Plenum assembly which filters multiple fluidic current channels using a single recirculation filter

• US 6,898,048 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 05/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Original Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC (Seagate Technology Holdings Plc)
• Inventors: Welscher, Cory B., Adams, Carl F., Nichols, Jackson W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watko, Julie Anne
• Application Number:
  US10/286,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20030210492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 360/97.02, 360/97.01, 360/88, 720/648, 720/649
• US Class Current: 360/97.02
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/1446 Reducing contamination, e.g. by dust, debris

Abstract

A plenum assembly for use in a data storage device to direct and filter recirculating currents established by high speed rotation of a recording disc. The plenum assembly includes a top plate and a partitioning wall which projects from the top plate to form opposing, longitudinally extending first and second chambers. A first portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the first chamber and a separate, second portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the second chamber. A recirculation filter transversely extends across the first and second chambers and intersects the partitioning wall so that the respective first and second portions of the recirculating currents concurrently pass through adjacent sides of the recirculation filter before exiting the plenum assembly and merging into a combined set of recirculating currents.

Claims

1. A plenum assembly configured to direct and filter recirculating currents in a data storage device, comprising:

a top plate having a first surface;

a partitioning wall which projects from the first surface to form opposing, longitudinally extending first and second chambers, wherein a first portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the first chamber and a separate, second portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the second chamber; and

a recirculation filter which transversely extends across the first and second chambers and intersects the partitioning wall so that the respective first and second portions of the recirculating currents concurrently pass through adjacent sides of the recirculation filter before exiting the plenum assembly and merging into a combined set of recirculating currents.

2. The plenum assembly of claim 1 wherein the data storage device comprises a housing having a base surface, and wherein the partitioning wall abuts the base surface so that the first surface is disposed in a spaced relationship to the base surface and the first and second chambers are respectively bounded by the first surface, the base surface, and opposing sides of the partitioning wall.

3. The plenum assembly of claim 1, wherein the partitioning wall is characterized as an intermediary partitioning wall with opposing first and second sides, and wherein the plenum assembly further comprises second and third partitioning walls which project from a base plate on opposing sides of the intermediary partitioning wall so that the first chamber is bounded by the first surface, the second partitioning wall and the first side of the intermediary partitioning wall, and so that the second chamber is bounded by the first surface, the third partitioning wall and the second side of the intermediary partitioning wall.

4. The plenum assembly of claim 1, wherein the data storage device comprises a rotatable recording disc and a moveable data transducing head adjacent the recording disc, and wherein the recirculating currents are established by rotation of the recording disc.

5. The plenum assembly of claim 4, wherein the first portion of the currents passes adjacent the data transducing head prior to entering the first chamber.

6. The plenum assembly of claim 4, further comprising an air guide which projects from the partitioning wall at an elevation substantially that of the recording disc so that the first portion of the currents passes along the recording disc and then along the air guide prior to entering the first chamber.

7. The plenum assembly of claim 4, wherein the data storage device further comprises a voice coil motor which controllably moves the data transducing head across the recording disc, and wherein the second portion of the currents passes adjacent the voice coil motor prior to entering the second chamber.

8. The plenum assembly of claim 1, further comprising a desiccant filter block disposed adjacent the second chamber and configured to adsorb contaminants from the recirculating currents.

9. The plenum assembly of claim 8, wherein the second portion of the currents in the second chamber flow adjacent a surface of the desiccant filter block.

10. The plenum assembly of claim 1, wherein the recirculation filter extends through an aperture in the top plate and a slot in the partitioning wall.

11. A data storage device, comprising:

a housing which provides an internal environments for the data storage device, the housing having an interior base surface;

a rotatable recording disc supported within the housing and which establishes recirculating currents within the housing during rotation;

an actuator supported within the housing and which controllably moves a data transducing head across a surface of the recording disc; and

a plenum assembly supported within the housing and which directs and filters the recirculating currents, comprising;

a top plate having a first surface supported in a facing relationship to the base surface;

a partitioning wall which extends from the base surface to the first surface to form opposing, longitudinally extending first and second chambers, wherein a first portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the first chamber and a separate, second portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the second chamber; and

a recirculation filter which transversely extends across the first and second chambers and intersects the partitioning wall so that the respective first and second portions of the recirculating currents concurrently pass through adjacent sides of the recirculation filter before exiting the plenum assembly and merging into a combined set of recirculating currents.

