Disk drive cover for use with a disk drive to provide for disk shrouding and heat dissipation

Disclosed is a disk drive cover that provides improved disk shrouding and heat dissipation. Part of the cover is recessed relative to the rest and may be substantially circular. The recessed portion may be located approximately adjacent to at least one disk and may be substantially coextensive with at least one disk. Further, the internal side of the recessed portion may be at a vertical depth sufficient enough to shroud at least one disk. Additionally, the recessed portion may further include at least a member that projects from the external side of the recessed portion, such as approximately arcuate-shaped members or approximately rectangular-shaped members, to aid in heat dissipation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a disk drive cover for use with a disk drive. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disk drive cover for use with a disk drive that provides for disk shrouding and heat dissipation.

2. Description of the Prior Art and Related Information

A huge market exists for hard disk drives for mass-market host computer systems such as servers, desktop computers, and laptop computers. To be competitive in this market, a hard disk drive should be relatively inexpensive, and should accordingly embody a design that is adapted for low-cost mass production. Further, there exists substantial competitive pressure to continually develop hard disk drives that have increasingly higher storage capacity, that provide for faster access to data, and at the same time conform to decreasingly smaller exterior sizes and shapes often referred to as “form factors.” Specific methods that are presently being employed to decrease access times to data are to increase the rotational speed of the disk(s) of the disk drive, and to increase the current provided to the actuator assembly in order to move the head of the actuator assembly to the desired data more quickly.

As previously discussed, one particular method that is presently being employed to decrease access times to data is to increase the rotational speed of the disk(s) of the disk drive. Although increasing the rotational speed of the disks of the disk drive advantageously decreases access time to data, or latency times (i.e. time spent waiting for a selected data block to reach the head as a particular disk rotates), higher rotational speeds tend to induce a greater degree of turbulence in the airflow established by the rotating disks. It is desirable to have laminar or uniform airflow about the disks, the head stack assembly (HSA), and the heads, of the disk drive, as opposed to turbulent airflow. Turbulent airflow is characterized by random fluctuations in the speed and direction of the airflow. Such turbulence can cause unwanted vibration of the disks and the heads, leading to undesirable track misregistration errors (TMRs). Also, increasing the rotational speed of the disks of the disk drive by increasing the amount of power to the spindle motor further results in increased temperatures within the disk drive.

Additionally, as previously discussed, another particular method that is presently being employed to decrease access times to data is to increase the current provided to the actuator assembly in order to move the head of the actuator assembly to the desired data more quickly. However, this technique also results in increased temperatures within the disk drive.

Unfortunately, if disk drives are not adequately cooled and temperatures become to high within the disk drive, this may cause the disk drive to function sub-optimally, and in extreme cases may even result in damage to the components of the disk drive, thus making the disk drive non-functional. Further, multiple disk drives are now being commonly mounted next to one another in a disk stack chassis, especially in today's server environments. In a disk stack chassis, disk drives are typically mounted in disk bays in horizontal or vertical arrangements in very close proximity to one another, which generates a large amount of heat that may degrade disk drive performance. Although cooling fans are typically used in a disk drive chassis to induce air-flow about the disk drives, and to aid in heat dissipation, the potential overheating of disk drives within the disk drive chassis is still a problem.

For the most part, prior covers and bases for disk drives, by themselves, have not been adequately designed to optimize heat dissipation to decrease temperatures within stacked disk drives of a disk drive chassis, nor to address issues related to turbulent airflow within the disk drive itself. For example, as shown inFIG. 1, a conventional cover10and base12for a disk drive merely consist of flat planar surfaces14to house the components of the disk drive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a disk drive cover for use with a disk drive. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disk drive cover for use with a disk drive that provides for disk shrouding and heat dissipation.

In one aspect, the invention may be regarded as a cover for use with a disk drive. The disk drive includes the cover, a base, at least one disk mounted to a spindle motor for rotation within the disk drive, and a head stack assembly (HSA) including an actuator assembly pivotally coupled to the base of the disk drive to support at least one head for writing and reading data to and from the at least one disk. The cover mounts to the base and includes a first cover portion and a second cover portion. The first cover portion has an external side and an internal side. The second cover portion also has an external side and an internal side and is disposed within the first cover portion. Particularly, the second cover portion is recessed relative to the first cover portion. The recessed second cover portion may be located approximately adjacent to the at least one disk and may be substantially coextensive with the at least one disk. Further, the internal side of the recessed second portion may face the at least one disk and may be closer to the at least one disk than the internal side of the first cover portion.

