Patents by Inventor Gregory Ian Rudd
Gregory Ian Rudd has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 6955472Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for allowing a molecularly thin film to be established on a surface of the gas fluid dynamic bearing. The film can be controllably replenished so that the problem of liquid lubricant starvation is overcome. A suitable non-sludging lubricant of low surface tension is held in a porous reservoir within the stationary portion of the bearing. This fluid migrates out of the reservoir to coat the contiguous bearing surfaces. Alternatively, the lubricant may be held in a porous reservoir within the rotating portion of the bearing; due to centrifugal force, as the rotating portion spins, the fluid is spun out and coats the opposite non-rotating surface. The reservoir may be replaced by a singular reservoir such as a simple hole, depression, cavity or groove filled with lubricant.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2004Date of Patent: October 18, 2005Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Gregory Ian Rudd, Raquib Uddin Khan
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Publication number: 20040264818Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for allowing a molecularly thin film to be established on a surface of the gas fluid dynamic bearing. The film can be controllably replenished so that the problem of liquid lubricant starvation is overcome. A suitable non-sludging lubricant of low surface tension is held in a porous reservoir within the stationary portion of the bearing. This fluid migrates out of the reservoir to coat the contiguous bearing surfaces. Alternatively, the lubricant may be held in a porous reservoir within the rotating portion of the bearing; due to centrifugal force, as the rotating portion spins, the fluid is spun out and coats the opposite non-rotating surface. The reservoir may be replaced by a singular reservoir such as a simple hole, depression, cavity or groove filled with lubricant.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2004Publication date: December 30, 2004Inventors: Gregory Ian Rudd, Raquib Uddin Khan
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Patent number: 6776529Abstract: A very thin lubricant coating is applied to one or both of the facing surfaces defining the gap of a hydrodynamic bearing to prevent wear of these surfaces. The lubricant film is necessarily very thin, in the range of about 10 Å to 1000 Å, so that the film is thin enough that it does not materially affect the performance of the hydrodynamic bearing gap which is about typically 1-10 &mgr;m. The thin lubricant film could be a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) or a mixture of PFPE or a phosphazine derivative. To improve the adhesion and lubricating performance, functional PFPE can be used. For pure metallic surface like steel, phosphate esters can also be used because of its affinity with the metallic surface, e.g., ferrous. For example, the film could be PFPE, or a mixture of PFPE and a phosphazine derivative. The lubricant should be chosen to be thermally stable, and non-reactive with the typical ambient environment.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2002Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Raquib Uddin Khan, Gregory Ian Rudd
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Patent number: 6749340Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for allowing a molecularly thin film to be established on a surface of the gas fluid dynamic bearing. The film can be controllably replenished so that the problem of liquid lubricant starvation is overcome. A suitable non-sludging lubricant of low surface tension is held in a porous reservoir within the stationary portion of the bearing. This fluid migrates out of the reservoir to coat the contiguous bearing surfaces. Alternatively, the lubricant may be held in a porous reservoir within the rotating portion of the bearing; due to centrifugal force, as the rotating portion spins, the fluid is spun out and coats the opposite non-rotating surface. The reservoir may be replaced by a singular reservoir such as a simple hole, depression, cavity or groove filled with lubricant.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2000Date of Patent: June 15, 2004Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Gregory Ian Rudd, Raquib Uddin Khan
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Publication number: 20030147569Abstract: A very thin lubricating coating on one or both of the facing surfaces defining the gap of the hydrodynamic bearing. The lubricant film would need to be very thin, in the range of about 10 Å to 1000 Å, so that the film is thin enough that it does not materially affect the performance of the hydrodynamic bearing gap which is about typically 1-10 &mgr;m. The thin film could be a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) or a mixture of PFPE or a phosphazine derivative. To improve the adhesion and lubricating performance, functional PFPE can be used. For pure metallic surface like steel, phosphate esters can also be used because of its affinity with the metallic surface, e.g., ferrous. For example, the film could be PFPE, or a mixture of PFPE and a phosphazine derivative. The lubricant should be chosen to be thermally stable, and non-reactive with the typical ambient environment.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 5, 2002Publication date: August 7, 2003Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC.Inventors: Raquib Uddin Khan, Gregory Ian Rudd
