Filtering apparatus of hard disk drive

A filtering apparatus of a hard disk drive includes a filter filtering particles from air flowing inside a housing which includes a base plate and a cover plate, and two holders installed inside the housing and having support grooves supporting both end portions of the filter. The filter includes a filtering portion through which the flowing air passes and particles are filtered from the flowing air, and an insertion portion included at both end portions of the filtering portion and inserted into the support grooves forming a seal. Thus, since no gap is generated between the support groove of the holder and the insertion portion of the filter, all the air flowing toward the filter passes through the filtering portion. Also, the flow of air passing through the filtering portion is smooth, so that an efficiency of filtering tiny particles included in the air flowing in the hard disk drive is improved.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of Korean Patent Application No. 2002-40407 filed Jul. 11, 2002 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated here in in its entirety by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a filtering apparatus of a hard disk drive, and more particularly, to a filtering apparatus of a hard disk drive having an improved structure so that filtering efficiency is improved.

2. Description of the Related Art

Hard disk drives (HDDs), one of the auxiliary memory devices of a computer, read data stored from a magnetic disk and record data on the magnetic disk using a magnetic head.

FIG. 1is a perspective view illustrating a hard disk drive adopting a conventional filtering apparatus. Referring toFIG. 1, a hard disk drive includes a housing10, a spindle motor30installed inside of the housing10to rotate a magnetic disk (a hard disk)20, an actuator40having a magnetic head (not shown) to record data on the disk20and to reproduce data from the disk20, and a filtering apparatus50to filter tiny particles existing inside the housing10.

The housing10is installed in a main body of a computer and includes a base plate11to support the spindle motor30and the actuator40, and a cover plate12coupled to the base plate11to protect the disk20by encompassing the same.

The actuator40is installed on the base plate11to pivot around a pivot shaft47by a voice coil motor48. The actuator40includes an arm46coupled to the pivot shaft47to pivot and a suspension44installed on the arm46to support a slider42, on which the magnetic head is mounted, to be elastically biased toward a surface of the disk20.

The disk20is a recording medium to record data and one or a plurality of disks can be included in the computer and are separated a predetermined distance from each other and rotatable by a spindle motor30.

The filtering apparatus50filters and removes tiny particles such as dust existing inside the housing10.

Tiny particles may remain in the hard disk drive which are not completely removed during an assembly process. Also, when the hard disk drive is moved, tiny particles may be generated as the slider42, where the magnetic head is mounted, collides against a surface of the disk20by an external impact, or as the slider42produces friction with a surface of a parking zone of the disk20when the disk20starts to rotate or stops rotating. In the meantime, in a lamp loading method, particles can be generated as a lamp and an actuator produce friction during loading and unloading of the actuator.

The tiny particles existing in the housing10of the hard disk drive due to a variety of reasons may contaminate the surface of the disk20by adhering thereto. Also, the magnetic head and the surface of the disk20may be damaged as tiny particles on the surface of the disk20collides against the magnetic head during the rotation of the disk20. Accordingly, data recording and reproduction performance or reliability of the magnetic head may be deteriorated.

Therefore, there is a need to remove tiny particles, which cause physical damage to the magnetic head and the surface of the disk20and which have bad effects on the performance of the magnetic head, from the surface of the disk20.

The filter apparatus50includes a recirculation filter52and holders54and56included on the cover plate12to support the filter52. A groove58into which a lower end portion of the filter52is inserted is formed in the base plate11.

FIGS. 2 through 4show a conventional filtering apparatus having the above structure.FIG. 2is a plan view of part of the cover plate where the filtering apparatus shown inFIG. 1is installedFIG. 3is a magnified plan view of a portion A ofFIG. 2, showing the flow of air passing through the filter.FIG. 4is a perspective view showing the recirculation filter used in the conventional filtering apparatus.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, two holders54and56facing each other to support both ends of the filter52are included on the cover plate12. The holder54protrudes from the bottom surface of the cover plate12and the holder56is integrally formed with a side wall of the cover plate12. Support grooves54aand56ainto which the both ends of the filter52are inserted are formed in the holders54and56, respectively.

