Hard disk drive low profile disk clamp to tied-shaft motor assembly

1. A hard disk drive comprising:

a magnetic-recording disk mounted on a hub-sleeve, said hub-sleeve comprising (a) a threaded sleeve having a shaft and (b) a hub extending radially from said threaded sleeve;

a disk clamp coupled with said hub-sleeve and substantially centered about said sleeve for annular contact with said disk;

a clamping nut threaded onto said threaded sleeve over said disk clamp, said clamping nut comprising an annular rim comprising a plurality of non-threaded tooling holes;

a cover coupled to an enclosure base; and

a stationary shaft screw penetrating through said cover and into said shaft of said sleeve.

2. The hard disk drive of claim 1 , further comprising a spindle drive motor configured to rotate said hub-sleeve and said disk about said stationary shaft screw.

3. The hard disk drive of claim 1 , wherein said threaded sleeve and said hub of said hub-sleeve are an integrated component.

4. The hard disk drive of claim 1 , wherein said hub-sleeve comprises said threaded sleeve as a separate component from said hub.

5. The hard disk drive of claim 4 , wherein said threaded sleeve comprises an upper set of threads for threading said clamping nut thereon and a lower set of threads for threading said hub thereon.

6. The hard disk drive of claim 4 , wherein said hub and said threaded sleeve are coupled together via an adhesive bond.

7. The hard disk drive of claim 4 , wherein said hub and said threaded sleeve are coupled together via a mechanical press-fit.

8. The hard disk drive of claim 1 , wherein said cover comprises a recessed area for receiving and recessing said clamping nut.

9. The hard disk drive of claim 1 , wherein said disk clamp comprises a central opening for positioning said disk clamp about said sleeve and is centered about said sleeve by the outer diameter of said clamping nut mating with the outer diameter of said central opening of said disk clamp.

10. The hard disk drive of claim 1 , wherein said annular rim comprises a hexagonal rim configured for mating with a nut-tightening tool for tightening said clamping nut onto said threaded sleeve.

11. A method for clamping a disk medium to a tied-shaft spindle motor, the method comprising:

attaching a tied-shaft spindle motor assembly to an enclosure base;

positioning a disk medium onto a hub-sleeve of said spindle motor assembly;

positioning a disk clamp around a threaded sleeve of said hub-sleeve, said disk clamp extending radially and in annular contact with said disk medium;

applying a clamping force from said disk clamp to said disk medium by threading a clamping nut onto said threaded sleeve using a plurality of non-threaded tooling holes, thereby sandwiching said disk clamp; and

affixing a screw into a threaded central shaft of said tied-shaft spindle motor assembly to prevent rotation of said central shaft.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein threading said clamping nut comprises a preliminary fastening of said clamping nut to said threaded sleeve, the method further comprising:

centering said disk medium about the rotation axis of said hub-sleeve; and

further threading said clamping nut onto said threaded sleeve.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

prior to affixing said screw, coupling a cover to said enclosure base, thereby enclosing said clamping nut, disk clamp, disk medium, and spindle motor assembly; and

wherein affixing said screw includes affixing said screw through said cover into said threaded central shaft, thereby tying said threaded central shaft to said cover in a non-rotational position.

14. A hard disk drive comprising:

a recording disk;

a tied-shaft spindle motor comprising a non-rotational central shaft and a threaded sleeve; and

clamping nut means comprising tightening tooling mating means and threaded onto said threaded sleeve to clamp said recording disk onto said tied-shaft spindle motor;

wherein said threaded sleeve comprises and upper set of threads for threading thereon said clamping nut means and a lower set of threads for threading thereon a hub extending radially from said threaded sleeve.

15. The hard disk drive of claim 14 , wherein said clamping nut means is threaded onto said threaded sleeve close to the rotational center of said tied-shaft spindle motor.

16. A hard disk drive comprising:

a magnetic-recording disk mounted on a hub-sleeve, said hub-sleeve comprising (a) a threaded sleeve having a shaft and (b) a hub extending radially from said threaded sleeve;

a disk clamp coupled with said hub-sleeve and substantially centered about said sleeve for annular contact with said disk;

a clamping nut threaded onto said threaded sleeve over said disk clamp;

a cover coupled to an enclosure base; and

a stationary shaft screw penetrating through said cover and into said shaft of said sleeve;

wherein said threaded sleeve is configured as a separate component from said hub and comprises an upper set of threads for threading said clamping nut thereon and a lower set of threads for threading said hub thereon.

17. The hard disk drive of claim 16 , wherein said clamping nut comprises a hexagonal rim configured for mating with a nut-tightening tool for tightening said clamping nut onto said threaded sleeve.

18. A hard disk drive comprising:

a magnetic-recording disk mounted on a hub-sleeve, said hub-sleeve comprising (a) a threaded sleeve having a shaft and (b) a hub extending radially from said threaded sleeve;

a disk clamp coupled with said hub-sleeve and substantially centered about said sleeve for annular contact with said disk;

a clamping nut threaded onto said threaded sleeve over said disk clamp, said clamping nut comprising a hexagonal rim configured for mating with a nut-tightening tool for tightening said clamping nut onto said threaded sleeve;

a cover coupled to an enclosure base; and

a stationary shaft screw penetrating through said cover and into said shaft of said sleeve.

19. The hard disk drive of claim 18 , wherein said threaded sleeve is configured as a separate component from said hub and comprises an upper set of threads for threading said clamping nut thereon and a lower set of threads for threading said hub thereon.