U.S. patent application number 11/443805 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-28 for encapsulated miniature hard disc drive.
This patent application is currently assigned to Encap Motor Corporation. Invention is credited to Dennis K. Lieu, Griffith D. Neal.
Application Number | 20060215324 11/443805 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 21697339 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060215324 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Neal; Griffith D. ; et
al. |
September 28, 2006 |
Encapsulated miniature hard disc drive
Abstract
A miniature hard disc drive has a metal base plate, an actuator
assembly wherein the actuator assembly comprises a plurality of
bearings, a shaft, and a housing; a spindle motor assembly
comprising a stator with conductors, a shaft, a plurality of
bearings, and a rotor; and a monolithic body of phase change
material unitizing the actuator assembly housing and stator to the
base plate. Methods of developing and constructing the hard disc
drive are also disclosed.
Inventors: |
Neal; Griffith D.; (Alameda,
CA) ; Lieu; Dennis K.; (Moraga, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
P.O. BOX 10395
CHICAGO
IL
60610
US
|
Assignee: |
Encap Motor Corporation
|
Family ID: |
21697339 |
Appl. No.: |
11/443805 |
Filed: |
May 30, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11225233 |
Sep 12, 2005 |
|
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11443805 |
May 30, 2006 |
|
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|
10001692 |
Oct 25, 2001 |
6941640 |
|
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11225233 |
Sep 12, 2005 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
360/244 ;
360/97.11; G9B/25.003; G9B/33.002; G9B/33.027 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10T 29/49171 20150115;
Y10T 29/49126 20150115; Y10T 29/49128 20150115; Y10T 29/49169
20150115; G11B 33/02 20130101; G11B 33/121 20130101; Y10T 29/49124
20150115; Y10T 29/49176 20150115; G11B 25/043 20130101; Y10T
29/49025 20150115; Y10T 29/49023 20150115; Y10T 29/49172 20150115;
G11B 5/102 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
360/244 ;
360/097.01 |
International
Class: |
G11B 5/48 20060101
G11B005/48; G11B 5/012 20060101 G11B005/012 |
Claims
1. A disk drive, comprising: a molded enclosure including a base, a
cover, and a coupling mechanism to couple the base to the cover; a
pivot insert molded into the base; a spindle motor including a
first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the
spindle motor insert molded into the base, the second portion of
the spindle motor attached to the first portion to form the spindle
motor; a disk mounted to the spindle motor; and a head stack
assembly having a coil portion pivotally coupled to the pivot.
2. The disk drive of claim 1, further comprising a base voice coil
motor plate insert molded into the base.
3. The disk drive of claim 2, further comprising a cover voice coil
motor plate insert molded into the cover, wherein, when the cover
is coupled to the base, the coil portion of the head stack assembly
is disposed between the cover voice coil motor plate and the base
voice coil motor plate.
4. The disk drive of claim 1, wherein, the pivot is a pivot shaft
that is insert molded into the base and the head stack assembly is
pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft.
5. The disk drive of claim 1, wherein, the pivot is a pivot
receptacle that is insert molded into the base, the pivot
receptacle to receive a centering pin of the head stack assembly
such that when the centering pin is coupled to the pivot receptacle
the head stack assembly is pivotally coupled to the base.
6. The disk drive of claim 1, wherein, the first portion of the
spindle motor that is insert molded into the base includes a
mounting bracket, a stator, and a bearing cartridge.
7. The disk drive of claim 6, wherein, the second portion of the
spindle motor attached to the first portion of the spindle motor to
form the spindle motor includes a rotating hub and a spindle
shaft.
8. The disk drive of claim 1, further comprising a ramp for the
head stack assembly molded into the base.
9. The disk drive of claim 1, further comprising a crash stop for
the head stack assembly molded into the cover.
10. The disk drive of claim 1, further comprising a crash stop
latch molded into the cover.
11. The disk drive of claim 1, wherein, the coupling mechanism
includes a hinge.
12. The disk drive of claim 11, wherein, the base, the cover, and
the hinge of the molded enclosure are molded together to form a
single-piece enclosure.
13. The disk drive of claim 11, wherein, the base, the cover, and
the hinge of the molded enclosure are injection molded
together.
14. The disk drive of claim 1, wherein the molded enclosure is
formed of a plastic material.
15. The disk drive of claim 14, wherein the plastic material
includes a non-plastic filler.
16. The disk drive of claim 15, wherein the non-plastic filler
includes a metallic material.
17. The disk drive of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the
base includes a metal.
18. A disk drive, comprising: a molded enclosure including a base,
a cover, and a coupling mechanism to couple the base to the cover,
the base including an insert molded mounting skeleton; a pivot
attached to the mounting skeleton; a spindle motor including a
first portion and a second portion, the first portion of the
spindle motor attached to the mounting skeleton, the second portion
of the spindle motor mounted to the first portion to form the
spindle motor; a disk mounted to the spindle motor; and a head
stack assembly having a coil portion pivotally coupled to the
pivot.
19. The disk drive of claim 18, further comprising a base voice
coil motor plate attached to the mounting skeleton.
20. The disk drive of claim 19, further comprising a cover voice
coil motor plate insert molded into the cover, wherein, when the
cover is coupled to the base, the coil portion of the head stack
assembly is disposed between the cover voice coil motor plate and
the base voice coil motor plate.
