Information-storage device including an oxygen absorbing device
View Patent ↗An information-storage device comprises an information-storage medium, a transducer operable to write and to read information on the information-storage medium, and a sealed enclosure enclosing the same in an interior space containing an atmosphere comprising a gas mixture including a substantially inert gas and oxygen gas having a molar concentration between about 0% and about 10%. The sealed enclosure includes a base, a cover, and a seal that joins cover to base. The information-storage device may include at least one oxygen permeable component integrated with the sealed enclosure. The information-storage device further comprises an oxygen absorbing device operable to remove a substantial portion of oxygen gas from the atmosphere within. The oxygen absorbing device includes an oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , where 0<x<0.5, and a membrane permeable to transport of oxygen, that prevents particles escaping therefrom. The information-storage device may be a hard-disk drive.
1. An information-storage device, comprising:
an information-storage medium;
a transducer operable to write information in, and operable to read information from, said information-storage medium;
a sealed enclosure enclosing said information-storage medium and said transducer in an interior space of said enclosure containing an atmosphere comprising a gas mixture including a substantially inert gas and oxygen gas having a molar concentration between about 0% and about 10%, said enclosure including:
a base;
a cover; and,
a seal that joins said cover to said base; and,
an oxygen absorbing device operable to remove a substantial portion of said oxygen gas from said atmosphere, including an oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , where 0<x<0.5.
2. The information-storage device of claim 1 , wherein said seal is permeable to transport of oxygen from outside of said sealed enclosure to said interior space of said sealed enclosure containing said atmosphere.
3. The information-storage device of claim 2 , wherein said seal is less than 1 mil to 4 mils thick.
4. The information-storage device of claim 2 , wherein said seal is less than 2 cm wide.
5. The information-storage device of claim 1 , wherein the amount of oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , is between about 0.1 gm to about 2.0 gm.
6. The information-storage device of claim 1 , wherein said oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , has essentially a fluorite crystallographic structure.
7. The information-storage device of claim 1 , wherein said oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , has oxygen vacancies on oxygen sites in its crystallographic structure.
8. The information-storage device of claim 1 , wherein said oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , includes a plurality of micropores.
9. A hard-disk drive, comprising:
a magnetic-recording disk;
a magnetic-recording head operable to write information in, and operable to read information from, said magnetic-recording disk;
a sealed enclosure enclosing said magnetic-recording disk and said magnetic-recording head within an interior space of said sealed enclosure forming a first portion of an envelope operable to contain an atmosphere comprising a gas mixture including a substantially inert gas and oxygen gas having a molar concentration between about 0% and about 10%, said sealed enclosure including:
a base;
a cover; and,
a seal that joins said cover to said base;
at least one oxygen permeable component integrated with said sealed enclosure and forming at least another portion of said envelope operable to contain said atmosphere; and,
an oxygen absorbing device operable to remove a substantial portion of said oxygen gas from said atmosphere, including an oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , where 0<x<0.5.
10. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein said seal is permeable to transport of oxygen from outside of said sealed enclosure to said interior space of said sealed enclosure containing said atmosphere.
11. The hard-disk drive of claim 10 , wherein said seal comprises a flexible in-place gasket (FIPG).
12. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein the amount of oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , is between about 0.1 gm to about 2.0 gm.
13. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein said oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , includes a plurality of micropores.
14. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein said oxygen permeable component comprises an electrical feedthrough.
15. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein said substantially inert gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas, helium gas and nitrogen gas.
16. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein said oxygen absorbing device further includes a desiccant material.
17. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein said oxygen absorbing device further includes an organic compound absorbent material.
18. The hard-disk drive of claim 9 , wherein said oxygen absorbing device further includes a permeable membrane operable both to permit transport of oxygen therethrough, and to preclude escape of particles from an interior of said container.
19. An oxygen absorbing device for a hard-disk drive, comprising:
an oxygen absorbent material, comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , where 0<x<0.5; and
a permeable membrane operable both to permit transport of oxygen therethrough, and to preclude escape of particles from an interior of said oxygen absorbing device;
wherein said oxygen absorbing device is operable to remove a substantial portion of oxygen gas from an atmosphere comprising a gas mixture including a substantially inert gas and oxygen gas having a molar concentration between about 0% and about 10% enveloped within a sealed enclosure of said hard-disk drive without releasing particles within said sealed enclosure that are capable of interfering with recording of information in, and reading of information from, an information-storage medium enclosed within said sealed enclosure.
20. The oxygen absorbing device of claim 19 , further including a desiccant material.
21. The oxygen absorbing device of claim 19 , further including an organic compound absorbent material.
22. The oxygen absorbing device of claim 19 , wherein the amount of oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , is between about 0.1 gm to about 2.0 gm.
23. The oxygen absorbing device of claim 19 , wherein said oxygen absorbent material comprising oxygen-deficient cerium oxide, CeO 2-x , includes a plurality of micropores.