Hydrophobic Coated Disk Separator Plate for Hard Drive Condensation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Hard disk drives experience drive failures due to undue condensation on disk separator plates, which are more hydrophilic and prone to water vapor condensation, leading to issues with read/write head performance.

Innovation Solution

A coated disk separator plate with a hydrophobic outer coating having a higher water contact angle than the underlying surface, reducing wettability and the tendency for water vapor to condense, is applied to the disk separator plate.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a disk separator plate is used in a hard disk drive, then vibration and noise are reduced, but water vapor condensation occurs on the plate surface leading to drive failures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrive reliabilityVSAvoidwater vapor condensation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the surface energy parameter of the disk separator plate by applying a hydrophobic coating. This coating increases the water contact angle from typically less than 90 degrees to greater than 90 degrees, fundamentally altering the surface's interaction with water vapor and preventing condensation while maintaining the plate's vibration-reducing function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the naturally hydrophilic surface of the disk separator plate, which was causing harmful condensation, into a hydrophobic surface through coating application. This transformation turns the surface property that attracted water into one that repels water, eliminating the condensation problem while preserving the plate's structural function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Quantity of substance

If the disk separator plate surface is made hydrophilic, then water contact angle is low, but this increases the tendency for water vapor condensation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewater contact angleVSAvoidcondensation tendency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent directly addresses this contradiction by changing the surface chemistry parameter through hydrophobic coating application. The coating increases the water contact angle parameter beyond 90 degrees, which fundamentally changes the thermodynamic favorability of condensation from positive to negative, thereby eliminating the harmful condensation effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 coated disk separator plate effectively reduces condensation on the disk separator plate, minimizing the impact on read/write head performance and preventing modulation and read/write failures.

Implementation Method 1

an outer coating... wherein the outer coating has a second water contact angle value that is greater than the first water contact angle value

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHydrophobic effect: Hydrophobe

Implementation Method 2

undue condensation in hard disk drives... reducing the tendency for water vapor to condense

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Data Source

PatentUS11676633B2Coated disk separator plate, electronic devices that include one or more coated disk separator plates, and related methods of making and using

Publication Date: 2023.06.13 SEAGATE TECH LLC

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to disk separator plates that include a coating to increase the water contact angle of the exterior surface of the disk separator plate so as to decrease its wettability. The present disclosure also involves hard disk drives that include such a disk separator plate and related methods of forming such a coating.