21. The disk drive of claim 18, wherein, the pivot is a pivot shaft
that is attached to the mounting skeleton and the head stack
assembly is pivotally coupled to the pivot shaft.
22. The disk drive of claim 18, wherein, the pivot is a pivot
receptacle that is attached to the mounting skeleton, the pivot
receptacle to receive a centering pin of the head stack assembly
such that when the centering pin is coupled to the pivot receptacle
the head stack assembly is pivotally coupled to the base.
23. The disk drive of claim 18, wherein, the first portion of the
spindle motor that is attached to the mounting skeleton includes a
mounting bracket, a stator, and a bearing cartridge.
24. The disk drive of claim 23, wherein, the second portion of the
spindle motor mounted to the first portion of the spindle motor to
form the spindle motor includes a rotating hub and a spindle
shaft.
25. The disk drive of claim 18, further comprising a ramp for the
head stack assembly molded into the base.
26. The disk drive of claim 18, further comprising a crash stop for
the head stack assembly molded into the cover.
27. The disk drive of claim 18, further comprising a crash stop
latch molded into the cover.
28. The disk drive of claim 18, wherein, the coupling mechanism
includes a hinge.
29. The disk drive of claim 28, wherein, the base, the cover, and
the hinge of the molded enclosure are molded together to form a
single-piece enclosure, the base being molded around the mounting
skeleton.
30. The disk drive of claim 28, wherein, the base, the cover, and
the hinge of the molded enclosure are injection molded together,
the base being injected molded around the mounting skeleton.
31. The disk drive of claim 18, wherein, the molded enclosure is
formed of a plastic material.
32. The disk drive of claim 31, wherein, the plastic material
includes a non-plastic filler.
33. The disk drive of claim 18, wherein, the mounting skeleton
includes a metallic material.
34. The disk drive of claim 18, wherein, the mounting skeleton is
metal.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a continuation of application
Ser. No. 11/225,233, filed Sep. 12, 2005, which is a divisional of
application Ser. No. 10/001,692, filed Oct. 25, 2001, U.S. Pat. No.
6,941,640, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a hard disc
drive. It relates particularly to a miniature hard disc drive that
uses a high speed spindle motor assembly, an actuator assembly and
to the construction and arrangement of the spindle motor assembly
and actuator assembly to align and retain the respective component
parts of the assemblies, as well as motor and other component
assemblies used in the miniature hard disc drive, and methods of
manufacturing hard disc drives.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Computers commonly use disc drives for memory storage
purposes. Disc drives include a stack of one or more magnetic discs
that rotate and are accessed using a head or read-write transducer.
Miniature hard disc drives are smaller than other hard disc drives
and are used in hand-held electronic devices and portable
electronic devices such as cellular phones, hand-held personal
computers, digital cameras and personal digital assistants (PDA's).
Typically, a high-speed motor such as a spindle motor is used to
rotate the discs. An example of a miniature hard disc drive is
International Business Machines' (IBM) Microdrive.TM..
[0004] An example of a conventional spindle motor 1 used in a hard
disc drive is shown in FIG. 1. The motor 1 includes a base 2 which
is usually made from die cast aluminum, a stator 4, a shaft 6,
bearings 7 and a disc support member 8, also referred to as a hub.
A magnet 3 and flux return ring 5 are attached to the disc support
member 8. The stator 4 is separated from the base 2 using an
insulator (not shown) and attached to the base 2 using a glue.
Distinct structures are formed in the base 2 and the disc support
member 8 to accommodate the bearings 7. One end of the shaft 6 is
inserted into the bearing 7 positioned in the base 2 and the other
end of the shaft 6 is placed in the bearing 7 located in the hub 8.
A separate electrical connector 9 may also be inserted into the
base 2.
[0005] Each of these parts must be fixed at predefined tolerances
with respect to one another. Accuracy in these tolerances can
significantly enhance motor performance.
[0006] In operation, the disc stack is placed upon the hub. The
stator windings are selectively energized and interact with the
permanent magnet to cause a defined rotation of the hub. As hub 8
rotates, the head (not shown) engages in reading or writing
activities based upon instructions from the CPU in the
computer.
[0007] Manufacturers of disc drives are constantly seeking to
improve the speed with which data can be accessed. To an extent,
this speed depends upon the speed of the spindle motor, as existing
magneto-resistive head technology is capable of accessing data at a
rate greater than the speed offered by the highest speed spindle
motor currently in production. The speed of the spindle motor is
dependent upon the dimensional consistency or tolerances between
the various components of the motor. Greater dimensional
consistency between components leads to a smaller gap between the
stator 4 and the magnet 3, producing more force, which provides
more torque and enables faster acceleration and higher rotational
speeds. One drawback of conventional spindle motors is that a
number of separate parts are required to fix motor components to
one another. This can lead to stack up tolerances which reduce the
overall dimensional consistency between the components. Stack up
tolerances refers to the sum of the variation of all the tolerances
of all the parts, as well as the overall tolerance that relates to
the alignment of the parts relative to one another.
