Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

William W Garrett

Dalwinder Singh

Marc B Goldstone

Colin W Morgan

Mark A Baskovich

Daniel R Ostrander

McMahan Coyle Alexander, Jr

A method of manufacturing a disk drive for use with a host electronic unit (HEU). The HEU including a printed circuit board having a socket and HEU disk drive circuitry. The method includes providing a lead frame. The lead frame is a single component having material continuity rather than an assembly of subcomponents. The method includes forming a plurality of leads in the lead frame by removing material of the lead frame, and attaching the lead frame to a housing body. The housing body defines a housing periphery sized and configured to be engaged within the socket. The leads extend to the housing periphery. The method includes attaching a disk drive electrical component to the housing body, and electrically connecting the disk drive electrical component to at least one of leads. The disk drive circuitry is located on the HEU printed circuit board rather than within the housing periphery.

Method of manufacturing a disk drive with a lead frame engaged within a host electronic unit socket

A method of assembling a plurality of disk drives comprising providing an assembly-plate comprising a plate alignment feature (PAF) and a plurality of cells wherein each cell has a cell alignment feature (CAF) and is adapted to receive and retain a disk drive; determining a valid alignment of the assembly-plate in relation to a disk drive assembly device based on PAF; selecting a disk drive for assembly; determining a valid alignment of a selected cell in relation to disk drive assembly device based on CAF of selected cell; placing an initial component of selected disk drive in selected cell wherein the initial component is retained by the cell via a retention feature of cell; repeating the selecting, determining a valid alignment of a selected cell, and placing for each of disk drives; and completing the assembling of each disk drive during which each disk drive remains in its cell.

Method of assembling a plurality of disk drives

A storage peripheral, such as disk drive, having a robust PCB connector configured in accordance with a SATA standard. The disk drive has a disk, a disk controller system, and a PCB for mounting the disk controller system, and a housing attached to the PCB. A first electrical contact arrangement in accordance with a SATA standard is connected to the PCB and is supported by a first blade connector. Both the first blade connector and the first electrical contact arrangement are enclosed by the housing. The housing further defines a cable connector receiving area around the first blade connector for the receipt of a cable connector. A pair of laterally-opposed guide arm receiving cavities are integrally formed with the housing and are disposed outside of the cable connector receiving area. The guide arm receiving cavities are adapted for the receipt of guide arms from a mating cable connector.

Storage peripheral having a robust serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) PCB connector

A disk drive for use with a host electronic unit including spindle motor drive circuitry. The disk drive includes a disk drive housing, and a spindle motor rotatably attached to the disk drive housing. The spindle motor includes a stator. The disk drive further includes a host connector attached to the disk drive housing which is operably connectable to the spindle motor drive circuitry for receiving electrical signals from the spindle motor drive circuitry for controlling the spindle motor. The disk drive further includes a stator electrical trace integrally formed upon the disk drive housing from the stator to the host connector for electrically connecting the stator and the host connector.

Disk drive including electrical traces integrally formed upon disk drive housing

A printed circuit board (PCB) connector configured in accordance with a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard. The PCB connector is for connection to a PCB. The PCB connector includes a first blade connector for supporting a first electrical contact arrangement in accordance with a SATA standard, a housing for supporting the first blade connector and the first electrical contact arrangement, and a pair of laterally-opposed guide arm receiving cavities being integrally formed with the housing. The housing defines a cable connector receiving area around the first blade connector for receipt of a cable connector. Further, the guide arm receiving cavities are disposed outside of the cable connector receiving area and are adapted for the receipt of guide arms from a mating cable connector.

Robust serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) PCB connector

A cable connector configured in accordance with a Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) standard. The cable connector includes a first electrical contact arrangement in accordance with a SATA standard and is configured to mate with a first blade connector having a second electrical contact arrangement also in accordance with the SATA standard. The cable connector includes a first blade-receiving portion for enclosing the first electrical contact arrangement, a housing for supporting the first blade-receiving portion and the first electrical contact arrangement, and a pair of laterally-opposed guide arms being integrally formed with the housing. The housing has a cable entrance end and a mating end. The guide arms project from the mating end of the housing and are disposed outside of the first blade-receiving portion.

Growing community of inventors

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, United States of America

William W Garrett