阅读说明：本技术 用于数据存储系统和装置的气密密封的扩散长度增加的容器凸缘构型 (Diffusion length increased container flange configuration for hermetic sealing of data storage systems and devices ) 是由 V·阿亚努尔-维提克盖特 T·希拉诺 于 2018-06-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种用于一个或多个数据存储装置的气密密封容器可包括包含平面主要部分的第一容器部件或基座、从主要部分延伸的多个侧壁,以及从相应侧壁向内或向外延伸的多个扩散长度延伸部凸缘。包括粘合剂层和低渗透性材料层的压敏粘合带被定位在每个凸缘的界面或边缘处以气密地密封容器,由此对应于从气密密封容器的气体泄漏的扩散长度大体上与一个或多个凸缘的宽度相对应。然后,可用诸如氦气之类的比空气轻的气体填充气密密封容器。(A hermetically sealed container for one or more data storage devices can include a first container component or base including a planar main portion, a plurality of sidewalls extending from the main portion, and a plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extending inwardly or outwardly from respective sidewalls. A pressure sensitive adhesive tape comprising an adhesive layer and a low permeability material layer is positioned at the interface or edge of each flange to hermetically seal the container, whereby the diffusion length corresponding to gas leakage from the hermetically sealed container generally corresponds to the width of the flange or flanges. The hermetically sealed container may then be filled with a lighter-than-air gas, such as helium.)

1. A hermetically sealed container for one or more data storage devices, the container comprising:

a container component, the container component comprising:

the main part of the substantially plane surface,

a plurality of side walls extending from the main portion, and

a plurality of diffusion length extension flanges,

wherein a corresponding flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends from a corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and

a Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) sheet comprising an adhesive layer and a low permeability material layer and positioned at an interface associated with each of the diffusion length extension flanges of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges;

wherein the PSA sheet hermetically seals the hermetically sealed container.

2. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, wherein the low-permeability material of the PSA sheet comprises a metal layer positioned substantially over an entirety of each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges, thereby forming a diffusion length associated with gas leakage from the hermetically sealed container that corresponds to a length that each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends from the respective sidewall.

3. The hermetically sealed container of claim 2, wherein the container component is a first container component, the hermetically sealed container further comprising:

a second container component coupled with the first container component;

wherein the PSA sheet is positioned on an interface of each of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges and the second container component.

4. The hermetically sealed container of claim 3, wherein the PSA sheet is positioned substantially entirely of (1) each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges and (2) the second container component.

5. The hermetically sealed container of claim 3, wherein the PSA sheet covers any gaps that may be between the first container component and the second container component.

6. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, wherein at least one flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends substantially perpendicularly from each corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

7. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, wherein at least one flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends inwardly from each corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

8. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, wherein each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends inwardly from each corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

9. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, wherein at least one flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends outwardly from each corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

10. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, wherein each of the diffusion length extension flanges extends outwardly from each corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

11. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, further comprising and contained therein:

a plurality of rotating disk data storage devices; and

a gas lighter than air.

12. The hermetically sealed container of claim 11, wherein the lighter-than-air gas comprises helium.

13. The hermetically sealed container of claim 1, further comprising and contained therein:

a recording disk medium rotatably mounted on the spindle;

a head slider including a read-write transducer configured to write to and read from the disk media;

a rotary actuator assembly configured to move the head slider to contact a portion of the magnetic disk media; and

a gas lighter than air.

14. A method of manufacturing a hermetically sealed container, the method comprising:

forming a container component comprising:

the main part of the substantially plane surface,

a plurality of side walls extending from the main portion, and

a plurality of diffusion length extension flanges,

wherein a corresponding flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends from a corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and

hermetically sealing the container by applying a Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) sheet at an interface associated with each of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges, the PSA sheet comprising an adhesive layer and a layer of low permeability material.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein hermetically sealing the container comprises applying the PSA sheet having a metal layer as the low permeability material over substantially an entirety of each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges such that a diffusion length associated with gas leakage from the hermetically sealed container corresponds to a width of each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the container component is a first container component, the method further comprising:

coupling a second container component with the first container component to form an unsealed container;

wherein hermetically sealing comprises hermetically sealing the unsealed container by applying the PSA sheet over an interface of each of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges and the second container component.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

filling the unsealed container with a lighter-than-air gas prior to hermetically sealing the unsealed container.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein hermetically sealing the unsealed container comprises applying the PSA sheet having a metal layer as the low permeability material over (1) each of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges and (2) substantially all of the second container component.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends inwardly from each corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein each flange of the plurality of diffusion length extension flanges extends outwardly from each corresponding sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the forming comprises forming the container component by bending a metal sheet.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the forming comprises forming the container member by stamping or deep drawing a metal sheet.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein hermetically sealing the container forms a hermetically sealed container, the method further comprising:

filling the hermetically sealed container with a lighter-than-air gas.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the invention may relate generally to data storage devices and, in particular, to methods for reducing leakage rates in adhesive-based hermetically sealed hard disk drives and storage systems.

