Rotating disk storage device with cooling gas flow control

• US 5,031,059 A
• Filed: 02/09/1990
• Issued: 07/09/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Matsubara, Kenichiro, Nishida, Hiroshi, Shibuya, Takeshi, Yamaguchi, Yuzo
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinz, A. J.
• Application Number:
  US07/478,036
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 360/97.01-97.03
• US Class Current: 360/97.03
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/038 Centering or locking of a plurality of discs in a single cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/142 by air cooling

Abstract

A rotating disk storage device has a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported by transducer supporting means for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of the disks, and drive means for causing the transducer supporting means to move in a predetermined direction. Separating means provides for separation of a disk housing for housing the disks and a drive-mechanism housing for housing a drive mechanism. The separating means has a first opening for allowing the discharge of gas for cooling the drive mechanism and a second opening for allowing the gas which has cooled it to be discharged via discharge means. The separating means has flow resisting means on the side of the disk housing so as to prevent the gas from flowing backward into the first and second openings.

Claims

1. A rotating disk storage device, comprising a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of said disks, means for supporting said transducers, means for moving said transducer supporting means in a predetermined direction, means for airtightly enclosing the disks, the transducers, the supporting means and the moving means,

means for separating said airtight enclosing means into a rotating disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

means for discharging gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing into said rotating disk housing;

means operatively arranged at said discharging means for filtering the gas flowing from said drive-mechanism housing to said rotating disk housing;

a first opening associated with said separating means for allowing gas to be discharged from said rotating-disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing and for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved therethrough;

a second opening associated with said separating means for allowing said gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing to be discharged through said discharge means provided with filter means into said rotating-disk housing; and

means for resisting the flow of said gas from said first opening to said second opening in said rotating-disk housing, wherein said flow resisting means comprises first flow resisting means disposed between respective disks and second flow resisting means disposed between stationary wall surfaces of said airtight enclosing means and the disks such that said second flow resisting means causes a greater flow resistance than said first flow resisting means.

2. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 1, wherein said discharge means includes a flow passage defined by separating means provided in said drive-mechanism housing with said filtering means provided in said flow passage, an inlet of said filter means in said flow passage communicating with said first opening via a drive mechanism with an actuator coil cooled by the gas flows and an outlet of said filter means in said flow passage communicating with said second opening.

3. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 1, wherein said first flow resisting means is integral with said second flow resisting means.

4. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 1, wherein said discharge means includes separating means provided in said drive-mechanism housing for defining a flow passage;

and filtering means provided in said flow passage, with an inlet of said filter means in said flow passage communicating with said first opening via a drive mechanism and an outlet of said filter means in said flow passage communicating with said second opening.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein said first flow resisting means has teeth inserted into flow passages defined between said disks by distances smaller than distances by which said second flow resisting means has teeth inserted into flow passages defined between said disks and walls.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein teeth on said first flow resisting means have portions which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks smaller in width than portions of teeth on said second flow resisting means, which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks and walls.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein teeth on said first flow resisting means have portions which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks smaller in area than portions of teeth on said second flow resisting means which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks and walls.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of a width of portions of teeth on said first flow resisting means which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks to a spacing between said disks is smaller than a ratio of a width of portions of teeth on said second flow resisting means which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks and stationary walls to a spacing between said disks and walls.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein a ratio of an area of a portion of said second flow resisting means which is provided or inserted into a flow passage defined by an outer diameter of disks, an outer diameter of hubs of disks, disks on the opposite ends of a row of disks and walls facing said disks on the opposite ends, to an area of said flow passage is larger than a ratio of an area of a portion of said first flow resisting means which is inserted into a flow passage defined by an outer diameter of disks, an outer diameter of hubs of disks and two rotating disks, to an area of said latter flow passage.

