WO2006048611A1 - A temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive - Google Patents

A temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2006048611A1
WO2006048611A1 PCT/GB2005/004150 GB2005004150W WO2006048611A1 WO 2006048611 A1 WO2006048611 A1 WO 2006048611A1 GB 2005004150 W GB2005004150 W GB 2005004150W WO 2006048611 A1 WO2006048611 A1 WO 2006048611A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
hard disk
disk drive
thermal
thermal chamber
air movement
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB2005/004150
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
David Ronald Bain Farquhar
David John Orris
Original Assignee
Xyratex Technology Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Xyratex Technology Limited filed Critical Xyratex Technology Limited
Priority to CN2005800362891A priority Critical patent/CN101065805B/en
Priority to JP2007538508A priority patent/JP4797023B2/en
Priority to GB0703732A priority patent/GB2434910B/en
Priority to US11/665,806 priority patent/US8061155B2/en
Publication of WO2006048611A1 publication Critical patent/WO2006048611A1/en
Priority to HK07111328A priority patent/HK1103469A1/en
Priority to US13/272,974 priority patent/US20120120524A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B33/00—Constructional parts, details or accessories not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • G11B33/14—Reducing influence of physical parameters, e.g. temperature change, moisture, dust
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B33/00—Constructional parts, details or accessories not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B33/00—Constructional parts, details or accessories not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • G11B33/14—Reducing influence of physical parameters, e.g. temperature change, moisture, dust
    • G11B33/1406—Reducing the influence of the temperature
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K7/00—Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus
    • H05K7/20—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating
    • H05K7/20709—Modifications to facilitate cooling, ventilating, or heating for server racks or cabinets; for data centers, e.g. 19-inch computer racks
    • H05K7/208—Liquid cooling with phase change

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive.
  • hard disk drives During manufacture of hard disk drives it is necessary to test the hard disk drives to ensure that they meet required specifications. As part of the testing, it is necessary to control the temperature of the hard disk drives . The temperature of the hard disk drives is varied across a wide range during testing.
  • test hard disk drives in apparatus including a test rack comprising a framework matrix for receiving housings each containing a hard disk drive for testing.
  • a cooling system including one or more heat exchangers is typically provided associated with the test rack. These heat exchangers generate cool air that is then provided to cool both control electronics associated with each housing and to cool the hard disk drive (s) being tested.
  • a heat source may also be provided to heat the hard disk drives during testing.
  • radial or centrifugal fans are used to generate airflow to move the cooled air via various ducted pathways over the control electronics and the hard disk drive (s) within the housings.
  • separate fans are used to generate airflow for cooling the control electronics and the hard disk drive (s) being tested.
  • a problem with the use of fans to generate the airflow is that they introduce vibration to the apparatus that can severely affect hard disk drive testing.
  • a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive; -a-H-d- - an oscillatory air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber, thereby to facilitate heat transfer between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive.
  • an oscillatory air movement generator is provided for generating air movement within the region between a thermal chamber and a hard disk drive ' in normal use or during testing. This reduces the unwanted vibration to which a hard disk drive would otherwise be exposed. Furthermore, the nature of the air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber enables the volume that is maintained at a desired temperature around a hard disk drive in use or during tested to be localised around the hard disk drive.
  • the temperature control apparatus may be provided as part of a hard disk drive test apparatus. Alternatively, the temperature control apparatus may be provided for control of the temperature of a hard disk drive during normal use.
  • the oscillatory air movement generator is a voice-coil motor connected to a diaphragm.
  • the oscillatory air movement generator may ⁇ "be- ⁇ a--p-i-ez-o—elec-t-ri-c-element- or--bellows.
  • the apparatus comprises plural thermal chambers each for receiving a respective hard disk drive/ and, an oscillatory air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between each of the thermal chambers and a said hard disk drive when received in each of the thermal chambers thereby to facilitate heat transfer between a said hard disk drive received in use within each of the thermal chambers and the respective thermal chamber.
  • baffles are provided between individual ones of the thermal chambers. These provide thermal isolation to individual ones of the thermal chambers and enable only a single air-moving actuator to be used to generate the air movement for plural thermal chambers.
