JPH01290184A - Magnetic disk device and cleanliness measuring method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To measure cleanliness without generating a pressure change in the internal part of a magnetic disk device by providing a valve, for which plural opening and closing mechanisms are fitted, in one or both of a base and a cover. CONSTITUTION:A valve 3b is provided in a base 10 and a valve 3a is provided in a cover 11. In normal operation, internal air flows from the center of a magnetic disk 15 to an external side and circulates by the revolution of the magnetic disk 15. At such a time, the dust of the internal air is caught by a catching filter 18. The valves 3a and 3b have the opening and closing mechanisms and the valves are normally in a closing condition. Then, since plugs 5a and 5b of pipes 30 and 31 are inserted to the valves 3a and 3b, the opening and closing mechanisms are opened and the internal side and external side of the disk device are connected. Then, the air can flow in and out. Thus, the balance of exhausting quantity and sucking quantity is kept and the cleanliness can be measured without lowering pressure in the device.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Table of contents] Overview Industrial field of application Conventional technology (Fig. 5) Means for solving the problem to be solved by the invention (Fig. 1) Working example <a) 1 Explanation of an embodiment (Figures 2 and 3) (b) Explanation of another embodiment (Figure 4) (C) Explanation of another embodiment Effects of the invention [Summary] Internal air is purified by an internal circulation system Regarding magnetic disk drives and their cleanliness measurement methods for measuring the cleanliness of internal air in magnetic disk drives, which are becoming increasingly popular, we have developed a base and A magnetic disk drive that is sealed with a cover and uses an internal circulation method to purify the air inside the device, and has valves with multiple opening/closing mechanisms installed on one or both of the base or cover, or is sealed with the base and cover. A method for measuring the cleanliness of a magnetic disk device in which a dust meter is connected to a magnetic disk device that purifies the air inside the device using an internal circulation method to measure the cleanliness of the internal air. One or both of them is provided with a valve with a plurality of opening/closing mechanisms, and the dust meter is connected to one of the valves, and the dust meter or filter is connected to the other valve. Measures the cleanliness of the internal air.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to a magnetic disk device for measuring the cleanliness of internal air in a magnetic disk device that cleans the internal air by an internal circulation method, and a method for measuring the cleanliness thereof.

Magnetic disk drives are widely used as external storage devices.

In recent years, as magnetic disk drives have become larger in capacity, higher in density, and more compact, the flying height of their heads has been decreasing, reaching 1 micron or less.

In such magnetic disk drives, even a few micrometers of dust can adversely affect the flying characteristics of the head, and large amounts of dust in the air can cause head crashes.

For this reason, keeping the inside of the device sealed and purifying the internal air to maintain a high level of cleanliness at all times is an important issue in maintaining the reliability of magnetic disk drives, and cleanliness must be confirmed and guaranteed. The technology to do so is required.

[Conventional technology]

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the prior art.

The magnetic disk drive 1, which is sealed by a base 10 and a cover 11, cleans the internal air through internal circulation.

In such a magnetic disk device I, in order to measure the cleanliness of the internal air, it is sufficient to introduce the internal air to the dust meter 2 and measure the cleanliness.

A dust meter (dust measuring instrument) is a device that measures dust by optically (light scattering) observing dust in the air.

For this cleanliness measurement, for example,
In Publication No. 71083, one air outlet 3 or a rubber-based soft member is provided in the base 11, connected to the dust meter 2 with a pipe 30 or a pipe with a syringe needle, and the dust meter 2 sucks the internal air to drain the inside. Measuring air cleanliness.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the conventional technology, since the air inside the magnetic disk device 1 is simply sucked, the internal pressure changes and becomes negative pressure.

For this reason, a problem has arisen in that a large amount of dirty air flows in from the outside, the amount of dust inside increases, and the cleanliness of the inside deteriorates when the cleanliness is measured.

In particular, the magnetic disk drive I is manufactured in a clean room with high cleanliness, but the cleanliness is measured outside the clean room as part of product inspection, and also in the field.

There is a lot of dust in the outside air, and due to the inflow of dust, products that have been manufactured with high cleanliness levels have a problem in that the cleanliness level decreases when the cleanliness is measured, making it impossible to replace high-cleanliness products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a magnetic disk device that can measure cleanliness without causing pressure changes inside the device, and a method for measuring its cleanliness.

[Means to solve the problem]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.