12. The data storage device of claim 11, wherein the first portion of the currents passes adjacent the data transducing head prior to entering the first chamber.

13. The data storage device of claim 11, further comprising an air guide which projects from the partitioning wall at an elevation substantially that of the recording disc so that the first portion of the currents passes along the recording disc and then along the air guide prior to entering the first chamber.

14. The data storage device of claim 11, further comprising a voice coil motor coupled to the actuator to move the data transducing head across the recording disc, and wherein the second portion of the currents convective cool the voice coil motor prior to entering the second chamber.

15. The data storage device of claim 11, wherein the plenum assembly further comprises a desiccant filter block disposed adjacent the second chamber and configured to adsorb contaminants from the recirculating currents.

16. The data storage device of claim 11, wherein the recirculation filter extends through an aperture in the top plate and a slot in the partitioning wall.

17. The data storage device of claim 11, wherein the plenum assembly further comprises a second partitioning wall which extends from the top plate to the base surface so that the first chamber is bounded by the base surface, the partitioning wall, the that surface and an interior surface of the second partitioning wall, and wherein an opposing exterior surface of the second partitioning wall extends in close proximity to an outermost edge of the recording disc to shroud the disc.

18. A data storage device, comprising;

a housing which provides an internal environment for the data storage device, the housing having an interior, longitudinally extending base surface;

a rotatable recording disc supported within the housing and which establishes recirculating currents within the housing during rotation;

an actuator supported within the housing and which controllably moves a data transducing head across a surface of the recording disc; and

first means supported within the housing for directing the recirculating currents into multiple portions, for concurrently filtering said multiple portions, and for subsequently merging said multiple portions back into a common set of recirculating currents.

19. The data storage device of claim 18, wherein the first means comprises a plenum assembly comprising:

a top plate having a first surface supported in a facing relationship to the base surface;

a partitioning wall which extends from the base surface to the first surface to form opposing, longitudinally extending first and second chambers, wherein a first portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the first chamber and a separate, second portion of the recirculating currents is directed along the second chamber; and

a recirculation filter which transversely extends across the first and second chambers and intersects the partitioning wall so that the respective first and second portions of the recirculating currents concurrently pass through adjacent sides of the recirculation filter before exiting the plenum assembly and merging into a combined set of recirculating currents.

20. A plenum for directing recirculating fluidic currents around a head supported by an actuator in a data storage device, the plenum defining a first chamber comprising at a proximal end thereof an inlet receivengly engaging first portion of the recirculating fluidic currents after the first portion flows in fluidic contact with the actuator, and the plenum defining a second chamber comprising at a proximal end thereof an inlet receivengly engaging a second portion of the recirculating fluidic currents after the second portion has been diverted so as to not flow in fluidic contact with the actuator, the first and second chambers merging at distal ends thereof to combine the first and second portions of the recirculating fluidic currents through a common outlet.

21. The plenum of claim 20 wherein the outlet directs the combined first and second portions in a direction substantially tangentially to a rotatable storage medium that creates the recirculating fluidic currents.

22. The plenum of claim 21 wherein the data storage device comprises a stripper diverting the second portion away from the storage medium.

23. The plenum of claim 22 wherein the data storage device comprises an arcuate shroud in close mating relationship with an edge of the storage medium and defining an open adjacent a the stripper.

24. The plenum of claim 22 wherein the stripper comprises a vane disposed adjacent surface of the storage medium.

25. The plenum of claim 22 wherein the head is operably interposed between the stripper and the outlet along a rotational direction of the storage medium.

26. The plenum of claim 20 comprising a filter in the plenum through which the first and second portions pass.

27. The plenum of claim 20 wherein the first and second portions are mixed within the plenum after passing through the filter.

28. The plenum of claim 20 comprising a disc edge damper in the first chamber inlet.

29. The plenum of claim 20 comprising an adsorbent material.