Movable Regulating Member for Thin Disk Shock Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Hard disk drives (HDDs) face issues with disk rigidity reduction due to thinner disks, leading to bending and potential damage from external shocks or vibrations, which can result in debris generation and dust accumulation affecting recording surfaces.
Innovation Solution
A recording and reproducing device with a movable regulating member that contacts the outer peripheral edge of disks to absorb displacements and reduce debris generation, featuring inclined contact surfaces and a low-friction material to minimize rubbing and dust creation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the thickness of disks is reduced to increase storage capacity, then the number of disks that can be housed increases, but the rigidity of the disks decreases causing them to bend under external shock or vibration
Solution Approach 1:
The case is divided into multiple axial positions, each equipped with regulating members that independently support individual disks. This segmentation allows each thin disk to be locally stabilized without requiring increased overall disk thickness, enabling high disk count while maintaining individual disk stability.
Solution Approach 2:
Regulating members are introduced as intermediary components between the case and the thin disks. These members provide mechanical support and prevent bending by contacting the outer peripheral edges of the disks, allowing thin disks to maintain rigidity during external shocks without increasing disk thickness.
2Reliability
If regulating members are provided to protect recording media from external shocks, then disk protection improves, but contact between regulating members and recording media causes scraping and debris generation
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating members are configured with contact surfaces that can elastically deform or flex during contact with the disk outer peripheral edges. This flexibility allows the regulating members to absorb impact energy through deformation rather than rigid scraping, significantly reducing debris generation while maintaining protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact surfaces of the regulating members are designed with specific material properties (low friction coefficient) and geometric parameters (inclined surfaces) that change the interaction characteristics between the regulating members and disks. These parameter changes reduce sticking and scraping during contact, minimizing debris generation while maintaining effective shock protection.
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 solution effectively protects disks from external shocks and vibrations, reducing debris and dust generation while maintaining disk integrity and function.
Implementation Method 1
featuring inclined contact surfaces and a low-friction material to minimize rubbing and dust creation
Data Source
AI summary
A recording and reproducing device including, a case; at least one recording medium having a disk-shape, a motor configured to rotate the at least one recording medium, a head configured to read or write information from or to the at least one recording medium, and an actuator configured to drive the head to scan in a radial direction of the at least one recording medium which are provided in the case; and a regulating portion configured to, when an external shock is applied to the at least one recording medium, contact an outer peripheral edge of the at least one recording medium to regulate displacements of the at least one recording medium due to bending of the at least one recording medium, wherein the regulating portion includes a regulating member which is movable in an axial direction parallel to a rotation axis of the at least one recording medium.