Lubricated limiter for fluid dynamic bearing motor
View Patent ↗A component for restricting relative movement of a rotor and a shaft is disclosed. A motor may include a shaft and a rotor, where the rotor is disposed for relative rotation with respect to said shaft. A component is operable to restrict relative movement of the rotor and the shaft, where the component includes a first surface operable to receive a fluid.
1. A motor comprising:
a shaft;
a rotor disposed for relative rotation with respect to said shaft; and
a component operable to restrict relative movement of said rotor and said shaft, wherein said component comprises a first surface operable to receive a fluid.
2. The motor of claim 1 , wherein said first surface of said component opposes a second surface of said shaft, and wherein a gap between said first surface and said second surface is operable to fill with said fluid responsive to a relative rotation of said shaft and said rotor.
3. The motor of claim 1 , wherein said first surface of said component opposes a second surface of said rotor, and wherein a gap between said first surface and said second surface is operable to fill with said fluid responsive to a relative rotation of said shaft and said rotor.
4. The motor of claim 1 , wherein said first surface comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting of at least one groove, at least one land, and at least one pit.
5. The motor of claim 4 , wherein said at least one feature is operable to circulate said fluid.
6. The motor of claim 1 , wherein said component further comprises a second surface operable to form a capillary seal for said fluid.
7. The motor of claim 1 further comprising:
an electromagnetic assembly operable to provide a bias in a first direction; and
wherein said component is operable to restrict relative movement of said rotor and said shaft in a second direction, and wherein said first direction is substantially opposite said second direction.
8. The motor of claim 1 , wherein said rotor comprises a sleeve and a hub, and wherein a second surface of said sleeve and a third surface of shaft are operable to form at least one fluid dynamic bearing.
9. The motor of claim 1 , wherein said shaft comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein said shaft is supported at said first and second ends.
10. The motor of claim 1 further comprising:
a cover coupled to said shaft.
11. The motor of claim 1 further comprising:
a thrust cap coupled with said shaft, and wherein said limiter is coupled with said thrust cap.
12. The motor of claim 11 , wherein said component is integral with said thrust cap.
13. The motor of claim 1 , wherein said component is integral with a second component selected from a group consisting of said shaft and said rotor.
14. A motor comprising:
a component operable to restrict relative movement of a rotor and a shaft, wherein said component comprises a first surface operable to receive a fluid.
15. The motor of claim 14 , wherein said first surface of said component opposes a second surface of said shaft, and wherein a gap between said first surface and said second surface is operable to fill with said fluid responsive to a relative rotation of said shaft and said rotor.
16. The motor of claim 14 , wherein said first surface of said component opposes a second surface of said rotor, and wherein a gap between said first surface and said second surface is operable to fill with said fluid responsive to a relative rotation of said shaft and said rotor.
17. The motor of claim 14 , wherein said first surface comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting of at least one groove, at least one land, and at least one pit.
18. The motor of claim 17 , wherein said at least one feature is operable to circulate said fluid.
19. The motor of claim 14 , wherein said component further comprises a second surface operable to form a capillary seal for said fluid.
20. The motor of claim 14 further comprising:
an electromagnetic assembly operable to provide a bias in a first direction; and
wherein said component is operable to restrict relative movement of said rotor and said shaft in a second direction, and wherein said first direction is substantially opposite said second direction.
21. The motor of claim 14 , wherein said rotor comprises a sleeve and a hub, and wherein a second surface of said sleeve and a third surface of said shaft are operable to form at least one fluid dynamic bearing.
22. The motor of claim 14 , wherein said shaft comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein said shaft is supported at said first and second ends.
23. The motor of claim 14 further comprising:
a cover coupled to said shaft.
24. The motor of claim 14 further comprising:
a thrust cap coupled with said shaft, and wherein said limiter is coupled with said thrust cap.
25. The motor of claim 24 , wherein said component is integral with said thrust cap.
26. The motor of claim 14 , wherein said component is integral with a second component selected from a group consisting of said shaft and said rotor.
27. A method of manufacturing a motor, said method comprising:
disposing a rotor with respect to a shaft to enable relative motion between said shaft and said rotor; and
disposing a component in a position to restrict relative movement of said rotor and said shaft, and wherein said disposing a component further comprises positioning a first surface of said component to receive a fluid.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein said first surface of said component opposes a second surface of said shaft, and wherein a gap between said first surface and said second surface is operable to fill with said fluid responsive to a relative rotation of said shaft and said rotor.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein said first surface of said component opposes a second surface of said rotor, and wherein a gap between said first surface and said second surface is operable to fill with said fluid responsive to a relative rotation of said shaft and said rotor.
30. The method of claim 27 , wherein said first surface comprises at least one feature selected from a group consisting of at least one groove, at least one land, and at least one pit.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein said at least one feature is operable to circulate said fluid.
32. The method of claim 27 , wherein said component further comprises a second surface operable to form a capillary seal for said fluid.
33. The method of claim 27 further comprising:
disposing an electromagnetic assembly operable to provide a bias in a first direction; and
wherein said component is operable to restrict relative movement of said rotor and said shaft in a second direction, and wherein said first direction is substantially opposite said second direction.
34. The method of claim 27 , wherein said rotor comprises a sleeve and a hub, and wherein a second surface of said sleeve and a third surface of shaft are operable to form at least one fluid dynamic bearing.
35. The method of claim 27 , wherein said shaft comprises a first end and a second end, and further comprising:
supporting said shaft at said first and second ends.
36. The method of claim 27 further comprising:
coupling a cover to said shaft.
37. The method of claim 27 further comprising:
coupling a thrust cap with said shaft, and wherein said limiter is coupled with said thrust cap.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said component is integral with said thrust cap.
39. The method of claim 27 , wherein said component is integral with a second component selected from a group consisting of said shaft and said rotor.