Abstract: A magnetic medium stack assembly includes a hub, a magnetic medium, and a clamp fixing the magnetic medium to the hub. The hub and clamp include engaging flange members that enable the hub and clamp to lock together without the use of external hardware or an adhesive. The clamp applies a substantially uniform compressive force on the magnetic medium, which helps reduce circumferential acceleration.

Abstract: A clamping system includes a stack of storage media discs that includes an annular outer disc surface. A clamp includes a clamp surface that faces the outer disc surface. A ring is disposed between the clamp surface and the outer disc surface. The ring has a crested ring face with a circular crest line that contacts the clamp surface.

Abstract: A clamp including an inverted spring portion and a plurality of tabs about a circumference of an inner portion of the clamp. The inverted spring portion of the clamp is insertable into a groove of a clamping interface between a flange and an outer portion thereof to align the plurality of tabs proximate to the flange. As described, the clamp provides a low profile interface for clamping discs to a spindle assembly which snap fits into the groove to provide a screwless clamp interface. Other features and benefits that characterize embodiments of the present invention will be apparent upon reading the following detailed description and review of the associated drawings.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a storage device includes a clamp ring on a disc, configured to fix the disc to a spindle motor configured to rotate the disc, and a screw configured to fix the clamp ring to the spindle motor, and includes a screw-head and a recess in the screw-head, a center of the recess being decentered from a center of the screw-head.

Abstract: A system for reducing spike noise in a perpendicular recording medium having a soft underlayer is provided. The system radially biases the soft underlayer to substantially eliminate domain walls therein. In a first embodiment of the system, a permanent magnetic bias ring is disposed generally adjacent to the soft underlayer and a magnetic circuit is formed between the magnetic ring and the soft underlayer. Other embodiments include a concentric stationary magnetic flux return disk to extend the radial distance of the flux path. In alternative embodiments, a ferromagnetic spindle assembly is modified to produce a radiation pattern that has a net radial exterior field that biases the adjacent soft underlayer of the medium. The entire assembly can be shielded from external magnetic fields in the disk drive. Further, the shielding may operate as part of the magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a hub having a disk inserting portion having a cylindrical plane in the outer part of one end and a disk receiving portion having a flat part and being pivotably supported, a head having an inner hole through which the disk inserting portion is fitted, facing toward one face of a disk, levitating and scanning above the disk and reading a signal recorded on the disk or recording a signal on the disk, the disk being held by the disk receiving portion, and a clamp unit holding the disk with the disk receiving portion. In this case, the disk receiving portion has an inclined or declined plane. Thus, the amount and direction of deformation of the disk, which is caused by clamping, are defined, and obtaining a stable amount of head levitation independently of temperature changes can prevent the occurrence of a distortion of the disk.

Abstract: Disk clamp including a disk clamp base and a disk clamp platform. Disk pack including at least one disk coupled between disk clamp and spindle motor. Hard disk drive including disk pack mounted on disk base. Manufacturing methods for disk clamp base, disk clamp platform, disk pack and hard disk drive, and these items as products of their manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Apparatus for attaching a disk to a spindle of a spinstand includes a spindle having a fluid pressure port therethrough for delivery of fluid pressure. A spindle adapter is adapted to be attached to the spindle and for holding a disk. The spindle adapter has a piston movable therein to clamp a disk between the piston and an opposing surface in response to fluid pressure applied through the spindle fluid pressure port. A disk can be attached to the spindle by offering the disk up to the spindle adapter, and applying fluid pressure to the spindle fluid pressure port to cause the piston to clamp the disk against the opposing surface. The disk can then be spun up on the spindle.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for clamping an article to a rotatable motor hub. A clamp has a web portion and a plurality of protuberant members extending away from the web portion. Distal ends of the protuberant members are radially disposable within a concentric ring to a clamp axis of rotation, the ring being sized for an interference fit with an outer diameter of the motor hub. The clamp is placed upon the motor so that the protuberant members contactingly engage the motor hub. Advancing a fastener moves the clamp axially to compressingly engage against the article, and resultingly moves the clamp radially to clearingly disengage the protuberant members from the motor hub.

Abstract: An impact buffer having a high buffering effect includes two or more impact buffering members with different hardness, contacted with at least one surface of a side surface part of an HDD unit positioned orthogonally to the rotation surface of a magnetic disk of the HDD unit, supports the HDD unit, buffers an impact applied to the HDD unit by expansion and contraction, further moderates the rotation of the HDD unit in the direction causing a head arm to move onto the disk at rest, prevents the head detachment, and can overcome the weaknesses of the head arm and an inertial latch structure.

