Hard disk drive with humidity control using membrane electrode assembly

• US 20060171065A1
• Filed: 01/27/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HGST Netherlands B.V. (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohtani, Toshiaki, Akamatsu, Naotoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,460,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/97.20
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/1453 by moisture

Abstract

In one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive is equipped with a mechanism that dehumidifies moisture through a passage or a moisture penetrating body that restrains the flow of water molecules within the magnetic disk drive by means of a membrane electrode assembly for electrolysis dehumidification.

Claims

1. A magnetic disk drive, comprising:

a magnetic disk in which information is written;

a magnetic disk driving mechanism that rotates the magnetic disk; and

a magnetic head mechanism including a magnetic head that reads and/or writes information on the magnetic disk, and a magnetic head driving mechanism that drives to move the magnetic head relative to the magnetic disk;

the magnetic disk, the magnetic disk driving mechanism, and the magnetic head mechanism being housed inside an enclosure that restrains the flow of air from the outside,

wherein the magnetic disk drive includes a membrane electrode assembly configured to adjust the humidity inside the enclosure, and a dehumidifying passage that restrains an inflow of water molecules between a dehumidifying face of the membrane electrode assembly and the inside of the enclosure.

2. A magnetic disk drive of claim 1, wherein the dehumidifying passage is provided by forming a tubular passage in a plate member.

3. A magnetic disk drive of claim 2, wherein an inflow rate coefficient of the dehumidifying passage is limited to about 40×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or less.

4. A magnetic disk drive of claim 3, wherein the inflow rate coefficient of the dehumidifying passage is limited to about 10×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or less.

5. A magnetic disk drive of claim 3, wherein the inflow rate coefficient of the dehumidifying passage is limited to about 0.5×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or more.

6. A magnetic disk drive of claim 2, wherein the enclosure includes a lid portion and a base portion, and the space between the lid portion and the base portion of the enclosure is sealed with a moisture non-permeable material.

7. A magnetic disk drive of claim 6, wherein the moisture non-permeable material is a material produced by coating one side of a metal foil with an adhesive material.

8. A magnetic disk drive of claim 1, wherein an inflow rate coefficient of the dehumidifying passage is limited to about 40×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or less.

9. A magnetic disk drive of claim 8, wherein the inflow rate coefficient of the dehumidifying passage is limited to about 10×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or less.

10. A magnetic disk drive of claim 8, wherein the inflow rate coefficient of the dehumidifying passage is limited to about 0.5×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or more.

11. A magnetic disk drive of claim 1, wherein the enclosure includes a lid portion and a base portion, and the space between the lid portion and the base portion of the enclosure is sealed with a moisture non-permeable material.

12. A magnetic disk drive of claim 11, wherein the moisture non-permeable material is a material produced by coating one side of a metal foil with an adhesive material.

13. A magnetic disk drive, comprising:

a magnetic disk in which information is written;

a magnetic disk driving mechanism that rotates the magnetic disk; and

a magnetic head mechanism including a magnetic head that reads and/or writes information on the magnetic disk, and a magnetic head driving mechanism that drives to move the magnetic head relative to the magnetic disk;

the magnetic disk, the magnetic disk driving mechanism, and the magnetic head mechanism being housed inside an enclosure that restrains the flow of air from the outside,

wherein the magnetic disk drive includes a membrane electrode assembly configured to adjust the humidity inside the enclosure, and a moisture permeable member that restrains an inflow of water molecules between a dehumidifying face of the membrane electrode assembly and the inside of the enclosure.

14. A magnetic disk drive of claim 13, wherein the moisture permeable member comprises a polymeric film.

15. A magnetic disk drive of claim 14, wherein the polymeric film is a film of polyvinyl alcohol.

16. A magnetic disk drive of claim 14, wherein the enclosure includes a lid portion and a base portion, and the space between the lid portion and the base portion of the enclosure is sealed with a moisture non-permeable material.

17. A magnetic disk drive of claim 13, wherein an inflow rate coefficient of the moisture permeable member is limited to about 10×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or less.

18. A magnetic disk drive of claim 17, wherein the inflow rate coefficient of the moisture permeable member is limited to about 0.5×

10<sup>−

6</sup> g/torr/sec or more.

19. A magnetic disk drive of claim 13, wherein the enclosure includes a lid portion and a base portion, and the space between the lid portion and the base portion of the enclosure is sealed with a moisture non-permeable material.

20. A magnetic disk drive of claim 19, wherein the moisture non-permeable material is a material produced by coating one side of a metal foil with an adhesive material.