-
`-
`
`I\)
`0
`.
`n ~Application of: GRIFFITH D. NEAL
`0
`~ or;J MOTOR
`~ tt~ey Docket No: 8864/46
`xiWess Mail" mailing label number: EV 316 038 007 US
`O>
`- " "D
`~atetof Deposit: May 23. 2006
`0
`
`UTILITY PATENT APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL
`
`Commissioner for Patents
`P. 0. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`>i.:!''·!' .;~(rfr'N:.~ s
`;':i'.!;f!d (i~.:,:q.:,f,:.E :~:.·.
`:.,d1:'::l M~f ~:. t:.,.~:.o,rf
`:;·,:)::;; L~: LJ,'()' N: E:
`
`.. ' .,,
`
`. :·.
`
`,,: ·~ '"
`
`Transmitted herewith is:
`D
`A new application under 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b).
`181
`A 181 Continuation, D Divisional, or D Continuation-in-part (CIP) under 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b) of prior application
`Serial No. 10/874,142, which is a continuation of Serial No. 09/470,428, which claims the benefit of the filing
`date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of provisional U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 60/146,446.
`Prior application infonnation: Examiner: J. Waks: Art Unit: 2834
`D Maintenance of copendency of prior application: A request for extension of time and the appropriate ·
`fee have been filed in the pending prior application (or are being filed in the prior application
`concurrently herewith) to extend the period for response until __ .
`For Continuation or Divisional Applications only: The entire disclosure of the prior application, from which an
`oath or declaration is supplied as indicated below, is considered a part of ttie disclosure of the accompanying
`continuation or divisional application and is hereby incorporated by reference.
`
`The following application elements and other papers are attached:
`1. Application including: D Application Data Sheet. See 37 CFR § 1.76.
`181 Title page
`181 Specification, including claims and abstract (39 pages)
`181 Drawings (14 sheets)
`D Appendices:
`181 Declaration or D Combined Declaration and Power of Attorney(! page):
`D newly-executed (original or copy)
`181 copy from a prior application 09/470,428 (37 CFR §1.63(d))
`D This application is filed by fewer than all the inventors named in the prior
`application, 37 CFR §1.53(d)(4). Please DELETE the following inventors(s)
`named in prior nonprovisional application no: __ :
`
`.2. 181 Small Entity Status:
`D
`Applicant hereby asserts entitlement to claim small entity status under 37 CFR §§ 1.9 and 1.27.
`D
`A small entity statement or assertion of entitlement to claim small entity status was filed in prior
`application no. __ I __ and such status is still proper and desired.
`181
`Is no longer desired.
`3. Fee calculation (after entry of any preliminary amendment(s) in Item #7 below):
`
`Claims as Filed
`
`Col.1
`No. Filed
`
`Col.2
`No. Extra
`
`For
`Basic Fee
`Total Claims
`16-20
`5-3
`lndeoendent Claims
`Multiole Deoendent Claims Present
`Utility Application Size Fee (for each additional so sheets
`that exceeds 100 sheets, includinQ specification and drawinasl
`Search Fee
`Examination Fee
`*If the difference in col. 1 is less than zero, enter ·o· in col. 2.
`
`0
`2
`
`Small Entitv
`Rate
`Fee
`$ 150
`$
`$
`$
`
`x$25=
`x$100=
`+$180=
`
`x$125=
`+$250=
`+$100=
`Total
`
`$
`$
`$
`$
`
`or
`or
`or
`or
`or
`
`or
`or
`or
`or
`
`Not a Small Entitv
`Rate
`Fee
`$ 300
`$
`
`x$50=
`x$200=
`+$360=
`
`x$250=
`+$500=
`+$200=
`Total
`
`$400
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$500
`$200
`$1400
`
`Page 1 of2
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 1
`
`

