Seagate Technology Incorporated

Klaus Dieter Kloeppel

Anthony Joseph Aiello

Paco Gregor Flores

Robert Michael Pelstring

John C Dunfield

Alan Lydon Grantz

Steven C Knoche

Alan Lyndon Grantz

Donald J MacLeod

Troy Michael Herndon

Clifford T Jue

Raquib Uddin Khan

Ali Khurram

Frederick Frank Kazmierczak

Michael John Raffetto

Dustin Alan Cochran

Hans L Leuthold

Roger Allen Addy

Michael David Kennedy

Wesley R Clark

Michael Kenneth Andrews

Reid E Berry

Gregor Flores

Norbert Steven Parsoneault

Gunter Karl Heine

Robert Alan Nottingham

Jeffry Arnold LeBlanc

Mohammad Mahbubul Ameen

Donald James Macleod

Lynn B Le

Marten Fredrick Byl

Alex Gredinberg

Peter R Riegler

Tan Hung Pham

Mohammed Mizanur Rahman

Anthony Joseph Ajello

An electrostatic discharge apparatus for use with a hub and spindle assembly for a disc drive storage system comprising a spindle; a hub rotatably mounted on the spindle; a capsule formed at least in part from an electrically conductive material that can be placed in electrical communication with the hub and defining a chamber configured to hold an electrically conductive fluid and defining at least one capillary channel in fluid communication with an opening formed in the capsule, the opening configured to permit rotation about the spindle, and to permit a meniscus formed by the conductive fluid proximate to the opening to electrically contact the spindle during rotation of the hub about the spindle.

Electrostatic discharge apparatus for hub and spindle assemblies

Provided herein is a motor including a plastic component; a stationary component having a thrustplate; and a rotatable component having a sleeve and a counterplate, wherein the plastic component is positioned outside the sleeve, and wherein the thrustplate and the counterplate are positioned to form a fluid dynamic bearing ('FDB') at a top portion of the sleeve. Also provided is a motor comprising a plastic component; a stationary component comprising a thrustplate; and a rotatable component comprising a sleeve; wherein the plastic component is affixed to the sleeve, and wherein the thrustplate and the plastic component are positioned to form a FDB. Also provided is a motor comprising a plastic component; a stationary component comprising an inner component; and a rotatable component comprising the plastic component and a supporting means for supporting the inner component, wherein the inner component and the supporting means are positioned to form a FDB.

Fluid dynamic bearing motor including plastic component

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

A motor includes a rotatable component rotatable relative to a stationary component, a fluid operable to flow between the rotatable and stationary component, and a capillary sealing component. The capillary sealing component provides a capillary seal and includes at least one tapered slot configured to pump the fluid between the rotatable and stationary components.

Fluid pumping capillary seal for a fluid dynamic bearing

A fluid dynamic bearing motor and method are described, wherein motor components, including complex shaped motor components, are molded of plastic. The molding ensures form control and dimensional control thereby accomplishing design requirements, and eliminating or reducing component costs and component machining. The mold can be shaped to form various motor geometries, thereby eliminating the need for multiple component assembly and related assembly costs. In an aspect, a plastic integral motor hub is formed by injection molding. Alternatively, a plastic motor hub is affixed to a metal sleeve. In another aspect, fluid containment structures are molded into the motor component, reducing the number of components as compared with machined metal components. In a further aspect, bearing structures such as grooves are molded into the motor component, thereby eliminating processes such as electrochemical machining. In yet a further aspect, a plastic hub faces a thrustplate, reducing expensive sleeve machining.

Fluid dynamic bearing motor including molded plastic

The present invention provides a motor assembly method for mounting to a base. The motor assembly includes a stator assembly having a plurality of stator teeth. Each stator tooth is configured to support a stator coil. The motor assembly also includes a flexible printed circuit having top and bottom surfaces and an end portion. The end portion is affixed to the stator assembly at the top surface. The bottom surface is affixed to the base.

