Cartridge style fluid dynamic bearing with conical or spherical bearing elements
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorsGunter Heine, Alan Lyndon Grantz
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid dynamic bearing cartridge includes a shaft or sleeve adapted to be fixed in place has at least one fluid dynamic bearing supporting the shaft and one or more seals at either end of the shaft. The seal arrangements may include a pair of centrifugal capillary seals at either end of the shaft. Alternatively, a grooved pumping seal or centrifugal capillary seal at one end may be used in combination with a static capillary seal, especially where a journal bearing defined along the shaft near the capillary seal has an imbalanced groove section.
Claims18
A discrete fluid dynamic bearing comprising a conical bearing for supporting relative rotation between a shaft and a sleeve, the conical bearing including a conical element supported on the shaft and having at least one passage between an interior surface of the conical element and a facing surface of the sleeve for allowing fluid flow, and a seal supported adjacent the cone and a journal bearing defined between the shaft and the sleeve.
A discrete bearing comprising fluid for supporting relative rotation between the sleeve and a surrounding hub, the bearing including a conical element supported on the sleeve and having passages between an interior surface of the conical element for maintaining fluid in a gap between the conical element and the hub supporting the relative rotation and sealing means supported adjacent the base surface of the cone, the sealing means comprising a counterplate supported adjacent the conical element;
- one of the counterplate and sleeve having grooves on a facing surface, and wherein the grooved pumping seal further comprises fluid in a gap between the counterplate and the shaft.
A discrete bearing cartridge comprising a shaft or sleeve supported for rotation relative to a sleeve by first and second fluid dynamic bearings located along the shaft, said first fluid bearing comprising a cone on said shaft having a bearing surface defined between a conical side of said cone and a facing surface of the sleeve and further comprising a grooved pumping seal adjacent the cone and defined between a counterplate supported from the sleeve, and a journal bearing spaced along the shaft from the conical bearing and defined between the shaft and surrounding sleeve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.