For example, in some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may be substantially circular or may be substantially polygonal. In one embodiment, the internal side of the recessed second cover portion is at a vertical depth sufficient enough to shroud the at least one disk. In one particular embodiment, the external side of the recessed second cover portion is at least one millimeter vertically distant from the external side of the first cover portion. In another particular embodiment, the external side of the recessed second cover portion is at least two millimeters vertically distant from the external side of the first cover portion.

In some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may further include at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation. For example, the at least one member may include an approximately arcuate-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In another example, the at least one member may include an approximately rectangular-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In one particular embodiment, a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members may project from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to form a plurality of air-flow channels to aid in heat dissipation.

In more detailed embodiments, the external side of the first cover portion may include at least one channel having at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion, wherein the channel extends from a side of the cover to the recessed second cover portion. Further, the channel may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot formed within a respective sidewall of the base such that the at least one member of the recessed second cover portion, through the at least one channel, is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the cover and the base to aid in heat dissipation. In a particular example, the channel may be disposed within a respective complementary channel accommodating slot formed with a respective sidewall of the base such that a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members of the recessed second cover portion, through the at least one channel, is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the cover and the base to aid in heat dissipation.

In other embodiments, the base may include a bottom side having a base channel formed therein. The base channel may extend from a front end of the base toward the back end of the base and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the disk drive such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base to aid in heat dissipation. Moreover, the bottom side of the base may further include at least one side channel extending from a sidewall of the base to the base channel such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base and at least one of the sides of the base to aid in heat dissipation.

In some embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be integrally formed with the recessed second cover portion. In other embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be attachable to the recessed second cover portion. Further, the cover mounted to the base to form a housing of the disk drive may be compatible with a small form factor standard. For example, the small form factor standard may be compatible with the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

In another aspect of the invention, the invention may also be regarded as a cover for use with a disk drive. The disk drive includes the cover, a base, at least one disk mounted to a spindle motor for rotation within the disk drive, and a head stack assembly (HSA) including an actuator assembly pivotally coupled to the base of the disk drive to support at least one head for writing and reading data to and from the at least one disk. The cover mounts to the base and includes a first cover portion and a second cover portion. The first cover portion has an external side and an internal side. The second cover portion has an external side and an internal side and is disposed within the first cover portion. Particularly, the second cover portion is recessed relative to the first cover portion. The recessed second cover portion may be located approximately adjacent to the at least one disk and may be substantially coextensive with the at least one disk. Further, the external side of the first cover portion may include a plurality of channels having at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion. Each channel may extend from a side of the cover to the recessed second cover portion and may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot formed within a respective sidewall of the base. Moreover, at least one of the channels extends from a different side of the cover than one of the other channels to create at least two different channels such that the recessed second cover portion is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the cover from at least two different sides of the cover through the at least two different channels to aid in heat dissipation.

For example, in some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may be substantially circular or may be substantially polygonal. Further, a back end channel may be coupled to one of the at least two different channels. The back end channel may be disposed within a complementary back end channel-accommodating slot formed within a back end sidewall of the base. In some embodiments, one of the channels may extend between different sides of the cover but not through the recessed second cover portion itself.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, the base may include a bottom side having a base channel formed therein. The base channel may extend from a front end of the base towards the back end of the base and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the disk drive such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base to aid in heat dissipation. Moreover, the bottom side of the base may further include at least one side channel extending from a sidewall of the base to the base channel such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base and at least one of the sides of the base to aid in heat dissipation.

In some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may further include at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation. For example, the at least one member may include an approximately arcuate-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In another example, the at least one member may include an approximately rectangular-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In one particular embodiment, a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members may project from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to form a plurality of air-flow channels to aid in heat dissipation.

In some particular embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be integrally formed with the recessed second cover portion. In other embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be attachable to the recessed second cover portion. Further, the cover mounted to the base to form a housing of the disk drive may be compatible with a small form factor standard. For example, the small form factor standard may be compatible with the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

In another aspect, the invention may be regarded as a disk drive. The disk drive includes a cover, a base, at least one disk mounted to a spindle motor for rotation within the disk drive, and a head stack assembly (HSA) including an actuator assembly pivotally coupled to the base of the disk drive to support at least one head for writing and reading data to and from the at least one disk. The cover mounts to the base and includes a first cover portion and a second cover portion. The first cover portion has an external side and an internal side. The second cover portion also has an external side and an internal side and is disposed within the first cover portion. Particularly, the second cover portion is recessed relative to the first cover portion. The recessed second cover portion may be located approximately adjacent to the at least one disk and may be substantially coextensive with the at least one disk. Further, the internal side of the recessed second portion may face the at least one disk and may be closer to the at least one disk than the internal side of the first cover portion.

