IP Library Granted Patent US 7,239,475
Granted Patent B1
US 7,239,475 · App. 10/856,322 · Granted Jul 3, 2007

Disk drive with airflow diverter filter component

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,239,475
App. No.
10/856,322
Granted
Jul 3, 2007
Kind
B1
Abstract

A disk drive including a disk drive base, a disk coupled to the disk drive base, and a head stack assembly coupled to the disk drive base. The disk drive further includes an airflow diverter filter component disposed upstream of the head stack assembly with respect to disk rotation induced airflow for modifying the disk rotation induced airflow adjacent the head stack assembly. The filter component includes a first filter element disposed adjacent the disk surface, a second filter element disposed between the first filter element and the head stack assembly, and a third filter element having a porosity finer than the first and second filter elements. The third filter element is generally radially further than the second filter element from the axis of rotation. The disk rotation induced airflow generally enters the filter component through the first filter element and exits through the second and third filter elements.

Claims (22)

1. A disk drive comprising:

a disk drive base;

a disk rotatably coupled to the disk drive base, the disk including a disk surface and defining an axis of rotation;

a head stack assembly rotatably coupled to the disk drive base adjacent the disk surface; and

an airflow diverter filter component disposed adjacent the disk surface upstream of the head stack assembly with respect to disk rotation induced airflow for modifying the disk rotation induced airflow adjacent the head stack assembly, the airflow diverter filter component including:

a first filter element disposed adjacent the disk surface;

a second filter element disposed between the first filter element and the head stack assembly; and

a third filter element having a porosity finer than the first and second filter elements, the third filter element being generally radially further than the second filter element from the axis of rotation;

wherein the disk rotation induced airflow generally enters the airflow diverter filter component through the first filter element and exits through the second and third filter elements.

2. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the third filter element is generally faced towards the head stack assembly at an angle between 35 and 45 degrees with respect to a tangent of the disk.

3. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the third filter element is generally planar.

4. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the first and second filter elements are disposed in spaced relationship to each other.

5. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the airflow diverter filter component includes a component housing, the first, second and third filter elements are supported by the component housing.

6. The disk drive of claim 5 wherein the component housing and the first, second and third filter elements define a cavity.

7. The disk drive of claim 5 wherein the component housing is formed of plastic.

8. The disk drive of claim 5 wherein the component housing is generally rectangular.

9. The disk drive of claim 1 wherein the airflow diverter filter component includes a fourth filter element, the third filter element is generally radially further than the fourth filter element from the axis of rotation, the second filter element is disposed between the fourth filter element and the head stack assembly, the disk rotation induced airflow generally enters the airflow diverter filter component through the first filter element and exits through the second, third, and fourth filter elements.

10. The disk drive of claim 9 wherein the third filter element has a porosity finer than the fourth filter element.

11. The disk drive of claim 9 wherein the fourth filter element is generally faced away from the head stack assembly at an angle between 35 and 45 degrees with respect to a tangent of the disk.

12. The disk drive of claim 9 wherein the third and fourth filter elements are disposed in spaced relationship.

13. The disk drive of claim 1 further includes a cover attached to the disk drive base, the airflow diverter filter component is attached to the cover.

14. The disk drive of claim 1 further includes a disk drive base filter coupled to the disk drive base disposed radially beyond the disk, the disk drive base filter is angularly disposed between the first filter element and the head stack assembly with respect to the disk.

Assignments (6)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 038744 FRAME 0481 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 058982/0556 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 5, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 045501/0714 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038722/0229 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0281 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 17, 2016
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 038744/0481 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2004
From: LIN, JEN-TAI; OU-YANG, JIN HUI; KU, CHIAO-PING; CHEN, SHUO-HAO; YANG, LIN
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 015410/0719 →