  • a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive in a thermal chamber comprising: generating non-mass flow air movement in the region between the hard disk drive and the thermal chamber to facilitate efficient heat transfer therebetween.
  • a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive, wherein when a said hard disk drive is received within the thermal chamber heat transfer between the thermal chamber and " the ⁇ sa ⁇ " d " " hard disk drive -i-s ⁇ enabled by air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and the said hard disk drive.
  • the invention provides a hard disk drive test apparatus in which non-mass flow air movement is used to disturb the air within the region between a hard disk drive arranged in a thermal chamber and the thermal chamber itself. This improves the transfer of heat between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive arranged in the apparatus in use, e.g. during testing, whilst avoiding the problems of vibration encountered with the use of radial or centrifugal fans.
  • a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive; and an air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber, thereby to facilitate heat transfer between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive.
  • Figure 1 shows an example of a temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention
  • Figure -2 shows a sectional side, view of the temperature control apparatus of figure 1;
  • Figure 3 shows a plan view of an example of a temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG 1 shows an example of a temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the apparatus 2 comprises a thermal chamber 6 for receiving a hard disk drive 12.
  • the thermal chamber 6 can function both as a heat sink and as a heat source. In use the temperature control apparatus would typically be provided within a framework matrix as will be described below with reference to Figure 3.
  • the thermal chamber 6 may typically be an appropriately shaped block of metal having fins and ducts as required to facilitate efficient heat transfer via air between a hard disk drive being tested and the thermal chamber.
  • a heat pump 8 is provided in thermal communication with the thermal chamber 6.
  • a heat exchanger 10 is also provided in thermal communication with the heat pump 8.
  • the temperature of the thermal chamber 6 and therefore the environmental temperature to which the hard disk drive 12 is exposed may be varied.
  • the heat pump 8 is connected to the heat exchanger 10 via plates 11 and a heat pipe 17 that in combination enable bidirectional heat transfer i.e. heat transfer in both directions between the heat pump 8 and the heat exchanger 10.
  • the heat pipe is preferably flexible. T-h ⁇ s—enables the plate B to be moved away from the system heat exchanger.
  • a selectively reconfigurable connector (not shown) is provided to enable connection and disconnection of the plate B and the heat exchanger 10.
  • a heat pipe is a preferred type of device for enabling transfer of heat between the pump 8 and the heat exchanger 10. This is because the heat pipe is efficient, has a low volume and no moving parts. Any device that can transfer heat from the pump 8 to the heat exchanger 10 can be used, e.g., ducts for a flowing heat transfer fluid could be used.
  • the heat pump 8 functions as a heat source or as a heat receiver. Any device that can provide this functionality may be used. Indeed, any type of heat pump that is capable of pumping heat into and/or out of an object may be used. A particularly preferred example is a peltier device. A peltier heat pump typically can enable cooling to temperatures less than O 0 C. In the example shown in Figure 1, the heat pump 8, plates 11 and heat pipe 17 enable heat to flow both to and from the heat exchanger 10 in dependence on the desired temperature of the hard disk drive 12.
  • the thermal chamber 6 is provided with apertures 15 to enable mounting of the thermal chamber in a suitable carrier.
  • the thermal chamber may be mounted in a structure such as a framework matrix for receiving plural thermal chambers .
  • the -thermal chamber may have dimensions...such,that a hard disk drive received within it is in close proximity to the inner walls of the thermal chamber. Heat transfer may then be effected between the hard disk drive and the thermal chamber by convective currents . In this example there would be no requirement for an oscillatory air flow generator. In both cases heat transfer is effected in the region between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive by non-mass flow movement of air within the thermal chamber, but substantially not through the chamber. In other words, the air within the thermal chamber is agitated or disturbed thereby generating non-mass flow air movement.
  • a purge of air is easily accomplished. This may be desirable since it enables any water content contained in the air originally in the chamber to be removed so that if the hard disk drive is then cooled to below the dew point of air no condensation will be formed. Furthermore, the low volume of air within the region between a hard disk drive and the thermal chamber also means that even if no purge of air is performed, the amount of condensation formed will be minimal.