`

`UTILITY PATENT APPLICATION TRANSMITIAL, cont
`
`Attorney Docket No. 8864/46
`
`D
`
`4. Fee payment :
`D
`A check in the amount of $ __ to cover the filing fee is enclosed.
`D Please charge my Deposit Account No. 23-1925 in the amount of $ __ . A duplicate copy of this sheet is
`enclosed.
`181 Payment by credit card in the amount of $1400 (Form PT0-2038 is attached).
`181
`The Director is hereby authorized to charge payment of the following fees associated with this communication
`or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account No. 23-1925. A copy of this Transmittal is enclosed.
`181 Any additional filing fees required under 37 CFR § 1.16.
`181 Any patent application processing fees under 37 CFR § 1.17.
`D The Director is hereby authorized to charge payment of the following fees during the pendency of this
`application or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account No. 23-1925.
`D Any filing fees under 37 CFR § 1.16 for presentation of extra claims.
`D Any patent application processing fees under 37 CFR § 1.17.
`D The issue fee set in 37 CFR § 1.18 at or before mailing of the Notice of Allowance, pursuant to 37 CFR
`§ 1.311(b).
`5. D Certified copy of priority document(s)
`D is attached or D has been filed in prior application no. --. _I __ .
`6. · D English Translation Document
`D is attached or D has been filed in prior application no. __ I __ .
`7. D Preliminary Amendment:
`D
`A Preliminary Amendment is attached (note: related application data required under 37 CFR §1.78, if
`any, appears in the Amendments to the Specification section of the Preliminary Amendment, including
`incorporations by reference).
`A "Petition to Suspend Prosecution For the Time Necessary to File an Amendment (New Application
`Filed Concurrently)" is attached.
`Information Disclosure Statement, including Form PT0-1449 (_sheets) and copies of references cited, if
`required.
`An Assignment to Encap Motor Corooration
`D
`with accompanying Assignment Recordation Cover Sheet, is attached.
`181
`was previously recorded on 12/22/99 at Reel 10.508, Frames 857-61.
`10. 181 Power of Attorney from 09/470,428 ra pages; D by inventor 181 by Assignee identified in item #9 above)
`11. D Nonpublication Request under 35 USC § 122(b )(2)(B)(i)
`12. 181 Other: The attached specification includes amendments to the specification as originally filed as 09/470,428,
`but those amendments do not introduce any new matter. The amendments to the specification are believed to
`be the same as those made prosecution in the parent case 10/874,142. However, the title, summary of
`invention, abstract and claims have been amended in different ways, though without introducing new matter.
`13. 181 Return Postcard
`14. The power of attorney in the prior application is to: Steven P. Shurtz (Reg. No. 31 ;424).
`181 The power appears in the original papers in the prior application, and a copy is enclosed ..
`. D The power does not appear in the original papers in the prior application, but was filed on:
`D A new power has been executed and is attached.
`15. CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: please recognize the correspondence address for this application as the
`address associated with the following Customer Number:
`Customer No. 00757 - ·Brinks Hofer Gilson Lione
`16. PLEASE DIRECT all telephonic communications to:
`Steven P. Shurtz (tel: (312) 321·4200).
`
`8. D
`
`' 9. 181
`
`May23, 2006
`Uate
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`/Steven P. Shurtz/
`Steven P. Shurtz (Reg.No. 31,424)
`
`Page2of 2
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 2
`
`