The magnetic disk device of the present invention includes a base 10 and a cover 11.
In this magnetic disk device, which is sealed with air and purifies the air inside the device using an internal circulation method, valves 3a and 3b with a plurality of opening/closing mechanisms are provided on one or both of the base 10 and the cover 11.

In addition, the method for measuring the cleanliness of a magnetic disk device according to the present invention involves connecting a dust meter 2 to a magnetic disk device that is sealed with a base 10 and a cover 11 and purifies the air inside the device using an internal circulation method. In a method for measuring the cleanliness of a magnetic disk device that measures the cleanliness of air, one or both of the base 10 and the cover 11 are provided with valves 3a and 3b each having a plurality of opening/closing mechanisms, and one of the valves 3a
The dust meter 2 was connected to the other valve 3b, and the dust meter 2 or the filter 4 was connected to the other valve 3b, so that the dust meter 2 measured the cleanliness of the internal air.

[Effect]

The present invention provides that either the base 10 or the cover 11 of the magnetic disk device 1 has a plurality of valves 3a, 3b on one or both.
By providing this, when measuring the cleanliness of the dust meter 2, the device can be evacuated and taken in, the exhaust amount and the intake amount can be balanced, and the cleanliness can be measured without reducing the pressure inside the device.

Further, since the valves 3a and 3b are provided with an opening/closing mechanism, the valves 3a and 3b are opened only during measurement, and the valves 3a and 3b are closed during non-measurement to seal the inside.

〔Example〕

(a) Description of one embodiment FIG. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the present invention.

In the figure, the same parts as those shown in Figs. 1 and 5 are indicated by the same symbols, and 5a and 5b are plugs, which are installed in the connecting pipes 30 and 31 as described later, and I
2 is a spindle motor, which is installed on the base], 0 and rotates a spindle housing (described later); 1
Reference numeral 3 denotes a head drive motor, which is composed of a voice coil motor and rotates a swing shaft (described later) to position the head on a desired track on the magnetic disk.

A swing shaft 14 is rotatably fixed to the base 10, and is provided with a gimbal (not shown) and a head arm 14a to which a core is attached. 15 is a magnetic disk, which is stacked and fixed on a spindle housing; 16 is a spindle housing, which is rotated by the spindle motor 12, and which is rotated by the spindle motor 12, 15 are fitted together, stacked, and screwed together using clamps 16a.

Reference numeral 17 represents a breathing filter, which is provided in the cover 11 to remove dust from the gas flowing in from the air intake port 17a due to pressure changes within the disk, and reference numeral 18 represents a capture filter, which is provided in the spindle housing 1.
It is provided on the inner surface of the magnetic disk 15 to capture dust in the air flowing into the magnetic disk 15 while the magnetic disk 15 is rotating.

A cover 11 is provided on the base 10 to seal these parts.

Further, the base 10 is provided with a valve 3b, and the cover 11 is provided with a valve 3b.
is provided with a valve 3a.

In normal operation, internal air flows and circulates outward from the center of the magnetic disk 15 as the magnetic disk 15 rotates.

At this time, the dust in the internal air is captured by the capture filter 18.

In addition, a flat plate-shaped breathing filter 1 is used to prevent internal pressure changes.
External air flows in from the air inlet 17a via 7 to keep the pressure constant, but it is insufficient to follow drastic pressure changes.

The valves 3a, 3b have an opening/closing mechanism and are normally closed. By inserting the plugs 5a, 5b of the pipes 30.31 into the valves 3a, 3b, the opening/closing mechanism is opened, and the disk device is opened. The inside and outside are connected, allowing air to flow in and out.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the valve and plug shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows the valves 3a and 3b when they are closed. A lid 33 is provided on the air inflow path 38, and the lid 33 is kept in the closed state by being pressed against the gasket 34 by the spring 32.

Further, on the plugs 5a, 5b side of the valves 3a, 3b, there are provided a shutoff gasket, a ball 36 for locking the plug, and a sleeve 37 for unlocking the ball 36.

On the other hand, the plugs 5a and 5b are provided with a tip portion 52, a blocking projection 53, and a locking recess 54 on the outside of the cylindrical portion 51 forming the air passage 50.

To open the air passages 38 of the valves 3a, 3b, plugs 5a, 5b are inserted into the valves 3a, 3b in the direction of the arrow.

First, the convex portions 53 of the plugs 5a, 5b are pressed against the gaskets 35 of the valves 3a, 3b to shut off the air passage 38 from the outside air, and then the tips 52 of the plugs 5a, 5b are pressed against the gaskets 35 of the valves 3a, 3b. , press the lids 33 of the valves 3a and 3b to open the air passages 38, and then press the balls 3 of the valves 3a and 3b.
6 is the plug 5a.

