Encapsulated miniature hard disc drive

Abstract

A miniature hard disc drive has a metal base plate, an actuator assembly wherein the actuator assembly comprises a plurality of bearings, a shaft, and a conductor. A spindle motor assembly comprises a stator with conductors, a shaft, a plurality of bearings, and a rotor. Methods of developing and constructing the hard disc drive are also disclosed.

1 . A method of making disk drives comprising: a) providing a frame array including: a frame; a plurality of disk drive base portions; and a plurality of tie bars connected between the frame and the disk drive base portions; b) attaching a respective disk drive component to each of the disk drive base portions, the disk drive component being a spindle motor; and c) removing the disk drive base portions from the frame by severing the tie bars.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the frame array is formed of metal.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the frame array is formed by stamping.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , prior to step b), further comprises the step of: partially encapsulating each of the disk drive base portions with a hardenable material.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the encapsulating is a molding process.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the hardenable material is a plastic.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selected ones of the tie bars are electrical leads.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the disk drive components are electrical components and step b) further includes respectively electrically connecting the electrical components to the electrical leads.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein step b) further includes respectively testing operation of the disk drive components.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the frame array is formed of plastic.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein step a) further includes providing a lead frame overlaid with the frame array, the lead frame includes electrical leads, the disk drive components are electrical components, step b) further includes respectively electrically attaching the disk drive components to the electrical leads.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , prior to step b), further including molding inserts with each of the disk drive base portions.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the inserts are voice coil motor components.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the frame includes recesses for indexing the frame array.  
   
   
       15 . A method of making disk drives comprising: a) providing a frame array including: a frame; a plurality of disk drive base portions; and a plurality of tie bars connected between the frame and the disk drive base portions; b) attaching a respective disk drive component to each of the disk drive base portions, the respective disk drive component being a voice coil motor component, the attaching including molding a voice coil motor component with each of the disk drive base portions; and c) removing the disk drive base portions from the frame by severing the tie bars.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the frame array is formed of metal.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the frame array is formed by stamping.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , prior to step b), further comprises the step of: partially encapsulating each of the disk drive base portions with a hardenable material.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the encapsulating is a molding process.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the hardenable material is a plastic.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein selected ones of the tie bars are electrical leads.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  further including electrically connecting the voice coil motor component to the electrical leads.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein step b) further includes respectively testing operation of the disk drive components.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the frame array is formed of plastic.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein step a) further includes providing a lead frame overlaid with the frame array, the lead frame including electrical leads, and step b) further includes electrically attaching the voice coil component to the electrical leads.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the molding is insert molding.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the frame includes recesses for indexing the frame array.