Valve Filter for Helium Injection in Disk Drives

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Solution Overview

Problem

Low-density gases like helium leak easily during injection into hard disk drives due to poorly sealed enclosures, leading to reduced helium density and decreased manufacturing throughput.

Innovation Solution

A valve filter is attached to the helium injection hole, which opens when outside pressure is higher than inside pressure to allow helium injection and closes when inside pressure exceeds outside pressure, preventing leaks and improving sealing efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If helium gas is injected through an injection hole using pressure difference, then helium gas can be enclosed in the enclosure, but helium gas leaks out during the injection process due to poor sealing of the enclosure

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehelium gas enclosureVSAvoidhelium gas leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the sealing function into two parts: the enclosure body and the separate sealing member. The sealing member is a distinct component that can be attached to the enclosure opening to create an airtight seal during helium injection, preventing gas leakage while allowing the injection process to proceed efficiently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member is prepared and attached to the enclosure opening before the helium injection process begins. This preliminary sealing action ensures that the enclosure is properly sealed prior to pressurization, preventing helium gas from leaking out during the injection process

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of substance

If the injection hole is sealed immediately after helium gas injection, then helium leakage is prevented, but the injection time increases and manufacturing throughput decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehelium gas leakage preventionVSAvoidmanufacturing throughput

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing member is pre-positioned on the enclosure opening before injection begins, so that sealing is already in place when injection starts. This eliminates delays associated with sealing after injection and allows for rapid, efficient helium enclosure without compromising leak prevention

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member acts as an intermediary component between the enclosure and the external environment during the injection process. It provides a reliable seal that allows quick injection while preventing leakage, serving as a mediator that enables both fast operation and effective sealing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If the enclosure is hermetically sealed to prevent turbulence and windage loss, then low-density gas can be maintained, but the complexity of sealing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegas density maintenanceVSAvoidsealing structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing function is segmented from the main enclosure structure and implemented as a separate, dedicated sealing member. This modular approach maintains reliable hermetic sealing to prevent turbulence and windage loss while keeping the overall device complexity manageable through component separation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing member provides a flexible sealing solution that can conform to the enclosure opening while maintaining hermetic integrity. This flexible sealing approach ensures reliable gas containment to maintain low-density gas properties without requiring complex rigid sealing structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 valve filter effectively prevents helium leakage, reducing injection time and maintaining helium density within the HDD, thereby enhancing manufacturing efficiency and power savings.

Implementation Method 1

The valve member 612 is in the open state if the outside pressure is higher than the inside pressure and is in the closed state if the inside pressure is higher than the outside pressure

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressure difference: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS8705202B2Reduce leakage of low-density gas during low-density gas injection into a disk drive

Publication Date: 2014.04.22 WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES INC

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention help to prevent leakage of low-density gas during low-density gas injection into a disk drive device and to perform low-density gas injection efficiently. In a hard disk drive (HDD) according to one embodiment of the present invention, an injection hole filter with a valve function is attached to a helium injection hole in order to inject helium gas in an enclosure. The injection hole filter has a valve member configured to operate in an open state or closed state. The open state is a state while the helium gas is being injected and the closed state is a state after the helium gas has been finished to be injected. The valve member is in the open state if the outside pressure is higher than the inside pressure and is in the closed state if the inside pressure is higher than the outside pressure.