[0008] An important characteristic of a hard drive is the amount of
information that can be stored on a disc. One method to store more
information on a disc is to place data tracks more closely
together. Presently this spacing between portions of information is
limited due to vibrations occurring during the operation of the
motor. These vibrations can be caused when the stator windings are
energized, which results in vibrations of a particular frequency.
These vibrations also occur from harmonic oscillations in the hub
and discs during rotation, caused primarily by non-uniform size
media discs.
[0009] An important factor in motor design is the lowering of the
operating temperature of the motor. Increased motor temperature
affects the electrical efficiency of the motor and bearing life. As
temperature increases, resistive loses in wire increase, thereby
reducing total motor power. Furthermore, the Arhennius equation
predicts that the failure rate of an electrical device is
exponentially related to its operating temperature. The frictional
heat generated by bearings increases with speed. Also, as bearings
get hot they expand, and the bearing cages get stressed and may
deflect, causing non-uniform rotation and the resultant further
heat increase, non-uniform rotation requiring greater spacing in
data tracks, and reduced bearing life. One drawback with existing
motor designs is their limited effective dissipation of the heat,
and difficulty in incorporating heat sinks to aid in heat
dissipation. In addition, in current motors the operating
temperatures generally increase as the size of the motor is
decreased.
[0010] Manufacturers have established strict requirements on the
outgassing of materials that are used inside a hard disc drive.
These requirements are intended to reduce the emission of materials
onto the magnetic media or heads during the operation of the drive.
Of primary concern are glues used to attach components together,
varnish used to insulate wire, and epoxy used to protect steel
laminations from oxidation.
[0011] In addition to such outgassed materials, airborne
particulate in a drive may lead to head damage. Also, airborne
particulates in the disc drive could interfere with signal transfer
between the read/write head and the media. To reduce the effects of
potential airborne particulate, hard drives are manufactured to
exacting clean room standards and air filters are installed inside
of the drive to reduce the contamination levels during
operation.
[0012] With the rapidly expanding development of personal computers
into the field of first what was termed portable, then lap-top,
notebook and now hand held size computers and digital cameras,
there has been a tremendous demand for smaller disc drives with
increased performance for such small computers. Especially
important to manufacturers, is the ability to reduce the height of
the disc drive so that the size of the casing for the computer
could be minimized. It is an objective of the present invention to
provide a compact hard disc drive system that is compatible with
notebook and hand held computer applications, and can be compatible
with devices using Type I and Type II Flash memory devices.
[0013] Another objective of the invention is to provide a compact
hard disc drive system that has lower vibration and greater
structural integrity to provide increased data storage capability
and increased speed.
[0014] Another example of a spindle motor that can be used in a
hard drive is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,268 (Dunfield et al.)
(incorporated herein by reference). Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 of
this patent, a stator 200 of the spindle motor is encapsulated with
an overmold 209. The overmolded stator contains openings through
which mounting pins 242 may be inserted for attaching the stator
200 to a base. U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,972 (Viskochil) (incorporated
herein by reference) also discloses a spindle motor having an
overmolded stator. One drawback with the overmold used in these
patents is that it has a different coefficient of linear thermal
expansion ("CLTE") than the corresponding metal parts to which it
is attached. Another drawback with the overmold is that it is not
very effective at dissipating heat. Further, the overmolds shown in
these patents are not effective in dampening some vibrations
generated by energizing the stator windings.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,169 (Trago) (incorporated herein by
reference) discloses a method of fabricating an injection molded
motor assembly. However, the motor disclosed in Trago is a step
motor, not a high-speed spindle motor, and would not be used in
applications such as hard disc drives. Furthermore, none of these
prior art embodiments integrate the base of the hard disc drive,
thereby eliminating the cost of the base. Thus, a need exists for
an improved miniature hard disc drive that is small and lightweight
yet overcomes the aforementioned problems.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0016] A miniature hard disc drive has been invented which
overcomes many of the foregoing problems. In addition, unique
stator assemblies and other components of a high-speed motor have
been invented, as well as methods of manufacturing hard disc
drives. In one aspect, the invention is a hard disc drive having an
actuator assembly that includes an actuator assembly housing; a
spindle motor assembly having a stator with conductors, a rotor, a
shaft, and a plurality of bearings; a base plate; and a monolithic
body of phase change material substantially encapsulating said
actuator assembly housing and said stator to the base plate.
[0017] In another aspect, the invention is a miniature hard disc
drive having a metal base plate; an actuator assembly wherein the
actuator assembly has a plurality of bearings, a shaft, and a
housing; a spindle motor assembly having a stator with conductors,
a shaft, a plurality of bearings, and a rotor; and a monolithic
body of phase change material unitizing said actuator assembly
housing stator to the base plate.
[0018] In yet another aspect, the invention is a method for making
a miniature hard disk drive including the steps of providing a
stator having a plurality of poles with wire windings around said
poles; providing an actuator assembly housing; providing a base
plate; substantially encapsulating the stator, the actuator
assembly housing and the base plate with a phase change material so
as to form a unitized body; and forming a miniature hard disc drive
from said unitized body.
[0019] The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and
the advantages of the invention will become further apparent from
the following detailed description of the presently preferred
embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of
the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is
defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is an exploded, partial cross-sectional and
perspective view of a conventional high-speed motor.