  • FIG 2 a section along the line II' through figure 1 is shown.
  • the heat pump 8 is omitted.
  • an air-moving actuator 14 is provided.
  • the air-moving actuator 14 is an example of an oscillatory or non-mass flow air movement generator and serves to generate oscillatory or non-mass flow air movement within the regron-between the hard-d-is-k- drive 12 and the thermal chamber 6. This air movement improves the efficiency of heat transfer between the thermal chamber 6 and the hard disk drive 12.
  • the movement of the air-moving actuator 14 that generates the air movement is substantially translational . It will be understood that air within the region between the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive is effectively disturbed in a non-mass flow manner such that heat transfer is enabled between the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive by the volume of air filling the region. In other words there is substantially no aggregate mass flow of air into or out of the region between the inner walls of the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive. However, the air within this region is agitated such that heat transfer is enabled between the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive.
  • the air moving actuator 14 may be remote from the thermal chamber. Alternatively the actuator could be arranged adjacent to the thermal chamber or even embedded within the body of the thermal chamber. In one embodiment the air movement actuator comprises two components arranged in use on opposite sides of the thermal chamber. The components are arranged to operate in an alternate fashion such that on aggregate non-mass flow air movement is generated within the region between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive arranged within it.
  • the vibration to which the hard disk drive 12 is subjected during operation of the actuator 14 is significantly reduced in comparison to that that it would experience " if a conventional rot-ary -fan were used to generate air movement. This is due in part to the reduced coupling between the actuator 14 and the hard disk drive compared to that between a conventional rotary fan and a hard disk drive in a similar arrangement.
  • the effect on the hard disk drive is minimal since the servo loops in hard disk drives are typically less sensitive to low frequency vibrations.
  • the frequency of oscillation is less than or equal to about 30Hz.
  • the frequency and wave shape of the air movement may be optimised for the application and particular hard disk drive being used or tested. At present, for hard disk drives the frequency might be less than or equal to about 30Hz. In the future, hard disk drives may require different optimisations .
  • the air-moving actuator comprises a voice-coil motor 16 connected to a diaphragm 18. This is commonly referred to as a loudspeaker. It will be appreciated that other means may be utilised that are also capable of generating non-mass flow air movement in the region between the hard disk drive 12 and the thermal chamber 6, thereby increasing the efficiency of heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the hard-disk drive 12. For example, a piezo-electric element may be used instead of the voice-coil motor.
  • thermo chamber receiving it there may be actual physical contact between a hard disk drive and the thermal chamber receiving it such that heat transfer between the two may also be effected, in part, by conduction.
  • Figure 3 shows an example of hard disk drive test apparatus including temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
  • the figure shows a schematic plan view of a horizontal section through the hard disk drive test apparatus.
  • the test apparatus includes temperature control apparatus as shown in and described above with reference to figures 1 and 2 that may be used to vary the temperatures to which plural hard disk drives are exposed.
  • the test apparatus 20 comprises a framework matrix containing a plurality of temperature control apparatuses. Each temperature control apparatus is mounted directly within the framework matrix. Apertures 15 within the thermal chamber 6 enable the hard disk drive within the thermal chamber optionally to be mounted to something other than the thermal chamber itself for optimisation of vibrational performance.
  • an air moving actuator 14 is provided for generating non-mass flow air movement although the test apparatus may be provided without an air moving actuator 14.
  • An air channel 24 provides a route for transferring movement of the air from the actuator to within the apparatus 20. In the specific example shown, the route is provided by ducting.
  • a single air-moving actuator is provided for generating the air movement for plural hard disk drives.
  • a number of separating baffles 22 are provided for limiting the thermal interaction between hard disk drives 12 in the test apparatus. This enables a single actuator 14 to be utilised to provide air movement for regulating the temperature of plural disk drives 12.
  • limiting thermal interaction between hard disk drives enables one actuator to be used for multiple hard disk drives, possibly each at a different temperature.
