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.

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.

Abstract: Hydrodynamic bearing for use in a spindle motor includes a shaft, a bearing sleeve encompassing the shaft with a small radial clearance, a plurality of hydrodynamic pressure generating grooves formed on at least one of an outer surface of the shaft and an inner surface of the bearing sleeve, and a base-plate, flange or another frame element of the motor. The bearing sleeve is constructed as a single component with the frame element of the motor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spindle motor having a hydrodynamic bearing system, particularly to drive platters in a hard disk drive, the platters being disposed on a rotor, and the bearing system being formed by a bearing sleeve arranged on a baseplate and a shaft rotatably supported in an opening in the bearing sleeve and at least one thrust plate connected to the shaft. A liquid lubricant is filled into a bearing gap formed between the shaft, the thrust plate and the bearing sleeve. The invention is characterized in that the thrust plate rests directly against the rotor and is accommodated in an annular recess in the bearing sleeve facing the rotor.

Abstract: Permanent electro-conductive connection is achieved between a bearing component and a baseplate/flange by providing at least one solid-state contact element between the baseplate/flange and the bearing component. The contact element establishes an electric contact between these parts by exercising mechanical force on the baseplate/flange and/or the bearing component. Alternatively, at least one welding seam may be formed between the baseplate/flange and the bearing component to establish the electro-conductive connection.

Abstract: A bearing having a conical hydrodynamic bearing section and a pivot bearing section. The bearing can be used with a spindle motor. The conical hydrodynamic bearing section is formed by the conical portion of the shaft and a correspondingly shaped cavity of the bearing sleeve. The pivot bearing section is located adjacently to the conical bearing section and is formed by the curved end face of the shaft and an endplate inserted into the cavity of the bearing sleeve.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spindle motor, particularly for the purpose of driving the platters in hard disk drives having a baseplate, a stator arrangement that is stationary with respect to the baseplate, a shaft and a bearing system to rotatably support a rotary driven rotor connected to the shaft. In order to create a spindle motor in which it is possible to connect the shaft to the rotor with a high holding force and improved running precision, provision is made according to the invention for the shaft to be at least partly formed as a hollow shaft and for the rotor to have a shaft shoulder aligned concentric to its rotational axis which is inserted into the hollow shaft and firmly connected to the shaft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrodynamic bearing having a shaft, a bearing sleeve that encloses the shaft with a short radial spacing forming a concentric bearing gap, and an equalizing volume that is disposed between an outer circumference of the bearing sleeve and a covering cap at least partly overlapping the bearing sleeve and firmly fixed with respect to the bearing sleeve and connected to the bearing gap via at least one connecting channel or gap, a bearing fluid filling the bearing gap and the connecting channel/gap fully and the equalizing volume at least partially and the bearing fluid forming a continuous fluid film between the bearing gap and the equalizing volume.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrodynamic bearing, particularly for a spindle motor, comprising a shaft, a thrust plate connected to the shaft and a bearing sleeve closed at one end by a cover plate, the bearing sleeve enclosing the shaft and the thrust plate with a slight radial spacing forming a concentric bearing gap filled with a lubricant. As is already known, the surfaces of the bearing sleeve and the shaft facing each other form at least one radial bearing region and the surfaces of the bearing sleeve, the cover plate and the thrust plate facing each other form at least one axial bearing region. In the hydrodynamic bearing according to the invention, at least one connecting channel is provided which connects a section between the bearing sleeve and the shaft abutting the radial bearing region and a section of the bearing gap abutting the axial bearing region to each other.

Abstract: A spindle motor for hard disk drives having a base-plate, a stator, a rotor, a shaft, a bearing recess formed in either the rotor or the base-plate; and an upper roller bearing and a lower roller bearing. Each roller bearing includes an inner ring and an outer ring. Inner rings are fixedly mounted on the shaft. At least one outer ring is secured to the bearing recess by welding or bonding at predetermined spots located at a first end face of the outer ring. The outer ring is secured to the bearing recess without applying an adhesive between an outer perimeter of the outer ring and the inner wall of the bearing recess.

Abstract: Permanent electro-conductive connection is achieved between a bearing component and a baseplate/flange by providing at least one solid-state contact element between the baseplate/flange and the bearing component. The contact element establishes an electric contact between these parts by exercising mechanical force on the baseplate/flange and/or the bearing component. Alternatively, at least one welding seam may be formed between the baseplate/flange and the bearing component to establish the electro-conductive connection.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic thrust bearing forming a part of a bearing system for a rotary bearing of spindle motors utilized to power hard disk drives. The thrust bearing includes at least one annular thrust plate and a counter bearing corresponding to the thrust plate. The thrust plate is firmly connected to a shaft rotatably supported by a radial bearing system. The shaft features an axial bore in the area of the thrust bearing, into which a fixing element is inserted. The fixing element is at least partially provided with a spherical surface. The element is inserted in such a way that the surface of the sphere projects slightly from the end of the shaft and rests on the counter bearing, at least when the motor is at a standstill. Therefore, when the motor is standing still or particularly during its start-up or shut-down phase, the spherical element (and not the bearing surface of the thrust plate) rests on the bearing surface of the cover plate.

Abstract: Hydrodynamic bearing for use in a spindle motor includes a shaft, a bearing sleeve encompassing the shaft with a small radial clearance, a plurality of hydrodynamic pressure generating grooves formed on at least one of an outer surface of the shaft and an inner surface of the bearing sleeve, and a base-plate, flange or another frame element of the motor. The bearing sleeve is constructed as a single component with the frame element of the motor.

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.