Hybrid spindle bearing
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsMichael David Kennedy, Mohamed Mizanur Rahman, Hans Leuthold
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bearing system in which an axially stiff narrow gap fluid dynamic gas bearing. As an example two fluid dynamic bearings are provided spaced apart along a shaft, one of the bearings comprising a fluid dynamic bearing, the other comprising an air bearing. The fluid dynamic bearing has a larger gap, while the air bearing has a relatively small gap. The overall working surface area of the air bearing may be twice as much or more than the working surface area of the fluid bearing.
Claims20
A bearing system comprising a shaft, a hub, and bearing means for supporting the shaft and the hub for relative rotation.
A disc drive comprising a housing including a base and a cover for enclosing a defined region, a spindle motor supporting one or more discs for constant rotation, and an actuator supporting at least one transducer associated with each of said discs, the spindle motor comprising a shaft supported from the base and a sleeve supporting a hub for rotation relative to the shaft, the sleeve being supported for rotation by a bearing system comprising first and second conical bearings spaced along the shaft and a journal bearing intermediate the conical bearings.
A bearing system comprising a shaft, a sleeve surrounding the shaft and defining a gap therewith, and a bearing system for supporting the sleeve and hub for relative rotation, the bearing system comprising first and second conical bearings defined by grooves on one surface of the gap separating the shaft and the sleeve, the first and second conical bearings being axially separated along the shaft by a sufficient distance to define a journal bearing in the gap between the shaft and the sleeve, the journal bearing including a fluid of substantially greater viscosity than the conical bearings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.