Abstract: A disk drive with DTR media and method of assembly is described. The method may include aligning a discrete track recording (DTR) track pattern center on a DTR disk with a rotational center of a spindle hub and mounting the DTR disk on the spindle hub to minimize eccentricity. After the DTR disk is mounted to the spindle hub, it may be rotated to a designed rotational speed and the mass imbalance of the rotating DTR disk/spindle hub may be measured. The mass imbalance may be mitigated using a mechanical component such as a counter weight coupled to a spindle rotatable component, for example, the spindle hub, a spacer assembly, a clamp assembly, etc. The method may mitigate the eccentricity associated with DTR media and minimize run-out due to the mass imbalance of an otherwise rotated DTR disk/hub aligned for eccentricity correction.

Abstract: A rotor blade and an HDD (hard disk drive) having the same, wherein the rotor blade is mounted together with a disk-shaped data storing medium on a spindle motor of the HDD to rotate coaxially with the disk-shaped data storing medium. The rotor blade includes a plurality of blades to increase a floating force applied to a slider that records or reads data on or from the disk-shaped data storing medium by increasing a speed of an airflow in an inner region of the disk-shaped data storing medium.

Abstract: A hard disk drive comprising balance weight integrally coupled to a clamp is provided. The hard disk drive comprises a disk stack assembly comprising a disk, a spindle motor comprising a rotational shaft and a spindle motor hub adapted to support the disk, and a clamp comprising a plurality of installation holes. The hard disk drive further comprises at least one clamp screw and a balance weight integrally coupled to the clamp and adapted to compensate for an imbalance in the disk stack assembly.

Abstract: A disk clamp to fix a disk to a hub of a spindle motor in a hard disk drive, and a hard disk drive having the disk clamp. The disk clamp can include a coupling hole formed at a center of the disk clamp, in which a clamping screw is inserted, at least one through hole formed outside the coupling hole, and a pressing portion provided at an outer circumferential side of the disk clamp to contact and press the disk. A particular area around the at least one through hole that is away from the at least one through hole can have a sectional thickness thinner than a predetermined area that is adjacent to the at least one through hole, to prevent stress distribution generated at a contact surface between the pressing portion and the disk from being irregular due to the at least one through hole.

Abstract: A clamping device that fixes a disc onto a spindle motor that rotates the disc includes a clamp ring that is layered on the disc, and a screw that fixes the clamp ring onto the spindle motor, and has a seating surface that inclines relative to a plane perpendicular to an axis of the screw, the seating surface of the screw having an inclined angle greater than a plane that contacts the seating surface of the screw of the clamp ring before the clamp ring is fixed by the screw.

Abstract: A disk clamping apparatus and method for securing a data storage disk to a spindle motor of a hard disk drive. The disk clamping apparatus includes a flange formed on an outer periphery of a hub of the spindle motor and a clamp. The clamp is provided with a central hollow portion to receive an upper end portion of the hub, and includes a hook for snapping onto the flange along an inner periphery thereof and a pressing portion contacted with an upper surface of the disk for pressing the disk in a vertical direction along an outer periphery thereof. When the clamp is being coupled to the hub, the clamp is deformed so that the hook snaps on the flange, resulting in the pressing portion pressing the disk in the vertical direction, using a resilient force produced from a deformation of the clamp. The clamp further includes a cap formed around the hook to cover the hub.

Abstract: A member of supporting magnetic disc substrates is provided, comprising a ceramic sinter containing a ceramic component and at least one conductive component selected from a group consisting of iron, niobium, tin zinc, copper, nickel, cobalt, and chromium, wherein the ceramic sinter has conductive aggregates on its peripheral surface. In the member, the ceramic component may be forsterite and the conductive component is iron oxide, wherein the ceramic sinter comprises a main phase of 2MgO.SiO2 and a secondary phase of at least one of MgFe2O4, Fe3O4, and Fe2O3.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a drive housing and a storage disk rotatably coupled to the drive housing. In one embodiment, the storage disk includes a first substrate, a spaced-apart second substrate, a damping layer and a rigid substrate spacer. The first substrate is formed from a first material having a first composition and the second substrate is formed from a second material having a second composition. The damping layer is positioned at least partially between the first substrate and the second substrate. The rigid substrate spacer is positioned at least partially between the first substrate and the second substrate, and is formed from a third material having a third composition that is different from the first composition and the second composition. In one embodiment, the first composition is different than the second composition. The first substrate has a first thickness and the second substrate has a second thickness that can be different than the second thickness.