The plugs 5a and 5b fit into the recess 54 of the valve 3.
Locked to a and 3b.

To remove the plugs 5a, 5b, when the sleeves 37 of the valves 3a, 3b are moved upward, the fitting between the balls 36 and the recesses 54 of the plugs 5a, 5b is released, and the lock is released.

When the plugs 5a and 5b are pulled out, the lids 33 of the valves 3a and 3b are pushed up by the force of the spring 32, and the lids 33
is pressed against the gasket 34, and the air passage 38 is closed.

In the valves 3a and 3b with such an opening/closing mechanism, when the plugs 5a and 5b are attached and detached, no external air is mixed in the air passage for 3 days, making it possible to measure the cleanliness.

To measure the cleanliness (dust) of such a magnetic disk drive, the inlet of the dust meter 2 is connected to the vibrator 30, one valve 3a is connected to the other through the plug 5a, and the outlet is connected to the vibrator 31 through the plug 5b to the other valve 3a. Connect to valve 3b.

As a result, the suction amount and the discharge amount of the dust meter 2 are the same, the pressure inside the magnetic disk drive 1 is kept the same as in normal times, there is no pressure drop, and there is no intrusion of external dust.

Furthermore, the air discharged from the dust meter 2 is clean air that has captured dust from the internal air sucked in by a filter inside the dust meter 2, and does not contaminate the inside of the magnetic disk drive l.

At this time, air replenishment into the magnetic disk drive 1 from the breathing filter 17 alone is not sufficient for the suction amount of the dust meter 2 (approximately 300 cc/min), and the inside of the magnetic disk drive 1 becomes negative pressure, causing Since dust is mixed in, the other valve 3b is provided to introduce clean air from the dust meter 2.

(b) Description of other embodiments FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of another embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 are indicated by the same symbols, and 4 is a filter;
The vibrator 31 is connected to the valve 3b via the plug 5b.

In this embodiment, the suction port of the dust meter 2 is connected to a valve 3a through a vibrator 30 and a plug 5a to suck internal air, and the other valve 3b is connected to a filter 4 through a vibrator 31 and a plug 5b. By doing so, the dust meter 2
The same amount of air as the intake amount is replenished into the magnetic disk device 1 from the filter 4.

As a result, there is no pressure drop inside the magnetic disk 1 due to suction by the dust meter 2, and cleanliness measurement can be performed while preventing the intrusion of external dust.

(C) Description of another embodiment In the above embodiment, the valves 3a and 3b are provided on both the base 10 and the cover 11, but they may be provided on either the cover 11 or the base 10. 3a, 3b
Although the explanation has been given using an example in which two are provided, three or more may be provided as necessary.

Although the present invention has been described above using examples, the present invention can be modified in various ways according to the gist of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the present invention.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, cleanliness measurement using a dust meter can be performed by balancing the suction amount and exhaust amount, so the cleanliness can be measured without reducing the pressure inside the magnetic disk device. This has the effect of being able to measure the cleanliness of the magnetic disk drive, preventing the occurrence of failures without contaminating the magnetic disk drive, and greatly contributing to improving the reliability of the magnetic disk drive.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram of the principle of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a detailed explanatory diagram of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a configuration diagram of the valve and plug configured in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an explanation of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the prior art. In the figure, 1-magnetic disk device, 2-dust meter, 3a, 3b-valve, 4-filter.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a magnetic disk drive that is sealed between a base (10) and a cover (11) and uses an internal circulation system to purify the air inside the device, valves (3a, 3b) with multiple opening/closing mechanisms are connected to the base ( 10) or a cover (11), or both. (2) A dust meter (2) is connected to a magnetic disk device that is sealed with a base (10) and a cover (11) and uses an internal circulation method to clean the air inside the device to check the cleanliness of the internal air. In the method for measuring the cleanliness of a magnetic disk drive, the base (10) or the cover (11) is provided with valves (3a, 3b) each having a plurality of opening/closing mechanisms on either one or both of the base (10) or the cover (11).
), connect the dust meter (2) to the one valve (3a), connect the dust meter (2) or the filter (4) to the other valve (3b), and connect the dust meter (2) to the other valve (3b). A method for measuring cleanliness of a magnetic disk drive, characterized in that the cleanliness of the internal air is measured by: