Multipiece deck for hard disk drive

Abstract

An apparatus is provided, including a base-deck floor; a base-deck frame, overlying the base-deck floor; a top cover, overlying the base-deck frame; and an affixing means operable to attach the base-deck frame to the base-deck floor, wherein the base-deck frame is operable to be fastened to both the base-deck floor and the top cover to provide a housing for a hard disk drive. A method is also provided, including assembling at least a portion of a hard disk drive assembly on a base-deck floor; affixing a base-deck frame to the base-deck floor; and securing a top cover to the base-deck frame.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus, comprising:
 a base-deck floor comprising a first metal; 
 a base-deck frame comprising a second metal different than the first metal, overlying the base-deck floor, the base-deck frame having sidewalls that extend from an upper surface of the base-deck floor along a perimeter thereof, an inner surface of the base-deck frame and the upper surface of the base-deck floor defining a cavity enclosed laterally by the sidewalls; 
 a top cover, overlying the base-deck frame; and 
 an affixing feature operable to affix the base-deck frame to the base-deck floor, 
 wherein the base-deck frame is operable to be fastened to both the base-deck floor and the top cover to provide a housing for a hard disk drive. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base-deck frame is operable to be unfastened from the both the base-deck floor and the top cover. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first metal has a higher elastic modulus than the second metal. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 ,
 wherein the first metal comprises stainless steel and the second metal comprises aluminum. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the base-deck floor comprises stamped stainless steel. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the base-deck floor has a thickness no more than 2000 μm. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the thickness provides sufficient stiffness and space in height for hard disk drive internals in a 2.5″ or 3.5″ form factor. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 5 ,
 wherein the base-deck floor has a thickness no more than 500 μm. 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the affixing feature comprises a gasket and a fastener, an epoxy, or metal seal. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the affixing feature comprises an isolation seal operable to mechanically isolate forces imparted to the base-deck frame from internals of the hard disk drive that are attached to the base-deck frame. 
 
     
     
       11. A method, comprising:
 assembling at least a portion of a hard disk drive assembly on a stamped base-deck floor; 
 affixing a cast base-deck frame to the base-deck floor; and 
 securing a top cover to the base-deck frame. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 stamping the top cover; 
 casting the base-deck frame from aluminum; and 
 stamping the base-deck floor from stainless steel. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein stamping the top cover comprises stamping the top cover from stainless steel. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 ,
 wherein the stainless steel has a thickness between 500 and 2000 μm. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the thickness provides sufficient stiffness and space in height for hard disk drive internals in a 2.5″ or 3.5″ form factor. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 11 ,
 wherein affixing the base-deck frame to the base-deck floor comprises affixing the base-deck frame to the base-deck floor with a gasket and a fastener, an epoxy, or metal seal. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 11 , wherein affixing the base-deck frame to the base-deck floor comprises welding the base-deck frame to the base-deck floor. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus, comprising:
 a top cover, optionally comprising stamped stainless steel; 
 a base-deck assembly, the base-deck assembly comprising a base-deck frame comprising cast aluminum and a base-deck floor comprising stamped stainless steel no more than 2000 μm thick, the base-deck frame having sidewalls that extend from an upper surface of the base-deck floor along a perimeter thereof, with an inner surface of the base-deck frame and the upper surface of the base-deck floor defining a cavity enclosed laterally by the sidewalls; and 
 an affixing means for affixing the base-deck frame to the base-deck floor, wherein the base-deck frame is operable to mate with both the base-deck floor and the top cover to provide a housing for a hard disk drive. 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the affixing means comprises a weld. 
 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the base-deck floor comprises bracing for greater stiffness. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the bracing extends radially from an area near or at a point in the base-deck floor coincident with an axis of a spindle motor. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a 2.5″ or 3.5″ form factor. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein a the thickness of the base-deck floor provides sufficient stiffness and space in height for hard disk drive internals.