ADHESIVE COVER SEAL FOR HERMETICALLY-SEALED DATA STORAGE DEVICE
A data storage device involves a plurality of sidewalls of a bent sheet metal cover, either pre-formed or shaped-in-place, overlapping with and hermetically sealed with a corresponding plurality of sidewalls of an enclosure base, using an applied epoxy adhesive or a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape seal. Base protrusions and/or cover dimples may be used to set a suitable gap between the parts. A robust hermetic seal provides for filling the data storage device with a lighter-than-air gas.
1 . A data storage device comprising:
an enclosure base having a plurality of sidewalls;
a bent sheet metal cover comprising a plurality of sidewalls each extending from a top portion and overlapping with a respective sidewall of said base; and
a hermetic seal among said base and said bent sheet metal cover, comprising:
an epoxy adhesive applied at an interface of each sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and a corresponding sidewall of said base.
2 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein said top portion of said bent sheet metal cover is adhesively bonded only at an interface of a plurality of corner portions of said top portion and a respective plurality of substantially planar corner portions of said base.
3 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein each said sidewall of said base has an outer surface and each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover has an inner surface, and wherein said epoxy adhesive is positioned between at least a portion of said inner surface of each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and at least a portion of said outer surface of each said sidewall of said base.
4 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein each said sidewall of said base has an outer surface and each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover has an inner surface, and wherein said base comprises a plurality of protrusions extending outward from said outer surface of each said sidewall and positioned to set a particular gap between said inner surface and said outer surface.
5 . The data storage device of claim 4 , wherein said bent sheet metal cover comprises a bend extending a distance outward from a terminal edge of each said sidewall.
6 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein each said sidewall of said base has an outer surface and each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover has an inner surface, and wherein said bent sheet metal cover comprises a plurality of dimples extending a distance inward from said inner surface of each said sidewall and positioned to set a particular gap between said inner surface and said outer surface.
7 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein each said sidewall of said base has an outer surface and each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover has an inner surface, and wherein at least one of said inner surface or said outer surface is treated using one or more surface treatment techniques from a group consisting of abrasive blasting, chemical etching, feature forming, and cut feature forming.
8 . The data storage device of claim 1 , wherein said bent sheet metal cover comprises one or more inspection holes through each of said sidewall.
9 . The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising a lighter-than-air gas contained therein.
10 . The data storage device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pressure-sensitive adhesive positioned between each said sidewall of said base and each corresponding said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive sets a particular gap between each said sidewall of said base and said corresponding sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover.
11 . A method of assembling a data storage device (DSD), the method comprising:
attaching a first cover to an enclosure base having a plurality of sidewalls;
positioning each of a plurality of sidewalls extending from a top portion of a bent sheet metal cover to overlap at least in part with a corresponding said sidewall of said base; and
applying an epoxy adhesive at an interface of each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and a corresponding said sidewall of said base to form a hermetic seal among said bent sheet metal cover and said base.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein positioning includes setting a gap, based on a plurality of protrusions extending outward from an outer surface of each said sidewall of said base, between each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and said corresponding said sidewall of said base.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein positioning includes setting a gap, based on a plurality of dimples extending inward from an inner surface of each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover, between each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and said corresponding said sidewall of said base.
14 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
prior to positioning, applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive to each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and/or said corresponding said sidewall of said base, thereby setting a gap between each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and said corresponding said sidewall of said base.
15 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
prior to applying said epoxy adhesive, treating at least one inner surface of said bent sheet metal cover or an outer surface of said base using one or more surface treatment technique from a group consisting of abrasive blasting, chemical etching, feature forming, and cut feature forming.
16 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
inspecting said epoxy adhesive through one or more inspection holes through each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover.
17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein positioning includes positioning a pre-formed bent sheet metal cover comprising said plurality of sidewalls extending from said top portion.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein applying includes dispensing a liquid epoxy between an inner surface of said bent sheet metal cover and an outer surface of said base and allowing said epoxy to flow between said inner and outer surface via capillary action.
19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein positioning includes positioning a flat metal sheet over and into contact with said base and bending said plurality of sidewalls to extend at an angle from said top portion and to mate an inner surface of each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover with an outer surface of said corresponding said base.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein applying includes dispensing a liquid epoxy to said inner surface and/or said outer surface and allowing said epoxy to flow between said inner and outer surfaces via capillary action.
21 . A method of assembling a data storage device (DSD), the method comprising:
attaching a first cover to an enclosure base having a plurality of sidewalls;
positioning a flat metal sheet over said first cover;
bending said metal sheet over said base to form a bent sheet metal cover comprising a plurality of sidewalls extending at an angle from a top portion such that each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover overlaps at least in part with a corresponding sidewall of said base; and
forming a hermetic seal among said bent sheet metal cover and said base by applying pressure to a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
22 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive is fixed to said flat metal sheet.
23 . The method of claim 21 , wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesive is fixed to said base.
24 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
prior to forming said hermetic seal, applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape overlapping a bottom edge portion of each said sidewall of said bent sheet metal cover and a portion of said corresponding sidewall of said base adjacent said bottom edge portion.
25 . The method of claim 21 , further comprising:
prior to positioning, dispensing a liquid adhesive to a plurality of corner portions of said metal sheet and/or to a corresponding plurality of substantially planar corner portions of said base.