Abstract: A servo track writer and a chuck thereof which are capable of maintaining a central axis of a disk hub to be aligned with a rotating axis of a spindle motor adapted to rotate the disk hub, thereby preventing disks mounted on the disk hub from fluctuating. The servo track writer includes a disk hub, on which a plurality of disks are mounted, a magnetic head assembly to write servo information on the disks mounted on the disk hub, a spindle motor to rotate the disk hub, and a chuck to firmly hold the disk hub. The chuck firmly holds the disk hub at a plurality of points to prevent the central axis of the disk hub from being inclined from the rotating axis of the spindle motor.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a small, thin, yet reliable magnetic disk drive. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk drive comprises: a motor hub including a disk support portion and a flange portion, the disk support portion supporting a magnetic disk thereon, the flange portion being located higher than the disk support portion and protruding radially outward with respect to a rotational center of the magnetic disk; a clamp having a ring shape and including an inclined undersurface inclined downward from the outer circumference of the ring shape toward the inner circumference of the ring shape, the ring shape encircling the flange portion, the clamp being engaged around the outer circumference of the flange portion; and an O-ring engaged with the inclined undersurface of the clamp so as to press the clamp against the flange portion or clamp the clamp, the O-ring being further engaged with the magnetic disk so as to press the magnetic disk against the disk support portion.

Abstract: A magnetic disk apparatus capable of reducing deformation of a magnetic disk is disclosed. The magnetic disk apparatus comprises a magnetic disk on which data is recorded while the disk is driven, a hub around which the magnetic disk is supported from an under side of the magnetic disk, and a clamp in contact with the other side of the magnetic disk and fixing the magnetic disk. An O-ring is interposed between a flange formed at an outer circumference of the hub and the magnetic disk, and a spacer is interposed between the magnetic disk and the O-ring. Thus an upper surface of the hub is in contact with an under surface of the clamp and defines a vertical position of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A spindle motor assembly includes a spindle motor having a shaft and a hub that rotates on the shaft, and a hard disk having a data storage medium mounted in the form of a whole disk, and a fastener attached to the center of a bottom surface of the disk-shaped data storage medium that faces the spindle motor. The fastener is a screw or a nut. In the case in which the fastener is a screw, a head of the screw is attached to the bottom surface of the hard disk, and the body of the screw is received in a screw hole in the upper portion of the shaft of the spindle motor. In the case in which the fastener is a nut, the nut is engaged with an external thread on an outer circumferential surface of the hub of the spindle motor.

Abstract: A spindle motor, which rotates a plurality of data storage disks in a hard disk drive, the spindle motor including: a shaft; an inner hub rotatably installed on an outer periphery of the shaft; and a hub assembly, which includes: an outer hub detachably coupled to an outer periphery of the inner hub, the outer hub shaped such that a plurality of disks and at least one spacer for maintaining an interval between adjacent disks of the plurality of disks can be secured to an outer periphery of the outer hub; and a fastening member coupled to a top portion of the outer hub and fixing the outer hub to the inner hub. The outer hub assembly to which the plurality of disks are secured can be mounted on an off-line servo-track writer, and can also be attached as is to the spindle motor after servo-track writing is completed.

Abstract: A clamp includes a disk and a clamp engaging the disk, wherein the clamp has protrusions that bite into a surface of the disk. A disk and clamp assembly includes a disk having receiving areas formed therein, and a clamp engaging the disk, where the clamp has protrusions that engage the receiving areas. Another disk and clamp assembly includes a disk having protrusions formed thereon, and a clamp engaging the disk, where the clamp has receiving areas adapted for receiving the protrusions.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention clamp assembly for a disk which includes a cavity for trapping the excess lubricant which migrates from the load bearing threads of the screws that hold the assembly in place. In a preferred embodiment a flexible structure, called a screw lubricant trap, is included between a clamp and hub. A recess for the screw lubricant trap is formed in one or both of the mating surfaces of the clamp and/or the hub. The screws are arranged in the interior of the screw lubricant trap, so that when the hub is spinning, the excess lubricant is forced into the cavity to keep the excess lubricant from migrating onto the disk. The screw lubricant trap is preferably made to be non-load bearing to avoid affecting the load on the screw. Alternatively, a groove can be machined in the clamp to serve as the lubricant trap.

