Container flange configurations with increased diffusion length for hermetic sealing of data storage systems and devices

1. A hermetically-sealed container for one or more data storage devices, the container comprising:

a container part comprising:

a substantially planar main portion,

a plurality of sidewalls extending from said main portion, and

a plurality of diffusion length extender flanges,

wherein at least one flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges extends inward from a corresponding sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls; and

a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) sheet, comprising a layer of adhesive and a layer of low-permeability material, positioned at an interface associated with each said diffusion length extender flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges;

wherein said PSA sheet hermetically seals said hermetically-sealed container.

2. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , wherein said low-permeability material of said PSA sheet comprises a metal layer positioned over a substantial entirety of each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges, thereby forming a diffusion length associated with leakage of gas from said hermetically-sealed container that corresponds to a length that each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges extends from said corresponding sidewall.

3. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 2 , wherein said container part is a first container part, the hermetically-sealed container further comprising:

a second container part coupled with said first container part;

wherein said PSA sheet is positioned over an interface of each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges and said second container part.

4. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 3 , wherein said PSA sheet is positioned over a substantial entirety of (1) each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges of said container part and (2) said second container part.

5. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 3 , wherein said PSA sheet covers any gap that may be between said first container part and said second container part.

6. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , wherein at least one flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges extends substantially normal from each corresponding sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls.

7. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , wherein each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges extends inward from each corresponding sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls.

8. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , wherein at least one flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges extends outward from a corresponding sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls.

9. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , further comprising and contained therein:

a plurality of spinning-disk data storage devices; and

a lighter-than-air gas.

10. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 9 , wherein said lighter-than-air gas comprises helium.

11. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , further comprising and contained therein:

a recording disk medium rotatably mounted on a spindle;

a head slider comprising a read-write transducer configured to write to and to read from said disk medium;

a rotary actuator assembly configured to move said head slider to access portions of said disk medium; and

a lighter-than-air gas.

12. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , further comprising and contained therein:

a plurality of spinning-disk data storage devices; and

a lighter-than-air gas;

wherein said container part forms a container base.

13. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , further comprising and contained therein:

a plurality of spinning-disk data storage devices; and

a lighter-than-air gas;

wherein said container part forms a container cover.

14. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , further comprising and contained therein:

a recording disk medium rotatably mounted on a spindle;

a head slider comprising a read-write transducer configured to write to and to read from said disk medium;

a rotary actuator assembly configured to move said head slider to access portions of said disk medium; and

a lighter-than-air gas;

wherein said container part forms a container base.

15. The hermetically-sealed container of claim 1 , further comprising and contained therein:

a recording disk medium rotatably mounted on a spindle;

a head slider comprising a read-write transducer configured to write to and to read from said disk medium;

a rotary actuator assembly configured to move said head slider to access portions of said disk medium; and

a lighter-than-air gas;

wherein said container part forms a container cover.

16. A method of manufacturing a hermetically-sealed container, the method comprising:

forming a container part comprising:

a substantially planar main portion,

a plurality of sidewalls extending from said main portion, and

a plurality of diffusion length extender flanges,

wherein a corresponding flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges extends inward from a corresponding sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls; and

hermetically sealing said container by applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) sheet, comprising a layer of adhesive and a layer of low-permeability material, at an interface associated with each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein hermetically sealing said container includes applying said PSA sheet, having a metal layer as said low-permeability material, over a substantial entirety of each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges, such that a diffusion length associated with leakage of gas from said hermetically-sealed container corresponds to a width of each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein said container part is a first container part, the method further comprising:

coupling a second container part with said first container part to form an unsealed container;

wherein hermetically sealing includes hermetically sealing said unsealed container by applying said PSA sheet over an interface of each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges and said second container part.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

prior to hermetically sealing said unsealed container, filling said unsealed container with a lighter-than-air gas.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein hermetically sealing said unsealed container includes applying said PSA sheet, having a metal layer as said low-permeability material, over a substantial entirety of (1) each flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges and (2) said second container part.

21. The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one flange of said plurality of diffusion length extender flanges extends outward from a corresponding sidewall of said plurality of sidewalls.

22. The method of claim 16 , wherein said forming includes forming said container part by bending a sheet of sheet-metal.

23. The method of claim 16 , wherein said forming includes forming said container part by stamping or deep drawing a sheet of sheet-metal.

24. The method of claim 16 , wherein hermetically sealing said container forms a hermetically-sealed container, the method further comprising:

filling said hermetically-sealed container with a lighter-than-air gas.