Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk defining an opening, and a motor hub coupled to the disk. The motor hub further defines a swage ring extending at least partially into the opening of the disk, the swage ring swaged radially outwards into contact with the disk.

Abstract: One aspect of a recording device includes a memory, a head configured to access the memory, and a photocatalytic filter configured to prevent contaminants from depositing on the memory or the head, the photocatalytic filter comprising a photocatalytic material, and a light-emitting diode configured to illuminate the photocatalytic material.

Abstract: A disk drive including a disk having a bottom surface and a base having a first surface lying along a first plane and a second surface lying along a second plane positioned substantially parallel to the first plane. The second surface is spaced apart from the first surface and is beneath at least a portion of the bottom surface of the disk. A damper of the disk drive is located on the second surface adjacent the first surface and is configured to contact a portion of the bottom surface of the disk when the disk is deflected toward the first surface.

Abstract: A disk drive includes an inner frame that has a disk drive base and a disk drive cover. A disk, mounted on a rotary spindle attached to the disk drive base, defines a disk outer periphery that protrudes into a first side opening of the inner frame. A head actuator is attached to the disk drive base and to the disk drive cover. An outer enclosure includes an extruded hollow cylinder with a cross-sectional shape that is a continuous and unbroken ring that is substantially rectangular, and that surrounds a cavity. The outer enclosure surrounds the disk drive base and the disk drive cover. During assembly, the inner frame may be slid lengthwise into an open end of the outer enclosure, and the outer enclosure may be hermetically sealed to enclose air or helium in the cavity.

Abstract: A disk drive including a disk having a bottom surface and a base having a first surface lying along a first plane and a second surface lying along a second plane positioned substantially parallel to the first plane. The second surface is spaced apart from the first surface and is beneath at least a portion of the bottom surface of the disk. A damper of the disk drive is located on the second surface adjacent the first surface and is configured to contact a portion of the bottom surface of the disk when the disk is deflected toward the first surface.

Abstract: A novel disk drive enclosure includes a disk drive base having a bottom portion and four side walls that define a cavity therebetween. At least one disk is mounted in the cavity. The disk drive also includes a top seal that includes a peripheral portion that overlies each of the four side walls and a central portion that spans the cavity. A metal flange protrudes from all four side walls of the disk drive base, and is folded over the peripheral portion of the top seal along all four side walls. The top seal is continuously adhered to the metal flange along an entire length of all four side walls. The disk drive enclosure encloses helium gas.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a disk drive, the method including providing a disk and a motor hub, the disk defining an opening, the opening having a pre-swaged inner diameter, and the motor hub defining a swage ring having a pre-swaged outer diameter. The method further including positioning the disk such that at least a portion of the swage ring extends into the opening, and swaging the swage ring radially outwards into contact with the disk.

Abstract: A novel disk drive includes a top cover having a plurality of integral anchor tabs extending towards a disk drive base. Each of the plurality of anchor tabs includes a hooking surface that faces the top cover. The disk drive base includes a plurality of retention cavities, each of the retention cavities including a catching surface that faces away from the top cover. Each of the plurality of anchor tabs protrudes into a respective one of the plurality of retention cavities, and may be deformed so that the hooking surface of the anchor tab is in contact with the catching surface of the retention cavity.

Abstract: A motor for use in a disk drive is disclosed. The motor includes a stator and a rotor. The rotor is rotably coupled to the stator and has an axis of rotation. The rotor includes a disk mounting hub. A plurality of bendable balancing tabs is attached to the rotor. The plurality of bendable balancing tabs includes at least three bendable balancing tabs disposed about the axis of rotation.

Abstract: There is provided a disk drive cover. The disk drive cover includes a bottom layer including a metallic bottom layer body and a first flap formed in the bottom layer body. The first flap defines an exposed inner body edge of the bottom layer body. The disk drive cover further includes a damping layer. The disk drive cover further includes a top layer including a metallic top layer body and a second flap. The second flap is formed in the top layer body with the second flap extending into the bottom layer adjacent the first flap. The second flap defines an exposed second flap edge. The second flap edge is disposed in mechanical communication with the exposed inner body edge for electrically grounding the top and bottom layers.

Abstract: A disk drive housing member for a disk drive. The disk drive housing member includes a housing body formed of a metallic material. The housing body includes a body surface having a coated portion and plated portions disposed throughout the coated portion. The disk drive housing member further includes an electrically insulative coating disposed upon the coated portion. The disk drive housing member further includes a metallic plating disposed upon the each respective plated portion.

