Patent ID: 6922308

Claim:
A disk drive with improved shrouding, comprising: (a) a disk; (b) a spindle motor for rotating the disk; (c) an actuator arm; (d) a head coupled to a distal end of the actuator arm; (e) a rotary actuator for rotating the actuator arm about a pivot to actuate the head radially over the disk; (f) a base; and (g) a cover attached to the base to form a head disk assembly chamber, wherein the disk, head, actuator arm, and rotary actuator are enclosed within the head disk assembly chamber, the cover comprising: an inner surface and an outer surface; and a shroud extending axially from the inner surface into the head disk assembly chamber substantially enveloping the outer periphery of the disk, including at least part of the outer periphery coextensive with the actuator arm when the actuator arm is positioned adjacent to the outer periphery of the disk, to provide radial shrouding of the disk.