  • a dedicated air-moving actuator 14 may be provided for each of the hard disk drives.

Abstract

The invention provides a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive, the apparatus comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive; and an oscillatory air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber, thereby to facilitate heat transfer between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive.

Description

A TEMPERATURE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR A HARD DISK DRIVE AND A METHOD OF VARYING THE TEMPERATURE OF A HARD DISK DRIVE
The present invention relates to a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive.
During manufacture of hard disk drives it is necessary to test the hard disk drives to ensure that they meet required specifications. As part of the testing, it is necessary to control the temperature of the hard disk drives . The temperature of the hard disk drives is varied across a wide range during testing.
It is also desirable to maintain the temperature of a hard disk drive to be within a predetermined range during normal operation of the hard disk drive, i.e. when the hard disk drive is in normal use by an end user.
It is known to test hard disk drives in apparatus including a test rack comprising a framework matrix for receiving housings each containing a hard disk drive for testing. To provide control of the temperature to which a hard disk drive is exposed during testing, a cooling system including one or more heat exchangers is typically provided associated with the test rack. These heat exchangers generate cool air that is then provided to cool both control electronics associated with each housing and to cool the hard disk drive (s) being tested. A heat source may also be provided to heat the hard disk drives during testing.
Conventionally, radial or centrifugal fans are used to generate airflow to move the cooled air via various ducted pathways over the control electronics and the hard disk drive (s) within the housings. Typically, separate fans are used to generate airflow for cooling the control electronics and the hard disk drive (s) being tested. A problem with the use of fans to generate the airflow is that they introduce vibration to the apparatus that can severely affect hard disk drive testing.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive, the apparatus comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive; -a-H-d- - an oscillatory air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber, thereby to facilitate heat transfer between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive.
In contrast to conventional systems in which radial or centrifugal fans are used in combination with a heat exchanger to generate airflow for controlling the temperature of a hard disk drive, in embodiments of the present invention an oscillatory air movement generator is provided for generating air movement within the region between a thermal chamber and a hard disk drive ' in normal use or during testing. This reduces the unwanted vibration to which a hard disk drive would otherwise be exposed. Furthermore, the nature of the air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber enables the volume that is maintained at a desired temperature around a hard disk drive in use or during tested to be localised around the hard disk drive.
The temperature control apparatus may be provided as part of a hard disk drive test apparatus. Alternatively, the temperature control apparatus may be provided for control of the temperature of a hard disk drive during normal use.
In one example, the oscillatory air movement generator is a voice-coil motor connected to a diaphragm. Alternatively, the oscillatory air movement generator may ■"be-~a--p-i-ez-o—elec-t-ri-c-element- or--bellows.
Preferably, the apparatus comprises plural thermal chambers each for receiving a respective hard disk drive/ and, an oscillatory air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between each of the thermal chambers and a said hard disk drive when received in each of the thermal chambers thereby to facilitate heat transfer between a said hard disk drive received in use within each of the thermal chambers and the respective thermal chamber.
Preferably baffles are provided between individual ones of the thermal chambers. These provide thermal isolation to individual ones of the thermal chambers and enable only a single air-moving actuator to be used to generate the air movement for plural thermal chambers.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive in a thermal chamber, the method comprising: generating non-mass flow air movement in the region between the hard disk drive and the thermal chamber to facilitate efficient heat transfer therebetween.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive, the apparatus comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive, wherein when a said hard disk drive is received within the thermal chamber heat transfer between the thermal chamber and" the~sa±"d" "hard disk drive -i-s~enabled by air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and the said hard disk drive.
In embodiments, the invention provides a hard disk drive test apparatus in which non-mass flow air movement is used to disturb the air within the region between a hard disk drive arranged in a thermal chamber and the thermal chamber itself. This improves the transfer of heat between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive arranged in the apparatus in use, e.g. during testing, whilst avoiding the problems of vibration encountered with the use of radial or centrifugal fans.
In an alternative aspect of the present invention, there is provided a temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive, the apparatus comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive; and an air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber, thereby to facilitate heat transfer between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive.