[0021] FIG. 2 is a top view of a hard disc drive of the present
invention with the cover, actuator and read-write head removed, and
showing the remaining components encapsulated in the monolithic
body with dashed lines.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the hard disc drive of
FIG. 2 with its cover on, but without the actuator and read-write
head, from a vertical cross-sectional view sectioned along line 3-3
of FIG. 2.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a top view of a metal strip after being through
the injection molding process.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a metal strip with a base
plate made by an injection molding process of the present
invention.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a metal strip with a base
plate and cover made by an injection molding process of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] The miniature hard disc drive 10 of the present invention is
shown from a top view (with the cover shell removed) in FIG. 2 and
in FIG. 3 from a vertical sectional view sectioned along a line
through the spindle motor and actuator assembly axes of rotation.
In each of the figures like components are designated by like
reference numerals.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 3, the major elements of the miniature
hard disc drive system 10 of the present invention are shown,
including hard disc 100, spindle motor assembly 200, and an
actuator assembly 300. These components are attached to a base
portion 108 of a housing. The base plate 108 is preferably made of
stamped steel. A shell portion forms a cover 111, and in
conjunction with the base portion 108, encloses the aforementioned
disc drive components.
[0028] The hard disc 100 preferably has a diameter of about 27
millimeters. The disc 100 has a centrally located aperture through
which a hub 102 extends. Each disc 100 is preferably constructed
from glass, aluminum, or canestite having a thickness of about 0.38
millimeters and is coated with a magnetic material. Once formatted
each disc is capable of having more than 2000 tracks per inch of
accessible storage space. This density of tracks enables a
miniature disc drive to store more than 20 MB of data in a single
disc system. Discs meeting these requirements are available from
Yamaha, Fuji Corporation and Hitachi Corporation, all of Japan.
[0029] The disc drive explained herein utilizes one or more
magnetic coated discs 100; however, the disc drive may utilize
various numbers and types of discs. For example, optical discs and
associated laser technology based read/write heads could be used
and the concepts and principles embodied in this invention would be
fulfilled.
[0030] The means for rotatably supporting the hard disc 100 is a
hub 102 which is an integral part of the rotor 210 of a spindle
motor assembly 200. In the preferred embodiment of the present
invention and as depicted in FIG. 3, one concentrically aligned
disc 100 is positioned on the hub 102. The disc drive depicted is a
single disc system; however, to increase storage capability,
multi-disc systems are foreseeable.
[0031] As depicted in FIG. 3, the means for rotating the hard disc
100 is preferably a spindle motor assembly 200 having an integral
hub 102. The spindle motor 200 includes a stator 204, a rotor 210,
a shaft 206, and bearing supports 208. The stator 204 has a
plurality of poles 207 with wire windings 205. Preferably each pole
207 has about 50 turns of copper wire 205 with an American wire
gauge number of 38. The wire windings 205 serve as conductors and
induce or otherwise create a plurality of magnetic fields when
electrical current is conducted through the conductors. In this
embodiment, a magnetic field is induced in each of the poles
207.
[0032] In the present embodiment, the integral hub 102 is fixedly
mounted to a shaft 206 forming the axis of rotation 202 of the
motor 200. The shaft 206 is mounted to the base plate 108 using
pins (not shown) or other conventional mounting means. Bearing
supports 208 are journalled about the shaft 206 and support a rotor
210 comprised of the hub 102 and a permanent magnet 214 positioned
on a outer surface of the hub 102 facing the stator 204. The
interaction of a magnetic field generated by the stator 204 with
the rotor permanent magnets 214 propels the rotor 210 to spin. The
rotor 210, having the hub 102 as an integral component, rotates the
hard disc 100. In the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 3, there
is also a base 215 that houses bearing supports 208 and shaft 206.
The base 215 is not essential to practice the invention and can be
removed, and instead the hub 102 can be used to house the bearing
supports 208 and shaft 206.
[0033] The actuator assembly 300 has a voice coil motor (not shown)
that drives an actuator arm (not shown) to pivot and swing back and
forth over the disc surface 100 to read and write data. The
actuator assembly arm is attached to a shaft 306 or actuator pivot
at one end. The other end of the actuator arm has a head that reads
and writes data. The shaft 306 is mounted to the base plate 108
through pins or other conventional mounting means. Bearing supports
308 are journalled about the shaft 306. The bearing supports 308
and shaft 306 are housed in a metal housing 310. The metal housing
310 is preferably made of steel.