Abstract: A storage medium device in which one or more storage media used for storing data can be mounted includes a drive unit for rotating the storage medium, and a hub that permits stacking of multiple storage media, the hub being coupled to the drive unit. A clamp is secured by a load applied to the storage media which passes through the hub. The clamp includes an upper surface having a mechanism for fixture to the hub, a weld part for welding to the storage media and applying a load to the storage media, and a sidewall forming a cylinder around the hub. The sidewall having openings, and joining the upper surface and the weld part. The clamp is particularly useful when less than all of the media the storage device is designed to accommodate are provided in the storage device.

Abstract: A cushioning member includes a first plane, an opening opened to the first plane, and an air storage for storing air formed from the opening to an inside of the cushioning member. When a shock load is imposed on the cushioning member, the air in the air storage is compressed, and the first plane is deformed by the pressure of the compressed air to form a gap. A part of the compressed air flows out of the air storage through the gap. This structure provides a high shock-cushioning effect.

Abstract: A spindle motor which allows appropriate formation of communicating hole for compensating a pressure difference due to an error in working of dynamic pressure generating grooves and other components, easy formation of dynamic pressure generating grooves and readily prevention of leakage of a lubrication fluid is provided. An outer cylindrical member is attached to a shaft, a radial hydrodynamic bearing and a thrust hydrodynamic bearing are provided between the outer cylindrical member and the sleeve, and communicating holes are formed between the shaft and the outer cylindrical member, and between the hub and the outer cylindrical member. Since the collared outer cylindrical member is attached to the shaft, the communicating holes can be readily formed. Also, since a thrust hydrodynamic bearing is formed between an opening of a communicating hole and a seal, a lubrication fluid is unlikely to leak from the seal portion.

Abstract: A recording medium mounted on the rotary body in a recording medium drive. First and second fixing members sandwiches the recording medium around the rotary body. An elastic member is interposed at least between the first fixing member and the recording medium. The elastic member serves to enhance the friction between the first fixing member and the recording medium in the fixing mechanism. Even if an impact is applied to the recording medium, the recording medium is thus reliably prevented from shifting within a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the rotary body, namely from a lateral shift.

Abstract: The invention relates to a disc clamp for mounting an information storage disc to a rotating hub of a spindle motor assembly, and a disc drive spindle hub assembly comprising said disc clamp. The disc clamp comprises an annular body portion, an inner centering portion defining a central aperture, and an annular outer peripheral clamping portion. The inner centering portion having a series of centering tabs disposed about an inner circumference of the body portion. Each centering tab includes a first tab portion extending substantially perpendicular to the body portion of the clamp, and a second tab end portion extending in an angle from the first tab portion. The centering tabs contacting an inner circumferential surface and being in a snap-fit engagement with the hub The outer peripheral portion contacting the information storage disc when the disc and the clamp are installed on the top portion of the hub.

Abstract: An aligning device for a disk recording medium capable of reducing eccentricity using a simple structure, without an increase in cost, is provided. An aligning member has a tapered portion that contacts with a center hole of a disk, and fits with a guide portion that is fixed to a turntable with a sliding gap therebetween. The sliding gap between the aligning member and the guide portion is formed such that a leading end side sliding gap of the turntable in the sliding direction of the aligning member differs from a trailing end side sliding gap of the disk side in the sliding direction. The leading end side sliding gap is formed smaller than the trailing end side sliding gap. The amount of eccentricity of the disk becomes smaller according to this structure.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk drive base and a spindle motor including a spindle motor hub, a spindle motor shaft and a stator. The hub includes an upper end and a lower end. The hub is rotatably coupled to the base via the shaft for rotating the hub about an axis of rotation. The lower end is disposed towards the disk drive base. The stator is attached to the base adjacent the lower end. A balancing ring is attached to the lower end of the hub about the shaft. The disk drive further includes a balancing weight attached to the ring. The weight is attachable to the ring through the disk drive base with the ring attached to the lower end of the hub. A method of balancing the hub is further provided using the ring and the weight.

Abstract: Disk clamp including a disk clamp base and a disk clamp platform. Disk pack including at least one disk coupled between disk clamp and spindle motor. Hard disk drive including disk pack mounted on disk base. Manufacturing methods for disk clamp base, disk clamp platform, disk pack and hard disk drive, and these items as products of their manufacturing processes.

