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. 10, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 09, 1997
John C Dunfield, Chatsworth, CA (US);
Gunter K Heine, Aptos, CA (US);
Seagate Technology, Inc., Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
A hydrodynamic bearing is disclosed which includes a shaft and a rotor rotating relative to one another and defining a hydrodynamic bearing in the gap between the relatively rotating parts. Also disclosed is a method for identifying or signaling potential failure of the hydrodynamic bearing. The method for identifying or signaling potential failure includes a capacitance detector for generating a signal representing the capacitance across the gap defining the hydrodynamic bearing, a comparator for comparing the capacitance to an established threshold, and an indicator for providing a signal indicating that operation of the information storage device incorporating the hydrodynamic bearing should continue or that an interruption is likely.