HDD Buffer Member With Slit-Inserted Substrate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional buffer members fail to effectively absorb a wide range of impacts, from strong drops to weak daily vibrations, leading to potential damage of hard disk drives in mobile information apparatus due to propagation of high-frequency vibrations and inadequate absorption of impact forces.
Innovation Solution
A buffer member composed of a soft, compressively deformed flexible part and a sheet-like substrate part made of resin, with slits in the flexible part to accommodate the substrate part, allowing for enhanced absorption of impact forces through interaction between the two materials, thereby preventing damage from various impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional single-material buffer member is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot effectively absorb both weak daily vibrations and strong impact forces
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member is constructed as a composite structure combining a flexible part made of soft compressible material (such as foam or rubber) and a substrate part made of sheet-like resin material. The flexible part absorbs weak impacts and vibrations through compression deformation, while the substrate part provides structural support and absorbs strong impact forces through bending and deformation. This composite material approach enables the buffer member to handle a wide range of impact intensities effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer member is divided into two distinct functional parts: the flexible part and the substrate part. These parts are integrated together to form a unified buffer member. The flexible part is configured to compress under impact, while the substrate part is designed to bend and deform. This segmentation allows each part to specialize in absorbing specific types of impacts, thereby enhancing overall impact absorption capability without requiring multiple separate buffer components.
2Stability of the object's composition
If additional fixing means are added to secure the substrate part, then the buffer member becomes more stable, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate part is designed to be automatically retained by the flexible part through the slit structure. When the flexible part is compressed, the slit opens and allows the substrate part to be inserted. Once inserted, the elastic recovery of the flexible part naturally holds the substrate part in place without requiring additional fixing means such as adhesives, clips, or fasteners. This self-retaining mechanism simplifies the overall structure while ensuring stable positioning of the substrate part.
3Manufacturing precision
If the float spacing amount is decreased to increase recording density, then the recording density increases, but the magnetic head becomes more susceptible to head slap damage from impact
Solution Approach 1:
The buffer member is installed in advance between the hard disk drive and the housing to provide protective cushioning before any impact occurs. The flexible part and substrate part are pre-configured to compress and deform respectively when impact is applied, thereby absorbing impact energy before it can reach the magnetic head and disk. This prior cushioning protection allows the float spacing to be minimized for high recording density while maintaining head protection against impact damage.
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
The buffer member effectively absorbs both weak and strong impacts, preventing damage to the hard disk drive by blocking high-frequency vibrations and maintaining the integrity of the impact absorbing device without requiring additional fixing means.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible part s111 made of soft material s111 that has cushion performance and is compressively deformed
Implementation Method 2
a sheet-like substrate part s112 made of resin that has flexibility
Implementation Method 3
effectively absorbs both weak and strong impacts, preventing damage to the hard disk drive by blocking high-frequency vibrations
Data Source
AI summary
A buffer member and impact absorbing device is formed of a soft flexible part that deforms compressively, has cushion performance, and has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a sheet-like substrate part that has flexibility, is made of resin material, and has a substantially rectangular shape. A slit is formed by substantially vertically slotting the flexible part from its one surface to a midway so as to leave a surplus material part, and the substrate part is inserted and mounted to the slit formed in the flexible part. A relatively weak impact force is absorbed by the surplus material part of the flexible part, and a strong impact force that has not been completely absorbed by the surplus material part is absorbed by interaction between the flexible part and the substrate part.