Abstract: A disk drive comprises a drive enclosure defining a generally rectangular form factor; an electromechanical assembly contained within the drive enclosure, and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) at least partially contained within the drive enclosure. The drive enclosure possesses at least one of the following characteristics: the drive enclosure defines chamfers on at least one of four corners of the generally rectangular form factor; and the drive enclosure defines a first surface and a second surface that defines an interior second surface portion and a peripheral second surface portion and wherein the interior second surface portion is further away from the first surface than is the peripheral second surface portion.

Abstract: A disk drive assembly including a disk drive enclosure including an enclosure main body forming an interior region, the interior region having a Voice Coil Motor (VCM) assembly receiving portion configured to hold a VCM assembly; and a cover member configured to engage the enclosure main body and cover the interior region of the enclosure main body, and expose at least a portion of the VCM Assembly receiving portion; and a VCM assembly disposed within the VCM assembly receiving portion of the enclosure main body, the VCM assembly comprising a cover supporting member configured to engage and support the cover member.

Abstract: Described herein is a disk drive balance plug that includes a substantially cylindrical body defining a first end, a second end, a substantially cylindrical outer surface, and a plug central axis. The balance plug also preferably includes at least one protrusion extending along the cylindrical outer surface between the first and second ends in a direction substantially aligned with the plug central axis.

Abstract: A disk drive includes an enclosure that has a breather port therethrough. A first labyrinth path may be disposed inside the disk drive enclosure, in fluid connection with the breather port. A second labyrinth path may be temporarily disposed outside the disk drive enclosure, in fluid connection with the breather port. An alternative gas such as helium may be allowed to bleed out through the second labyrinth path during a period of servo track writing. The second labyrinth path may be removed after servo track writing.

Abstract: A disk drive comprises a drive enclosure defining a generally rectangular form factor; an electromechanical assembly contained within the drive enclosure, and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) at least partially contained within the drive enclosure. The drive enclosure possesses at least one of the following characteristics: the drive enclosure defines chamfers on at least one of four corners of the generally rectangular form factor; and the drive enclosure defines a first surface and a second surface that defines an interior second surface portion and a peripheral second surface portion and wherein the interior second surface portion is further away from the first surface than is the peripheral second surface portion.

Abstract: Described herein is a tolerance ring for a disk drive that includes a substantially cylindrical body having outer surface. The tolerance ring can be positioned between a rotational bearing and an actuator for providing rotational movement of the actuator. The tolerance ring can also include a contact member, positioned along the outer surface, that protrudes outward from the outer surface. The contact member can be connected to the outer surface by first and second angulated arms that extend from the outer surface to the contact member at different angles relative to the outer surface.

Abstract: Described herein is a disk drive balance plug that includes a substantially cylindrical body defining a first end, a second end, a substantially cylindrical outer surface, and a plug central axis. The balance plug also preferably includes at least one protrusion extending along the cylindrical outer surface between the first and second ends in a direction substantially aligned with the plug central axis.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a ramp having a fixed portion that is fixed to the disk drive base, and a guide portion that is not. The guide portion includes a guide surface having a parking region that is in contact with an HGA lift-tab with the disk drive in a non-operational state. The guide surface also has a load/unload region that extends over a disk outer periphery. The guide surface defines a guide surface length that is measured from the parking region to the load/unload region. The ramp also includes a torsionally-compliant member connecting the fixed portion to the guide portion. A distance between the torsionally-compliant member and the parking region, measured approximately parallel to the guide surface length, is less than half the guide surface length. The guide portion is not connected to the fixed portion over at least two-thirds of the guide surface length.

Abstract: Described herein is a disk drive balance plug that includes a substantially cylindrical body defining a first end, a second end, a substantially cylindrical outer surface, and a plug central axis. The balance plug also preferably includes at least one protrusion extending along the cylindrical outer surface between the first and second ends in a direction substantially aligned with the plug central axis.

Abstract: A novel actuator latch includes a catch portion interfering with actuator rotation with the latch in a closed position. The latch includes a first stop portion that is in contact with a fixed member with the latch in the closed position. The latch includes a pusher portion that is in contact with the actuator with the latch in the closed position and with the actuator in an extreme rotational position. The pusher portion has a torsional stiffness about the latch pivot location in the range 5 JA/rad·sec2 to 30 JA/rad·sec2, where JA is the rotational inertia of the actuator about the actuator pivot location expressed in units of kg·m2. The first stop portion has a torsional stiffness about the latch pivot location that is at least 5 times that of the pusher portion.

Abstract: A disk drive includes an actuator rotatably coupled to a disk drive base. A fixed member is in fixed spatial relation to the base. A latch is rotatably coupled to the base. The latch includes a catch portion in contact with the actuator with the latch closed and not in contact the actuator with the latch open. The catch portion comprises a first material. The latch includes a crash stop portion comprising a second material having a lesser stiffness than the first material. The crash stop portion includes a stop portion and a pusher portion. The stop portion is in contact with the fixed member with the latch closed and not in contact with the fixed member with the latch open. The pusher portion is in contact with the actuator with the latch closed and with the actuator in an extreme rotational position.

