Granted Patent B1

US 8,908,325 · App. 13/791,865 · Granted Dec 9, 2014

Abstract

Claims (38)

1. A disk drive assembly comprising:

a disk hub comprising a substantially cylindrical portion having a side wall, and

a threaded portion on a radially outer surface of the side wall of the cylindrical portion;

a disk clamping element comprising:

a body portion having an inner wall configured to engage the side wall of the disk hub,

a threaded portion on the inner wall of the body portion, and

an undercut portion extending radially outward from a radially inner diameter of the body portion for a portion of a radius of the disk clamping element to form a step; and

a disk media disposed between the disk hub and the disk clamping element,

wherein the disk clamping element is oriented such that the undercut portion is positioned proximate to the disk media, and

wherein the threaded portion of the disk clamping element threadingly engages the threaded portion of the disk hub.

2. The disk drive assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the disk clamping element further comprises a cut-out formed in a lower, radially outer portion of the disk clamping element, the cut-out configured to provide access to a radially inner portion of the disk media.

3. The disk drive assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the undercut portion increases in a radially outward direction.

4. The disk drive assembly according to claim 3 , wherein the height of the undercut portion increases to a local maximum, and then decreases, in a radially outward direction.

5. The disk drive assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut portion has a height of at least about 5 μm.

6. The disk drive assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the undercut portion has a minimum height, H min , defined by the equation:

H min =|δ ID |,

wherein δ ID =Z-deflection of a radially inner most portion of the disk clamping element.

7. The disk drive assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the disk clamping element further comprises at least one notch formed in a radially outer portion of the disk clamping element.

8. A disk clamping element configured to apply a clamping force to a disk media, the disk clamping element comprising:

a body portion having an inner wall configured to engage a sidewall of a disk hub,

a threaded portion on the inner wall of the body portion, and

an undercut portion extending radially outward from a radially inner diameter of the body portion for a portion of a radius of the disk clamping element to form a step,

wherein the threaded portion of the disk clamping element is configured to threadingly engage a threaded portion of the disk hub.

9. The disk clamping element according to claim 8 , wherein the disk clamping element further comprises a cut-out formed in a lower, radially outer portion of the disk clamping element, the cut-out configured to provide access to a radially inner portion of a disk medium disposed between the disk clamping element and the disk hub.

10. The disk clamping element according to claim 8 , wherein a height of the undercut portion increases in a radially outward direction.

11. The disk clamping element according to claim 10 , wherein the height of the undercut portion increases to a local maximum, and then decreases in a radially outward direction.

12. The disk clamping element according to claim 8 , wherein the undercut portion has a height of at least about 5 μm.

13. The disk clamping element according to claim 8 , wherein the undercut portion has a minimum height, H min , defined by the equation:

H min =|δ ID |,

wherein δ ID =Z-deflection of a radially inner most portion of the disk clamping element.

14. The disk clamping element according to claim 8 , wherein the disk clamping element further comprises at least one notch formed in a radially outer portion of the disk clamping element.

15. A method of assembling a disk drive comprising:

providing a disk hub having a substantially cylindrical portion and a threaded portion on a radially outer surface of the substantially cylindrical portion, a disk clamping element having an undercut portion formed at a radially inner diameter of the disk clamping element and a threaded portion on a radially inner surface of the disk clamping element, and a disk media;

positioning the disk media proximal to the disk hub such that the substantially cylindrical portion of the disk hub is inserted into a first hole formed through the disk media; and

positioning the disk clamping element proximate to the disk hub such that:

(1) the substantially cylindrical portion of the disk hub is inserted into a second hole formed through the disk clamping element, and

(2) a radially inner region of the disk clamping element engages the substantially cylindrical portion, wherein a lower surface of the disk clamping element that is radially outward of the undercut portion contacts an upper surface of the disk media,

wherein the positioning the disk clamping element proximate to the disk hub comprises positioning the threaded portion of the disk clamping element to threadingly engage the threaded portion of the disk hub and rotating the disk clamping element until the lower surface of the disk clamping element that is radially outward of the undercut portion contacts the upper surface of the disk media and a radially outer region of the disk clamping element deflects away from the disk media.

Assignments (8)