Motor assembly method with an integrated flexible printed circuit

Fluid dynamic bearing motor having molded plastic

Motors having a magnetic force attenuator are described. In some embodiments, the motors comprise a stationary member having a base and a stator, a rotating assembly having a magnet and a magnetic force attenuator to attenuate the magnetic attraction force between the magnet and the base; and a fluid bearing to support rotation of the rotating assembly relative to the stationary member. The magnetic force attenuator typically comprises a material of high magnetic permeability, and modulates the magnetic attraction force between the magnet and the base of the motor.

Motor magnetic force attenuator

The present invention provides a motor assembly for mounting to a base. The motor assembly includes a stator assembly having a plurality of stator teeth. Each stator tooth is configured to support a stator coil. The motor assembly also includes a flexible printed circuit having top and bottom surfaces and an end portion. The end portion is affixed to the stator assembly at the top surface. The bottom surface is affixed to the base.

Motor assembly with an integrated flexible printed circuit

A fluid dynamic bearing is provided having a first surface having at least a first groove pattern formed therein; and the second surface having at least a second groove pattern formed therein; wherein one of the surfaces is configured to be rotated relative to the other surface. The groove patterns may be conventional patterns or patterns described herein. Further, the patterns discussed herein may be disposed wholly on each surface or may be divided between the two surfaces. The groove design is intended to be useable in either a journal, thrust or other fluid bearing design.

Grooves on both the moving and the stationary mating fluid dynamic bearing surfaces for performance enhancement

A fluid dynamic bearing motor features a stationary assembly, a rotating assembly supported on the stationary assembly, a fluid dynamic bearing system in a gap between the stationary and rotating assemblies, a radial capillary seal defined proximate a first end of the journal gap, and at least one re-circulation hole extending from the radial capillary seal to a second end of the journal gap. A single thrust shaft end bearing which pressurizes the shaft end to create an axial thrust bearing and drive bubbles in the fluid (where the fluid is a liquid) to the outer diameter of the shaft and into the recirculation path. The journal may be supported for rotation by dual sets of grooves; the dual groove asymmetry in the journal maintains a positive pressure between the journals.

Single thrust magnetically biased fully recirculating self purging fluid dynamic bearing motor

Part gap spacers that are disposed between parts in a fluid dynamic bearing motor or hard disk assembly are provided herein. Part gap spacers are designed to off-set adjacent parts such that part-to-part spacing has less variation in tolerance accumulation. Part gap spacers also allow for greater control of bond line thickness of adhesives, and control of gap distances for bearing fluids, and allows for electrical conductivity across bonded parts.

Formed parts for adhesive height setting

An active fluid bearing system is provided. In one example, the active fluid bearing system includes an interface region formed between an outer surface of an inner member and an opposing inner surface of an outer member. The inner and outer members are disposed for relative rotation of the inner and outer members, and thereby form an interface region having a hydrodynamic bearing region and an active bearing region. A liquid is disposed in the interface region at the hydrodynamic bearing region, and is further disposed in the active bearing region if the inner and outer members are not relatively rotating. The bearing system is operable for evacuating at least a portion of the liquid from the active bearing region during relative rotation of the inner and outer members. The active bearing region may be a journal bearing or a thrust bearing.

Active hybrid FDB motor

For a motor having fluid dynamic bearing(s) defined by surfaces of relatively rotatable motor members, aspects include providing a capillary reservoir between relatively irrotatable surfaces. The capillary reservoir may comprise a tapering gap that is vented to a gaseous environment through one end of the gap and is in fluidic communication with the fluid dynamic bearing(s) through another end of the gap. The gap may be axial, and the capillary reservoir may be disposed coaxially with one or more of the fluid dynamic bearing(s) about an axis of rotation. The capillary reservoir may extend from proximate a top portion of the motor to proximate a bottom portion of the motor.

Growing community of inventors

Watsonville, CA, United States of America

Klaus Dieter Kloeppel