Disk Drive Base Plate Protrusion Design for Thin Arm Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in hard disk drives is to maintain a strong connection between the base plate and the arm while reducing the thickness of the arm to accommodate increased recording density and multi-disk configurations, which is difficult due to the need for a thinner boss portion and reduced arm thickness.
Innovation Solution
A base plate design with a through hole and protrusions along its edge, which are inserted into an attachment hole in the arm, providing a secure connection by overlapping protrusions and recesses, allowing the arm to be made thinner without compromising the connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the height of the boss portion is lowered to reduce arm thickness, then the disk drive thickness is reduced and more disks can be accommodated, but the connection strength between the base plate and the arm deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection portion is segmented into multiple protrusions (first, second, and third protrusions) distributed around the through hole circumference, rather than using a single solid boss structure. This segmentation allows the connection to be maintained with reduced material while preserving strength through distributed load bearing.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism transitions from a vertical boss height dimension to a circumferential distribution of protrusions around the through hole. By utilizing the circumferential direction (another dimension), the connection strength is maintained through multiple protrusions spaced around the perimeter, eliminating the need for tall vertical bosses.
2Quantity of substance
If the arm thickness is reduced to accommodate increased recording density, then more disks can be fitted in the same casing, but the structural integrity and connection reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The protrusions are strategically positioned at specific locations around the through hole circumference, with different orientations (first protrusion with first orientation, second protrusion with second orientation, third protrusion with third orientation). This local quality variation optimizes the connection at each specific location to handle different stress directions and maintains reliability with thinner arm structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection portion integrates multiple protrusion elements with different orientations and positions, creating a composite structural configuration that distributes and balances mechanical loads from multiple directions, thereby maintaining connection reliability despite reduced arm thickness.
Data Source
AI summary
A base plate includes a plate body and a connection portion provided at the plate body. The connection portion includes a through hole gassing through the plate body in a thickness direction of the plate body, a plurality of protrusions provided along an edge of the through hole in a circumferential direction about a central axis of the through hole and inserted into an attachment hole provided in the arm, and an inner circumferential surface formed by the plurality of protrusions and the through hole. The inner circumferential surface includes a plurality of recesses formed between the plurality of protrusions.