Shock and vibration isolation of laptop hard disk drive using rubber mount

Hard disk drives (HDDs) in laptop personal computers (PCs) are subject to impact-induced failure, as well as to operational vibrations. Elastic mounts with cushioning materials are often used to minimize the likelihood of failure in such cases. In this paper, we analyze the dynamic characteristics and shock response of the vibration isolation systems supporting HDDs. Anti-vibration performance is investigated via position error signal and acceleration transmissibility. Shock response is obtained from a lumped parameter model, based on the nonlinearity of the rubber mounts. Based on the results, we propose guidelines for shock and vibration isolation systems, including a dual rubber mount design.