[0034] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the stator 204 of the spindle
motor assembly 200 and the housing 310 of the actuator assembly 300
are unitized with the base plate 108 by encapsulating them with a
top surface of base plate 108. Conventionally, the spindle motor
assembly and actuator assembly are mounted to the base using
conventional mounting features such as connecting pins or glue. In
the present embodiment, the stator 204 and the housing 310 of the
actuator assembly 300 and a top surface of the base plate 108 are
encapsulated with a phase change material to form a unitized,
preferably monolithic, body 250. The phase change material used to
make the body 250 is preferably a thermally conductive but
non-electrically conductive plastic. In addition, the plastic
preferably includes ceramic filler particles of either boron
nitride or preferably aluminum nitride. The coefficient of linear
thermal expansion ("CLTE") of the plastic is preferably between the
CLTE of steel and the CLTE of aluminum over the operating
temperature range of the hard disc drive. A preferred form of
plastic is polyphenyl sulfide (PPS) sold under the trade name
"Konduit" by LNP Engineering Plastics. Grade OTF-212-11 is
particularly preferred. Examples of other suitable thermoplastic
resins include, but are not limited to, thermoplastic resins such
as 6,6-polyamide, 6-polyamide, 4,6 polyamide, 12,12-polyamide, and
polyamides containing aromatic monomers, polybutylene
terephthalate, aromatic polyesters, liquid crystal polymers,
polycyclohexane dimethylol terephthalate, copolyetheresters,
polyphenylene sulfide, polyacylics, polypropylene, polyethylene,
polyacetals, polymethylpentene, polyetherimides, polycarbonate,
polysulfone, polyethersulfone, polyphenyloxide, polystyrene,
styrene copolymer, mixterus and graft copolymers of styrene and
rubber, and glass reinforced or impact modified versions of such
resins. Blends of these resins such as polyphenylene oxide and
polyamide blends, and polycarbonate and polybutylene terephthalate,
may also be used in the invention.
[0035] As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the body 250 encapsulates a
substantial area of a top surface of the base plate 108, stator
204, and the external surface of actuator assembly housing 310.
After encapsulation, the actuator assembly housing 310 and the
stator 204 are unitized with base plate 108. The body 250 extends
over the top surface of stator 204 and preferably terminates around
the inner edge 211 of stator 204. The inner side surface 212 of
stator 204 is preferably left un-encapsulated to obtain the
smallest distance between the conductors and permanent magnet 214.
The inner side surface 212 may be encapsulated with a thin layer of
phase change material without deviating from the scope of the
present invention. The thickness of the body 250 may vary but is
preferably at least about 0.2 millimeters. The critical thickness
required is that the body 250 must be thick enough so that it
extends over the top surface of stator 204. Preferably, for greater
structural integrity the body 250 may be thicker around the edge of
the base plate 108.
[0036] The hard drive shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is made in part using
an encapsulation technique. This encapsulation technique involves
the following steps, and uses an injection mold. First, a mold is
constructed to produce a part with desired geometry. The mold has
two halves or cavities. In a preferred embodiment, the base plates
are stamped into a continuous strip of metal which is fed through
the mold. As shown in FIG. 4, the strip 130 creates multiple plates
108. In alternative embodiments, the base plates 108 can be placed
side by side for multicavity molding, or as is shown in FIG. 6 the
cover can be fabricated on the same strip of metal.
[0037] A preferred embodiment has the cover and base plate
fabricated side by side during molding, as shown in FIG. 6. In this
process a metal strip having both a base plate and a cover is
placed in a two cavity mold. A monolithic body of phase change
material is then injected onto the base plate and onto the cover to
form lips, grooves, and other body features. After the strip is
removed from the molding machine, and after the other internal
components have been added to the drive, the cover is attached to
the base plate using processes well known in the art, such as heat
staking, sonic welding or gluing. The cover may be located on the
base using details formed in the monolithic body of phase change
material, such as the studs and holes shown in FIGS. 5 & 6.
[0038] During encapsulation the base plate is placed in one half of
the mold and is held in place by protrusions from the mold plate
which extend through an aperture 135 in the base plate. The base
plate 108, actuator assembly housing 310 and the stator 204 are
aligned in position and the two halves are closed. Plastic is
injected at a pre-determined pressure around the stator 204,
actuator assembly housing 310 and base plate 108 so as to unitize
those respective parts of the hard disc drive and form the body 250
shaped as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Likewise plastic can be molded
around a circuit board or metal plate to form the HDD cover. After
the pressure inside the mold reaches the pre-determined set point
pressure, the phase change material is allowed to cool and
solidify. This process is repeated sequentially for the rest of the
base plates 108 if a metal strip 130 is employed.
[0039] Once the encapsulation process is complete, the other
components of the actuator assembly and spindle motor assembly are
assembled through conventional methods. In an alternative
embodiment, it is also contemplated that the entire spindle motor
assembly may be encapsulated with the actuator assembly being
formed later or vice versa. It is also contemplated that the
actuator assembly and the spindle motor assembly can be
encapsulated with the base plate. Other variations are also
contemplated wherein at least one or more of the non-moving parts
of the hard disc drive are encapsulated with the base plate. In yet
another embodiment, it is contemplated that a base plate is
injection molded with a layer of phase change material to form
various body features such as lips, flanges and grooves. These
methods are described more fully in provisional U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 60/171,817, filed Dec. 21, 1999, incorporated
herein by reference.
[0040] In another preferred embodiment, the metal strip 130 has
apertures 135 which are compatible with machines that are used for
other manufacturing steps, so that the strip 130 acts as a carrier
which can be used in various manufacturing steps. By acting as a
carrier, it is meant that the metal strip 130 and the apertures 135
are configured in a manner such that the metal strip can be handled
by machines, other than an injection molding machine, that are used
in the manufacturing process of a hard disc drive. As a result,
using the strip 130 with apertures 135 offers an easy way to
manipulate small parts. Furthermore, it offers a way to ship the
strips 130 to a customer for further assembly operations.