When the disk20is rotated in a direction R, the air in the housing10flows in the same direction. Some of the flowing air passes through the filter52and tiny particles such as dust included in the flowing air are filtered and removed by the filter52.

However, as shown inFIG. 4, the filter52includes a filtering portion52ahaving a structure such as a sponge through which the air can pass to filter particles and an edge portion52bhaving a thickness thinner than that of the filtering portion52aand encompassing the edge of the filtering portion52a. Thus, as shown inFIG. 3, when the filter52having the above shape is inserted into the support grooves54aand56aof the holders54and56, a gap is present between the support grooves54aand56aand the filter52. Also, each side end portion of the filtering portion52ais disposed in the support grooves54aand56a. Accordingly, since the filtering portion52adirectly contacts the side walls of the support grooves54aand56a, a sealing performance is deteriorated.

Due to the above structure, in the conventional filtering apparatus50, some of the air flowing toward the filter52escapes through the gap between the filter52and the support grooves54aand56a, thus an efficiency in collecting tiny particles in the flowing air is deteriorated. Of the air flowing toward the filter52, the flow of air adjacent to the support grooves54aand56ais curved toward both end portions of the filtering portion52adisposed in the support grooves54aand56a. Accordingly, the smooth flow of air around the support grooves54aand56ais prevented so that resistance to the flow of air passing through the filter52increases. As a result, the amount of air flowing toward the filter52is reduced so that an efficiency in filtering the flowing air inside the hard disk drive is lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a filtering apparatus of a hard disk drive having an improved structure which improves an efficiency in filtering tiny particles included in air flowing inside the hard disk drive.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is included a filtering apparatus of a hard disk drive comprising a filter filtering particles from air flowing inside a housing which includes a base plate and a cover plate, and two holders installed inside the housing and having support grooves supporting both end portions of the filter, wherein the filter comprises a filtering portion through which the flowing air passes and particles are filtered from the flowing air, and an insertion portion included at both end portions of the filtering portion and inserted into the support grooves forming a seal.

According to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the insertion portion is formed by extending a material forming the filtering portion a predetermined length from both end portions of the filtering portion to have a thickness narrower than that of the filtering portion.

According to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the insertion portion is made of a material different from that of the filtering portion and coupled to both end portions of the filtering portion. The insertion portion is made of a material having a predetermined strength through which air cannot pass.

In these preferred embodiments, a length of the filtering portion is substantially the same as an interval between two holders.

A thickness of the insertion portion and a width of the support groove are substantially the same to prevent a gap generating between the insertion portion and the support grooves. A length of the insertion portion and a depth of the support grooves are substantially the same.

According to the present invention, all of the air flowing toward the filter passes through the filtering portion and the flow of air becomes smooth, so that an efficiency of filtering tiny particles included in the flowing air inside the hard disk drive is improved.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 5 through 7, a hard disk drive1includes a housing (not shown) accommodating elements such as a disk2, a spindle motor (not shown inFIGS. 5–7), and an actuator (not shown inFIGS. 5–7). The housing includes a base plate and a cover plate12. Tiny particles exist inside the housing. A filtering apparatus100according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed inside the housing to filter and remove the particles.

When an accommodation space of a disk is formed on the cover plate12(seeFIG. 1), the filtering apparatus100is installed on the cover plate12of the housing as shown inFIGS. 5–7. However, the above arrangement is merely an example. Accordingly, when the accommodation space is formed on the base plate11(seeFIG. 1) of the housing, the filtering apparatus100of the present invention can be installed on the base plate11, although not shown in the drawings.

The filtering apparatus100includes a filter130filtering particles from air flowing in the housing and holders110and120to support the filter130. The holders110and120are installed on the cover plate12, facing each other, to support both side end portions of the filter130. The first holder110protrudes from the bottom surface of the cover plate12while the second holder120is formed integrally with a side wall of the cover plate12. The two holders110and120have support grooves112and122, respectively, into which both side end portions of the filter130are inserted.

The filter130includes a filtering portion132through which air in the housing passes and particles are filtered from the flowing air, and an insertion portion134included at both end portions of the filtering portion132and inserted into the support grooves112and122of the holders110and120, forming a seal.

