Method and apparatus for providing a fluid damping structure with fuel cell for a hard disk drive and vibration sensitive electronic devices

• US 7,538,973 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 05/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Western Digital Technologies Incorporated (Western Digital Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Global Storage Technologies Netherlands BV (Western Digital Corporation)
• Inventors: Feliss, Norbert A., Flechsig, Karl A., Gillis, Donald R., Lee, Sylvia L.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVIS, DAVID DONALD
• Application Number:
  US11/388,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20070223138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 360/97.02
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 25/043 using rotating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds

Abstract

A shock and vibration resistant hard disk drive has a plurality of fluid damping isolation devices disposed between the drive and a supporting frame. The isolation devices are capsules containing either gasses or liquids enclosed in a flexible membrane that spring back to its original shape after the shock or vibration event has transpired. Variation of fluid properties such as density, viscosity, and pressure allow for custom tuning of the vibration and shock performance. In addition, variation of membrane chemistry and thickness of the membrane also allows for further customization. A fuel cell is provided and the isolation devices may provide the energy source for the fuel cell.

Claims

1. A shock resistant information storage and retrieval device comprising:

a hard disk drive;

a frame enclosing said hard disk drive;

a plurality of isolation devices disposed between at least one inner surface of said frame and at least one opposing outer surface of said hard disk drive, and

a fuel cell, coupled to the hard disk drive and at least one of the plurality of isolation devices;

wherein said plurality of isolation devices comprise a fluid contained within a flexible membrane to provide shock absorption to the disk drive within the frame and to provide fuel for powering the fuel cell.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said fluid comprises methanol.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the fuel cell includes a reservoir for receiving fluid from at least one of the plurality of isolation devices.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the fuel cell comprises a direct methanol fuel cell.

5. The device as recited in claim 4, wherein the direct methanol fuel cell comprises an anode, a cathode, an electrolyte and a reservoir for receiving methanol from at least one of the plurality of isolation devices.

6. The device as recited in claim 5, wherein the fuel cell electrochemically oxidizes methanol at the anode to produce electrons for providing power to the disk drive.

7. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein the fuel cell further produces hydrogen at the anode, the hydrogen being provided to the electrolyte for the conduction of protons in the electrolyte.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, wherein the cathode produces water using hydrogen conducting through the electrolyte and oxygen.

9. The device as recited in claim 8, wherein the oxygen is provided at the cathode via a flow or air.

10. The device as recited in claim 5, wherein the electrolyte comprises a proton conducting polymer electrolyte membrane.

11. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a battery for providing power when demand is high.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the fuel cell recharges the battery.

13. The device as recited in claim 1 further comprising a counter for determining a level of depletion for the fuel cell.

14. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein the counter determines a level of depletion for the fuel cell based upon a measurement of an amount of current being produced by the fuel cell.

15. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of isolation devices provides methanol to the fuel cell and wherein the at least one of the plurality of isolation devices providing methanol is replenishable.

16. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of isolation devices comprises membranes filled with fluids and membranes filled with gases, wherein the membranes are stacked in alternating sequence of fluids and gases.

17. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a hydrocarbon fluid.

18. A shock absorbing power device, comprising:

a plurality of isolation devices; and

a fuel cell, coupled to at least one of the plurality of isolation devices;

wherein said plurality of isolation devices comprise a fluid contained within a flexible membrane to provide shock absorption and to provide fuel for powering the fuel cell.

19. The shock absorbing power device as recited in claim 18, wherein the fuel cell includes a reservoir for receiving fluid from at least one of the plurality of isolation devices, the fluid comprising methanol.

20. A method for providing a fluid damping structure with fuel cell, comprising:

providing a disk drive;

at least partially encasing the disk drive between shock absorbing membranes providing fuel cell for powering the disk drive; and

supplying the fuel cell with an energy source stored in the shock absorbing membranes.