Spindle motor connector having supported electrical leads

In a disc drive of the type having a spindle assembly comprising a spindle motor having a stator and a hub mounted adjacent to the stator, the hub including a permanent magnet which magnetically interacts with magnetic fields generated from the application of time-varying current to a stator coil to cause the hub to rotate relative to the stator, the stator including a shaft having an electrical connector pin disposed at one end of the shaft, the electrical connector pin in series with the stator coil, the disc drive further comprising a printed wiring assembly mounted adjacent the spindle assembly, the printed wiring assembly including a hole through which the end of the shaft extends, the improvement comprising:

• a spindle motor connector spanning the hole in the printed wiring assembly, the spindle motor connector comprising:
• a central housing having an electrical socket connector for mating engagement with the electrical connector pin;
• a lead extending from the electrical socket connector to the printed wiring assembly;
• and
• support means for supporting the central housing and the lead relative to the printed wiring assembly, the support means comprising:
• a spoke arm;
• and
• a support arm, wherein the spoke arm extends radially from the central housing to the support arm and the support arm supports the spoke arm and the central housing relative to the printed wiring assembly.

An electrical connector for a disc drive spindle motor, comprising:

• a central housing having a socket connector for mating engagement with a connector pin of the spindle motor;
• an electrical lead having a proximate end and a distal end, the proximate end connected to the socket connector and the distal end extending radially from the central housing;
• a spoke arm, connected to the central housing, extending radially from the central housing adjacent the electrical lead;
• and
• a spacer arm, connected to the spoke arm and adjacent the distal end of the electrical lead, for supporting the electrical connector relative to the spindle motor.

A disc drive, comprising:

• a base plate;
• a spindle motor supported by the base plate, comprising:
• a stator shaft;
• and
• a rotor assembly rotatable about the stator shaft;
• a printed wiring assembly supported by the base plate;
• connector means for electrically connecting the spindle motor to the printed wiring assembly, the connector means comprising:
• an electrical lead having a first end, a second end and a medial portion therebetween, the first end in electrical communication with the spindle motor and the second end in electrical communication with the printed wiring assembly, the electrical lead dissipating heat resulting from the passage of current through the electrical lead from the printed wiring assembly to the spindle motor;
• a spoke arm disposed adjacent the medial portion of the electrical lead;
• and
• a spacer arm disposed on the printed wiring assembly adjacent the second end of the electrical lead, the spacer arm supporting the spoke arm.