Abstract: A head-gimbal assembly of a hard disk drive includes a loadbeam connected to a pivot arm, a slider on which a magnetic head is mounted, an elastic support member having one end coupled to the loadbeam and the other free end portion at which the slider is supported, and a damper provided between the loadbeam and the slider to attenuate vibration transferred between the loadbeam and the slider.

Abstract: A spindle motor for a hard disk drive includes a base on which a stator is installed, a sleeve fixedly installed on the base and having a hollow portion, a shaft rotatably installed in the hollow portion of the sleeve, and a hub fixed to an upper portion of the shaft and where a rotator corresponding to the stator is installed. A plurality of grooves to generate hydrodynamic pressure in a radial direction of the shaft are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft in a herringbone shape, and one side of each groove is formed inclined from a lower surface portion of the groove.

Abstract: The inventors have discovered that aerodynamic forces contribute to disk fluttering. If the flow of air about these disk surfaces is unstable, the resulting aerodynamic forces can mechanically excite the disk surfaces, causing fluttering. The invention includes media enclosures constraining such aerodynamic effects, methods of making disk drives with these enclosures, the disk drives. This includes disk drives of at most 13 millimeters in height.

Abstract: The inventors have discovered that aerodynamic forces contribute to disk fluttering. If the flow of air about these disk surfaces is unstable, the resulting aerodynamic forces can mechanically excite the disk surfaces, causing fluttering. The invention includes media enclosures constraining such aerodynamic effects, methods of making disk drives with these enclosures, the disk drives. This includes disk drives of at most 13 millimeters in height.

Abstract: A hard disk drive that has a locking actuator which can engage and lock a disk and spindle motor of the drive. The locking actuator may have a shape memory alloy element that causes a plunger to engage and lock a disk(s) when power is terminated to the drive. In the locked position the actuator can minimize the impact of shock and vibration loads on the spindle motor, particularly when the hard disk drive is shipped and transported. The shape memory alloy element is heated when the hard disk drive receives power. The heated shape memory alloy element disengages the plunger from the disk and allows for operation of the disk drive.

Abstract: The inventors have discovered that aerodynamic forces contribute to disk fluttering. If the flow of air about these disk surfaces is unstable, the resulting aerodynamic forces can mechanically excite the disk surfaces, causing fluttering. The invention includes media enclosures constraining such aerodynamic effects, methods of making disk drives with these enclosures, the disk drives. This includes disk drives of at most 13 millimeters in height.

Abstract: An actuator that can vary the gram load of a suspension arm of a hard disk drive. The actuator may be a shape memory alloy, piezoelectric transducer, or other means for deflecting and changing the gram load of a suspension arm of an actuator arm assembly. When the disk drive is not operating the gram load may be set to a high value that will prevent head slapping. The gram load of the suspension arm may be varied by the actuator to reduce the gram load when the disk drive is operating.

Abstract: A hard disk drive that includes a wave stringer. The wave stringer can attenuate energy which propagates through a base plate of the disk drive. The wave stringer may be designed by initially analyzing propagation patterns of both acoustic and shock waves applied to the drive. The wave stringer is then designed, constructed and assembled to the disk drive to attenuate critical frequencies at weak points of the disk drive. The wave stringer may have a plurality of ribs designed to vary the mechanical impedance of the drive to attenuate the propagated energy.

Abstract: A bearing system and a spindle motor assembly adopting the same are provided. The bearing system includes a lower base on which a fixed shaft is installed, a cylindrical body fit on the fixed shaft, first and second magnetic bodies installed on the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical body, respectively; a third magnetic body installed so as to face the second magnetic body on the lower end of the cylindrical body, a fourth magnetic body facing the first magnetic body on the upper end of the cylindrical body at a predetermined space, and an upper base to which the fourth magnetic body is fixed and which is fixed to the upper portion of the fixed shaft.

Abstract: A bearing structure for a hard disk drive includes a thrust bearing for forming a thrust air bearing for supporting a hub in an axial direction and a journal bearing for forming a journal air bearing for supporting the hub in a radial direction, being installed on the circumference of the shaft. According to the bearing structure, since each air bearing formed by the thrust and journal bearings noncontactly supports the hub in the axial and radial directions, the vibration occurring in a conventional ball bearing structure can be prevented. Therefore, a hard disk drive having high performance and low vibration characteristics can be manufactured.