Adhesive cover seal for hermetically-sealed data storage device
A method of assembling a data storage device comprises forming an enclosure by overlapping each of a plurality of sidewalls of a cover with a corresponding sidewall of a base part, dispensing a liquid adhesive between the respective sidewalls of the cover and base part in such a quantity at each of a plurality of locations to promote capillary flow of the liquid adhesive to form a continuous film of liquid adhesive between the sidewalls, and curing the continuous film of liquid adhesive to form a hermetic seal between the cover and the base part. Embodiments may include surface treating the sidewall surface(s), which can help promote the capillary flow of the liquid adhesive. The hermetic seal provides for a lighter-than-air gas to be held therein.
1. A method of assembling a data storage device, the method comprising:
forming an enclosure by positioning each of a plurality of sidewalls extending from a top portion of a cover to overlap at least in part with a corresponding sidewall of a base part, including setting a gap between each inner surface of said sidewall of said cover and said corresponding sidewall of said base part based on a plurality of protrusions extending outward from an outermost surface of each said sidewall of said base part;
dispensing a liquid adhesive between each said sidewall of said cover and said corresponding sidewall of said base part at each of a plurality of locations to promote capillary flow of said liquid adhesive to form a continuous film of said liquid adhesive between said sidewalls around an entire perimeter of said enclosure; and
curing said continuous film of liquid adhesive to form a hermetic seal between said cover and said base part.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to dispensing said liquid adhesive, treating at least one inner surface of said cover or one outer surface of said base part using one or more surface treatment techniques from a group consisting of abrasive blasting, feature forming, and cut feature forming.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to curing said continuous film of liquid adhesive, inspecting said adhesive through one or more inspection holes through each said sidewall of said cover.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein dispensing said liquid adhesive includes dispensing a liquid epoxy.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said base part comprises a plurality of adhesive filling slots spaced around its perimeter and that extend from outside of an area in which respective said sidewalls overlap to said area of overlap, and wherein dispensing said liquid adhesive includes dispensing a liquid epoxy via said plurality of adhesive filling slots.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cover is a tub cover.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cover is a pre-formed bent sheet metal cover.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cover is a shape-in-place bent sheet metal cover.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to forming said enclosure,
attaching a first cover to said base part to form a non-hermetically-sealed enclosure; and
filling said non-hermetically-sealed enclosure with a lighter-than-air gas.
10. A method of assembling a data storage device, the method comprising:
forming an enclosure by positioning each of a plurality of sidewalls extending from a top portion of a cover to overlap at least in part with a corresponding sidewall of a base part;
dispensing a liquid adhesive between each said sidewall of said cover and said corresponding sidewall of said base part at each of a plurality of locations to promote capillary flow of said liquid adhesive to form a continuous film of said liquid adhesive between said sidewalls around an entire perimeter of said enclosure; and
curing said continuous film of liquid adhesive to form a hermetic seal between said cover and said base part;
wherein each said sidewall of said cover is outwardly sloped at a first angle, and wherein each said sidewall of said base part comprises an upper portion that is inwardly sloped at a second angle, and wherein said first angle is less than said second angle, and wherein forming said enclosure includes creating interference between a bottom edge of said cover and a bottom portion of said upper portion of said base part.
11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
prior to dispensing said liquid adhesive, treating at least one inner surface of said cover or one outer surface of said base part using one or more surface treatment techniques from a group consisting of abrasive blasting, feature forming, and cut feature forming.
12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
prior to curing said continuous film of liquid adhesive, inspecting said adhesive through one or more inspection holes through each said sidewall of said cover.
13. The method of claim 10 , wherein dispensing said liquid adhesive includes dispensing a liquid epoxy.
14. The method of claim 10 , wherein said base part comprises a plurality of adhesive filling slots spaced around its perimeter, and wherein dispensing said liquid adhesive includes dispensing a liquid epoxy via said plurality of adhesive filling slots.
15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
prior to forming said enclosure,
attaching a first cover to said base part to form a non-hermetically-sealed enclosure; and
filling said non-hermetically-sealed enclosure with a lighter-than-air gas.
16. A method of assembling a data storage device, the method comprising:
forming an enclosure by positioning each of a plurality of sidewalls extending from a top portion of a cover to overlap at least in part with a corresponding sidewall of a base part, including setting a gap between each inner surface of said sidewall of said cover and said corresponding sidewall of said base part based on a plurality of dimples extending inward from said inner surface of each said sidewall of said cover;
dispensing a liquid adhesive between each said sidewall of said cover and said corresponding sidewall of said base part at each of a plurality of locations to promote capillary flow of said liquid adhesive to form a continuous film of said liquid adhesive between said sidewalls around an entire perimeter of said enclosure; and
curing said continuous film of liquid adhesive to form a hermetic seal between said cover and said base part.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
prior to dispensing said liquid adhesive, treating at least one inner surface of said cover or one outer surface of said base part using one or more surface treatment techniques from a group consisting of abrasive blasting, feature forming, and cut feature forming.
18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
prior to curing said continuous film of liquid adhesive, inspecting said adhesive through one or more inspection holes through each said sidewall of said cover.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein dispensing said liquid adhesive includes dispensing a liquid epoxy.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein said base part comprises a plurality of adhesive filling slots spaced around its perimeter and that extend from outside of an area in which respective said sidewalls overlap to said area of overlap, and wherein dispensing said liquid adhesive includes dispensing a liquid epoxy via said plurality of adhesive filling slots.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein said cover is a pre-formed bent sheet metal cover.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein said cover is a shape-in-place bent sheet metal cover.
23. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
prior to forming said enclosure,
attaching a first cover to said base part to form a non-hermetically-sealed enclosure; and
filling said non-hermetically-sealed enclosure with a lighter-than-air gas.