For example, in some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may be substantially circular or may be substantially polygonal. In one embodiment, the internal side of the recessed second cover portion is at a vertical depth sufficient enough to shroud the at least one disk. In one particular embodiment, the external side of the recessed second cover portion is at least one millimeter vertically distant from the external side of the first cover portion. In another particular embodiment, the external side of the recessed second cover portion is at least two millimeters vertically distant from the external side of the first cover portion.

In some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may farther include at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation. For example, the at least one member may include an approximately arcuate-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In another example, the at least one member may include an approximately rectangular-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In one particular embodiment, a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members may project from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to form a plurality of air-flow channels to aid in heat dissipation.

In more detailed embodiments, the external side of the first cover portion may include at least one channel having at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion, wherein the channel extends from a side of the cover to the recessed second cover portion. Further, the channel may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot formed within a respective sidewall of the base such that the at least one member of the recessed second cover portion, through the at least one channel, is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the cover and the base to aid in heat dissipation. In a particular example, the channel may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot formed with a respective sidewall of the base such that a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members of the recessed second cover portion, through the at least one channel, is in air-flow communication with air flowing about cover in base to aid in heat dissipation.

In other embodiments, the base may include a bottom side having a base channel formed therein. The base channel may extend from a front end of the base toward the back end of the base and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the disk drive such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base to aid in heat dissipation. Moreover, the bottom side of the base may further include at least one side channel extending from a sidewall of the base to the base channel such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base and at least one of the sides of the base to aid in heat dissipation.

In some embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be integrally formed with the recessed second cover portion. In other embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be attachable to the recessed second cover portion. Further, the cover mounted to the base to form a housing of the disk drive may be compatible with a small form factor standard. For example, the small form factor standard may be compatible with the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

In yet a further aspect of the invention, the invention may also be regarded a disk drive. The disk drive includes a cover, a base, at least one disk mounted to a spindle motor for rotation within the disk drive, and a head stack assembly (HSA) including an actuator assembly pivotally coupled to the base of the disk drive to support at least one head for writing and reading data to and from the at least one disk. The cover mounts to the base and includes a first cover portion and a second cover portion. The first cover portion has an external side and an internal side. The second cover portion has an external side and an internal side and is disposed within the first cover portion. Particularly, the second cover portion is recessed relative to the first cover portion. The recessed second cover portion may be located approximately adjacent to the at least one disk and may be substantially coextensive with the at least one disk. Further, the external side of the first cover portion may include a plurality of channels having at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion. Each channel may extend from a side of the cover to the recessed second cover portion and may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot formed within a respective sidewall of the base. Moreover, at least one of the channels extends from a different side of the cover than one of the other channels to create at least two different channels such that the recessed second cover portion is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the cover from at least two different sides of the cover through the at least two different channels to aid in heat dissipation.

For example, in some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may be substantially circular or may be substantially polygonal. Further, a back end channel may be coupled to one of the at least two different channels. The back end channel may be disposed within a complementary back end channel-accommodating slot formed within a back end sidewall of the base. In some embodiments, one of the channels may extend between different sides of the cover but not through the recessed second cover portion itself.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, the base may include a bottom side having a base channel formed therein. The base channel may extend from a front end of the base towards the back end of the base and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the disk drive such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base to aid in heat dissipation. Moreover, the bottom side of the base may further include at least one side channel extending from a sidewall of the base to the base channel such that the base channel is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from at least the front end of the base and at least one of the sides of the base to aid in heat dissipation.

In some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may further include at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation. For example, the at least one member may include an approximately arcuate-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In another example, the at least one member may include an approximately rectangular-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. In one particular embodiment, a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members may project from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to form a plurality of air-flow channels to aid in heat dissipation.

In some particular embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be integrally formed with the recessed second cover portion. In other embodiments, the at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be attachable to the recessed second cover portion. Further, the cover mounted to the base to form a housing of the disk drive may be compatible with a small form factor standard. For example, the small form factor standard may be compatible with the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

The forgoing and other features of the invention are described in detail below and are set forth in the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a disk drive cover for use with a disk drive. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disk drive cover for use with a disk drive that provides for disk shrouding and heat dissipation.

