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:
Dec. 20, 2005
Filed:
Jan. 21, 2000
Donald James Macleod, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Robert Michael Pelstring, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Marten Fredrick Byl, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Jeffry Arnold Leblanc, Aptos, CA (US);
Tan Hung Pham, San Marcos, CA (US);
Robert Alan Notingham, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Michael James Whittome, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Donald James Macleod, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Robert Michael Pelstring, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Marten Fredrick Byl, Los Gatos, CA (US);
Jeffry Arnold LeBlanc, Aptos, CA (US);
Tan Hung Pham, San Marcos, CA (US);
Robert Alan Notingham, Santa Cruz, CA (US);
Michael James Whittome, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Seagate Technology LLC, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method are provided for sealing an outer surfaceof a shaftto an inner surfaceof a hubThe seal includes a magnetwith top and bottom pole piecesand a ferrofluidmagnetically held in a gapbetween the pole piecesand the hubor the shaftThe top pole piecehas a cross-section that is L-shaped, with a horizontal portionparallel to the magnetand a shorter vertical portionfacing the shaftIn one version, the vertical portionor the portion of the shaftfacing it is contoured to provide a flux gradient that axially concentrates the ferrofluidin the gapIn another aspect, a catcheris provided to reduce loss of ferrofluidwhen the ferrofluidic sealused to form an outside seal. In yet another aspect, a stationary ferrofluidic sealis provided for sealing a stationary shaftto a rotating hub