Abstract: An apparatus and associated method for clamping an article to a rotatable motor hub. A clamp has a web portion and a plurality of protuberant members extending away from the web portion. Distal ends of the protuberant members are radially disposable within a concentric ring to a clamp axis of rotation, the ring being sized for an interference fit with an outer diameter of the motor hub. The clamp is placed upon the motor so that the protuberant members contactingly engage the motor hub. Advancing a fastener moves the clamp axially to compressingly engage against the article, and resultingly moves the clamp radially to clearingly disengage the protuberant members from the motor hub.

Abstract: A turn table of a motor includes a first cylindrical portion extending in an axial direction, a first discoid portion radially outwardly extending from the first cylindrical portion, and a second discoid portion radially outwardly extending from the second cylindrical portion. A chucking member arranged on the turn table includes a main body having a diameter substantially the same as that of a center opening of a data storage disk to be arranged on the motor. The chucking member also includes a plurality of chucking craws having radially tip ends arranged radially outside of the outer circumferential surface of the main body and a plurality of coil springs applying bias force pressing the chucking craws in the radially outer direction. A radially inner end of each of the coil springs comes in contact with and is supported by at least one of the radially inner wall of the main body and the second cylindrical portion of the turn table.

Abstract: A composite ring for coupling a disk to a spindle includes a upper layer constructed of a material having a hardness at least as hard as a primary material of the disk. A lower layer is fixedly coupled to the upper layer and constructed of a material having similar properties to that of the disk, the properties being selected from a group consisting of a coefficient of thermal expansion and Young's modulus.

Abstract: A spinstand having a vacuum chuck clamping mechanism for securing magnetic discs includes a cap (9) and a base (10). A disk-to-be-clamped is held between the cap (9) and the base (10). Vacuum, applied through a port (4) in a mounting screw (12) of the base, provides the clamping force. The vacuum is held constant using a circumferential seal (27) on a piston (2) of the cap, which extends into a cylindrical countering bushing (3) extending from the base. In one form, the cap (9) is centered about a spin axis (SA) extending through the base (10), using a hardened pin (1) extending from the cap and a locating bushing (19) affixed to the base. When the cap (9) is inserted into the base (10), the pin (1) prevents a piston (2) in the cap from contacting the inside walls/sealing surface (11) of the centering bushing (3) of the base.

Abstract: Embodiments of a profile motor are provided. A spindle motor can include a base in contact with a bearing housing, a bearing installed in the bearing housing, a rotational shaft rotatably supported by the bearing, a stator disposed around the bearing housing and having a coil, a rotor including a rotor yoke fixed on the rotational shaft and a magnet fixed on the rotor yoke, a turntable provided above the rotor yoke and rotating together with the rotational shaft, and a plurality of balls provided in a space defined by the rotor yoke and the turntable.

Abstract: A component in a manufacturing process is provided. The manufacturing process makes use of laser position sensing devices to determine a position of components being manufactured. The component includes a body having an exterior surface including a plurality of angled surfaces. The component also includes a surface roughness formed on one of the plurality of angled surfaces of the exterior surface.

Abstract: A disc clamp is provided for securing discs to a spindle motor. In particular, the clamp is useful in providing distributed forces to the discs. The clamp includes an annular body having an upper surface, a lower surface, an inner circumference and an outer circumference. A flange extends from the lower surface of the annular body and has an inner surface oriented towards the inner circumference of the annular body. A plurality of apertures are formed between the upper and lower surfaces of the annular body and are configured to receive fasteners. Further, a plurality of force distributing features are formed in the flange between the outer surface of the flange and the inner surface of the flange.

Abstract: A clamp ring that clamps a disc onto a spindle motor that rotates the disc includes an annular disc shaped body fixed onto a hub that rotates with a shaft of the spindle motor, the body arranging plural screw holes in a circumferential direction of the body, a screw that fixes the body onto the hub being inserted into each screw hole, wherein the body arranges plural stress relaxation holes between the plural screw holes so that each stress relaxation hole and each screw hole alternate in the circumferential direction of the body, each stress relaxation hole mitigating a deformation of the body in fixing the body onto the hub with the screw, a diameter of the stress relaxation hole being equal to or greater than a diameter of the screw hole in a surface of the body from which the screw is inserted into the body.