With reference now toFIG. 2A,FIG. 2Ais a side-sectional view of a hard disk drive (HDD)100, which includes a disk drive cover102that provides for disk shrouding, and in some embodiments heat dissipation, according to embodiments of the present invention. The disk drive100includes a head disk assembly (HDA)101and a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) (not shown). As is known, the PCBA includes circuitry for processing signals and controlling the operations of the disk drive. The HDA101includes a base116and a disk drive cover102that may be attached to the base116to collectively house either a single disk112or a disk stack including multiple disks, a spindle motor113attached to the base116for rotating the disk112(or disk stack), a head stack assembly (HSA)120, and a pivot bearing cartridge (such as a stainless steel pivot bearing cartridge, for example) that rotatably supports the HSA120on the base116. The base116is typically attached to the cover102by means of screws or other discrete fasteners. The spindle motor113rotates the disk112or disk stack at a constant angular velocity about a spindle motor rotation axis. Further, each disk utilized may include a plurality of recording surfaces for writing or reading data to or from the disk.

The HSA120comprises a swing-type or rotary actuator assembly130, at least one head gimbal assembly (HGA)110, and a flex circuit cable assembly (not shown). The flex circuit cable assembly includes a flex circuit cable and a flex clamp. As is typical with present HSA's, the rotary actuator assembly130includes a body portion140having a pivot bore for receipt of the pivot-bearing cartridge, at least one actuator arm160cantilevered from the body portion140, and a coil portion150cantilevered from the body portion140in an opposite direction from the actuator arm160. The actuator arm160supports the HGA110having a load beam that supports a head111for writing and reading data to and from the disk112. For example, the head can include an inductive head that is used to both read and write data on a recording surface of the disk, or a magnetoresistance (MR) head, which includes an MR head element to read data and an inductive element to write data.

The HSA120is pivotally secured to the base116via a pivot-bearing cartridge mounted through a pivot bore of the body portion140of the HSA120forming a pivot axis such that the head111at the distal end of the HGA110may be moved over a recording surface of the disk. In some embodiments, the body portion140of the HSA120may be further mounted to the cover102by a screw103or by other types of fasteners. Further, the storage capacity of the HDA101may be increased by the use of additional disks in a disk stack and by the HSA120having a vertical stack of HGAs supported by multiple actuator arms.

Although not particularly shown inFIG. 2A, as is known, a voice coil motor (VCM) plate assembly including top and bottom VCM plates may also be mounted to the base. Suitably, one or both of the VCM plates includes a permanent magnet. The coil portion150of the actuator assembly130is disposed between the top and bottom VCM plates in order to form a voice coil motor to cause the pivoting of the HSA120about the pivot axis defined by the pivot bearing cartridge. Thus, the voice coil motor can be used to controllably position the head(s) of the HSA relative to the disk(s) for writing and/or reading data. As should be appreciated, multiple disks and HSA's having multiple HGA's and multiple heads may be utilized in the disk drive100having a cover102, according to embodiments of the present invention, as will now be discussed.

Referring now toFIG. 3, which is a perspective view of the HDD100ofFIG. 2Ahaving a cover102in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, in conjunction withFIG. 2A, the cover102will now be particularly discussed. Specifically, the cover102includes a first portion cover122and a second cover portion132. The first cover portion122has a generally planar external side123and a generally planar internal side124. The second cover portion132likewise has a generally planar external side133and a generally planar internal side134. Particularly, as can be seen inFIGS. 2A and 3, the second cover portion132is recessed relative to the external side123of the first cover portion123. In one embodiment, the recessed second cover portion132may be substantially circular shaped. However, it should be appreciated that the recessed second cover portion132may be of many different types of shapes. For example, the recessed second cover portion132may be substantially polygonal. Further, in some embodiments, a tapered lip135may be formed between the first cover portion122and the recessed second cover portion132.

In one embodiment, the recessed second cover portion132may be located approximately adjacent to the disk112and may be substantially coextensive with the disk112. Further, the internal side134of the recessed second cover portion132may be vertically closer to the disk112than the internal side124of the first cover portion122. As particularly seen inFIG. 2A, the internal side134of the recessed second cover portion132is generally planar and coextensive with the disk112and includes a slightly elevated portion170, relative to the rest of the internal side134of the recessed second cover portion132, to accommodate the actuator arm160. Also, with brief reference toFIG. 2B, it can be seen that in one embodiment of the invention, a slightly modified cover102may be utilized having an approximately rectangular cutout portion172to accommodate an extended spindle shaft114that may be mounted by a screw or other type of faster117to the recessed second cover portion132.

In one embodiment, the internal side134of the recessed second cover portion132is at a vertical depth sufficient enough to shroud the disk1112. For example, in one particular embodiment, the external side133of the recessed second cover portion132may be at least one millimeter vertically distant from the external side123of the first cover portion122. In another particular embodiment, the external side133of the recessed second cover portion132may be at least two millimeters vertically distant from the external side123and the first cover portion122. As should be apparent, the external side133of the recessed second cover portion132may be at even larger vertical distances from the external side123of the first cover portion122dependent upon design considerations; particularly including the allowable vertical distance between the disk112and the internal side134of the recessed second cover portion.