[0041] As illustrated in FIG. 6, the metal strip 130 having a base
plate 108 and cover 111 may be fed continuously into an injection
molding machine which would perform the injection molding step on
each base plate and cover. The injection molding machine
encapsulates hard disc drive components to the base plate and forms
body features on the cover with a monolithic body of phase change
material. The injection molding machine preferably performs these
steps simultaneously, but it is also possible to perform them
sequentially. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that
it is also possible to have an injection molding machine with
multiple cavities so that several metal strips may be fed into the
injection molding machine, thereby further increasing the
efficiency of the process. After removing the metal strip from the
mold, the cover may be separated from the strip or folded over and
fixedly attached to the base plate.
[0042] Following the encapsulation technique in accordance with one
embodiment of the invention a hard disc drive with a thickness
between about two millimeters to about six millimeters may be
manufactured. Preferably, in one embodiment, the disc drive would
be about 3.3 millimeters thick, which corresponds with a miniature
disc drive used to replace Type I flash memory devices. In another
preferred embodiment, a thicker disc drive with a thickness of
about 5 millimeters may also be manufactured that can be used to
replace Type II flash memory devices.
[0043] Additionally, to reduce height and improve
manufacturability, in one alternative embodiment, the cover 111 of
the hard drive can be a printed circuit board. Using a circuit
board as a cover obviates the necessity of having a separate cover.
It is also contemplated that plastic may be injection molded around
the edges of the cover so that the edges of the cover and the base
plate 108 are made from the same material. In this manner the cover
may also be fixed to the base plate by methods well known in the
art, such as heat staking, sonic welding or gluing.
[0044] The present invention is also directed to a method of
developing a miniature hard disc drive 10. In an exemplary
embodiment, the hard disc drive includes a stator having conductors
and the stator is substantially encapsulated in a body of phase
change material. It has been found that using this basic design
concept, high-speed motors can be developed and quickly optimized
to meet various applications. There are several basic design
parameters that can be varied when developing a motor according to
the present invention: a) the composition (and thus
characteristics) of the phase change material; b) the configuration
of the body of phase change material; c) the magnetic design of the
motor (the windings, core shape, etc.); d) the shape, size and
configuration of the hub (and any discs used thereon when the motor
is for a hard drive); and e) the shape, size and configuration of
the actuator assembly.
[0045] In a first embodiment, where a miniature hard disc drive is
developed, the method includes the following steps: a) providing an
actuator assembly housing, a base plate, and a stator having
multiple conductors that create a plurality of magnetic fields when
electrical current is conducted through the conductors, the stator
and actuator assembly housing being unitized with a base plate by
substantially encapsulating with a body of first phase change
material; b) mounting the disc and other components of the
miniature hard disc drive through conventional means; c) energizing
the actuator assembly and the spindle motor assembly in a manner
that generates vibrations, and measuring the frequency of the
vibrations; d) designing a second phase change material that
dampens the vibrations generated by energizing the stator in step
c); and e) repeating steps a)-c), substituting the second phase
change material for the first phase change material. At least one
of the flex modulus, elongation and surface hardness properties of
the phase change material will be adjusted between the first and
second phase change materials to optimize vibration dampening. The
phase change material is preferably a thermoplastic. The advantages
of this method of developing a hard disc drive is that the
above-identified properties of the plastic may be adjusted to meet
the vibration dampening needs of a variety of different motor types
and configurations. The reduced vibration will improve motor
performance and can reduce audible noise generation.
[0046] It is also possible to change the configuration of the body
so that it will result in reduced harmonic oscillations and thus
vibrations. In this embodiment, the method includes the steps of
and a) providing an actuator assembly housing, a base plate, and a
stator having multiple conductors that create a plurality of
magnetic fields when electrical current is conducted through the
conductors, the stator and actuator assembly housing being unitized
with a base plate by substantially encapsulating with a body of
first phase change material; b) mounting the disc and other
components of the miniature hard disc drive through conventional
means; c) energizing the actuator assembly and the spindle motor
assembly in a manner that generates vibrations, and measuring the
frequency of the vibrations; d) reconfiguring the shape of the
phase change material to a second configuration and repeating steps
a)-c), substituting the phase change material having the second
configuration for the phase change material having the first
configuration. In this embodiment, the configuration of the body of
phase change material is adjusted to optimize vibration dampening.
Of course, other dimensions of body components can also be used. In
this aspect of the invention, reconfiguring the shape of the phase
change material would also include adding such elements as a
flange, grooves, etc., or even adopting a relatively different
overall shape.
[0047] The present invention is also directed to an alternative
method of developing a miniature hard disc drive. Like the other
methods, this method also involves a high-speed motor that includes
a body that is comprised of a phase change material that unitizes
some components of a hard disc drive. The high-speed motor includes
one or more, and generally a plurality of solid parts to be used in
the motor either near or within the body, such as bearings and
inserts. In addition, there are solid parts that are near the body,
such as a disc support member and a hard disc drive base. The
method of developing the high-speed motor comprises designing a
phase change material to have a coefficient of linear thermal
expansion such that the phase change material contracts and expands
at approximately the same rate as the one or more solid parts. For
example, the preferred phase change material should have a CLTE of
between 70% and 130% of the CLTE of the core of the stator. The
phase change material should have a CLTE that is intermediate the
maximum and minimum CLTE of the solid parts where the body is in
contact with different materials. Also, the CLTE's of the body and
solid part(s) should match throughout the temperature range of the
motor during its operation. An advantage of this method is that a
more accurate tolerance may be achieved between the body and the
solid parts because the CLTE of the body matches the CLTE of the
solid parts more closely.
