Spindle assembly with labyrinth seals and hub/back iron spacers

Claim 2

A spindle assembly for supporting data storage disks for rotation relative to a fixed housing, including: an elongate spindle shaft having a spindle axis; a generally cup-shaped spindle hub having a first portion secured to the spindle shaft and an annular wall extended axially from the first portion for supporting at least one data storage disk for rotation about the spindle axis, said annular wall surrounding the spindle shaft and substantially concentric on the spindle axis; an annular back iron having an annular edge, and a plurality of fasteners extended through the first portion and into the back iron through the annular edge, for securing the back iron integrally with respect to the hub and substantially concentric on the spindle axis; and a plurality of spacers between the annular edge of the back iron and the hub, each spacer proximate an associated one of the fasteners, for maintaining the hub and annular edge of the back iron in axially spaced apart relation.

Claim 3

The spindle assembly of claim 1 wherein: Each of said spacers surrounds its associated fastener.

Claim 4

A spindle assembly for supporting data storage disks for rotation relative to a fixed housing, including: an elongate spindle shaft having a spindle axis; a generally cup-shaped spindle hub including a first portion secured to the spindle shaft and an annular wall extended axially from the first portion for supporting at least one data storage disk for rotation about the spindle axis, said annular wall surrounding the spindle shaft substantially centered on the spindle axis; an annular back iron having an annular edge, a plurality of fasteners extended axially through the first portion and into the back iron through the annular edge, for securing the back iron integrally with respect to the hub, and a spacing means between the hub and the annular edge, for maintaining the annular edge of the back iron in axially spaced apart relation to the first portion of the hub.

Claim 5

A spindle assembly for supporting data storage disks for rotation relative to a fixed housing, including: an elongate spindle shaft having a spindle axis; a generally cup-shaped spindle hub including a first portion secured to the spindle shaft and an annular wall extended axially from the first portion for supporting at least one data storage disk for rotation about the spindle axis, said annular wall surrounding the spindle shaft substantially centered on the spindle axis; an annular back iron having an annular edge, a plurality of fasteners extended axially through the first portion and into the back iron through the annular edge, for securing the back iron integrally with respect to the hub, and a spacing means between the hub and the annular edge, for maintaining the annular edge of the back iron in axially spaced apart relation to the first portion of the hub.

Claim 6

The spindle assembly of claim 3 wherein: said spacing means includes a plurality of spacers, one spacer surrounding each of the fasteners.

Claim 7

The spindle assembly of claim 4 wherein: said fasteners mount the annular back iron in spaced apart relation to the annular wall of the hub to define a radial gap between the hub and the back iron.

Claim 8

The spindle assembly of claim 5 further including: stationary first and second bushings, a first bearing means for mounting a first end of the spindle shaft to the first bushing for rotation of the spindle about the spindle axis, and a second bearing means for mounting a second and opposite end of the spindle shaft relative to the second bushing for rotation about the spindle axis, said spindle hub being integrally secured to the spindle shaft for rotation with the shaft.

Claim 9

A spindle assembly for supporting data storage disks for rotation relative to a fixed housing, including: an elongated spindle shaft rotatable on a spindle axis; a hub secured integrally to the spindle shaft and supporting at least one data storage disk for rotation with the spindle shaft; a stationary first bushing and a first bearing means for mounting a first end of the spindle shaft to rotate relative to the first bushing about the spindle axis, said first bearing means surrounding the spindle and being surrounded by the first bushing; a second stationary bushing and a second bearing means for mounting a second and opposite end of the spindle to rotate about the spindle axis relative to the second bushing, said second bearing means surrounding the spindle shaft and being surrounded by the second bushing; wherein the hub is disposed between the first and second bushings and defines a first radial gap between the hub and the first bushing, and a second radial gap between the hub and the second bushing, and wherein each of the bushings cooperates with its associated bearing means to prevent radially outward passage of air between the bushing and its associated bearing means; wherein the first bushing includes a first flow restriction means extending radially inward toward the spindle shaft and disposed between the first bearing means and the hub, said first restriction means terminating proximate the spindle shaft to define a first axial gap for accommodating passage of air between the first bearing means and the first radial gap; and wherein the second bushing includes a second flow restriction means extended radially inward between the second bearing and the hub, and terminating proximate the spindle shaft to define a second axial gap to accommodate passage of air between the second bearing means and the second radial gap.