Advantageously, the recessed second cover portion132creates a small gap135between the internal side134of the recessed second portion132of the cover102and the disk112thereby forming a small channel therebetween to provide for the shrouding of the disk112. Particularly, in this way, laminar non-turbulent airflow is induced thereby providing for improved air dampening characteristics to aid in suppressing rotating disk and head vibration. Specifically, the small gap may induce laminar non-turbulent airflow about the disk, HSA, and head to suppress rotating disk and head vibration such that undesirable track misregistration (TMR) errors may be minimized. Thus, the cover102includes a built-in in shrouding feature, such that additional separator plates or anti-disks are unnecessary.

It should be appreciated that the cover102including the first cover portion122and the second recessed cover portion132may be integrally formed from a metallic material. In one embodiment, the configuration of the cover102lends itself to be efficiently manufactured by coining or compression manufacturing techniques and it can be integrally formed from suitable metallic materials such as aluminum or stainless steel. In other embodiments, the configuration of the cover102lends itself to be efficiently manufactured by stamping manufacturing techniques and it can be integrally formed from suitable metallic materials such as aluminum or stainless steel. Alternatively, the cover may be non-integrally formed wherein the first cover portion122and the second recessed cover portion132are separate pieces and are separately formed and the second recessed cover portion132is attached to the first cover122by suitable methods, such as by an adhesive.

Further, the cover102mounted to the base116to form a housing of the HDD100may be compatible with a small form factor standard. For example, the small form factor standard may be compatible with the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

Before discussing the embodiments of the invention for a cover including heat dissipation features, an example of a conventional disk stack chassis will be discussed. Particularly,FIGS. 4A and 4Billustrate a front and back perspective view, respectively, of an example of a conventional disk stack chassis402, andFIG. 4Cillustrates a front perspective view of a conventional disk bay404in which a disk drive406, having a cover including heat dissipation features (not shown), according to embodiments of the present invention, may be mounted. It should be appreciated that the conventional disk stack chassis402is merely shown for explanatory purposes to show how disk drives are commonly mounted and how air flows about them and that the details of the cover having heat dissipation features will be discussed later.

As can be seen inFIGS. 4A-4C, a conventional disk stack chassis402vertically stacks a plurality of disk bays404. A disk drive406may be slidably mounted within each disk bay404. Power supplies may be mounted in the bottom of the disk stack chassis. Further, as should be appreciated, the disk drives406may be plugged into circuit boards mounted on a holding plate410. Particularly, axial-flow fans412are installed on the rear panel414to induce air-flow (as indicated by air-flow arrow415) from the front panel416, passing through the disk bays404and over the disk drives406, and exiting through the rear panel414(as indicated by air-flow arrows422). More particularly, as can be seen inFIGS. 4A and 4C, each disk bay404includes vertical slots426to allow for air-flow about the disk drive406. In this way, by air flowing in the disk bay404and over the disk drives406, heat dissipation is induced. However, as previously discussed, for the most part, prior covers and bases for disk drives, by themselves, have not been adequately designed to optimize heat dissipation in order to decrease temperatures within the disk drive.

Various embodiments of the disk drive cover, as previously discussed, now further including heat dissipation features will now be described. Particularly, in some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion may further include at least one member that projects from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation when the disk drive is mounted in a disk bay of a conventional disk stack chassis, as previously discussed, and is subject to air-flow.

With reference now toFIG. 5,FIG. 5shows a perspective view of a cover502having heat dissipation features, according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown inFIG. 5, a cover502is mounted to a base504and includes a first cover portion522and a second cover portion532. The first cover portion522has external side523and an internal side (not shown). The second cover portion532likewise has an external side533and an internal side (not shown) and is disposed within the first cover portion522. As previously discussed, the recessed second cover portion532may be located approximately adjacent to the disk inside of the disk drive and may be substantially coextensive with the disk and may be vertically closer to the disk than the internal side of the first cover portion to aid in shrouding.

In this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion532may include an approximately arcuate-shaped member535to aid in heat dissipation. More particularly, in this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion532may include one or more V-shaped members540, each of which is composed of a pair of arcuate-shaped members542and544, respectively, that project from the external side533of the recessed second cover portion532to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive. With his configuration of the cover502, when the disk drive is mounted in the disk bay of a conventional disk stack chassis and is subject to air-flow as previously discussed, the one or more V-shaped members540of the recessed second cover portion532provide increased surface area subject to the air-flow to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

With reference now toFIG. 6,FIG. 6shows a top view of another configuration of the cover also having heat dissipation features, according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown inFIG. 6, a cover602includes a first cover portion622and a second cover portion632. The first cover portion622has an external side623and an internal side (not shown). The second cover portion632likewise has an external side633and an internal side (not shown) and is disposed within the first cover portion622. As previously discussed, the recessed second cover portion632may be located approximately adjacent to the disk inside of the disk drive and may be substantially coextensive with the disk and may be vertically closer to the disk than the internal side of the first cover portion to aid in shrouding.

