IP Library Granted Patent US 9,368,150
Granted Patent B2
US 9,368,150 · App. 14/495,124 · Granted Jun 14, 2016

Charge control agent for fluid dynamic bearing motor lubricant

Inventor: Thomas Edward Karis (Aromas, CA)
Assignee: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
G11B19/2036C10M109/00H01B1/12H02K7/08F16C2370/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,368,150
App. No.
14/495,124
Granted
Jun 14, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to magnetic recording systems having a spindle motor and, more particularly, to an optimized lubricant for bearings within the spindle motor. A lubricant used in a fluid dynamic bearing motor has an antioxidant additive and a charge control agent dissolved in a diester base oil. The charge control agent is chemically attached to the same diacid reactant used in the diester lubricant base oil, and is prepared through an esterification reaction. The charge control agent is then dissolved in the lubricant base oil. The charge control agent is soluble in the lubricant, and is resistant to free radical oxidation. The charge control agent effectively controls the charge of the lubricant by creating electron donor/acceptor sites in the lubricant, facilitating an independent electronic pathway through the lubricant.

Claims (37)

1. A fluid dynamic bearing motor, comprising:

a slider bearing coupled to the fluid dynamic bearing motor;

a central axis;

a spindle shaft coaxial with the central axis;

one or more bearings adjacent the shaft;

a lubricant disposed between the one or more bearings and the shaft, wherein the lubricant includes a soluble charge control agent chemically attached thereto, wherein the lubricant has an antioxidant additive, and wherein each of the lubricant and the charge control agent include an acid reactant, the acid reactant being the same for the lubricant and the charge control agent.

2. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 1 , wherein the acid reactant is sebacic acid.

3. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 2 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is chemically attached to the lubricant through an esterification reaction.

4. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 3 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is dibenzyl sebacate.

5. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 4 , wherein one reactant used in the esterification reaction is benzyl alcohol.

6. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 3 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is dinaphthyl sebacate.

7. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 6 , wherein one reactant used in the esterification reaction is naphthyl alcohol.

8. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 3 , wherein one reactant used in the esterification reaction is anthracene methanol.

9. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 3 , wherein one reactant used in the esterification reaction is pyrene methanol.

10. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 1 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is an asymmetric aryl ester.

11. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 1 , wherein the acid reactant is a poly-acid.

12. The fluid dynamic bearing motor of claim 1 , wherein the acid reactant is a mono-acid.

13. A magnetic recording system, comprising:

an actuator;

an actuator arm coupled to the actuator;

a spindle disposed below the actuator arm;

one or more magnetic media disposed on the spindle;

a fluid dynamic bearing motor coupled to the spindle and adapted to actuate the spindle, the fluid bearing motor further comprising:

a central axis;

a spindle shaft coaxial with the central axis;

one or more bearings adjacent the shaft;

a lubricant disposed between the one or more bearings and the shaft, wherein the lubricant includes a soluble charge control agent chemically attached thereto, wherein the lubricant has an antioxidant additive, and wherein each of the lubricant and the charge control agent include an acid reactant, the acid reactant being the same for the lubricant and the charge control agent.

14. The magnetic recording system of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic recording system is a hard disk drive, the hard disk drive further comprising a slider coupled to the actuator arm and a read/write head coupled to the slider.

15. The magnetic recording system of claim 13 , wherein the acid reactant is sebacic acid.

16. The magnetic recording system of claim 15 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is chemically attached to the lubricant through an esterification reaction.

17. The magnetic recording system of claim 16 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is dibenzyl sebacate.

18. The magnetic recording system of claim 17 , wherein one reactant used in the esterification reaction is benzyl alcohol.

19. The magnetic recording system of claim 16 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is dinaphthyl sebacate, and wherein one reactant used in the esterification reaction is naphthyl alcohol.

20. The magnetic recording system of claim 13 , wherein the relative permittivity of the lubricant and soluble charge control agent solution is between about 2.5 and 200.

21. The magnetic recording system of claim 13 , wherein the conductivity of the lubricant and soluble charge control agent solution is between about 1 and 100 nS/m.

22. The magnetic recording system of claim 13 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is an aryl ester, the concentration of the aryl ester charge control agent being 0.1 to 10% by weight.

23. The magnetic recording system of claim 13 , wherein the soluble charge control agent is an asymmetric aryl ester or an asymmetric alkyl ester that is liquid at room temperature, and wherein the asymmetric aryl ester or asymmetric alkyl ester is used as a base oil of the lubricant with a concentration of 90 to 100% by weight.

Assignments (6)
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - A&R LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 064715/0001 →
PATENT COLLATERAL AGREEMENT - DDTL LOAN AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 21, 2023
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 067045/0156 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST AT REEL 052915 FRAME 0566 Recorded Feb 8, 2022
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 059127/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2020
From: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 052915/0566 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 6, 2016
From: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
To: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 040829/0516 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 25, 2014
From: KARIS, THOMAS EDWARD
To: HGST NETHERLANDS B.V.
Reel/Frame 033816/0266 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20160086631A1 · Mar 24, 2016