Abstract: An aspect of the invention can be regarded as a method of making disk drives. The method includes providing a frame array. The frame array includes a frame, a plurality of disk drive base portions, and a plurality of tie bars connected between the frame and the disk drive base portions. The method further includes attaching a respective disk drive component to each of the disk drive base portions. The method further includes removing the disk drive base portions from the frame by severing the tie bars.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are disk drives and mobile host devices that include a resetable shock sensor. A mobile host device may include a memory device configured to receive a shock event signal and a shock sensor. The shock sensor may be coupled to the memory device and is configured to generate the shock event signal. The shock sensor includes a fixed portion, and a movable portion responsive to shock events. The movable portion is configured to remain out of contact with the fixed portion until the mobile host device is subjected to a shock event greater than a predetermined magnitude and to contact and remain in contact with the fixed portion and to generate the shock event signal after the mobile host device is subjected to a shock event greater than the predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: A disk drive that includes a head disk assembly (HDA) comprising a base having a top base surface and a bottom base surface, and a top cover secured to the top base surface; a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) in communication with the HDA and comprising a first PCBA surface and a second PCBA surface wherein the first PCBA surface faces the bottom base surface; and a bottom cover fastened to and substantially covering the bottom base surface. The invention further includes an acoustic damping shield assembly placed between the bottom cover and the second PCBA surface, wherein the acoustic damping shield assembly comprises first and second acoustic absorption layers having major surfaces; an acoustic barrier layer placed in between the major surfaces; and the major surfaces and the acoustic barrier layer are fixed in a stacked relationship.

Abstract: A disk drive that includes a head disk assembly (HDA) having a disk drive base, and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) in communication with the HDA. The invention further includes an acoustic damping assembly placed between the disk drive base and the PCBA. The acoustic damping assembly includes first and second acoustic absorption layers having major surfaces, an acoustic barrier layer placed in between the major surfaces, and the major surfaces and the acoustic barrier layer are fixed in a stacked relationship.

Abstract: A disk drive comprises a housing including a base; a disk rotatably attached to the base; a printed circuit board coupled to the base and including a plurality of circuit board pads; a head stack assembly pivotally coupled to the base about a pivot axis and a flex-to-board connector. The head stack assembly includes a head for reading and writing to the disk and a flex cable assembly that includes a flexible film including a plurality of conductive traces that are electrically coupled to the head. The flexible film includes a connecting portion in which each of the plurality of conductive traces defines a trace pad. Each trace pad is disposed on a surface of the flexible film that is generally parallel to the pivot axis. The flex-to-board connector is attached to the base and is configured to couple to the connecting portion of the flexible film and to maintain the surface of the flexible film on which the trace pads are disposed in an orientation that is generally parallel to the pivot axis.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk drive base. The disk drive further includes a spindle motor hub rotatably coupled to the disk drive base. The disk drive further includes a disk disposed about the hub and having a disk surface. The disk drive further includes a disk clamp attached to the hub in mechanical communication with the disk surface for applying a clamping force to the disk. The disk drive further includes a disk clamp damping member disposed adjacent and in mechanical communication with the disk clamp and the disk surface for damping movement of the disk relative to the hub.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, a head actuated radially over the disk, and a spindle motor for rotating the disk. The spindle motor comprises a stator having at least one stator coil wrapped around a stator tooth. The spindle motor further comprises a hub rotated by the stator when current is applied to the stator coil, and a locking spring arm having a fixed base. The locking spring arm engages the hub when no current is applied to the stator coil, and the locking spring arm disengages from the hub when current applied to the stator coil generates a magnetic flux which pulls the locking spring arm away from the hub.

Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising an enclosure, a disk, a head actuated radially over the disk, a spindle motor for rotating the disk, and a ratchet arm having a base end connected to the enclosure of the disk drive and a wind vane extending from the base end adjacent the disk. The ratchet arm engages the disk when the disk is not rotating, and the ratchet arm disengages from the disk due to windage pushing on the wind vane, the windage generated by the disk rotating at an angular velocity greater than a threshold.

Abstract: An electromagnetic read/write system includes a contact interface formed by a pole-structure-carrying wear pad and a recording surface. The uppermost portion of the recording surface is characterized by a buffed, generally planarized topography. Lower elevations of the recording surface may be texturized or untexturized. Various methods of producing such an interface are described. The interface of the present invention provides dramatically improved longevity, i.e, wear performance through long term read/write operation.