Patent ID: 8077429
Filing Date: 2011-12-13
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A vibration-suppressing mechanism for a disk drive, comprising: a disk having an axis of rotation, an outer circumferential edge spanning 360 degrees, and a vibration mode; a shroud having a shroud surface extending along and facing the outer circumferential edge of the disk, and the shroud surface has circumferential ends and a circumferential length that spans less than 180 degrees of the disk; wherein a gap between the outer circumferential edge of the disk and the shroud surface becomes narrow near a portion of the disk where vibration of the disk is to be suppressed to provide an aerodynamic damping force for the disk to vary the vibration mode of the disk, the portion of the disk is circumferentially spaced apart from the circumferential ends of the shroud surface, and the gap varies in radial width throughout the circumferential length of the shroud surface.