In this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion632may include at least one approximately rectangular-shaped member635to aid in heat dissipation. More particularly, in this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion632may include a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members635that project from the external side633of the recessed second cover portion632to form a plurality of air-flow channels650to aid in heat dissipation. With this configuration of the cover602, when the disk drive is mounted in the disk bay of a conventional disk stack chassis and is subject to air-flow as previously discussed, the plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members635of the recessed second cover portion632provide increased surface area subject to the air-flow to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

In further embodiments of the invention, the first cover portion of the cover may include at least one channel having at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion, wherein the channel extends from a side of the cover to the recessed second cover portion to aid in air-flow about the cover and consequently heat dissipation.

For example, with reference toFIG. 7,FIG. 7shows a perspective view of a cover702having at least one channel750to aid in heat dissipation, according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown inFIG. 7, a cover702is mounted to a base704and includes a first cover portion722and a second cover portion732. The first cover portion722has an external side723and an internal side (not shown). The second cover portion732likewise has an external side733and an internal side (not shown) and is disposed within the first cover portion722. As previously discussed, the recessed second cover portion732may be located approximately adjacent to the disk inside of the disk drive and may be substantially coextensive with the disk and may be vertically closer to the disk than the internal side of the first cover portion to aid in shrouding.

In this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion732may include an approximately arcuate-shaped member735to aid in heat dissipation. More particularly, in this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion732may include one or more V-shaped members740, each of which is composed of a pair of arcuate-shaped members742and744, respectively, that project from the external side733of the recessed second cover portion732to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

Further, in this embodiment, the external side723of the first cover portion722includes at least one channel750having at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion732, wherein the channel750extends from a side of the cover702to the recessed second cover portion732to aid in air-flow to the recessed second cover portion. The channel750may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot754formed within a respective sidewall756of the base704. In this way, the V-shaped heat dissipation members740of the recessed second cover portion732, through the channel750, are in air-flow communication with air flowing about the cover702and the base704to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive. As should be apparent fromFIG. 7, there may be any suitable number of channels750formed within the cover702. With his configuration of the cover702, when the disk drive is mounted in the disk bay of a conventional disk stack chassis and is subject to air-flow as previously discussed, the one or more V-shaped members740of the recessed second cover portion732provide increased surface area subject to the air-flow to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

In another example, with reference toFIG. 8,FIG. 8shows a top view of a cover802similarly having at least one channel850to aid in heat dissipation, according to one embodiment of the invention. As shown inFIG. 8, a cover802mounted to a base includes a first cover portion822and a second cover portion832. The first cover portion822has external side823and an internal side (not shown). The second cover portion832likewise has an external side833and an internal side (not shown) and is disposed within the first cover portion822. As previously discussed, the recessed second cover portion832may be located approximately adjacent to the disk inside of the disk drive and may be substantially coextensive with the disk and may be vertically closer to the disk than the internal side of the first cover portion to aid in shrouding.

In this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion832may include at least one approximately rectangular-shaped member835to aid in heat dissipation. More particularly, in this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion832may include a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members835that project from the external side833of the recessed second cover portion832to form a plurality of air-flow channels844to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

Further, in this embodiment, the external side823of the first cover portion822includes at least one channel850having at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion832, wherein the channel850extends from a side of the cover802to the recessed second cover portion to aid in air-flow to the recessed second cover portion832. The channel850may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot within a respective sidewall of the base such that the plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members835that project from the external side833of the recessed second cover portion832to form a plurality of air-flow channels848, through the channel850, are in air-flow communication with the air flowing about the cover802and the base to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive. As should be apparent fromFIG. 8, there may be any suitable number of channels850formed within the cover802. With his configuration of the cover802, when the disk drive is mounted in the disk bay of a conventional disk stack chassis and is subject to air-flow as previously discussed, the plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members835that project from the external side833of the recessed second cover portion832to form a plurality of air-flow channels848provide increased surface area subject to the air-flow to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

In some embodiments, the base may include a bottom side having a base channel formed therein. Turning now toFIG. 9,FIG. 9is a perspective view showing the bottom side905of a base904having a base channel908formed therein, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The base channel908may extend from the front end910of the base904towards the back end912of the base and towards a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA)920of the disk drive such that the base channel908is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from the front end910of the base to aid in heat dissipation. Moreover, the bottom side905of the base904may further include at least one side channel930extending from a sidewall928of the base to the base channel908such that the base channel908is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the base from the front end910of the base and at least one of the sidewalls928of the base904to aid in heat dissipation.

