Airflow channel within a disc drive housing
View Patent ↗A base support member for a disc drive is provided. The base support member includes a disc support cavity configured to house and support a spinning disc, and a component support cavity configured to house and support a set of electrical and mechanical disc drive components. The base support member also includes at least one surface that defines an airflow channel that is generally disposed within the component support cavity of the base support member. The airflow channel has an inlet opening positioned in a first location proximate the disc support cavity and an outlet opening positioned in a second location proximate the disc support cavity. The airflow channel is configured to receive a flow of air from the spinning disc at the inlet opening and to discharge the flow of air at the outlet opening.
1. A base support member, comprising:
a media support cavity configured to house and support a storage medium;
a component support cavity configured to house and support a set of electrical and mechanical components; and
a first wall having an outwardly facing surface that defines a continuous and uninterrupted airflow channel that is generally disposed within the component support cavity of the base support member and an inwardly facing surface that faces at least one of the set of electrical and mechanical components, and wherein the airflow channel has an inlet opening positioned in a first location proximate the media support cavity and an outlet opening positioned in a second location proximate the media support cavity such that the airflow channel commences or terminates proximate an outer edge of the storage medium, the airflow channel is configured to receive a flow of air at the inlet opening and to discharge the flow of air at the outlet opening.
2. The base support member of claim 1 , wherein said base support member further comprises:
a second wall having an inwardly facing surface, the outwardly facing surface of the first wall being spaced apart from and facing the inwardly facing surface of the second wall such that the outwardly and inwardly facing surfaces of the first and second walls cooperate to form the airflow channel there between.
3. The base support member of claim 2 , wherein the second wall is integrally formed as part of the base support member.
4. The base support member of claim 2 , wherein the first wall is part of a protrusion, the protrusion being an integrally formed part of the base support member.
5. The base support member of claim 2 , wherein the first wall is part of a protrusion, the protrusion being attached to the base support member.
6. The base support member of claim 1 , wherein:
the component support cavity has an actuator side and an electronics side;
the inlet opening of the airflow channel is generally positioned proximate the media support cavity on one of the actuator and electronics sides of the component support cavity; and
the outlet opening of the airflow channel is generally positioned proximate the media support cavity on the other of the actuator and electronics sides of the component support cavity.
7. The base support member of claim 6 , wherein the base support member further comprises:
a peripheral edge;
an actuating mechanism supported within the component support cavity on the actuator side thereof; and
a set of electronic components supported within the component support cavity on the electronics side thereof, at least a portion of the airflow channel being generally disposed between the peripheral edge of the base support member and the actuating mechanism, and at least another portion of the airflow channel being generally disposed between the peripheral edge of the base support member and the set of electronic components.
8. The base support member of claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening is aerodynamically shaped to encourage a pattern of airflow through the airflow channel.
9. The base support member of claim 1 , wherein the inlet opening includes a shroud portion.
10. The base support member of claim 1 , wherein the base support member further comprises:
a peripheral edge; and
the set of electrical and mechanical components supported within the component support cavity, the airflow channel being generally disposed between the peripheral edge and the set of electrical and mechanical components.
11. A storage system comprising:
a base support member as described in claim 1 ; and
a disc that is supported within the media support cavity, has an outside diameter and is rotatable about a central axis, wherein the inlet opening is positioned in a first location proximate the outside diameter of the disc and the outlet opening is positioned in a second location proximate the outside diameter of the disc, the first location preceding the second location relative to rotation of the disc.
12. The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the disc is rotatably supported within the media support cavity and the airflow channel is generally disposed within the component support cavity.
13. The storage system of claim 12 , wherein the storage system further comprises:
a peripheral edge; and
the set of electrical and mechanical components supported within the component support cavity, the airflow channel being generally disposed between the peripheral edge and the set of electrical and mechanical components.
14. The storage system of claim 12 , wherein: the component support cavity has an actuator side and an electronics side; the inlet opening of the airflow channel is generally positioned proximate the outside diameter of the disc on one of the actuator and electronics sides of the component support cavity; and the outlet opening of the airflow channel is generally positioned proximate the outside diameter of the disc on the other of the actuator and electronics sides of the component support cavity.
15. The storage system of claim 14 , wherein the storage system comprises:
a peripheral edge of the base support member;
an actuating mechanism supported within the component support cavity on the actuator side thereof; and
a set of electronic components supported within the component support cavity on the electronics side thereof, the airflow channel being generally disposed between the peripheral edge of the base Support member and the actuating mechanism, and generally disposed between the peripheral edge of the base support member and the set of electronic components.
16. The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the inlet opening is aerodynamically shaped to encourage a pattern of airflow into the airflow channel.
17. The storage system of claim 11 , wherein the inlet opening includes a shroud portion.
18. A method of channeling airflow within a housing comprising:
providing an continuous and uninterrupted airflow channel defined by an outwardly facing surface of a wall, the wall having an inward facing surface that faces at least one of a set of electrical and mechanical components supported within the housing, the airflow channel having an airflow inlet opening positioned in a first location proximate a storage medium and an airflow outlet opening positioned in a second location proximate an outside perimeter of the storage medium, the first location being displaced along the outside perimeter from the second location; and
guiding the airflow through the airflow channel from the airflow inlet opening to the airflow outlet opening.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein providing the airflow channel further comprises:
providing an airflow channel that is generally disposed between a peripheral edge of the housing and the set of electrical and mechanical components supported within a component support cavity of the housing.
20. The method of claim 18 , and further comprising:
forming the housing so as to include a component support cavity and a media support cavity;
operatively securing the medium within the media support cavity of the housing; and
wherein the airflow channel comprises providing an airflow path that generally extends around an outer proximity of the component support cavity.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising a step of operatively suspending a slider over a surface of the medium, and wherein positioning the airflow outlet opening further comprises positioning the airflow outlet opening in a position that is generally downwind from the slider.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein positioning the airflow inlet opening further comprises positioning the airflow inlet opening in a position that is generally upwind from the slider.
23. A storage system comprising:
a base support member for supporting a storage medium; and
continuous and uninterrupted surface means within the base support member for guiding airflow from an inlet proximate the storage medium to an outlet proximate the storage medium during operation of the storage system.