Abstract: A hard disk drive architecture includes a housing including a continuous base wall and continuous sidewalls extending from the base wall, and cooperating with a cover structure for enclosing and sealing an interior space for a plurality of rigid data storage disks mounted on a spindle, and a rotary actuator structure for positioning a stack of data transducer heads relative to concentric track locations defined on storage surfaces of the disks. The spindle includes a spindle motor for rotating the spindle and the disks. The housing defines an exterior recess region of the base wall. The recess region includes an opening for a connector pin array. A seal is provided for sealing the opening after the connector pin array is in place. A flex circuit mounting bracket within the interior space is provided for positioning and connecting to a flex circuit connecting to the rotary actuator structure and to the connector pin array.

Abstract: A miniature fixed disk drive data storage and retrieval subsystem manifesting reduced acoustical noise during data storage and retrieval operations includes a flat, generally rectangular box-shaped base defining a substantially continuous bottom wall and a continuous peripheral sidewall ending in a continuous peripheral lip region. The base defines an interior chamber in which a mass balanced rotary actuator head positioner structure and an in-hub spindle motor assembly are positioned for rotating at least one data storage disk. A mechanical reinforcement structure is secured between an upper region of the rotary actuator structure and the base, and between an upper region of the spindle motor assembly and the base. A cover encloses the interior chamber and is secured at the continuous peripheral lip region by a mechanical isolation and sound dampening. The cover is also mechanically isolated from the mechanical reinforcement structure by a continuous airspace therebetween.