10. A rotating disk storage device, comprising a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of said disks, means for supporting said transducers, means for causing said transducer supporting means to move in a predetermined direction, airtight enclosing means for airtightly enclosing the disks, the transducers, the supporting means and the moving means,

a first means for separating said airtight enclosing means into a rotating-disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

a first opening associated with said first separating means for allowing gas to be discharged from said rotating-disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing and for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved therethrough located such that a portion of said first opening upstream of said transducer supporting means has an area smaller than a portion of the said first opening downstream of said transducer supporting means;

a second means in said drive-mechanism housing for separating said airtight enclosing means to form a discharge provided with filter means;

a second opening associated with said first separating means for allowing said gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing to be discharged through said discharge into said rotating-disk housing; and

means for resisting the flow of gas from said first opening to said second opening in said rotating-disk housing, comprising first flow resisting means located in the vicinity of the outer circumference of said plurality of disks constituting a disk group and between respective disks, and second flow resisting means formed integral with said first flow resisting means and located between disks disposed on opposite side of said disk group and side walls of said airtight enclosing means facing said disks so as to cause greater flow resistance than said first flow resisting means.

11. A rotating disk storage device, comprising a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of said disks, means for supporting said transducer, means for causing said transducer supporting means to move in a predetermined direction, and means for airtightly enclosing the disks, the transducers, the supporting means and the moving means,

a first means for separating said airtight enclosing means into a rotating-disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

a first opening associated with said first separating means for allowing gas to be discharged from said rotating-disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing and for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved therethrough;

a second means in said drive-mechanism housing for separating said airtight enclosing means to form a discharge provided with filter means;

a second opening associated with said first separating means for allowing said gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing to be discharged through said discharge into said rotating-disk housing; and

means for resisting the flow of gas from said first opening to said second opening in said rotating-disk housing, including first flow resisting means located in the vicinity of the outer circumference of said plurality of disks constituting a disk group, and second flow resisting means located between disks disposed on opposite sides of said disk group and side walls of said airtight enclosing means facing said disks, said first flow resisting means exhibiting a balance of pressure in which its flow resisting effect is larger around a lengthwise mid portion but smaller at lengthwise opposite ends.

12. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 11, wherein said first flow resisting means includes a comb-shaped edge having a plurality of teeth opposing the outer circumference of said disk group, with each tooth opposing a respective space between said disks.

13. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 11, wherein said first flow resisting means includes an edge opposing the outer circumference of said disk group and formed in an arc such that a middle portion of said edge is nearer to the axis of rotation of said disk group, with opposite lengthwise end portions of said edge being more remote from said axis of rotation.

14. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 11, wherein said first flow resisting means is formed integral with said second flow resisting means.

15. A device according to claim 11, wherein a longitudinally central tooth on said first flow resisting means is inserted into flow passages defined between said disks by a distance smaller than those by which teeth on the opposite ends of said first flow resisting means are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks.

16. A device according to claim 11, wherein a portion of a longitudinally central tooth on said first flow resisting means which is inserted into a flow passage defined between said disks is larger in width than portions of teeth on the opposite ends of said first flow resisting means which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks.

17. A device according to claim 11, wherein a portion of a longitudinally central tooth on said first flow resisting means which is inserted into flow passages defined between said disks is larger in area than portions of the opposite teeth on said first flow resisting means which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks.

18. A device according to claim 11, wherein a ratio of a width of a portion of a central tooth on said first flow resisting means which is inserted into a flow passage defined between said disks to a spacing between said disks is larger than a ratio of a width of portions of teeth on the opposed ends of said first flow resisting means which are inserted into flow passages defined between said disks to a width of a flow passage defined between said disks.

19. A device according to claim 11, wherein a ratio of an area of a portion of a longitudinally central tooth on said second flow resisting means which is inserted into a flow passage defined by an outer diameter of disks, an outer diameter of hubs of said disks and two rotating disks to an area of said flow passage is larger than a ratio of an area of portions of teeth on longitudinally opposite ends on said second flow resisting means which are inserted into said flow passage.

20. A rotating disk storage device, comprising:

a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of said disks, means for supporting said transducers, means for causing said transducer supporting means to move in a predetermined direction, and airtight enclosing means for airtightly enclosing the disks, the transducers, the supporting means and the moving means;

means for separating said airtight enclosing means into a rotating-disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

a first opening associated with the separating means for allowing gas to be discharged from said rotating-disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing and for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved therethrough; and

a second opening associated with the separating means for allowing said gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing to be discharged into said rotating-disk housing through a discharge provided with filter means;

wherein said separating means and said first opening are for accelerating the flow of gas from said rotating-disk housing through said first opening to said drive-mechanism housing, said separating means comprising a plurality of surfaces perpendicular to a direction of movement of said transducer supporting means, one of said surfaces being a flat surface upstream of said first opening of said separating means and displaced toward said drive-mechanism housing from another of said surfaces being a flat surface downstream of said first opening of said separating means.

21. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 20, wherein said flat surface upstream of said first opening in said separating means has a slant portion which extends along one edge of said first opening and is bent toward said drive-mechanism housing.

22. A rotating disk storage device, comprising:

a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of said disks, means for supporting said transducers, means for causing said transducer supporting means to move in a predetermined direction, and airtight enclosing means for airtightly enclosing the disks, the transducers, the supporting means and the moving means;

means for separating said airtight enclosing means into a rotating-disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

a first opening associated with the separating means for allowing gas to be discharged from said rotating-disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing and for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved therethrough; and

a second opening associated with the separating means for allowing said gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing to be discharged into said rotating-disk housing through a discharge provided with filter means, wherein said separating means and said first opening are for accelerating the flow of gas from said rotating-disk housing through said first opening to said drive-mechanism housing, said separating means being arranged in a single plane perpendicular to the direction of movement of said transducer supporting means, with a flat portion upstream of said first opening in said separating means having a slant portion which extends along one edge of said first opening and is bent toward said drive-mechanism housing.

23. A rotating disk storage device, comprising a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with said disks, means for supporting said transducers, means for moving said transducer supporting means in a predetermined direction, and means for enclosing said disks, transducers, supporting means and moving means, means for separating said enclosing means into a rotating disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

a first opening provided in said separating means for allowing gases to be discharged from said rotating disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing and for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved therethrough;

a second opening provided in said separating means for allowing gases having flown into said drive-mechanism housing to pass through a discharge provided with a filter into said rotating disk housing; and

means for effecting flow resistance provided between said first and second openings on a side of said rotating disk housing so as to be disposed in flow passages defined between opposite ends of the plurality of disks and stationary wall surfaces facing the opposite ends of the plurality of disks.

24. A rotating disk storage device having a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of said disks, means for supporting said transducers, means for causing said transducer supporting means to move in a predetermined direction, and means for airtightly enclosing the disks, transducers, supporting means and moving means,

first means for separating said airtight enclosing means into a rotating-disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

a first opening associated with the first separating means for allowing gas to be discharged from said rotating-disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing and for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved therethrough;

second means disposed in said drive-mechanism housing for forming a discharge provided with means for filtering;

a second opening associated with the first separating means for allowing said gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing to be discharged through said discharge into said rotating-disk housing; and

means for resisting the flow of gas from said first opening to said second opening in said rotating-disk housing, including first flow resisting means which is located in the vicinity of the outer circumferences of said plurality of disks constituting a disk group and second flow resisting means located between disks disposed on opposite sides of said disk group and side walls of said airtightly enclosing means facing said disks, said first flow resisting means being configured and arranged such that it produces a flow resisting effect larger around a lengthwise mid portion than at lengthwise opposite ends thereof , and said second flow resisting means produces a flow resisting effect larger than the effect produced near the opposite ends of said first flow resisting means.

25. A rotating disk storage device having a plurality of disks fitted onto a spindle, transducers supported for movement in face-to-face relationship with surfaces of said disks, means for supporting said transducers, means for causing said transducer supporting means to move in a predetermined direction, and means for airtightly enclosing the disks, transducers, supporting means and moving means,

means for separating said airtight enclosing means into a rotating disk housing and a drive-mechanism housing;

a third opening associated with the separating means for allowing said transducer supporting means to be moved through said separating means;

a fourth opening associated with the separating means for allowing gas to be discharged from said rotating-disk housing to said drive-mechanism housing;

a second opening associated with the separating means for allowing said gas which flows into said drive-mechanism housing to be discharged through discharge means provided with filter means into said rotating-disk housing; and

flow resisting means for hindering the flow of said gas from said third opening to said second opening in said rotating-disk housing.

26. A rotating disk storage device according to claim 25, wherein said third opening has a plurality of windows for allowing one of the groups of said transducer supporting means to be moved through said separating means.