[0048] Most often the solid parts will be metal, and most
frequently steel, copper and aluminum. The solid parts could also
include ceramics. In almost all motors there will be metal
bearings. Thus a common element of this aspect of the invention is
developing a motor by designing the phase change material to have a
CLTE approximately the same as that of the metal used to make the
base plate 108.
[0049] Most thermoplastic materials have a relatively high CLTE.
Some thermoplastic materials may have a CLTE at low temperatures
that are similar to the CLTE of metal. However, at higher
temperatures the CLTE does not match that of the metal. A preferred
thermoplastic material will have a CLTE of less than
2.times.10.sup.-5 in/in.degree. F., more preferably less than
1.5.times.10.sup.-5 in/in.degree. F., throughout the expected
operating temperature of the motor, and preferably throughout the
range of 0.degree. F. to 250.degree. F. Most preferably, the CLTE
will be between about 0.8.times.10.sup.-5 in/in.degree. F. and
about 1.2.times.10.sup.-5 in/in.degree. F. throughout the range of
0.degree. F. to 250.degree. F. When the measured CLTE of a material
depends on the direction of measurement, thickness of the sample,
or conditions of molding, the relevant CLTE for purposes of
defining the present invention is the CLTE of an encapsulated
component in the direction in which the CLTE is lowest. Preferably,
the CLTE in other directions is not more than 4 times the lowest
value. The CLTE values are measured by a standard ASTM test method
where the phase change material has the shape and form of the
monolithic body that is overmolded on a component.
[0050] The CLTE of common solid parts used in a motor are as
follows: TABLE-US-00001 23.degree. C. 250.degree. F. Steel 0.5 0.8
(.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F.) Aluminum 0.8 1.4 Ceramic 0.3
0.4
[0051] Of course, if the motor is designed with two or more
different solids, such as steel and aluminum components, the CLTE
of the phase change material would preferably be one that was
intermediate, the maximum CLTE and the minimum CLTE of the
different solids, such as 0.65 in/in/.degree. F. at room
temperature and 1.1.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. at
250.degree. F.
[0052] One preferred thermoplastic material, Konduit OTF-212-11,
was made into a thermoplastic body and tested for its coefficient
of linear thermal expansion by a standard ASTM test method. It was
found to have a CLTE in the range of -30 to 30.degree. C. of
1.09.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in the X direction and
1.26.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in both the Y and Z
directions, and a CLTE in the range of 100 to 240.degree. C. of
1.28.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in the X direction and
3.16.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in both the Y and Z
directions. (Hence, the relevant CLTEs for purposes of defining the
invention are 1.09.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. and
1.28.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F.) Another similar material,
Konduit PDX-0-988, was found to have a CLTE in the range of -30 to
30.degree. C. of 1.1.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in the X
direction and 1.46.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in both the Y
and Z directions, and a CLTE in the range of 100 to 240.degree. C.
of 1.16.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in the X direction and
3.4.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in both the Y and Z
directions. By contrast, PPS type polymer, (Fortron 4665) was
likewise tested. While it had a low CLTE in the range of -30 to
30.degree. C. (1.05.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in the X
direction and 1.33.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in both the Y
and Z directions), it had a much higher CLTE in the range of 100 to
240.degree. C. (1.94.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in the X
direction and 4.17.times.10.sup.-5 in/in/.degree. F. in both the Y
and Z directions).
[0053] In addition to having a desirable CLTE, the preferred phase
change material will also have a high thermal conductivity. A
preferred thermoplastic material will have a thermal conductivity
of at least 0.7 watts/meter.degree. K. using ASTM test procedure
0149 and tested at room temperature (23.degree. C.).
[0054] Hard disc drives with a body of phase change material
substantially encapsulating the stator 204, the actuator assembly
housing 310 and the base plate 108 wherein the phase change
material has the CLTE or thermal conductivity as described above
are themselves novel and define another aspect of the present
invention. Once encapsulated, the hard disc drive will preferably
be able to meet disc drive manufacturers' industry standards for
extractable particles. Using laser particle counting, a cumulative
average of particles greater than 0.5 micrometers in size will
total less than ten thousand particles per milliliter. This is
primarily because machined mounting plates are eliminated and other
sources of particulates (steel laminations, wound wire and
wire/terminal connections) are sealed in the encapsulation.
[0055] Also, the encapsulation reduces outgassing because varnish
used to insulate wire in the windings and epoxy used to prevent
steel laminations from oxidizing are hermetically sealed inside the
stator assembly. Also, with fewer parts there is less glue needed
to hold parts together. This reduced outgassing reduces the amount
of material that could affect the magnetic media or heads used in
the disc drive.
[0056] Another aspect of the invention utilizes the basic motor
described above that has dampened vibrations to make a hard disc
drive. The dampened vibrations can be either in the audible
frequency range, thus resulting in a disc drive with less audible
noise, or in other frequencies. As mentioned earlier, the degree to
which data can be packed onto a hard drive is dependent on how
close the data tracks are spaced. Due to reduced vibrations
resulting from aspects of the present invention, the data tracks
can be more closely spaced and the hard drive still operated.