Abstract: The present invention includes a spindle motor with a dampened spindle motor flange, which includes a shallow groove on the disk face. The shallow groove includes a first rim, a trough, and a second rim. In use, the trough fills with a visco-elastic material compressed by a metallic ring. A disk pack assembly uses the spindle motor coupling through the dampened spindle motor flange to at least one clamped disk. The invention includes a disk pack using the spindle motor, visco-elastic material, and metallic ring, as well as hard disk drives built with these disk packs. The invention includes the method of disk pack assembly, as well as making a hard disk drive using disk pack. The manufactured disk pack and the hard disk drive are products of the invention's processes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a disk stack assembly for processing a plurality of disks in a servowriter. The present invention further provides a servowriter system for processing multiple disks.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided to facilitate building of a disk stack for inclusion in a magnetic disk drive. A spindle is provided which comprises first and second disk contacts. A mechanism is provided to bias an inner diameter of a stack of plural disks toward both the first disk contact and the second disk contact. The spindle may comprise one or a pair of lateral protrusions. The apex of each such spindle lateral protrusions may comprise one or both of the disk contacts. In addition, or alternatively, the inner diameter of a disk, to be inserted over the spindle, may comprise one or a pair of lateral protrusions. The apexes of such disk lateral protrusions may comprise one or both of the first disk contact and the second disk contact.

Abstract: Steps for clamping storage media to a motor hub to form a data storage device include; securing the disc clamp with a mounting tool, which subsequently expands a central mounting aperture of the disc clamp for assembly of the disc clamp to the motor hub. Upon eschewing the mounting tool from the disc clamp, the motor hub constrains the disc clamp to develop a clamp force that is imparted on the storage media by an annular rib of the disc clamp to clamp the disc to the motor hub. The disc clamp is generally disc shaped and includes a central mounting aperture and a peripheral portion that includes the annular rib extending in a radial direction from the central mounting aperture. The annular rib pressingly engages the storage media to clamp storage media to the motor hub.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks to a spindle motor, and a disk spacer positioned between first and second disks. The first disk has a plurality of first disk through apertures adjacent its inner diameter. The first disk through apertures are circumferentially spaced-apart and extend longitudinally through the first disk. The disk spacer has a plurality of spacer apertures that are circumferentially spaced-apart and extend longitudinally through a portion of a thickness of the disk spacer. The disk clamp is adjacent to the first disk and has a plurality of clamp through apertures adjacent an outer diameter of the disk clamp. The clamp through apertures are circumferentially spaced-apart and extend longitudinally through the disk clamp. The first disk through apertures, the spacer apertures, and the clamp through apertures are aligned for allowing airflow to pass through when the plurality of disks is rotating.

Abstract: A disc assembly in a disc drive includes a hub rotatable about a central axis. Pluralities of disc elements are mounted about outer periphery of the central axis of the hub. An annular shaped disc clamp is located about a first axial end of the hub, the annular shaped clamp holding the outermost disc to the hub by a series of equally spaced fasteners along an inner diameter of the disc clamp. The improvement therein consisting of placing an offset angle on the underside, or disc-to-hub contact area. The offset angle sloping from the inner disc contact point outward to the end of the clamp such that application of pressure during clamping will make a uniform contact area along the clamp surface as the clamp fasteners are tightened to secure the clamp to the hub. This improves flatness, axial run out, reduces repeatable run out and increases reliability.

Abstract: An assembly for coupling a disk to a spindle includes an annular spacer ring adapted to engage the disk and an annular clamp. The spacer ring is constructed at least in part of a plastic material. The clamp is constructed of a material having a modulus and stiffness greater than that of the spacer ring.

Abstract: A disc centering device includes a base plate, a chuck which is installed on the base plate, a hub unit which is detachably engaged to the chuck and in which a plurality of discs are stacked, disc pushers which are slidably provided outside the hub unit, and include corresponding plate springs which center the discs by pushing circumferences of the discs, supporting units which support the corresponding plate springs with respect to the disc pushers so as to reinforce a restoring force of the plate springs after a disc centering of the discs, and a driving unit which slides the disc pushers simultaneously. Accordingly, even though the disc centering is continuously performed, a centering value can be maintained within a desired range (deviation), and deformation of discs can be prevented.

Abstract: A disk clamp is provided for securing one or more data storage disks to a disk drive without the need for screws. A preloading device is also provided for installing the disk clamp and removing the disk clamp after installation. The preloading device applies a load to the clamp to deflect the clamp, and allows a retaining ring to be positioned between the disk clamp and the hub of the disk drive. Preloading the disk clamp helps to reduce disk drive contamination, potential damage to the motor hub, and improves reworkability of the disk drive. The preloading device can be incorporated within a manually manipulated preloading device, or within an automated assembly process in which the preloading device is incorporated. Methods are also provided for clamp preloading and clamp installation.