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Patent number: 6394654Abstract: A very thin lubricating coating on one or both of the facing surfaces defining the gap of the hydrodynamic bearing. The lubricant film would need to be very thin, in the range of about 10 Å to 1000 Å, so that the film is thin enough that it does not materially affect the performance of the hydrodynamic bearing gap which is about typically 1-10 &mgr;m. The thin film could be a perfluoropolyether (PFPE) or a mixture of PFPE or a phosphazine derivative. To improve the adhesion and lubricating performance, functional PFPE can be used. For pure metallic surface like steel, phosphate esters can also be used because of its affinity with the metallic surface, e.g., ferrous. For example, the film could be PFPE, or a mixture of PFPE and a phosphazine derivative. The lubricant should be chosen to be thermally stable, and non-reactive with the typical ambient environment.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 1998Date of Patent: May 28, 2002Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Raquib Uddin Khan, Gregory Ian Rudd
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Publication number: 20020026726Abstract: A system for cleaning disc drive components includes a rotary support member for receiving an assembled disc drive component. A rotary drive motor is coupled to the rotary support member for rotating the rotary support member and disc drive motor supported thereon together at a rotation speed to impart a centrifugal force on any excess lubricant contained by the disc drive motor of sufficient magnitude to draw the excess lubricant from the disc drive motor. The system may also or alternatively include an enclosure defining an interior having an oxygen-containing environment. A support platform is disposed within the oxygen-containing environment of the interior of the enclosure, for supporting a disc drive component within the oxygen-containing environment of the enclosure, for example, after the component is removed from the rotary support member.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2001Publication date: March 7, 2002Applicant: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Gregory Ian Rudd, Karl Harold Scheppers, Thomas Patrick McDonnell, Donald James MacLeod, Paul Weidler, Larry Liu, Arnold George Slezak, Robin F. Dorulla, Gregg P. Stevens, Dirk Anthony Krieger, Thaveesin Vasavakul
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Patent number: 6231676Abstract: A system for cleaning disc drive components includes a rotary support member for receiving an assembled disc drive component. A rotary drive motor is coupled to the rotary support member for rotating the rotary support member and disc drive motor supported thereon together at a rotation speed to impart a centrifugal force on any excess lubricant contained by the disc drive motor of sufficient magnitude to draw the excess lubricant from the disc drive motor. The system may also or alternatively include an enclosure defining an interior having an oxygen-containing environment. A support platform is disposed within the oxygen-containing environment of the interior of the enclosure, for supporting a disc drive component within the oxygen-containing environment of the enclosure, for example, after the component is removed from the rotary support member.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 1999Date of Patent: May 15, 2001Assignee: Seagate Technology LLCInventors: Gregory Ian Rudd, Karl Harold Scheppers, Thomas Patrick McDonnell, Donald James MacLeod, Paul Weidler, Larry Liu, Arnold George Slezak, Robin F. Dorulla, Gregg P. Stevens, Dirk Anthony Krieger, Thaveesin Vasavakul
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Patent number: 5678929Abstract: The hydrodynamic bearing arrangement comprises a journal sleeve defining a journal bore and a journal thrust surface. A shaft is mounted in the journal bore by means of a hydrodynamic journal bearing which permits rotation of the shaft and the journal sleeve relative to one another. A thrust plate extends transversely from the shaft and defines two hydrodynamic thrust bearings in combination with the journal thrust surface and a counterplate which is mounted adjacent to the thrust plate. A porous lubricant reservoir is mounted adjacent to the thrust plate. The porous lubricant reservoir serves to remove wear particles from the lubricant in the bearing arrangement, and provides a supply of lubricant to the hydrodynamic journal and thrust bearings should they become depleted of lubricant.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1996Date of Patent: October 21, 1997Assignee: Seagate Technology, Inc.Inventors: Norbert Steven Parsoneault, Gregory Ian Rudd, Raquib Uddin Khan, Michael David Kennedy