Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Seagate Technologies, Inc.

Klaus Diete Kloeppel

Alan Lyndon Grantz

Lynn Bich-Quy Le

Diep Nguyen

Ronald G Ilagan

Anthony Joseph Aiello

Paco Gregor Flores

Mark S Seymour

Reid E Berry

Ronald G Ilgan

An apparatus is provided including a shaft, wherein the shaft is stationary. A rotatable component is configured to rotate with respect to the shaft. A fluid is operable to flow between the shaft and the rotatable component. A limiter is at a first axial end of the shaft, and a cup is at a second axial end of the shaft. An axially extending grooved region is between the limiter and the rotatable component.

Fluid pumping capillary seal for a fluid dynamic bearing

A method to fabricate a fluid bearing spindle includes creating a hollow cylindrical bore through a solid workpiece. The hollow cylindrical bore has a journal bearing portion including first and second distal tapered bearing segments separated by a central bearing segment having a constant radius. Each of the first and second distal tapered bearing segments has a tapered bearing radius that increases with distance from the central bearing segment to a maximum tapered bearing radius that is in the range of 0.5 microns to 1.5 microns greater than the constant radius. Subsequently, a cylindrical spindle shaft is inserted into the hollow cylindrical bore. In an alternative embodiment, a cylindrical outer surface of the spindle shaft includes the tapered bearing segments, rather than the hollow cylindrical bore.

Disk drive spindle with fluid journal bearing having increased radial clearance in axial end regions

An apparatus and method are provided for a robust and shock resistant fluid dynamic bearing. A fluid sealing system with fluid pumping and capillary features provides increased reliability and performance for small form factor disc drive memory systems. Concerns of motor jog are addressed, jog being the rapid and repeated opening and closing of spaces between relatively rotatable components that can dispel oil from, or draw air into, these spaces. The fluid pumping capillary sealing system includes a fluid pumping groove with a rib portion and a slot portion for pumping fluid. The fluid pumping capillary sealing system also includes a capillary seal. In an aspect, a sweeping rib sweeps fluid toward the bearing. A truncated rib is situated adjacent to the sweeping rib, the truncated rib extending a shorter radial distance as compared to the sweeping rib and forming a plenum region.

Methods for adhering parts together using part gap spacers are provided herein. Part gap spacers are formed in a selected pattern and a selected height on a surface of at least one surface of two parts to be oppositely disposed. When disposed opposite each other, at least some of the part gap spacers contact the opposite surface, and establish a standoff distance that is generally uniform, and thereby creating voids. Adhesive is disposed in at least some of the voids to adhere the part surfaces to each other. Further methods comprise forming part gap spacers on multiple sides of a third part to be disposed intermediate two surfaces. The part gap spacers can be formed in a variety of shapes, including bumps, tapers, ribs, and flange edges.

Adhesive height setting

Provided herein, in some embodiments, is an apparatus including a plastic component; a stationary component including a thrustplate; a rotatable component including the plastic component affixed to a sleeve; and at least a first fluid dynamic bearing formed between the thrustplate and an opposing surface of the rotatable component.

Fluid dynamic bearing motor including plastic

A rotary spindle has a rotatable shaft that defines a shaft axis of rotation, and has a shaft top land that is normal to the shaft axis of rotation. A disk mounting hub has an outer disk mounting surface, and has an inner cylindrical bore with an inner cylindrical surface that faces and is in radial compression with an outer cylindrical surface of the shaft at a cylindrical hub-to-shaft interface. The cylindrical hub-to-shaft interface is substantially concentric about the shaft axis of rotation. A disk clamp is fastened to the rotatable shaft, and the disk clamp has a clamp bottom land that faces and is in contact with the shaft top land.

Rotary spindle having a disk clamp bottom land facing and in contact with a shaft top land

A hub for a disk drive assembly including an upper member formed of a first material; and a lower member formed from a second material that supports and reinforces the upper member. The second material has a rigidity greater than the rigidity of the first material. Additionally, a disk drive assembly may be performed by combining a hub, a disk media mounted to the hub and a clamping mechanism attached to the hub and providing a clamping force to the disk media.

Re-enforced motor hub flange

A spindle includes a fixed member, a hub rotatably attached to the fixed member, and a bearing between the rotatable hub and the fixed member. The bearing including a bearing lubricant. A seal reduces migration of the bearing lubricant away from the bearing. The seal includes an immobile cylindrical surface of the fixed member, and a rotatable cylindrical surface of the hub. One of these surfaces includes a plurality of grooves. The immobile cylindrical surface and the rotatable cylindrical surface are concentric about the hub rotation axis. The rotatable cylindrical surface faces and is separated from the immobile cylindrical surface by a gas-filled radial clearance of not less than 50 microns.

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oaks, CA, United States of America

Klaus Diete Kloeppel