Background

Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) are non-volatile storage devices that are housed in a protective enclosure and store digitally encoded data on one or more pucks having magnetic surfaces. Each magnetic-recording disk is rapidly rotated by the spindle system while the HDD is in operation. Data is read from and written to the magnetic-recording disk using a read-write head positioned by an actuator over a particular location of the disk. The read-write head uses a magnetic field to write data to and read data from the surface of the magnetic-recording disk. The write head operates with a current flowing through its coil, thereby generating a magnetic field. Electrical pulses are sent to the write head in different patterns of positive and negative currents. The current in the coil of the write head generates a local magnetic field in the gap between the head and the disk, which in turn magnetizes a small area on the recording medium.

HDDs being manufactured are hermetically sealed internally with helium gas. In addition, the use of other gases lighter than air has been considered as an alternative to sealing air in HDDs. Sealing and operating HDDs in a helium environment has several benefits, for example, because helium has a density of one-seventh that of air. Thus, operating the HDD in helium reduces the drag force on the rotating disk stack and the mechanical power used by the disk spindle motor is greatly reduced. In addition, operating in helium reduces disk and suspension flutter, allowing disks to be brought closer together and increasing areal density (a measure of the number of information bits that can be stored on a given area of the disk surface) by enabling smaller, narrower data track pitches. The lower shear force and more efficient heat transfer of helium also means that the HDD will run cooler and will emit less acoustic noise. The reliability of HDDs is also increased due to low humidity, lower sensitivity to altitude and external pressure changes, and the absence of corrosive gases or contaminants.

Electronic systems requiring a hermetically sealed internal volume (e.g., sealed HDDs or HDD systems filled with lighter-than-air gases) require a method of preventing leakage through the interface between the container cover and the respective container substrate to which the cover is coupled. One approach may be to adhesively bond the cover to the base by applying a Pressure Sensitive Adhesive (PSA) around the component interface that acts as a barrier to gas leakage and moisture passage. PSA-based seals provide more serviceability of the seal than epoxy seals. Furthermore, tape sealing is a reasonable method of using PSA sealing, as very thin PSA sheets (in the range of 20 μm-100 μm) can be used, which can result in a small diffusion area that helps to minimize leakage rates. In all cases, the critical diffusion length is the minimum distance enclosed lighter-than-air gas will need to travel to leak out of the container through or around the PSA sheet (or simply "PSA"). In the case of a PSA without a metal layer, this diffusion length will generally be equivalent to the thickness of the PSA sheet, as gas can diffuse through the PSA. Where the PSA has a metal layer to prevent diffusion of lighter-than-air gases through the PSA, this diffusion length will generally be equivalent to the shortest path around the PSA, i.e. along the length of the PSA.

Any methods described in this section are approaches that could be pursued, but not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Accordingly, unless otherwise indicated, it should not be assumed that any of the approaches described in this section qualify as prior art merely by virtue of their inclusion in this section.

Drawings

Embodiments are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a Hard Disk Drive (HDD) according to one embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a data storage system assembly (or "tray") according to one embodiment;

figure 3A is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a PSA-based L-joint sealing technique, according to one embodiment;

figure 3B is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a PSA-based L-joint sealing technique on a corner, according to one embodiment;

figure 3C is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a PSA-based planar joint sealing technique, according to one embodiment;

figure 3D is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a PSA-based planar joint sealing technique on a corner, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a top perspective view illustrating a metal sheet according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4B is a top perspective view illustrating an inwardly flanged container base formed from the metal sheet of FIG. 4A, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a sealed container having the inwardly flanged base of FIG. 4B, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view illustrating an outwardly flanged container base according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating a sealed container having the outwardly flanged base of FIG. 6, according to one embodiment; and is

Fig. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method of manufacturing a hermetically sealed container, according to one embodiment.