Method for setting gaps in hydrodynamic bearings
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsTroy M. Herndon, Klaus D. Kloeppel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for setting a gap in a hydrodynamic bearing of a disc drive spindle motors and a motor having such a bearing gap. The method comprises mounting a rotor hub having a central journal sleeve onto a shaft that has been secured to a support after having had a lower thrust bearing pressed onto the shaft in communication with said support, adding an amount of hydrodynamic fluid into the rotor hub's journal sleeve, pressing an upper thrust bearing onto the rotor shaft until contact is made with the rotor hub, and rotating the hub until axial forces balance and set the bearing gap.
Claims5
A method for creating a bearing gap for use in a hydrodynamic bearing, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing a rotor hub, having a journal aperture disposed through a center thereof onto a shaft coaxially aligned with the shaft and in communication with a lower thrust bearing mounted on the shaft;
- (b) introducing a fluid into the journal aperture of the rotor hub, whereby the fluid migrates between the shaft, the rotor and the lower thrust bearing;
- (c) affixing an upper thrust bearing, having a central aperture, coaxially to the shaft;
- and
- (d) rotating the rotor hub to cause the fluid to build pressure within the journal aperture and create an air gap between the rotor hub and the upper thrust bearing.
An electric motor comprising:
- a base;
- a shaft having a first end affixed to the base;
- a fist thrust bearing affixed to the shaft;
- a rotor hub rotatably positioned on said shaft and seated on said first thrust bearing;
- a second thrust bearing affixed to the shaft;
- a fluid located proximate the shaft and first thrust bearing to form, when the rotor hub rotates, a hydrodynamic bearing between the rotor hub and the first thrust bearing and an air bearing between the second thrust bearing and the rotor hub.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.