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US 5,328,271 AGranted
Hydrodynamic spindle bearing for ultra-slim disk storage unit
AssigneeMaxtor Corporation
InventorForrest D. Titcomb
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hydrodynamic bearing assembly for a disk storage unit includes a hub having a longitudinal axis disposed in a cavity formed between a base and a cover. A pair of balls is disposed within a pair of corresponding sockets with each being aligned opposite one another along a longitudinal axis of the hub. The pair of sockets are affixed to the base and cover plates, respectively, while the pair of balls are affixed to the hub. The clearance space between each ball and socket is filled with a liquid lubricant held in place by a surface tension seal.
Claims34
A hydrodynamic bearing assembly for a rigid-disk recording unit comprising:
- a base;
- a cover secured to said base, creating a cavity therebetween;
- a hub disposed within said cavity supporting an annular rigid-disk, said rigid-disk providing a recording medium for storage of information thereon;
- bearing means for permitting rotational movement of said hub within said cavity along a longitudinal axis, said bearing means comprising a pair of balls disposed within a pair of sockets aligned with said longitudinal axis on opposite sides of said hub, said sockets having a spherical section for receiving a hemisphere of said balls and a cylindrical section extending beyond said hemisphere, either of said pair of sockets or said pair of balls being affixed to said hub, with the other of said pair being respectively affixed to said base and said cover;
- said assembly further comprising a space disposed between each socket and its associated ball, said space being filled with a liquid lubricant such that a meniscus is formed between each of said balls and said cylindrical section of each of said sockets.
2 more elements
A hydrodynamic bearing assembly for a disk storage unit comprising:
- a base plate;
- a cover plate secured to said base plate;
- a hub having a pair of sockets disposed at opposite ends of said hub along a longitudinal axis, each of said sockets having a spherical section and a cylindrical section;
- first and second spherical knob members attached to said base and cover plates, respectively, said knob members being disposed within said spherical section of said sockets along said longitudinal axis, clearance spaces being formed between each socket and its associated spherical knob member, said clearance spaces being filled with a liquid lubricant facilitating rotational movement of said hub about said longitudinal axis, said lubricant forming a stable meniscus between each of said knob members and said cylindrical section of each of said sockets.
1 more element
A hydrodynamic bearing assembly for a disk storage unit comprising:
- a base;
- a cover, said base and said cover each having a pair of sockets disposed therein on opposing surfaces, each of said sockets having a spherical section and a cylindrical section, said cover being secured to said base such that said sockets are aligned along a longitudinal axis;
- a hub having top and bottom radially extending surfaces, said hub having first and second spherical knob members protruding out from said top and bottom surfaces, respectively, each of said spherical knob members being disposed within said spherical section of said sockets along said longitudinal axis with said cylindrical section extending beyond a hemisphere of its associated spherical knob member:
- a space formed between each of said spherical knob members, said space being filled with a lubricant fluid which facilitates rotational movement of said hub about said longitudinal axis.
1 more element
An information storage unit comprising:
- a stationary base;
- a cover;
- secured to said base, creating a cavity therebetween;
- a hub disposed within said cavity for supporting an annular rigid-disk, said rigid-disk providing a recording medium for storage of information thereon;
- hydrodynamic bearing means for rotational movement of said hub within said cavity along a longitudinal axis, said bearing means comprising a pair of balls disposed within a pair of sockets aligned with said longitudinal axis on opposite sides of said hub, said sockets having a spherical section for receiving a hemisphere of said balls and a cylindrical section extending beyond said hemisphere, either said pair of sockets or said pair of balls being affixed to said hub, with the other of said pair being respectively affixed to said base and said cover;
- wherein a gap is formed between each socket and its associated ball, said gap being filled with a liquid lubricant such that a meniscus is formed between each of said balls and said cylindrical section of each of said sockets to facilitate rotational movement of said hub about said longitudinal axis.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.