[0057] The vibrations of concern are generally produced by harmonic
oscillations. The phase change material can be selected so as to
dampen oscillations at the harmonic frequency generated by
operation of the motor, many of which are dependent on the
configuration of the windings or other conductors. Thus, in one
aspect, the invention is a motor and disc assembly wherein the
motor comprises a stator having multiple conductors that create a
plurality of magnetic fields when electrical current is conducted
through the conductors and a monolithic body of phase change
material substantially encapsulating the conductors. In this
respect, the phase change material has a vibration dampening effect
so that the motor and disc assembly has a reduction of harmonic
oscillations.
[0058] There are a number of properties of the phase change
material that can be varied in a way that will allow the phase
change material to dampen different harmonic frequencies. This
includes adding or varying the amount of glass, Kevlar, carbon or
other fibers in the material; adding or varying the amount of
ceramic filler in the material; changing the type of material, such
as from polyphenyl sulfide to nylon or other liquid crystal
polymers or aromatic polyesters, adding or grafting elastomers into
a polymer used as the phase change material; and using a different
molecular weight when the phase change material is a polymer. Any
change that affects the flex modulus, elongation or surface
hardness properties of the phase change material will also affect
its vibration dampening characteristics.
[0059] One way to determine the effectiveness of vibration
dampening, and thus to select a suitable material, is to make up
motor configurations where different phase change materials are
used, and then measure the vibration dampening accomplished by each
material. The vibration dampening can be measured with a
capacitance probe or laser Doppler vibrometer. In the audible
range, 20-15,000 Hz, the dampening will preferably be at least 2,
more preferably at least 5 decibels in reduction in harmonic
frequency amplitude. These reductions are assessed based on a
comparison of the vibrations of the same motor but without the
stator being encapsulated.
[0060] The reduced vibrations thus allow for a unique hard disc
drive with high data density and method of manufacturing the same.
In this aspect of the invention, a hard disc drive is constructed
with reduced vibration characteristics. The disc drive includes a
stator assembly and an actuator assembly housing that are
encapsulated with the base plate to form a unitized structure with
good structural properties. The reduced vibration characteristic of
the hard drive is taken advantage of by having close data tracks on
the magnetic storage media. Preferably the data tracks are spaced
so as to have at least 10,000 tracks/inch.
[0061] The vibration dampening ability of the phase change material
may also be used in another aspect of the invention, a miniature
hard disc drive having a high speed spindle motor with improved
shock resistance. In this aspect of the invention, the body of
phase change material is shock absorbing and thus minimizes the
transfer of energy between the housing of a hard disc drive and the
magnetic storage media.
[0062] Also, with reduced vibration, there will be less friction
and wear in the bearings, which results in less heat being
generated by the motor, in turn resulting in longer motor and
bearing life and more power from the motor. Utilizing aspects of
the present invention it is possible to construct motors able to
spin in hard disc drives at speeds over 5,000 rpm. A preferred
motor will be able to spin at 7,500 rpm or greater, and a more
preferred embodiment will be able to spin at 10,000 rpm or
greater.
[0063] A number of ways to improve thermal conductivity are
presented. First, the phase change material will itself provide
some heat dissipation. Second, the phase change material can
include additives that will enhance its thermal conductivity.
Third, the body of phase change material, by being in contact with
a number of parts of the motor and/or disc drive, can act as a
pathway for heat such that those other parts of the motor and/or
disc drive can act as heat sinks. This improved thermal
conductivity provides longer life to the electrical and bearing
components of the motor, a higher power device, higher efficiency
and lower current draw. If the motor is in a battery-powered
device, this will extend the battery life.
[0064] Miniature hard disc drives built with the technique
disclosed above will have better reliability from lower particulate
levels and reduced outgassing. The hard drives will have improved
shock resistance if the drive is dropped. The preferred motors and
disc drives will have quieter operation.
[0065] The use of an encapsulated stator allows the terminal
connectors 350 to be integrated into the body, as shown in FIGS. 3,
5 and 6. In general, the motor can be more easily assembled and
will include fewer parts. As noted above, the stack-up tolerances
are reduced because fewer components are used and the phase change
material can be designed with a CLTE that closely approximates that
of other motor components.
[0066] It is contemplated that numerous modifications may be made
to the miniature hard disc drive and method for making the
miniature hard disc drive of the present invention without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in
the claims. For example, while the exemplary embodiment shown in
the drawings has a body 250 that encapsulates the entire exposed
top surface of base plate 108, it is conceivable that the body only
encapsulates a portion of the top surface of the base plate so that
the stator 204 and actuator assembly housing 310 are unitized to
the base plate 108. Furthermore, body 250 may also encapsulate
connector pins that are inserted through the base plate 108 without
departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, while the
present invention has been described herein in relation to several
embodiments, the foregoing disclosure is not intended or to be
construed to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude
any such other embodiments, arrangements, variations, or
modifications and equivalent arrangements. Rather, the present
invention is limited only by the claims appended hereto and the
equivalents thereof.
* * * * *