`

`-
`-
`
`I\)
`0
`.
`n ~Application of: GRIFFITH D. NEAL
`0
`~ or;J MOTOR
`~ tt~ey Docket No: 8864/46
`xiWess Mail" mailing label number: EV 316 038 007 US
`O>
`- " "D
`~atetof Deposit: May 23. 2006
`0
`
`UTILITY PATENT APPLICATION TRANSMITTAL
`
`Commissioner for Patents
`P. 0. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`>i.:!''·!' .;~(rfr'N:.~ s
`;':i'.!;f!d (i~.:,:q.:,f,:.E :~:.·.
`:.,d1:'::l M~f ~:. t:.,.~:.o,rf
`:;·,:)::;; L~: LJ,'()' N: E:
`
`.. ' .,,
`
`. :·.
`
`,,: ·~ '"
`
`Transmitted herewith is:
`D
`A new application under 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b).
`181
`A 181 Continuation, D Divisional, or D Continuation-in-part (CIP) under 37 C.F.R. §1.53(b) of prior application
`Serial No. 10/874,142, which is a continuation of Serial No. 09/470,428, which claims the benefit of the filing
`date under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of provisional U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 60/146,446.
`Prior application infonnation: Examiner: J. Waks: Art Unit: 2834
`D Maintenance of copendency of prior application: A request for extension of time and the appropriate ·
`fee have been filed in the pending prior application (or are being filed in the prior application
`concurrently herewith) to extend the period for response until __ .
`For Continuation or Divisional Applications only: The entire disclosure of the prior application, from which an
`oath or declaration is supplied as indicated below, is considered a part of ttie disclosure of the accompanying
`continuation or divisional application and is hereby incorporated by reference.
`
`The following application elements and other papers are attached:
`1. Application including: D Application Data Sheet. See 37 CFR § 1.76.
`181 Title page
`181 Specification, including claims and abstract (39 pages)
`181 Drawings (14 sheets)
`D Appendices:
`181 Declaration or D Combined Declaration and Power of Attorney(! page):
`D newly-executed (original or copy)
`181 copy from a prior application 09/470,428 (37 CFR §1.63(d))
`D This application is filed by fewer than all the inventors named in the prior
`application, 37 CFR §1.53(d)(4). Please DELETE the following inventors(s)
`named in prior nonprovisional application no: __ :
`
`.2. 181 Small Entity Status:
`D
`Applicant hereby asserts entitlement to claim small entity status under 37 CFR §§ 1.9 and 1.27.
`D
`A small entity statement or assertion of entitlement to claim small entity status was filed in prior
`application no. __ I __ and such status is still proper and desired.
`181
`Is no longer desired.
`3. Fee calculation (after entry of any preliminary amendment(s) in Item #7 below):
`
`Claims as Filed
`
`Col.1
`No. Filed
`
`Col.2
`No. Extra
`
`For
`Basic Fee
`Total Claims
`16-20
`5-3
`lndeoendent Claims
`Multiole Deoendent Claims Present
`Utility Application Size Fee (for each additional so sheets
`that exceeds 100 sheets, includinQ specification and drawinasl
`Search Fee
`Examination Fee
`*If the difference in col. 1 is less than zero, enter ·o· in col. 2.
`
`0
`2
`
`Small Entitv
`Rate
`Fee
`$ 150
`$
`$
`$
`
`x$25=
`x$100=
`+$180=
`
`x$125=
`+$250=
`+$100=
`Total
`
`$
`$
`$
`$
`
`or
`or
`or
`or
`or
`
`or
`or
`or
`or
`
`Not a Small Entitv
`Rate
`Fee
`$ 300
`$
`
`x$50=
`x$200=
`+$360=
`
`x$250=
`+$500=
`+$200=
`Total
`
`$400
`
`$
`
`$
`
`$500
`$200
`$1400
`
`Page 1 of2
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 3
`
`

