Disk Clamp Moat Design for Debris Trapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disk drives experience debris migration during assembly, leading to transducer contact with the disk surface and potential drive failures due to the generation of minute particles during the securing process.
Innovation Solution
A disk clamp design featuring a moat around the fastening hole that traps debris particles, which can be circular, spike trench, or spiral in nature, and biases the midsection at a negative angle to force particles inward, ensuring they are retained under the screw head, thereby preventing particle dispersal onto the disk surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a disk clamp is secured to the spindle motor hub using multiple fastening screws, then the disks are firmly secured to prevent slippage, but more debris particles are generated during the torque-down process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and isolates the debris generation problem by creating a separate containment structure (moat) that captures particles at their source, allowing the fastening screws to maintain their securing function while the harmful debris is removed from the general disk surface environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful debris particles into a contained element by using the moat structure to trap and retain particles that would otherwise be harmful, transforming the debris from a dangerous contaminant into a contained element that does not threaten transducer safety
2Quantity of substance
If the flying height of the transducer is reduced to increase storage density, then more information can be stored, but the transducer is more likely to contact the disk surface due to fly height variations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by proactively preventing transducer contact through debris containment. By trapping particles before they can migrate to the disk surface, the system preemptively eliminates a major cause of contact-induced failures, allowing safe operation at reduced flying heights
3Stability of the object's composition
If debris particles are generated during assembly, then the disk clamp secures the disks properly, but the particles disperse onto the disk surface causing transducer contact
Solution Approach 1:
The moat structure serves as an intermediary element between the fastening screw and the disk surface. It intercepts debris particles generated during assembly and contains them within the moat boundaries, preventing their migration to the disk surface while allowing the fastening function to proceed normally
Data Source
AI summary
A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.