Seagate Technology Incorporated

Jon P Baker

Kenneth Lee Pottebaum

John D Stricklin

Stephen R Genheimer

Jeffrey Don Andress

Phillip R Ridenour

Apparatus for protecting a disc drive from damage due to non-operational mechanical shocks, the disc drive including a rotatable disc having an inner radius and an outer radius and a controllably rotatable actuator adjacent the disc. A snubber is provided adjacent the disc, the snubber having a body portion rigidly affixed with respect to the disc and snubber arms connected to the body portion. The snubber arms extend from the body portion towards the disc and above and below the elevation of the disc, with each snubber arm having a distal end located at a position adjacent the disc between the inner and the outer radii of the disc and towards the outer radius of the disc. The height of each snubber arm limits deflection of the disc at the outer radius of the disc as a result of mechanical shock forced supplied to the disc drive assembly.

Over molded disc snubber

Apparatus for protecting a disc drive from damage due to non-operational mechanical shocks, the disc drive comprising a rotatable disc having an inner radius and an outer radius and a controllably rotatable actuator adjacent the disc. A snubber is provided adjacent the disc, the snubber having a body portion rigidly affixed with respect to the disc and snubber arms connected to the body portion. The snubber arms extend from the body portion towards the disc and above and below the elevation of the disc, with each snubber arm having a distal end located at a position adjacent the disc between the inner and the outer radii of the disc and towards the. outer radius of the disc. The height of each snubber arm limits deflection of the disc at the outer radius of the disc as a result of mechanical shock forced supplied to the disc drive assembly.

Actuator assembly mounted disc snubber

Apparatus for protecting a disc drive from damage due to non-operational mechanical shocks, the disc drive comprising a rotatable disc having an inner radius and an outer radius and a controllably rotatable actuator adjacent the disc. A snubber is provided adjacent the disc, the snubber having a body portion rigidly affixed with respect to the disc and snubber arms connected to the body portion. The snubber arms extend from the body portion towards the disc and above and below the elevation of the disc, with each snubber arm having a distal end located at a position adjacent the disc between the inner and the outer radii of the disc and towards the outer radius of the disc. The height of each snubber arm limits deflection of the disc at the outer radius of the disc as a result of mechanical shock forced supplied to the disc drive assembly.

Shroud mounted disc snubber

An improved attachment of an actuator E-block of an actuator apparatus to a cartridge bearing assembly for a hard disc drive, the actuator apparatus having an E-block with a central bore having a pair of cartridge bearing alignment edges and a relief area, the cartridge bearing alignment edges disposed within the central bore to engage the cartridge bearing assembly. Mounting members extend through the wall of the E-block into the central bore to apply a frictional load there against and a compressive load against the cartridge bearing assembly sufficient to maintain contact between the cartridge bearing alignment edges of the E-block and the cartridge bearing assembly.

Actuator assembly attachment in a disc drive

An actuator arm bumper for dampening contact between a surface of an actuator arm and a surface of a disc in a disc drive. The actuator arm bumper comprises a non-marring, non-particulating and durable material such as polycarbonate which extends through and beyond the cross-sectional thickness of the actuator arm. The actuator arm bumper is formed from a sphere or rod of polycarbonate material which is placed into an opening of the actuator arm and deformed using a heat staking or crimping operation. A ramp loading installation tool is also used to simultaneously form all of the actuator arm bumpers in the actuator arms of the disc drive.

Growing community of inventors

Oklahoma City, OK, United States of America

Jon P Baker