Optical Disk Drive Sealing Member for Noise Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Optical disk drives generate airborne noise due to air turbulence from rotating disks, which is not effectively contained by conventional designs with gaps in the drive chassis, leading to noise emission during read/write operations.
Innovation Solution
A sealing member with 'U' shaped portions is attached to the optical disk drive, covering gaps and openings to contain airborne noise, and a single sleeve unit or crimped drive chassis design is used to create a continuous enclosure, reducing noise emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If conventional drive chassis with gaps is used, then manufacturing is easier and device complexity is lower, but airborne noise escapes and noise emission increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member integrates multiple sealing surfaces and features into a single component that attaches to the drive chassis, combining several sealing functions (covering gaps between panels, sealing openings, and creating continuous enclosure) into one unified part that reduces noise emission without requiring multiple separate sealing components
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing member functions as a flexible sealing element that can be attached to the drive chassis to create an acoustic enclosure, using a thin film-like structure to block noise transmission through gaps and openings in the drive chassis panels
2Object-generated harmful factors
If sealing member is added to cover gaps, then airborne noise is contained and noise emission decreases, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member acts as an intermediary component between the drive chassis panels and the external environment, creating a barrier that contains airborne noise generated by rotating optical disks while allowing the drive chassis itself to maintain its original simple structure for easy manufacturing
3Object-generated harmful factors
If continuous enclosure is created, then noise containment is improved and sound power is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing member is divided into multiple functional segments including a first portion with a first sealing surface for sealing gaps between drive chassis panels, and a second portion with a second sealing surface for sealing openings, allowing each segment to address specific noise leakage paths while maintaining overall system modularity
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 sealing member and continuous enclosure designs significantly lower noise emission by containing airborne noise within the optical disk drive, reducing sound power by approximately 2-3 decibels as measured by 'A-weighted' decibels, improving user experience and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
Optical disk drives generate airborne noise due to air turbulence from rotating disks
Data Source
AI summary
An optical drive includes a drive chassis and a front panel. The drive chassis includes a single sleeve unit having a top panel, a first side panel, a second side panel, a bottom panel, and a back panel. The single sleeve unit is a single piece of material such that the top panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, the bottom panel, and the back panel are continuous. Additionally, the single piece of material is bent at an intersection of each of the top, first side, second side, bottom, and back panels. The front panel is snap fitted onto the top panel, the first side panel, the second side panel, and the bottom panel of the single sleeve unit of the drive chassis.