Acoustically improved disc drive cover made of porous metal matrix with ceramic constrained within pores of matrix
View Patent ↗A top cover formed from a metal matrix composite material for use on a data storage device is disclosed. The metal matrix composite material includes a porous matrix material combined with an inclusion material constrained within the pores of the porous matrix material. The porous matrix material is substantially aluminum while the inclusion material is a ceramic such as silicon hexaboride or aluminum boron carbide capable of wetting molten aluminum. The ceramic inclusion material is selected to have a specific modulus greater than the specific modulus of the porous metal matrix such that the entire volume of porous matrix material provides acoustical dampening during operation of the data storage device.
1. A data storage device housing enclosure comprising:
a porous metal matrix; and
an inclusion material constrained within pores of the porous metal matrix.
2. The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a base deck and a top cover which cooperate to complete the enclosure, and wherein the top cover is formed of said porous metal matrix and said inclusion material.
3. The enclosure of claim 1 , in which the porous metal matrix is formed from aluminum.
4. The enclosure of claim 1 , in which the inclusion material is a ceramic material capable of wetting molten aluminum.
5. The enclosure of claim 1 , in which the porous metal matrix and the inclusion material are configured to selectively dampen acoustical noise generated during operation of a moveable data access component within the enclosure.
6. The enclosure of claim 4 , in which the ceramic material is silicon hexaboride.
7. The enclosure of claim 4 , in which the ceramic material is aluminum boron carbide.
8. A data storage device comprising an enclosure housing comprising a porous metal matrix and an inclusion material constrained within pores of said matrix.
9. The data storage device of claim 8 , further comprising a moveable data access component supported within the enclosure housing, wherein the porous metal matrix and the inclusion material are configured to selectively dampen acoustical noise generated during operation of said component.
10. The data storage device of claim 8 , in which the porous metal matrix is formed from aluminum.
11. The data storage device of claim 8 , in which the inclusion material is a ceramic material capable of wetting molten aluminum.
12. The data storage device of claim 8 , wherein the enclosure housing comprises a top cover affixable to a base deck to complete the housing enclosure, and wherein the top cover is formed of said porous metal matrix and said inclusion material.
13. The data storage device of claim 11 , in which the ceramic material is silicon hexaboride.
14. The data storage device of claim 11 , in which the ceramic material is aluminum boron carbide.
15. A data storage device comprising a moveable data access component housed within a housing enclosure, the housing enclosure comprising means for dampening acoustical noise generated by operation of said component.