Claim 10

A spindle assembly for supporting data storage disks for rotation relative to a fixed housing, including: an elongated spindle shaft rotatable on a spindle axis; a hub secured integrally to the spindle shaft and supporting at least one data storage disk for rotation with the spindle shaft; a stationary first bushing and a first bearing means for mounting a first end of the spindle shaft to rotate relative to the first bushing about the spindle axis, said first bearing means surrounding the spindle and being surrounded by the first bushing; a second stationary bushing and a second bearing means for mounting a second and opposite end of the spindle to rotate about the spindle axis relative to the second bushing, said second bearing means surrounding the spindle shaft and being surrounded by the second bushing; wherein the hub is disposed between the first and second bushings and defines a first radial gap between the hub and the first bushing, and a second radial gap between the hub and the second bushing, and wherein each of the bushings cooperates with its associated bearing means to prevent radially outward passage of air between the bushing and its associated bearing means; wherein the first bushing includes a first flow restriction means extending radially inward toward the spindle shaft and disposed between the first bearing means and the hub, said first restriction means terminating proximate the spindle shaft to define a first axial gap for accommodating passage of air between the first bearing means and the first radial gap; and wherein the second bushing includes a second flow restriction means extended radially inward between the second bearing and the hub, and terminating proximate the spindle shaft to define a second axial gap to accommodate passage of air between the second bearing means and the second radial gap.

Claim 11

The spindle assembly of claim 7 wherein: each of the bearing means has an inner race surrounding the spindle shaft and an outer race surrounding the inner race, and each of the flow restriction means extends radially inward at least to the associated inner race.

Claim 12

The spindle assembly of claim 7 further including: an annular first flange extended axially from one of the first bushing and the hub, toward the other of the first bushing and the hub, and an annular first channel in said other of the bushing means and hub, opposite the annular first flange and surrounding the annular first flange in non-contacting relation thereto; and an annular second flange extended axially from one of the second bushing and the hub, toward the other of the second bushing and hub, and an annular second channel in said other of the second bushing and hub, opposite the annular second flange and surrounding the second flange in non-contacting relation thereto.

Claim 13

The spindle assembly of claim 9 wherein: at least one of the first and second bushing is moveable axially relative to the hub and spindle shaft between proximate and remote positions with respect to the hub, and wherein the annular flange and the annular channel corresponding to the selected bushing means and hub each have an axial length sufficient for containment of the annular flange within the associated annular channel when the selected bushing means is in the remote position.

Claim 14

The spindle assembly of claim 9 further including: an annular back iron concentric on the spindle axis, a plurality of fasteners for securing the back iron integrally with respect to the hub, and a plurality of spacers, one surrounding each of the fasteners, for maintaining the back iron axially spaced apart from the hub.

Claim 15

The spindle assembly of claim 11 wherein: the hub is cup-shaped and has an annular radially outward wall concentric on the spindle axis, and the back iron is mounted to the hub in radially spaced apart relation to the annular radially outward wall.

Claim 16

The spindle assembly of claim 8 wherein: the inner race of a selected one of the first and second bearing means is mounted to slide axially with respect to the spindle shaft, to enable axial movement of the selected bearing means and its associated bushing with respect to the spindle shaft and the hub.

Claim 17

The spindle assembly of claim 13 further including: a biasing means on the spindle shaft to urge the inner race of the selected bearing means in the axial direction toward the other bearing means.