Bearing for an actuator of a disc drive
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorDavid D. Koester
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved bearing cartridge to rotationally couple an actuator block supporting a plurality of heads to a chassis of a disc drive. The improved bearing cartridge having increased radial stiffness and including first and second concentrically aligned elongated sleeves. The first sleeve is coupled to the chassis and the second sleeve is coupled to the actuator block. The first and second sleeves are spaced to define a rotation gap therebetween. The bearing cartridge includes first and second spaced bearings positioned proximate to opposed ends of one of said first or second sleeves and at least one intermediate bearing spaced from the first and second bearings and positioned between the first and second bearings to rotationally connect the first and second sleeves.
Claims18
A rotary-actuated disc drive comprising:
- a disc rotatably coupled to a chassis of a disc drive;
- an actuator including an actuator block supporting heads relative to a disc surface and motor operably coupled to the actuator block to rotationally move the actuator block for aligning the heads relative to selected locations of the disc surface, said actuator block being rotationally coupled to the chassis via a
- a bearing assembly comprising a fixed portion and a rotating portion and including first and second spaced bearings positioned proximate to opposed ends of the at least one of said fixed or rotating portions and at least one intermediate bearing between the first and second bearings each of the first and second spaced bearings and the at least one intermediate bearing including a rotating bearing element rotatable within a housing between first and second housing members to provide rotational connections between the fixed and rotating portions proximate to opposed ends of the at least one of the fixed or rotating portions and at an intermediate position between the first and second spaced bearings.
A bearing cartridge for a disc driving comprising:
- a first sleeve having opposed ends;
- a second sleeve having opposed ends, the first and second sleeves being formed of concentrically aligned tubular members spaced to define a rotation gap therebetween;
- and
- a bearing assembly for rotationally coupling the first and second sleeves, the bearing assembly including first and second spaced bearings positioned proximate to opposed ends of at least one of the first or second sleeves and at least one intermediate bearing spaced from the first and second bearings along a longitudinal extent of the first or second sleeves between the first and second bearings, each of the first and second spaced bearings and the at least one intermediate bearing including a rotating bearing element rotatable within a housing between first and second housing members to provide a rotational connection between the first and second sleeves proximate to spaced opposed ends of the at least one of the first or second sleeves and at an intermediate position between the first and second spaced bearings.
A method for assembling a bearing cartridge for a disc comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing first and second outer sleeve portions having an inner diameter sized to fit over an inner sleeve and provide a rotation gap therebetween;
- (b) mounting at least one intermediate bearing over the inner sleeve and positioning the intermediate bearing between opposed ends of the inner sleeve;
- (c) mounting the first and second outer sleeve portions over the inner sleeve to assemble the first and second outer sleeve portions in rotational alignment with the inner sleeve;
- and
- (d) mounting first and second bearings between the assembled inner and outer sleeves proximate to ends of at least one of said inner or outer sleeves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.