Examples of the present invention will now be described in detail, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 shows an example of a temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure -2—shows a sectional side, view of the temperature control apparatus of figure 1; and,
Figure 3 shows a plan view of an example of a temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 1 shows an example of a temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 2 comprises a thermal chamber 6 for receiving a hard disk drive 12. The thermal chamber 6 can function both as a heat sink and as a heat source. In use the temperature control apparatus would typically be provided within a framework matrix as will be described below with reference to Figure 3. The thermal chamber 6 may typically be an appropriately shaped block of metal having fins and ducts as required to facilitate efficient heat transfer via air between a hard disk drive being tested and the thermal chamber. In the particular embodiment shown, a heat pump 8 is provided in thermal communication with the thermal chamber 6. A heat exchanger 10 is also provided in thermal communication with the heat pump 8. By varying the operation of the heat pump 8, the temperature of the thermal chamber 6 and therefore the environmental temperature to which the hard disk drive 12 is exposed, may be varied. The heat pump 8 is connected to the heat exchanger 10 via plates 11 and a heat pipe 17 that in combination enable bidirectional heat transfer i.e. heat transfer in both directions between the heat pump 8 and the heat exchanger 10.
The heat pipe is preferably flexible. T-h±s—enables the plate B to be moved away from the system heat exchanger. Preferably, a selectively reconfigurable connector (not shown) is provided to enable connection and disconnection of the plate B and the heat exchanger 10.
A heat pipe is a preferred type of device for enabling transfer of heat between the pump 8 and the heat exchanger 10. This is because the heat pipe is efficient, has a low volume and no moving parts. Any device that can transfer heat from the pump 8 to the heat exchanger 10 can be used, e.g., ducts for a flowing heat transfer fluid could be used.
With respect to the thermal chamber the heat pump 8 functions as a heat source or as a heat receiver. Any device that can provide this functionality may be used. Indeed, any type of heat pump that is capable of pumping heat into and/or out of an object may be used. A particularly preferred example is a peltier device. A peltier heat pump typically can enable cooling to temperatures less than O0C. In the example shown in Figure 1, the heat pump 8, plates 11 and heat pipe 17 enable heat to flow both to and from the heat exchanger 10 in dependence on the desired temperature of the hard disk drive 12.
The thermal chamber 6 is provided with apertures 15 to enable mounting of the thermal chamber in a suitable carrier. When used for testing a hard disk drive the thermal chamber may be mounted in a structure such as a framework matrix for receiving plural thermal chambers .
-The -thermal chamber, may have dimensions...such,that a hard disk drive received within it is in close proximity to the inner walls of the thermal chamber. Heat transfer may then be effected between the hard disk drive and the thermal chamber by convective currents . In this example there would be no requirement for an oscillatory air flow generator. In both cases heat transfer is effected in the region between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive by non-mass flow movement of air within the thermal chamber, but substantially not through the chamber. In other words, the air within the thermal chamber is agitated or disturbed thereby generating non-mass flow air movement.
In the case where a small volume of air is provided within the region between a hard disk drive and the thermal chamber a purge of air is easily accomplished. This may be desirable since it enables any water content contained in the air originally in the chamber to be removed so that if the hard disk drive is then cooled to below the dew point of air no condensation will be formed. Furthermore, the low volume of air within the region between a hard disk drive and the thermal chamber also means that even if no purge of air is performed, the amount of condensation formed will be minimal.
Referring now to Figure 2, a section along the line II' through figure 1 is shown. For clarity in figure 2, the heat pump 8 is omitted. As can be seen in figure 2, in this example an air-moving actuator 14 is provided.
The air-moving actuator 14 is an example of an oscillatory or non-mass flow air movement generator and serves to generate oscillatory or non-mass flow air movement within the regron-between the hard-d-is-k- drive 12 and the thermal chamber 6. This air movement improves the efficiency of heat transfer between the thermal chamber 6 and the hard disk drive 12.
