Disk Drive Balance Plug With Longitudinal Retainers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Hard disk drives (HDDs) face performance degradation due to vibrations and imbalances, leading to off-track issues and data errors, especially as disk drives become more compact and increase in tracks per inch, causing challenges in accurately positioning heads relative to disk surfaces.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a balance plug with longitudinal retainers is used to balance the disk pack by being received within disk clamp apertures and motor hub recesses, providing stabilization and offsetting imbalances through strategically positioned weights, which helps in reducing centrifugal forces and improving rotational stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If disk drives become more compact and increase in tracks per inch, then storage capacity is improved, but positioning accuracy of heads relative to disk surfaces deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage capacityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The balance plug acts as a counterweight component inserted into the disk clamp aperture to offset imbalances in the disk pack assembly. By strategically positioning weights within the balance plug, the system compensates for uneven mass distribution that causes vibration and positioning errors, thereby maintaining head positioning accuracy while enabling higher tracks per inch configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

2Productivity

If rotational speed is increased, then productivity is improved, but vibration-induced errors increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverotational speedVSAvoiderror rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The balance plug with strategically positioned weights counteracts centrifugal forces generated during high-speed rotation. By balancing the mass distribution in the disk pack, the system minimizes vibration and reduces vibration-induced errors, enabling the drive to operate reliably at higher rotational speeds that improve productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

3Quantity of substance

If tracks per inch is increased, then storage density is improved, but off-track complications increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage densityVSAvoidoff-track complications

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The balance plug compensates for mass imbalances that cause disk wobble and vibration, thereby stabilizing the disk rotation and reducing off-track complications. This enables higher tracks per inch configurations to operate reliably by minimizing the harmful effects of vibration on head positioning

Inventive Principle:

Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution effectively reduces vibration-induced errors and improves the accuracy of head positioning, enhancing HDD performance by minimizing off-track complications and maintaining data integrity, even at higher rotational speeds.

Implementation Method 1

providing stabilization and offsetting imbalances through strategically positioned weights, which helps in reducing centrifugal forces and improving rotational stability

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentUS8755148B1Disk drive with balance plug having longitudinal retainers

Publication Date: 2014.06.17 WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

Described herein is a disk drive balance plug that includes a substantially cylindrical body defining a first end, a second end, a substantially cylindrical outer surface, and a plug central axis. The balance plug also preferably includes at least one protrusion extending along the cylindrical outer surface between the first and second ends in a direction substantially aligned with the plug central axis.