It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, that the heat dissipation members previously discussed with reference toFIGS. 5,6,7, and8(e.g. arcuate-shaped members535,735and rectangular-shaped members635,835) which project from the external side of the recessed second cover portion to aid in heat dissipation may be integrally formed with the recessed second cover portion of the cover. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the heat dissipation members that project from the external side of the recessed second portion to aid in heat dissipation may be attachable to the recessed second cover portion, for example, by an adhesive. Further, the cover mounted to the base to form a housing for the disk drive, including the heat dissipation members previously discussed, may be designed to be compatible with a small form factor standard for disk drives, such as the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

Another embodiment of a cover for use in heat dissipation will now be discussed with reference to FIG.10. Particularly,FIG. 10shows a top view of another configuration of a cover1002for a disk drive for use in heat dissipation, according to one embodiment of the present invention. The cover1002mounts to a base (not shown) and includes a first cover portion1022and a second cover portion1032. The first cover portion1022has a generally planar external side1023and has a generally planar internal side (not shown). Similarly, the second cover portion1032has a generally planar external side1033and has a generally planar internal side (not shown) and is disposed within the first cover portion.

Particularly, as with the other embodiments previously discussed, the second cover portion1032may be recessed relative to the first cover portion1022. In one embodiment, the recessed second cover portion1032may be substantially circular shaped. However, it should be appreciated that the recessed second cover portion1032may be of many different types of shapes. For example, the recessed second cover portion may be substantially polygonal. In one embodiment, the recessed second cover portion1032may be located approximately adjacent to the disk of the disk drive and may be substantially coextensive with the disk.

As with the other embodiments previously discussed, the internal side of the recessed second cover portion1032may be vertically closer to the disk than the internal side of the first cover portion to provide shrouding for the disk of the disk drive, as previously discussed. However, it should be appreciated that the shrouding feature does not need to implemented with the embodiment of the cover1002ofFIG. 10, and thus, in some embodiments of the cover1002ofFIG. 10, the recessed second cover portion1032is not vertically closer to the disk than the internal side of the first cover portion and does not provide shrouding. As should be noted,FIG. 10shows some of the internal components of the disk drive in phantom, including: a spindle1072, a spindle motor1074, a voice coil motor plate1076, and a head stack assembly (HSA)1078including an actuator arm1080and ahead gimbal assembly (HGA)1082.

When shrouding is provided, as with the other embodiments previously discussed, the internal side of the recessed second cover portion1032is generally planar and coextensive with the disk and includes a slightly elevated portion, relative to the rest of the internal side of the recessed second cover portion, to accommodate the actuator arm. Further, the internal side of the recessed second cover portion1032is at a vertical depth sufficient enough to shroud the disk. Particular embodiments of this have been previously discussed, and will not be repeated for brevity's sake. Advantageously, in this embodiment, the recessed second cover portion1032creates a small gap between the internal side of the recessed second portion of the cover and the disk thereby forming a small channel therebetween to provide for shrouding of the disk. Particularly, in this way, laminar non-turbulent airflow is induced thereby providing for improved air-dampening characteristics to aid in suppressing rotating disk and head vibration. Specifically, the small gap may induce laminar non-turbulent airflow about the about the disk, HSA, and head to suppress rotating disk and head vibration such that undesirable track misregistration (TMR) errors may be minimized. Thus, the cover1032, in some embodiments, may include a built-in shrouding feature, such that additional separator plates or anti-disks are unnecessary.

Particularly, as shown inFIG. 10, the external side1023of the first cover portion1022may include a plurality of channels1050formed within the first cover portion1022. Examples of these channels1052,1054, and1065are particularly shown in FIG.10. The plurality of channels1052,1054, and1065may have at most the same depth as the recessed second cover portion1032. More particularly, some of the channels1052and1054may extend from a side of the cover1002to the recessed second cover portion1032and may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot formed within a respective sidewall of the base (as previously discussed in detail in relation to the other embodiments of the cover). For example, in one embodiment, channels may be formed in the first cover portion1022, such as channels1052and1054that extend from different sides of the covers, to create at least two different channels (e.g. channels1052and1054), such that the recessed second cover portion1032is in air-flow communication with air flowing about the cover and base from at least two different sides of the cover through at least two different channels (e.g. channels1052and1054) to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

Further, as shown inFIG. 10, other channels connecting different sides of the cover to one another (e.g. channels1065) may also be formed in the first cover portion1022of the cover1002and may be disposed within a respective complementary channel-accommodating slot formed within a respective sidewall of the base (as previously discussed in detail in relation to the other embodiments of the cover) to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive. In some embodiments, some of the channels1065may extend between different sides of the cover but not through the recessed second cover portion1032. Moreover, in some embodiments, a back end channel1060may be coupled to one of the channels (e.g. channel1052). Similarly, the back end channel may be disposed within a complementary back end channel-accommodating slot formed within the back end sidewall of the base.

