Patent ID: 7199969
Filing Date: 2007-04-03
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A shock protection apparatus operable to protect a hard disk drive from an externally applied impact force, said shock protection apparatus comprising: a zero-gravity sensor operable to detect whether the hard disk drive is in a zero-gravity state and operable to generate a zero-gravity detection signal if the hard disk drive is in the zero-gravity state; a head-slap protection unit operable to output a retraction signal, if said zero-gravity sensor generates a zero-gravity detection signal as a result of the hard disk drive being in a zero-gravity state, so as to initiate a retraction of a head from a hard disk of the hard disk drive; and a shock cushioning and holding member, having a low stiffness and resilience, encasing and holding the hard disk drive so as to protect the hard disk drive from a shock or multiple shocks; wherein the hard disk drive is operable to retract the head from the hard disk so as to increase a distance between the head and the hard disk within a total time period corresponding to a sum of time periods P wherein time period P wherein time period P wherein time period P wherein a shock resistance, of said shock cushioning and holding member is determined based on (i) a lower limit of height at which said zero-gravity sensor and said head-slap protection unit are operable to output the retraction signal, the lower limit of height being calculated based on the total time period, and (ii) a shock acceleration of the hard disk drive calculated based on the lower limit of height.