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US 7,547,143 B2Granted
Fluid dynamic bearing capsule with recirculation paths
AssigneeSeagate Technology LLC
InventorRoger Allen Addy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid dynamic bearing capsule assembly having integral lubricating fluid recirculation paths for insertion into a disc drive hub for a data storage device that eliminates the need for machining recirculation paths directly into the hub.
Claims14
A fluid dynamic bearing capsule having an integral lubricant recirculation path, comprising:
- a bearing capsule casing, comprising, a hollow cylindrical sleeve comprising inner and outer surfaces, and first and second faces;
- a first seal cap insert, comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having inner and outer surfaces, and first and second faces;
- and
- a first journal insert, comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having inner and outer surfaces, first and second faces, and an axial groove formed along the axial length of the outer surface thereof to provide a first axial lubricant recirculation channel;
- wherein
- the outer surface of the first seal cap insert is coupled with the inner surface of the bearing capsule casing, proximal to the first face of the bearing capsule;
- and
- the outer surface of the first journal insert is coupled with the inner surface of the bearing capsule casing, proximal to, but not in contact with the first seal cap, to provide a radial lubricant recirculation channel in fluid communication with the first axial lubricant recirculation channel, wherein
- a first thrust bearing pump pattern is formed on the second face of the first seal cap insert and biased to direct lubricant fluid flow to a first journal bearing;
- a second thrust bearing pump patterned is formed on the first face of a second journal insert, and biased to direct lubricant fluid flow to a second journal bearing;
- first and second journal bearing pump patterns are formed on the inner surfaces of the first and second journal bearing inserts, respectively, and are biased to direct lubricant fluid flow to a second radial lubricant recirculation channel.
8 more elements
A computer disc drive, comprising a disc drive hub coupled to a fluid dynamic bearing capsule, that is rotatably coupled to a fixed spindle, said fluid dynamic bearing capsule comprising:
- a bearing capsule casing, comprising, hollow cylindrical sleeve comprising inner and outer surfaces, and first and second faces;
- a first seal cap insert, comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having inner and outer surfaces, and first and second faces;
- and
- a first journal insert, comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having inner and outer surfaces, first and second faces, and an axial groove formed along the axial length of the outer surface thereof;
- wherein
- the outer surface of the first seal cap insert is coupled with the inner surface of the bearing capsule casing, proximal to the first face of the bearing capsule;
- and
- the outer surface of the first journal insert is coupled with the inner surface of the bearing capsule casing, proximal to, but not in contact with the seal cap.
5 more elements
A fluid dynamic bearing capsule having an integral lubricant recirculation path, comprising:
- a bearing capsule casing, comprising, a hollow cylindrical sleeve comprising inner and outer surfaces, and first and second faces;
- a first seal cap insert, comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having inner and outer surfaces, and first and second faces;
- and
- a first journal insert, comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having inner and outer surfaces, first and second faces, and an axial groove formed along the axial length of the outer surface thereof to provide a first axial lubricant recirculation channel;
- wherein
- the outer surface of the first seal cap insert is coupled with the inner surface of the bearing capsule casing, proximal to the first face of the bearing capsule;
- and
- the outer surface of the first journal insert is coupled with the inner surface of the bearing capsule casing, proximal to, but not in contact with the first seal cap, to provide a radial lubricant recirculation channel in fluid communication with the first axial lubricant recirculation channel,
- a second journal insert, comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve having inner and outer surfaces, first and second faces, and an axial groove formed along the axial length of the outer surface thereof to provide a second axial lubricant recirculation channel, wherein
- the outer surface of the second journal insert is coupled with the inner surface of the bearing capsule casing, proximal to, but not in contact with the first journal insert to provide a second radial lubricant recirculation channel that is in fluid communication with the first and second axial lubricant recirculation channels;
- and
- wherein the bearing capsule casing, the first seal cap insert, the first journal insert, and the second journal insert are molded from a polymer compound selected from the class of polymer compounds comprising polyamide imide (PAI), polyether imide (PET), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.