It should be appreciated that the cover1002may, in some embodiments, be utilized with the base904, previously discussed with reference to FIG.9. Also, it should be appreciated that the cover1002including the first cover portion1022and the second recessed cover portion1032may be integrally formed from a metallic material. In one embodiment, the configuration of the cover1002lends itself to be efficiently manufactured by coining or compression manufacturing techniques and it can be integrally formed from suitable metallic materials such as aluminum or stainless steel. In other embodiments, the configuration of the cover1002lends itself to be efficiently manufactured by stamping manufacturing techniques and it can be integrally formed from suitable metallic materials such as aluminum or stainless steel. Alternatively, the cover may be non-integrally formed wherein the first cover portion1022and the second recessed cover portion1032are separate pieces and are separately formed and the second recessed cover portion1032is attached to the first cover1022by suitable methods, such as by an adhesive. Further, the cover1002mounted to the base to form a housing of the HDD may be compatible with a small form factor standard. For example, the small form factor standard may be compatible with the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

Also it should be appreciated that the cover1002ofFIG. 10, having all of the previously described channels formed therein, may further be utilized with any of the various heat dissipation members of the recessed second cover portion, as previously discussed with reference toFIGS. 5,6,7, and8; such that a disk drive with cover1002, including these types of heat dissipation features, is suitable for use in a conventional disk stack chassis of the type previously discussed with reference toFIGS. 4A-4C, which is subject to air-flow about the cover and base. The details ofFIGS. 4A-4C, have been previously discussed and will not be repeated for brevity's sake.

Accordingly, various embodiments of the disk drive cover1002, as previously discussed, further including heat dissipation features will now be briefly described. Particularly, in some embodiments, the recessed second cover portion1032of cover1002may further include at least one member that projects from the external side1033of the recessed second cover portion1032to aid in heat dissipation.

Particularly, as previously discussed with referenceFIG. 5, in one embodiment the recessed second cover portion1032of the cover1002may include one or more V-shaped members, each of which is composed of a pair of arcuate-shaped members, respectively, that project from the external side1033of the recessed second cover portion1032to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive (as can be seen in FIG.5). When the disk drive is mounted in the disk bay of a conventional disk stack chassis and is subject to air-flow as previously discussed, the one or more V-shaped members of the recessed second cover portion1032, in conjunction with all of the previously described channels formed within the first cover portion1022of the cover1032, results in increased air-flow about the cover and increased air-flow about the V-shaped members to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive. Further, as previously discussed with referenceFIG. 6, in one embodiment, the recessed second cover portion1032of cover1002may include at least one approximately rectangular-shaped member to aid in heat dissipation. More particularly, in one embodiment, the recessed second cover portion1032may include a plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members that project from the external side1033of the recessed second cover portion1032to form a plurality of air-flow channels to aid in heat dissipation (as can be seen in FIG.6). When the disk drive is mounted in the disk bay of a conventional disk stack chassis and is subject to air-flow as previously discussed, the plurality of approximately rectangular-shaped members and the air-flow channels, in conjunction with all of the previously described channels formed within the first cover portion1022of the cover1032, results in increased air-flow about the cover and increased air-flow about the rectangular-shaped members, and through the air-flow channels formed thereby, to aid in heat dissipation from the disk drive.

It should be appreciated that, in some embodiments, that the heat dissipation members previously discussed with reference toFIGS. 5 and 6(e.g. arcuate-shaped members535and rectangular-shaped members635) that may project from the external side1033of the recessed second cover portion1032to aid in heat dissipation may be integrally formed with the recessed second cover portion of the cover. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the heat dissipation members that project from the external side of the recessed second portion to aid in heat dissipation may be attachable to the recessed second cover portion, for example, by an adhesive. Further, the cover mounted to the base to form a housing for the disk drive, including the heat dissipation members previously discussed, may still designed to be compatible with a small form factor standard for disk drives, such as the Small Form Factor (SFF)-8301 Specification for a Form Factor of 3.5″ disk drives.

It should be appreciated that other modifications and embodiments will occur to those of skill in this art and all such modifications and other embodiments are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention.