Media cover for manufacturing a disk drive

Abstract

A method is disclosed for manufacturing a disk drive. At least one disk is installed into a base, and a media cover is coupled to the base, wherein the media cover covers at least a portion of the disk. After installing the media cover, a head coupled to an actuator arm and a voice coil motor for rotating the actuator arm about a pivot are installed into the base. The media cover is then removed and an HDA cover is coupled to the base to form a head disk assembly (HDA). In one embodiment, the base comprises an aperture, and coupling the media cover to the base comprises inserting a pin into the aperture. In one embodiment, the aperture is also for coupling a printed circuit board to the base after removing the media cover.

1 . A method of manufacturing a disk drive, the method comprising:
 installing at least one disk into a base;   coupling a media cover to the base, wherein the media cover covers at least a portion of the disk;   after installing the media cover, installing into the base a head coupled to an actuator arm and a voice coil motor for rotating the actuator arm about a pivot;   removing the media cover; and   coupling a HDA cover to the base to form a head disk assembly (HDA).   
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the base comprises an aperture; and   coupling the media cover to the base comprises inserting a pin into the aperture.   
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the aperture for coupling a printed circuit board to the base. 
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the printed circuit board is coupled to the base after removing the media cover. 
   
   
       5 . A disk drive comprising:
 a base comprising at least one disk and adapted to receive an actuator arm and a voice coil motor; and   a media cover coupled to the base and covering at least a portion of the disk while leaving a portion of the base uncovered, wherein the uncovered portion is shaped so that the actuator arm and voice coil motor fit through the uncovered portion when installed into the base.   
   
   
       6 . The disk drive as recited in  claim 5 , further comprising a pin inserted into an aperture of the base for coupling the media cover to the base. 
   
   
       7 . The disk drive as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the base is adapted to receive a printed circuit board and the aperture for coupling the printed circuit board to the base. 
   
   
       8 . The disk drive as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the base comprises receptacles for coupling an HDA cover to form a head disk assembly (HDA). 
   
   
       9 . The disk drive as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the media cover is formed from a portion of an HDA cover.