extending therethrough. The grommet assembly comprises a pair of grommets, each extending through a respective grommet aperture.

Divider with captive shock mounts for storage enclosure

A storage drive configured for use in a storage drive block and a storage drive block are provided. The storage drive block in one example includes a plurality of storage drives joined together into a substantially rigid storage drive block, a block communication element extending to the plurality of storage drives and adapted to communicatively link a plurality of communication boards of the plurality of storage drives to a mass storage chassis assembly, and one or more joining elements affixing the one or more mounting elements of each storage drive to form the storage drive block.

Storage drive and storage drive block

A disk drive includes an enclosure that has a breather port therethrough. A first labyrinth path may be disposed inside the disk drive enclosure, in fluid connection with the breather port. A second labyrinth path may be temporarily disposed outside the disk drive enclosure, in fluid connection with the breather port. An alternative gas such as helium may be allowed to bleed out through the second labyrinth path during a period of servo track writing. The second labyrinth path may be removed after servo track writing.

Disk drive with added external labyrinth path during servo track writing

A conductive lock washer for safely dissipating electrostatic charge which builds up on a disk surface without discharge across the head/dish gap. The lock washer, including a series of alternating inner and outer tabs, acts to reduce torque on the spindle washer damper and hoop stress on the washer itself, while still creating a conductive pathway to the top cover of the hard drive assembly.

Conductive lock washer

Growing community of inventors

Berthoud, CO, United States of America

Dana C Fisher