Abstract: A disk drive comprises a disk drive base, an actuator rotatably coupled to the disk drive base, a magnet disposed adjacent the actuator, and a latch. The latch is coupled to the disk drive base. The latch includes a latch body, a retention bore, a seating cavity, and a biasing ball. The retention bore extends into the latch body along a bore longitudinal axis. The retention bore includes a ball entrance defining a ball entrance diameter. The seating cavity extends from within the retention bore into the latch body. The seating cavity has an interior dimension perpendicular to the bore longitudinal axis greater than the ball entrance diameter. The biasing ball is disposed at least partially in the retention bore and at least partially within the seating cavity. The biasing ball comprises a magnetic material and has a ball diameter greater than the ball entrance diameter.

Abstract: A disk drive having a translatable ramp is disclosed. The disk drive includes a head gimbal assembly having a proximate end that is attached to an actuator, and a distal end that includes a lift tab. The ramp includes a lift tab supporting surface located as close to a pivot axis of the actuator as is the lift tab. The ramp also includes a ramp guiding surface that is in contact with a mating surface of the disk drive base. A fastener selectively allows or prevents relative translation between the ramp and the disk drive base. The aforementioned contact constrains the relative translation so that the relative translation changes the distance between the lift tab supporting surface and the disk axis of rotation more than the relative translation changes the distance between the lift tab supporting surface and the actuator pivot axis.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a ramp having a fixed portion that is fixed to the disk drive base, and a guide portion that is not. The guide portion includes a guide surface having a parking region that is in contact with an HGA lift-tab with the disk drive in a non-operational state. The guide surface also has a load/unload region that extends over a disk outer periphery. The guide surface defines a guide surface length that is measured from the parking region to the load/unload region. The ramp also includes a torsionally-compliant member connecting the fixed portion to the guide portion. A distance between the torsionally-compliant member and the parking region, measured approximately parallel to the guide surface length, is less than half the guide surface length. The guide portion is not connected to the fixed portion over at least two-thirds of the guide surface length.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a head, a spindle motor having a hub, the hub comprising a cylindrical shaft, the shaft defining a generally cylindrically-shaped outer surface, the outer surface defining a latching member extending around at least part of the circumference of the shaft. A disk is positioned on the spindle motor and an actuator moves the head radially over the disk. A disk clamp clamps the disk to the spindle motor. The disk clamp comprises a ring-shaped body comprising an outer ring-shaped surface abutting the disk, and an inner neck spaced-apart from the outer ring-shaped surface, the inner neck comprising a plurality of independently flexing teeth for contacting the latching member.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, an actuator arm, a head attached to the actuator arm, a voice coil motor, a parking latch for latching the actuator arm in a latched position in order to park the head during a non-operating mode, and a flex circuit having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the actuator arm. The disk drive further comprises an inertial latch for maintaining the actuator arm in the latched position when the disk drive is subjected to a physical shock. The inertial latch comprises a body having a protruding arm and defining a pivot axis. The inertial latch further comprises a support member coupled to the base, the support member comprising a connecting surface for connecting to the second end of the flex circuit, and a restraining member connected to the body of the inertial latch proximate the pivot axis, wherein the restraining member vertically restrains the inertial latch.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a base, a disk, an actuator arm comprising a tang attached to a base end of the actuator arm, a head attached to a distal end of the actuator arm, a voice coil motor for rotating the actuator arm about a pivot to position the head radially over the disk, and a crash stop comprising injection molded plastic formed into a body piece having a protruding first arm and a protruding second arm. The body piece of the crash stop is attached to the base of the disk drive. The first protruding arm comprises a magnet at least partially embedded into the plastic for latching the tang of the actuator arm to the first protruding arm. The plastic is formed around the magnet such that at least part of the plastic is between the magnet and the tang. The second protruding arm presents a physical barrier to the tang to limit the stroke of the actuator arm.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk having a recording surface and a head stack assembly that includes an actuator body; an actuator arm cantilevered from the actuator body and including a head for reading and writing on the recording surface; a coil cantilevered from the actuator body in an opposite direction from the actuator arm, the coil defining a first leg and a second leg and a damping magnet disposed between the first and second legs. The damping magnet is configured to exert a damping force on the head stack assembly that is greater when the head is at a predetermined non-operational position than when the head is over the recording surface.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a base, a disk, an actuator arm comprising a tang attached to a base end of the actuator arm, a head attached to a distal end of the actuator arm, a voice coil motor for rotating the actuator arm about a pivot to position the head radially over the disk, and a crash stop comprising injection molded plastic formed into a body piece having a protruding first arm and a protruding second arm. The body piece of the crash stop is attached to the base of the disk drive. The first protruding arm comprises a magnet at least partially embedded into the plastic for latching the tang of the actuator arm to the first protruding arm. The plastic is formed around the magnet such that at least part of the plastic is between the magnet and the tang. The second protruding arm presents a physical barrier to the tang to limit the stroke of the actuator arm.

Abstract: A head disk assembly includes a disk, a head stack assembly and a ramp-defining structure. The disk has a recording surface surrounded by an outer circumference and the head stack assembly has an actuator pivot axis and a head gimbal assembly. The head gimbal assembly includes a gimbal defining a gimbal axis parallel to and spaced a first distance from the actuator pivot axis, and a lift tab having a lift-surface portion spaced a second, larger distance from the actuator pivot axis. The ramp-defining structure includes a wall extending parallel to the actuator pivot axis, an axis-defining portion defining a retraction pivot axis and a shelf projecting from the wall to define a bearing surface against which the lift-surface portion slides during unloading and loading operations.