The movement of the air-moving actuator 14 that generates the air movement is substantially translational . It will be understood that air within the region between the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive is effectively disturbed in a non-mass flow manner such that heat transfer is enabled between the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive by the volume of air filling the region. In other words there is substantially no aggregate mass flow of air into or out of the region between the inner walls of the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive. However, the air within this region is agitated such that heat transfer is enabled between the thermal chamber and the hard disk drive.
The air moving actuator 14 may be remote from the thermal chamber. Alternatively the actuator could be arranged adjacent to the thermal chamber or even embedded within the body of the thermal chamber. In one embodiment the air movement actuator comprises two components arranged in use on opposite sides of the thermal chamber. The components are arranged to operate in an alternate fashion such that on aggregate non-mass flow air movement is generated within the region between the thermal chamber and a hard disk drive arranged within it.
The vibration to which the hard disk drive 12 is subjected during operation of the actuator 14 is significantly reduced in comparison to that that it would experience"if a conventional rot-ary -fan were used to generate air movement. This is due in part to the reduced coupling between the actuator 14 and the hard disk drive compared to that between a conventional rotary fan and a hard disk drive in a similar arrangement.
In addition, where low frequency oscillatory air movement is used, the effect on the hard disk drive is minimal since the servo loops in hard disk drives are typically less sensitive to low frequency vibrations. Typically, the frequency of oscillation is less than or equal to about 30Hz. The frequency and wave shape of the air movement may be optimised for the application and particular hard disk drive being used or tested. At present, for hard disk drives the frequency might be less than or equal to about 30Hz. In the future, hard disk drives may require different optimisations .
Furthermore, the fact that the air movement is oscillatory or non-mass flow has the effect that the air remains substantially local to the hard disk drive being tested. As will be explained below with reference to figure 3, this provides the advantage that a single air- moving actuator may be used for plural hard disk drives.
In the example shown in figure 2, the air-moving actuator comprises a voice-coil motor 16 connected to a diaphragm 18. This is commonly referred to as a loudspeaker. It will be appreciated that other means may be utilised that are also capable of generating non-mass flow air movement in the region between the hard disk drive 12 and the thermal chamber 6, thereby increasing the efficiency of heat transfer between the heat exchanger and the hard-disk drive 12. For example, a piezo-electric element may be used instead of the voice-coil motor.
In some examples, there may be actual physical contact between a hard disk drive and the thermal chamber receiving it such that heat transfer between the two may also be effected, in part, by conduction.
Figure 3 shows an example of hard disk drive test apparatus including temperature control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure shows a schematic plan view of a horizontal section through the hard disk drive test apparatus. The test apparatus includes temperature control apparatus as shown in and described above with reference to figures 1 and 2 that may be used to vary the temperatures to which plural hard disk drives are exposed.
The test apparatus 20 comprises a framework matrix containing a plurality of temperature control apparatuses. Each temperature control apparatus is mounted directly within the framework matrix. Apertures 15 within the thermal chamber 6 enable the hard disk drive within the thermal chamber optionally to be mounted to something other than the thermal chamber itself for optimisation of vibrational performance. As in the example shown in figure 2, an air moving actuator 14 is provided for generating non-mass flow air movement although the test apparatus may be provided without an air moving actuator 14. An air channel 24 provides a route for transferring movement of the air from the actuator to within the apparatus 20. In the specific example shown, the route is provided by ducting.
In the example shown, a single air-moving actuator is provided for generating the air movement for plural hard disk drives. A number of separating baffles 22 are provided for limiting the thermal interaction between hard disk drives 12 in the test apparatus. This enables a single actuator 14 to be utilised to provide air movement for regulating the temperature of plural disk drives 12. In addition limiting thermal interaction between hard disk drives enables one actuator to be used for multiple hard disk drives, possibly each at a different temperature. Of course, a dedicated air-moving actuator 14 may be provided for each of the hard disk drives.
