Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Western Digital Corporation

Other

Scott Edward Watson

Lidu Huang

David K Myers

Nils E Larson

Serge Hauert

Joshua P Weiher

John Robert Edwards

Matthew L Brown

Peter G Robinson

Joshua B Howie

Ryan John Schmidt

Keith R Berding

John R Gustafson

Aaron D Little

Yau-Shing Lee

Jonathan M Garbarino

Brian Lee Rappel

Thomas J Hitchner

Baekho Heo

Michael K Liebman

Daniel T Nguyen

Dana C Fisher

Andrew A Lucas

Kenneth Allen

Payman Hassibi

Mark A Hathaway

Qing Zhang

Stephen A Misuta

Lionel Young

William Wei Yi Yu

Perry E Hall

Andre Y Liem

Lawrence H Lo

James M Pausanos

A disk drive comprises a drive enclosure defining a generally rectangular form factor; an electromechanical assembly contained within the drive enclosure, and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) at least partially contained within the drive enclosure. The drive enclosure possesses at least one of the following characteristics: the drive enclosure defines chamfers on at least one of four corners of the generally rectangular form factor; and the drive enclosure defines a first surface and a second surface that defines an interior second surface portion and a peripheral second surface portion and wherein the interior second surface portion is further away from the first surface than is the peripheral second surface portion.

Slim form factor disk drive comprising disk drive enclosure having an insular raised region

A disk drive assembly including a disk drive enclosure including an enclosure main body forming an interior region, the interior region having a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) assembly receiving portion configured to hold a VCM assembly; and a cover member configured to engage the enclosure main body and cover the interior region of the enclosure main body, and expose at least a portion of the VCM Assembly receiving portion; and a VCM assembly disposed within the VCM assembly receiving portion of the enclosure main body, the VCM assembly comprising a cover supporting member configured to engage and support the cover member.

Coined VCM tab to limit cover deflection under pinch load

Described herein is a disk drive balance plug that includes a substantially cylindrical body defining a first end, a second end, a substantially cylindrical outer surface, and a plug central axis. The balance plug also preferably includes at least one protrusion extending along the cylindrical outer surface between the first and second ends in a direction substantially aligned with the plug central axis.

Disk drive with balance plug having longitudinal retainers

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

Asymmetrical trowel

Described herein is a tolerance ring for a disk drive that includes a substantially cylindrical body having outer surface. The tolerance ring can be positioned between a rotational bearing and an actuator for providing rotational movement of the actuator. The tolerance ring can also include a contact member, positioned along the outer surface, that protrudes outward from the outer surface. The contact member can be connected to the outer surface by first and second angulated arms that extend from the outer surface to the contact member at different angles relative to the outer surface.

Disk drive with asymmetric tolerance ring

A disk drive includes a ramp having a fixed portion that is fixed to the disk drive base, and a guide portion that is not. The guide portion includes a guide surface having a parking region that is in contact with an HGA lift-tab with the disk drive in a non-operational state. The guide surface also has a load/unload region that extends over a disk outer periphery. The guide surface defines a guide surface length that is measured from the parking region to the load/unload region. The ramp also includes a torsionally-compliant member connecting the fixed portion to the guide portion. A distance between the torsionally-compliant member and the parking region, measured approximately parallel to the guide surface length, is less than half the guide surface length. The guide portion is not connected to the fixed portion over at least two-thirds of the guide surface length.

Disk drive having a head loading/unloading ramp that includes a torsionally-compliant member

A novel actuator latch includes a catch portion interfering with actuator rotation with the latch in a closed position. The latch includes a first stop portion that is in contact with a fixed member with the latch in the closed position. The latch includes a pusher portion that is in contact with the actuator with the latch in the closed position and with the actuator in an extreme rotational position. The pusher portion has a torsional stiffness about the latch pivot location in the range 5 J/rad&#xb7;secto 30 J/rad&#xb7;sec, where Jis the rotational inertia of the actuator about the actuator pivot location expressed in units of kg&#xb7;m. The first stop portion has a torsional stiffness about the latch pivot location that is at least 5 times that of the pusher portion.

Disk drive including an actuator latch with a torsionally compliant pusher portion

A disk drive includes an actuator rotatably coupled to a disk drive base. A fixed member is in fixed spatial relation to the base. A latch is rotatably coupled to the base. The latch includes a catch portion in contact with the actuator with the latch closed and not in contact the actuator with the latch open. The catch portion comprises a first material. The latch includes a crash stop portion comprising a second material having a lesser stiffness than the first material. The crash stop portion includes a stop portion and a pusher portion. The stop portion is in contact with the fixed member with the latch closed and not in contact with the fixed member with the latch open. The pusher portion is in contact with the actuator with the latch closed and with the actuator in an extreme rotational position.

Disk drive including an actuator latch with a catch portion and a crash stop portion of lesser material stiffness than the catch portion

A disk drive comprises a disk drive base, an actuator rotatably coupled to the disk drive base, a magnet disposed adjacent the actuator, and a latch. The latch is coupled to the disk drive base. The latch includes a latch body, a retention bore, a seating cavity, and a biasing ball. The retention bore extends into the latch body along a bore longitudinal axis. The retention bore includes a ball entrance defining a ball entrance diameter. The seating cavity extends from within the retention bore into the latch body. The seating cavity has an interior dimension perpendicular to the bore longitudinal axis greater than the ball entrance diameter. The biasing ball is disposed at least partially in the retention bore and at least partially within the seating cavity. The biasing ball comprises a magnetic material and has a ball diameter greater than the ball entrance diameter.

Disk drive with an actuator latch having a biasing ball at least partially within a seating cavity adjoining a retention bore

A disk drive having a translatable ramp is disclosed. The disk drive includes a head gimbal assembly having a proximate end that is attached to an actuator, and a distal end that includes a lift tab. The ramp includes a lift tab supporting surface located as close to a pivot axis of the actuator as is the lift tab. The ramp also includes a ramp guiding surface that is in contact with a mating surface of the disk drive base. A fastener selectively allows or prevents relative translation between the ramp and the disk drive base. The aforementioned contact constrains the relative translation so that the relative translation changes the distance between the lift tab supporting surface and the disk axis of rotation more than the relative translation changes the distance between the lift tab supporting surface and the actuator pivot axis.

Disk drive with translatable ramp

An improved flexural pivot design simplifies the structure, fabrication, assembly, and integration into a device. A set of flexuresis affixed to two surfaces of a stationary memberand a single surface of a rotational member. The set of flexures follow opposing centers of curvatureandto provide a stable center of rotationand allow repeatable limited-angle rotational motion.

Simplified flexural pivot

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head, a spindle motor having a hub, the hub comprising a cylindrical shaft, the shaft defining a generally cylindrically-shaped outer surface, the outer surface defining a latching member extending around at least part of the circumference of the shaft. A disk is positioned on the spindle motor and an actuator moves the head radially over the disk. A disk clamp clamps the disk to the spindle motor. The disk clamp comprises a ring-shaped body comprising an outer ring-shaped surface abutting the disk, and an inner neck spaced-apart from the outer ring-shaped surface, the inner neck comprising a plurality of independently flexing teeth for contacting the latching member.

Disk drive comprising a snap-on disk clamp

A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, an actuator arm, a head attached to the actuator arm, a voice coil motor, a parking latch for latching the actuator arm in a latched position in order to park the head during a non-operating mode, and a flex circuit having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the actuator arm. The disk drive further comprises an inertial latch for maintaining the actuator arm in the latched position when the disk drive is subjected to a physical shock. The inertial latch comprises a body having a protruding arm and defining a pivot axis. The inertial latch further comprises a support member coupled to the base, the support member comprising a connecting surface for connecting to the second end of the flex circuit, and a restraining member connected to the body of the inertial latch proximate the pivot axis, wherein the restraining member vertically restrains the inertial latch.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Scott Edward Watson