The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 27, 1991
Filed:
Jul. 30, 1990
Robert Ocheltree, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Paul Alexander, San Jose, CA (US);
John P Ross, Cupertino, CA (US);
Conner Peripherals, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A method of centering a disk on the rotational axis of a motor, the motor having a hub protruding into a center hole in the disk, and the disk having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, is provided. The method includes the steps of (a) placing a contact element in contact with the outer diameter of the disk; (b) applying a damping force and a spring force to said contact element, said damping force and said spring force, urging said contact element towards said rotational axis, wherein the magnitude of said damping force is greater than the magnitude of said spring force, and said spring force is of insufficient amplitude to move said disk with respect to said hub; and (c) rotating said contact element to rotate said disk. Also provided is an apparatus for centering a disk on the rotational axis of a motor having a hub protruding into a center hole of the disk, the disk being loosely fixed to the hub and having an outer diameter and an inner diameter defining the center hole. The apparatus includes means for contacting the outer diameter of the disk, and for rotating the disk. The apparatus further includes shock absorber means, coupled to the means for contacting, for applying a first force and a second force toward the rotational axis of the motor, where the first force being constantly applied and is of insufficient amplitude to move the disk with respect to the hub, the second force urges the means for contacting in the direction of the rotational axis when the disk is rotated to generate a third force in the direction away from the rotational axis, the second force being greater than the first force and of sufficient amplitude to move the disk with respect to the hub.