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:
Apr. 02, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 31, 2000
Terence Hayden West, Longmont, CO (US);
Seagate Technology LLC, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for securing an information storage disc within a disc drive incorporates a spindle motor, a rotatable spindle hub, a disc clamp and a disc clamp nut. The disc clamp is positioned on the rotatable spindle hub to clamp the information storage disc to the spindle motor. The disc clamp defines a middle annular raised portion for accepting a predetermined pre-load force to compress the disc clamp down onto the information storage disc. The pre-load force is perpendicular to the disc clamp, and is applied symmetrically around a spindle motor axis of rotation. The disc clamp nut includes a flat engagement surface that secures the pre-loaded disc clamp to the hub. The pre-load force is released once the disc clamp nut is positioned so as to secure the disc clamp to the hub of the disc drive spindle motor. A series of substantially parallel engagement surfaces on the disc clamp nut, disc clamp and hub ensure that the pre-load force is uniformly applied to the information storage disc. The engagement surfaces between the disc clamp, hub and information storage disc can also be co-planar.