IP Library Granted Patent US 8,553,356
Granted Patent B1
US 8,553,356 · App. 13/301,611 · Granted Oct 8, 2013

Disk limiter for disk drive

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,553,356
App. No.
13/301,611
Granted
Oct 8, 2013
Kind
B1
Abstract

A disk drive including a disk having a top surface, a cover positioned over the disk, and a disk limiter protruding from the cover toward the disk. The disk limiter is configured to contact a portion of the top surface of the disk when the disk is deflected toward the cover, and has a middle portion between two end portions. At least one portion of the disk limiter curves or slopes in a direction away from the disk.

Claims (35)

1. A disk drive comprising:

a disk having a top surface;

a cover positioned over the disk; and

a disk limiter protruding from the cover toward the disk and configured to contact a portion of the top surface of the disk when the disk is deflected toward the cover,

wherein the disk limiter has a middle portion between two end portions, each end portion having a chamfer sloping from the middle portion in a direction away from the disk toward an end of the end portion such that the chamfer includes a contact area substantially along a length of the chamfer for contact with the top surface of the disk.

2. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein a bottom surface of each chamfer forms a chamfer angle with a plane substantially parallel to a bottom surface of the middle portion, and wherein the chamfer angle is within a range of one to thirty degrees.

3. The disk drive of claim 2 , wherein the chamfer angle is approximately five degrees.

4. The disk drive of claim 1 , further comprising a ramp which surrounds a portion of the disk, wherein the disk limiter is located approximately across a center portion of the disk from the ramp.

5. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein the disk limiter is formed in the cover of the disk drive.

6. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein the disk limiter is formed of elastomeric material bonded to the cover of the disk drive.

7. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein the end portions each have a rounded end on a side opposite the middle portion.

8. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein longitudinal edges on a bottom surface of the disk limiter are rounded.

9. The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein the disk limiter is radially positioned and contoured about a center of the disk so as to contact an outer diameter portion of the top surface of the disk.

10. A disk drive comprising:

a disk having a top surface;

a cover positioned over the disk; and

a disk limiter protruding from the cover toward the disk and configured to contact a portion of the top surface of the disk when the disk is deflected toward the cover,

wherein the disk limiter has a middle portion between two end portions, each end portion having a curved bottom surface which curves from a bottom surface of the middle portion in a direction away from the disk toward an end of the end portion such that the curved bottom surface includes a contact area substantially along a length of the curved bottom surface for contact with the top surface of the disk.

11. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein a radius of the curved bottom surface of an end portion is greater than a total length of the disk limiter.

12. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein a radius of the curved bottom surface of an end portion is greater than or equal to one millimeter.

13. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein a radius of the curved bottom surface of an end portion is approximately 130 millimeters.

14. The disk drive of claim 10 , further comprising a ramp which surrounds a portion of the disk, wherein the disk limiter is located approximately across a center portion of the disk from the ramp.

15. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein the disk limiter is formed in the cover of the disk drive.

16. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein the disk limiter is formed of elastomeric material bonded to the cover of the disk drive.

17. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein the end portions each have a rounded end on a side opposite the middle portion.

18. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein longitudinal edges of the curved bottom surfaces of the end portions are rounded.

19. The disk drive of claim 10 , wherein the disk limiter is radially positioned and contoured about a center of the disk so as to contact an outer diameter portion of the top surface of the disk.

20. A disk drive comprising:

a disk having a top surface;

a cover positioned over the disk; and

a disk limiter protruding from the cover toward the disk and configured to contact a portion of the top surface of the disk when the disk is deflected toward the cover,

wherein the disk limiter has a middle portion between two end portions, the middle portion having a curved bottom surface which curves in a direction away from the disk toward the end portions such that the curved bottom surface includes a contact area substantially along a length of the curved bottom surface for contact with the top surface of the disk.

21. The disk drive of claim 20 , further comprising a ramp which surrounds a portion of the disk, wherein the disk limiter is located approximately across a center portion of the disk from the ramp.

22. The disk drive of claim 20 , wherein the disk limiter is formed in the cover of the disk drive.

23. The disk drive of claim 20 , wherein the disk limiter is radially positioned and contoured about a center of the disk so as to contact an outer diameter portion of the top surface of 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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 19, 2019
From: WESTERN DIGITAL (FREMONT), LLC
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 050450/0582 →
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 →