The filtering portion132is made of a porous material, such as a sponge, which is a filter medium through which air can passes to filter particles from the flowing air. In one embodiment, the length L1of the filtering portion132is substantially the same as an interval between the two holders110and120. Thus, the filtering portion132is disposed only in a space between the two holders110and120, and both side end portions of the filtering portion132are not inserted in the support grooves112and122of the holders110and120. According to the filtering apparatus100of the present invention, the conventional problem that, of the air flowing toward the filter130, the flow of air adjacent to the holders110and120is curved toward the support grooves112and122, thus preventing a smooth flow of air, is prevented.

The insertion portion134is formed by extending a material forming the filtering portion132, that is, a filter medium, from both end portions of the filtering portion132to a predetermined length L2with a thickness T2narrower than a thickness T1of the filtering portion132. In one embodiment, the thickness T2of the insertion portion134is substantially the same as a width W1of each of the support grooves112and122. Thus, since the outer surface of the insertion portion134closely contacts the inner wall surface of the support grooves112and122, a gap is not generated therebetween. In one embodiment, a length L2of the insertion portion134is substantially the same as a depth D1of each of the support grooves112and122. Thus, the insertion portion134of the filter130completely fills the inside of the support grooves112and122so that no space exists.

When the disk2is rotated in the direction R shown inFIG. 5, the air flows in the same direction in the housing as the disk2is rotated. Some of the flowing air flows toward the filter130through an air inlet path F formed between the side wall of the cover plate12and the first holder110. The air flowing toward the filter130passes through the filtering portion132so that tiny particles such as dust included in the flowing air are filtered and removed. In this process, since no gap exists between the insertion portion134and the support grooves112and122, no air escapes through the gap so that all the air flowing toward the filter130passes through the filtering portion132. Also, the flow of air adjacent to the holders110and120becomes smooth so that the movement speed of the entire air increases and the amount of air filtered by the filter130increases. Thus, an efficiency in collecting tiny particles in the flowing air in the housing can be improved by the filtering apparatus100according to the present invention.

FIG. 8is an exploded perspective view of a filtering apparatus according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the following description, different points from the first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be mainly discussed.

Referring toFIG. 8, a filtering apparatus200according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a filter230and two holders210and220as in the above-described first preferred embodiment. The filter230includes a filtering portion232and an insertion portion234. Support grooves212and222into which the insertion portion234is inserted are formed in the holders210and220, respectively.

In the present preferred embodiment, the insertion portion234is made of a material different from that of the filtering portion232and coupled to both end portions of the filtering portion232. That is, while the filtering portion232is made of a porous filter medium, the insertion portion234can be made of a material having a predetermined strength such as plastic, through which air cannot pass. A groove235is formed in the insertion portion234so that an edge portion233formed at both end portions of the filtering portion232can be inserted into the groove235. The firm coupling between the filtering portion232and the insertion portion234may be a predetermined adhesive included between the groove235and the edge portion233.

The insertion portion234is inserted into the support grooves212and222, forming a seal. For this use, in one embodiment, a thickness T3of the insertion portion234is substantially the same as a width W2of the support grooves212and222. Also, a length L3of the insertion portion234is substantially the same as a depth D2of the support grooves212and222. In the present preferred embodiment, since the insertion portion234is made of a material having a predetermined strength, as an example, plastic, the insertion portion234can be accurately manufactured such that the size thereof fits to that of the support grooves212and222. Also, air cannot pass through the insertion portion234. Thus, the seal between the insertion portion234and the support grooves212and222can be maintained more reliably.

According to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the same effect as in the above-described first preferred embodiment of the present invention can be obtained. Furthermore, the flow of air between the insertion portion234and the support grooves212and222can be surely blocked.

As described above, according to a filtering apparatus of a hard disk drive1according to the present invention, since no gap is generated between the support groove of the holder and the insertion portion of the filter, all the air flowing toward the filter passes through the filtering portion. Also, the flow of air passing through the filtering portion is smooth, so that an efficiency of filtering tiny particles included in the air flowing in the hard disk drive is improved.

Although a few preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it would be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.