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US 7,125,169 B2Granted
Hydrodynamic pivot bearing
AssigneeMinebea Co., Ltd.
InventorsAndreas Kull, Olaf Winterhalter, Joerg Hoffmann, Martin Hafen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a bearing comprised of a hydrodynamic bearing and a pivot bearing, which can be used with a spindle motor. It also provides a spindle motor utilizing a hydrodynamic bearing and a pivot bearing.
Claims7
A spindle motor comprising:
- a stator comprising a bracket, a sleeve affixed to said bracket, a core affixed to said bracket, and coils wound around said core;
- a rotor comprising a shaft, a rotating hub, and a rotor magnet;
- a pivot bearing comprising a pivot point at an end of said shaft rotating on said sleeve;
- a fluid dynamic journal bearing comprising said shaft, said sleeve, a fluid, and pressure generating grooves formed on a vertical surface of one of said shaft and said sleeve;
- a thrust-washer affixed to said shaft, said thrust washer containing a channel that provides for the circulation of said fluid;
- a counter-plate affixed to said sleeve and positioned partially over said thrust washer;
- and
- a fluid dynamic thrust bearing comprising said thrust-washer, said counter-plate, said fluid, and pressure generating grooves formed on a horizontal surface of one of said thrust-washer and said counter-plate;
- and
- where
- a gap exists between the bottom of said thrust-washer and said sleeve;
- a gap exists between the top of said thrust washer and said counter-plate;
- and
- the gap between the bottom of said thrust-washer and said sleeve is larger than the gap between the top of said thrust washer and said counter-plate.
11 more elements
A spindle motor comprising:
- a stator comprising a bracket, a shaft affixed to said bracket, a core affixed to said bracket, and coils wound around said core;
- a rotor comprising a sleeve, a rotating hub, and a rotor magnet;
- a pivot bearing comprising said sleeve rotating on a pivot point at an end of said shaft;
- a fluid dynamic journal bearing comprising said shaft, said sleeve, a fluid, and pressure generating grooves formed on a vertical surface of one of said shaft and said sleeve;
- a thrust-washer affixed to said shaft, said thrust washer containing a channel that provides for the circulation of said fluid;
- a counter-plate affixed to said sleeve and positioned partially under said thrust washer;
- and
- a fluid dynamic thrust bearing comprising said thrust-washer, said counter-plate, said fluid, and pressure generating grooves formed on a horizontal surface of one of said thrust-washer and said counter-plate;
- and
- where
- a gap exists between the top of said thrust-washer and said sleeve;
- a gap exists between the bottom of said thrust washer and said counter-plate;
- and
- the gap between the top of said thrust-washer and said sleeve is larger than the gap between the bottom of said thrust washer and said counter-plate.
11 more elements
A bearing for a spindle motor comprising a shaft;
- a bearing sleeve surrounding the shaft at a small radial distance;
- a counter-plate affixed to the bearing sleeve;
- and
- a thrust-washer affixed to said shaft wherein said shaft has a rounded end;
- a fluid dynamic journal bearing is provided between said shaft and said sleeve;
- a fluid dynamic thrust bearing is provided between said counter-plate and said thrust-washer;
- a capillary seal is provided between said shaft and said counter-plate, said capillary seal formed by tapering said shaft and increasing an inner radius of a portion of said counter-plate;
- and
- a pivot bearing is provided between the rounded end of said shaft and said sleeve.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.