Patent ID: 6654201
Filing Date: 2003-11-25
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A data storage system, comprising:a housing having an interior containing a set of data disks and at least one reading and/or writing head coupled to an actuator assembly; a shroud mounted within the interior of the housing, the shroud radially positioned around at least a portion of the outer circumference of the set of data disks, the shroud separated from the outer circumference of the set of data disks by a fixed, predetermined distance along the length of the shroud, creating a disk-to-shroud separation region; at least one filter cavity disposed lengthwise within the shroud, the at least one filter cavity having at least one entrance opening and an exit opening, the at least one entrance opening and the exit opening positioned such that circulating air within the disk-to-shroud separation region flows in through the at least one entrance opening and out through the exit opening during normal operation of the data storage system, wherein the exit opening in the at least one filter cavity is positioned in proximity to an area formed between the top/bottom of the set of data disks and the housing; and at least one contamination filter positioned within the at least one filter cavity for capturing contaminants carried by the circulating air during normal operation of the data storage system.