Seagate Technology Incorporated

Western Digital Technologies, Inc.

Saint-gobain Performance Plastics Rencol Limited

Robert Winter

Andrew Robert Slayne

Simon Alan Hughes

Benjamin Nias

Shane Walker

Eddy Larson

Shawn Salisbury

A tolerance ring can be disposed between an inner component and an outer component, the inner and outer components defining stepped sidewalls. In an embodiment, a preassembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, an assembly can include an outer component defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, an inner component having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring disposed between the inner component and the bore. In an embodiment, a hard disk drive preassembly can include an actuator arm defining a bore having a stepped inner sidewall, a pivot having a stepped outer sidewall, and a tolerance ring adapted to be disposed between the pivot and the bore.

Stepped assembly

A method of lubricating a bearing for an actuator pivot of a storage device, the method including receiving an assembled bearing for an actuator pivot of a storage device, applying a volume of soap-free oil onto a bearing component of the assembled bearing, and dispensing a predetermined volume of soap-containing grease into a bearing cage.

Oil lubricating process for actuator pivot bearings

An apparatus and associated method is provided for holding an inner race of a bearing stationary with respect to rotational movement while leaving a hub that is fixed in rotation with an outer race of the bearing unencumbered. The hub is excited by contactingly engaging it with a predetermined mechanical force. The resonance response of the hub to the excitation is determined and used to characterize the bearing qualitatively.

Resonance response testing on a bearing

Growing community of inventors

Longmont, CO, United States of America

Robert Winter