Embodiments of the present invention have been described with particular reference to the examples illustrated. However, it will 'be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made to the examples described within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive, the apparatus comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive; and an oscillatory air movement generator for generating air movement within a region between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive when received in the thermal chamber, thereby to facilitate heat transfer between the thermal chamber and a said hard disk drive.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscilla_tqry_air_moyement generator comprises a diaphragm driven in an oscillatory manner by a driver.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the driver is a voice-coil motor.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oscillatory air movement generator is a piezo-electric element.
5. An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, comprising a heat pump in thermal communication with the thermal chamber for pumping heat to and from the thermal chamber.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the heat pump is a peltier heat pump.
7. An apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, comprising a heat exchanger coupled to the heat pump selectively to provide heat to or receive heat from the heat pump.
8. An apparatus according to Claim 7, comprising a heat pipe to transfer heat from the pump to the heat exchanger and vice versa.
9. An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, comprising a hard disk drive arranged within the thermal chamber.
10. An apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 9, comprising: plural thermal chambers each for receiving a respective -hard disk- dxi.ve; and,__ an oscillatory air movement generator for generating air movement in a region between each of the thermal chambers and a said hard disk drive when received in each of the thermal chambers thereby to facilitate heat transfer between a said hard disk drive arranged in use within each of the thermal chambers and the respective thermal chamber.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, comprising baffles arranged between respective thermal chambers thereby limiting thermal interaction between thermal chambers .
12. An apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, comprising a respective heat pump for each of the plural thermal chambers .
13. An apparatus according to claim 10 or 11, comprising a unitary oscillatory air movement generator for generating the air movement for one or more of the thermal chambers .
14. An apparatus according to claims 10 to 13, comprising a framework for receiving each of the plural thermal chambers and maintaining said plural thermal chambers in a substantially fixed spatial relationship to each other.
15. A hard disk drive test apparatus comprising a temperature control apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 14.
16. A method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive—in--a—thermal- chamber-,--the-method comprising:. generating non-mass flow air movement between the hard disk drive and the thermal chamber to facilitate efficient heat transfer therebetween.
17. A method of testing one or more hard disk drives when arranged in a hard disk drive test apparatus according to claim 15, the method comprising: generating non-mass flow air movement between the or each hard disk drive and the or each corresponding thermal chamber to facilitate efficient heat transfer between the or each hard disk drive and the or each corresponding thermal chamber.
18. A method according to claim 16 or 17, wherein there are plural thermal chambers, the method comprising: independently controlling the temperatures of the thermal chambers so that different ones of the plural hard disk drives may be controlled to be at corresponding different temperatures.
19. A temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive, the apparatus comprising: a thermal chamber for receiving a hard disk drive, wherein when a said hard disk drive is received within the thermal chamber heat transfer between the thermal chamber and the said hard disk drive is enabled by non-mass flow air movement in a region between the thermal chamber and the said hard disk drive.
PCT/GB2005/004150 2004-11-03 2005-10-27 A temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive WO2006048611A1 (en)

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CN2005800362891A CN101065805B (en) 2004-11-03 2005-10-27 A temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive
JP2007538508A JP4797023B2 (en) 2004-11-03 2005-10-27 Hard disk drive temperature control device and hard disk drive temperature changing method
GB0703732A GB2434910B (en) 2004-11-03 2005-10-27 A temperature control, apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive
US11/665,806 US8061155B2 (en) 2004-11-03 2005-10-27 Temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive
HK07111328A HK1103469A1 (en) 2004-11-03 2007-10-18 A temperature control, apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive
US13/272,974 US20120120524A1 (en) 2004-11-03 2011-10-13 Temperature control apparatus for a hard disk drive and a method of varying the temperature of a hard disk drive

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US10845410B2 (en) 2017-08-28 2020-11-24 Teradyne, Inc. Automated test system having orthogonal robots
US10725091B2 (en) 2017-08-28 2020-07-28 Teradyne, Inc. Automated test system having multiple stages
US11226390B2 (en) 2017-08-28 2022-01-18 Teradyne, Inc. Calibration process for an automated test system
US10983145B2 (en) 2018-04-24 2021-04-20 Teradyne, Inc. System for testing devices inside of carriers
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US20120120524A1 (en) 2012-05-17
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