Hard Disk Drive Base Deck With Composite Vibration-Damping Sidewalls

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Hard disk drives face increased susceptibility to shock and vibration due to the thinning of base decks to accommodate larger magnetic recording media, which traditional materials like aluminum shells struggle to address effectively.

Innovation Solution

The use of a base deck comprising multiple regions of different materials, where a metallic stiffening material provides structural stability and a non-metallic material, such as composite materials formed via additive manufacturing, is used to create a lattice structure for vibration mitigation, air-flow management, and other custom features.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the base deck is thinned to accommodate larger magnetic recording media, then the capacity to hold larger media is improved, but the structural stability and resistance to shock and vibration deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapacity to hold magnetic recording mediaVSAvoidstructural stability and resistance to shock and vibration

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The base deck employs a composite structure combining aluminum alloy (6061 or 6082) for the base member providing structural stability, and polymeric material (PBT or PC) for the sidewalls providing vibration damping. This multi-material approach allows the thinned design to maintain both capacity and structural integrity by leveraging the complementary properties of different materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the base deck are assigned different materials based on local functional requirements. The base member requires high structural stability and uses metallic aluminum alloy, while the sidewalls require vibration damping and use polymeric materials. This localized material assignment optimizes the overall performance while maintaining the thinned profile.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional aluminum shell materials are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but the ability to mitigate vibration and provide custom geometries is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidvibration mitigation capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention moves beyond traditional single-material aluminum shells by combining aluminum alloy base member with polymeric sidewalls. The polymeric material (PBT or PC) provides superior vibration damping properties compared to aluminum, while the composite structure remains manufacturable through established processes for aluminum extrusion and polymer molding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS11948606B2Adaptive manufacturing systems, methods, and devices

Publication Date: 2024.04.02 SEAGATE TECH LLC

AI summary

A hard disk drive including a base deck with a base member and side walls extending from the base member. The side walls include a non-metallic material and include a structure made from the non-metallic material. The structure is arranged to dampen vibration. The side walls can be formed using an additive manufacturing process.