Abstract: A disk drive. The disk drive includes a head for accessing a disk, a suspension for supporting the head, a carriage coupled to the suspension, a pivot-bearing assembly, an adhesive, and an adhesion inhibitor. The pivot-bearing assembly is housed in a hole of the carriage that is configured to rotate in such a way that the carriage is configured to oscillate. The adhesive is disposed between the pivot-bearing assembly and an inner circumferential surface of the hole for bonding the pivot-bearing assembly with the carriage. The adhesion inhibitor is disposed on the same surface as the adhesive for controlling a region of adhesion.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic disk drive with an enclosure that prevents the low-density gas from leaking out owing to reduction of shrinkage cavities near tapped holes. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aluminum alloy is forced into the region of the base in which the tapped hole is to be made, by squeezing in the final stage of die casting to form the base. This procedure increases the density of aluminum alloy above 2.7 g/cm3, and the densified aluminum alloy in the region for tapped holes, is free of shrinkage cavities that can cause gas leakage.

Abstract: In order to effectively reduce disk flutter in a disk drive by using simple structures and efficient manufacturing techniques, a disk drive, in one embodiment, includes a base, a spindle motor coupled to the bottom of the base, a disk coupled to and rotated by a rotational shaft of the spindle motor, an airflow reduction plate coupled inside the base and positioned opposite to and away from a main plane of the disk, and a sidewall section inside the base which is positioned opposite to an outer edge of the disk and has a form along the outer edge of the disk. A first gap between at least one half of a part positioned opposite to the sidewall section in an outer edge of the airflow reduction plate and the sidewall section is smaller than a second gap between the sidewall section and the outer edge of the disk.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk drive that allows members to be mounted onto a base simply and accurately. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive comprises: a base; a disk assembly including at least one magnetic disk and mounted rotatably on the base; and an actuator assembly including at least one actuator having a magnetic head and mounted swingably on the base. The base is formed with a guide. The guide functions to guide, when a member to be disposed on the base is to be mounted, the member from a corresponding initial placement position of the member on the base to a target position, at which the member is to be disposed. Further, the guide includes a positioning portion, against which the member abuts at the corresponding target position.

Abstract: To efficiently manufacture a feedthrough used in a disk drive device having a hermetically sealed enclosure, embodiments of the present invention manufacture a feedthrough used in an HDD having a hermetically sealed enclosure. An embodiment of a manufacturing method of the present embodiment manufactures a columnar body, cuts the columnar body in the direction vertical to the axes of pins, and cuts out a feedthrough. Then, necessary plating is made on the outer surfaces of the cut out feedthrough. The columnar body comprises a hollow tube, a plurality of pins inserted inside the tube, and an insulating sealant filled inside the tube. This manufacturing method achieves efficient manufacture of the feedthrough.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a simpler, miniaturizable, and highly reliable hermetically sealed enclosure structure in a disk drive device. According to one embodiment, a hard disk drive (HDD) comprises an HDD main unit, a case for housing the HDD main unit, a lid with a feedthrough function for closing an opening of the case, and an FPC connector for interconnecting the HDD main unit and a plurality of pins fixed to the lid. The lid is joined to the case and completely closes the opening of the case. The case and the lid form a sealed enclosure; the internal HDD main unit is housed in the sealed space. Housing the HDD main unit in a sealed space may increase resistance of the HDD to external environmental changes. Sealing low density gas like helium in the sealed space may improve the performance of the HDD.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention help to provide a magnetic disk drive in which the base and the lid are securely welded together, so that the low-density gas sealed therein is protected from leakage. According to one embodiment, the peripheral surface of the rib of the base is machined to form the surface, which is free of electrocoating and weld surface. The outer lid, which completely conforms to the contour of the base, is placed on the rib, and the laser beam is directed onto the outer lid. Thus the position of laser beam irradiation varies within only ±0.05 mm for both the base and the lid. Laser welding in this manner yields the bead invariably, which makes the enclosure completely sealed without helium leakage.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic disk drive that can estimate the amount of gas filled in a housing precisely and simply. According to one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive including a housing in which a magnetic disk and a magnetic head are accommodated and gas having lower density than air is filled, a heating body provided in the housing, and means for holding a reference value of a parameter representing the temperature change speed of the heating body when the heating body is heated in the housing filled with a predetermined reference amount of the gas.

Abstract: When a cover is joined with the base of a magnetic disc drive by welding, bubbles in the die casting suddenly expand due to high temperature at the time of welding and blow off fused metal, and a blowhole occurs. Low density gas sealed up in a casing is liable to easily leak through a leak path made by joining of blowholes. Embodiments of the present invention provide a joint structure of a base and a cover so that helium does not easily leak through the blowholes by filling low density gas such as helium gas in a disc drive so as to be capable of sealing for a long period of time. According to one embodiment, after assembly of a magnetic disc drive, the magnetic disk drive is put into a basket and sent in a vacuum container containing low vapor pressure oil. After that, the vacuum container is vacuumed, and the magnetic disc drive put in the basket is immersed in low vapor pressure oil, and a valve is opened to make the vacuum container atmospheric pressure condition.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic disk drive with an enclosure that prevents the low-density gas from leaking out owing to reduction of shrinkage cavities near tapped holes. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an aluminum alloy is forced into the region of the base in which the tapped hole is to be made, by squeezing in the final stage of die casting to form the base. This procedure increases the density of aluminum alloy above 2.7 g/cm3, and the densified aluminum alloy in the region for tapped holes, is free of shrinkage cavities that can cause gas leakage.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk drive that allows members to be mounted onto a base simply and accurately. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive comprises: a base; a disk assembly including at least one magnetic disk and mounted rotatably on the base; and an actuator assembly including at least one actuator having a magnetic head and mounted swingably on the base. The base is formed with a guide. The guide functions to guide, when a member to be disposed on the base is to be mounted, the member from a corresponding initial placement position of the member on the base to a target position, at which the member is to be disposed. Further, the guide includes a positioning portion, against which the member abuts at the corresponding target position.