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. 05, 1997
Filed:
Oct. 19, 1995
Gunter Heine, Aptos, CA (US);
Hans Leuthold, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Lakshman Nagarathnam, Capitola, CA (US);
David Jennings, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Norbert S Parsoneault, Watsonville, CA (US);
Seagate Technology, Inc., Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
A spindle motor includes a rotating hub for supporting one or more discs in a disc drive, and a hydrodynamic bearing system for supporting a hub for rotation, the bearing system includes a sleeve and a shaft fitted into an axial bore of the sleeve. The shaft and the sleeve rotate freely relative to one another, and together, define a journal bearing. The shaft supports an annular thrust plate. The thrust plate extends into a recess formed by an axial face stepped into the sleeve and a counterplate parallel to the axial face and the thrust plate and attached to the sleeve. A first surface of the thrust plate faces the axial face of the sleeve which has a groove pattern formed on it. A surface of the counterplate faces an opposed, second surface of the thrust plate which has a groove pattern formed on it, to form an effective fluid pumping system in the hydrodynamic bearing.