Disk drive constructed to isolate motor vibration

• US 5,365,388 A
• Filed: 04/23/1993
• Issued: 11/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Iomega Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Iomega Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Bryner, Earl, Maughan, Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Renner, Craig A.
• Application Number:
  US08/052,827
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 360/86, 360/97.01, 360/99.12, 360/98.01-98.08, 360/105, 360/106, 360/97.02, 360/97.04, 360/99.01, 360/99.04, 369/261, 369/270, 310/71, 310/152, 310/DIG. 6, 310/67 R, 310/51
• US Class Current: 360/99.04
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/2018 Incorporating means for passive damping of vibration, either in the turntable, motor or mounting
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/187 to inner stators

Abstract

A disk drive has a stator positioner disposed on a shoulder of a drive shaft housing which is part of the spicule. The positioner secures the stator against movement and references the motor to the spicule which engages and guides the cartridge. An open-celled urethane gasket between the printed circuit board and the stator absorbs vibrational forces.

Claims

1. A disk drive for writing and reading data to and from a magnetic disk contained in a rigid cartridge comprising:

a chassis;

a spicule member mounted on said chassis, said spicule member engaging and guiding said cartridge with respect to said disk drive;

a drive spindle for driving said magnetic disk;

said spicule member having a drive shaft housing in which said spindle is rotatably mounted;

a stator having a plurality of stator windings and a central aperture disposed about said spindle;

a rotor coupled to said spindle and inductively disposed about said stator; and

a shock-absorbing stator positioner disposed around a substantial portion of a shoulder of said drive shaft housing, said stator being placed over said positioner, said positioner securing said stator against movement, said positioner being a stiff microcellular urethane material.

2. The disk drive recited in claim 1 wherein said stator positioner is a flat circular band positioned around said spindle.

3. The disk drive recited in claim 1 further comprising:

a printed circuit board mounted on said chassis, said printed circuit board being disposed between said chassis and said stator, said printed circuit board having a printed circuit thereon and an aperture through which said drive shaft housing passes; and

an open celled urethane gasket between said printed circuit board and said stator, said open celled urethane gasket absorbing the vibrational forces in the disk drive.

4. The disk drive recited in claim 3 wherein said gasket is coated with a layer of adhesive on both sides, said adhesive layers bonding said printed circuit board to said stator.

5. The disk drive recited in claim 1 further comprising:

read/write heads; and

a Bernoulli surface on said magnetic disk, said spicule member positioning said Bernoulli surface with respect to said read/write heads and said stator positioner positioning said stator with respect to said spicule member.

6. A magnetic disk drive for writing and reading data to and from a magnetic disk contained in a rigid cartridge, comprising:

a chassis;

a spicule member mounted on said chassis, said spicule member engaging and guiding said cartridge with respect to said disk drive;

a drive spindle rotatably supported by said chassis for driving the magnetic disk, said spicule member having a drive shaft housing in which said drive spindle is rotatably mounted;

a drive shaft rotatably engaging said drive spindle;

a stator having a plurality of stator windings and a central aperture disposed about said drive shaft;

a printed circuit board mounted on said chassis, said printed circuit board being disposed between said chassis and said stator, said printed circuit board having a printed circuit thereon and an aperture through which said drive shaft passes;

a stator spacer disposed between said stator and said printed circuit for aligning said stator with respect to said drive spindle,

a shock-absorbing stator positioner disposed around a substantial portion of a shoulder of said drive shaft housing, said stator being placed over said positioner, said positioner securing said stator against movement, said position being a stiff microcellular urethane material;

a bell rotor mounted to the drive shaft and inductively disposed about said stator; and

an open celled urethane gasket between said printed circuit board and said stator spacer, said open celled urethane absorbing vibrational forces produced by said rotor.

7. The disk drive recited in claim 6 wherein said gasket is coated with a layer of adhesive on both sides, said adhesive layers bonding said printed circuit board to said stator.

8. The disk drive recited in claim 7 wherein said adhesive is non-setting.

9. The disk drive recited in claim 6 wherein said gasket is made of a double-coated acrylic foam tape.