`

`UTILITY PATENT APPLICATION TRANSMITIAL, cont
`
`Attorney Docket No. 8864/46
`
`D
`
`4. Fee payment :
`D
`A check in the amount of $ __ to cover the filing fee is enclosed.
`D Please charge my Deposit Account No. 23-1925 in the amount of $ __ . A duplicate copy of this sheet is
`enclosed.
`181 Payment by credit card in the amount of $1400 (Form PT0-2038 is attached).
`181
`The Director is hereby authorized to charge payment of the following fees associated with this communication
`or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account No. 23-1925. A copy of this Transmittal is enclosed.
`181 Any additional filing fees required under 37 CFR § 1.16.
`181 Any patent application processing fees under 37 CFR § 1.17.
`D The Director is hereby authorized to charge payment of the following fees during the pendency of this
`application or credit any overpayment to Deposit Account No. 23-1925.
`D Any filing fees under 37 CFR § 1.16 for presentation of extra claims.
`D Any patent application processing fees under 37 CFR § 1.17.
`D The issue fee set in 37 CFR § 1.18 at or before mailing of the Notice of Allowance, pursuant to 37 CFR
`§ 1.311(b).
`5. D Certified copy of priority document(s)
`D is attached or D has been filed in prior application no. --. _I __ .
`6. · D English Translation Document
`D is attached or D has been filed in prior application no. __ I __ .
`7. D Preliminary Amendment:
`D
`A Preliminary Amendment is attached (note: related application data required under 37 CFR §1.78, if
`any, appears in the Amendments to the Specification section of the Preliminary Amendment, including
`incorporations by reference).
`A "Petition to Suspend Prosecution For the Time Necessary to File an Amendment (New Application
`Filed Concurrently)" is attached.
`Information Disclosure Statement, including Form PT0-1449 (_sheets) and copies of references cited, if
`required.
`An Assignment to Encap Motor Corooration
`D
`with accompanying Assignment Recordation Cover Sheet, is attached.
`181
`was previously recorded on 12/22/99 at Reel 10.508, Frames 857-61.
`10. 181 Power of Attorney from 09/470,428 ra pages; D by inventor 181 by Assignee identified in item #9 above)
`11. D Nonpublication Request under 35 USC § 122(b )(2)(B)(i)
`12. 181 Other: The attached specification includes amendments to the specification as originally filed as 09/470,428,
`but those amendments do not introduce any new matter. The amendments to the specification are believed to
`be the same as those made prosecution in the parent case 10/874,142. However, the title, summary of
`invention, abstract and claims have been amended in different ways, though without introducing new matter.
`13. 181 Return Postcard
`14. The power of attorney in the prior application is to: Steven P. Shurtz (Reg. No. 31 ;424).
`181 The power appears in the original papers in the prior application, and a copy is enclosed ..
`. D The power does not appear in the original papers in the prior application, but was filed on:
`D A new power has been executed and is attached.
`15. CORRESPONDENCE ADDRESS: please recognize the correspondence address for this application as the
`address associated with the following Customer Number:
`Customer No. 00757 - ·Brinks Hofer Gilson Lione
`16. PLEASE DIRECT all telephonic communications to:
`Steven P. Shurtz (tel: (312) 321·4200).
`
`8. D
`
`' 9. 181
`
`May23, 2006
`Uate
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`/Steven P. Shurtz/
`Steven P. Shurtz (Reg.No. 31,424)
`
`Page2of 2
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 4
`
`

`

`"Express Mail" Mailing Label No. EV 316 038 007 US
`
`Date of Deposit May 23. 2006
`
`Our Case No. 8864/46
`
`IN THE UNITED ST ATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`APPLICATION FOR UNITED ST A TES LETTERS PATENT
`
`INVENTOR:
`
`GRIFFITH D. NEAL
`Alameda, California
`
`TITLE:
`
`MOTOR
`
`ATTORNEYS:
`
`STEVEN P. SHURTZ
`Registration No. 31,424
`Customer No. 00757
`BRINKS HOFER GILSON & LIONE
`P.O. BOX 10395
`CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 60610
`(312) 321-4200
`Direct Dial (810) 444-3933
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 5
`
`

`

`1
`
`MOTOR
`
`REFERENCE TO EARLIER FILED APPLICATIONS
`
`The present application is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application Serial
`
`No. 10/874,142, filed June 21, 2004, issuing as U.S. Patent No. 7,049,715, which
`
`5
`
`is a continuation of U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 09/470,428, filed December
`
`22, 1999, U.S. Patent No. 6,753,628, which claims the benefit of the filing date
`
`under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of provisional U.S. Patent Application Serial
`
`No. 60/146,446, filed July 29, 1999, all of which are hereby incorporated by
`
`reference.
`
`10
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`The present invention relates generally to a high speed motor. It relates
`
`particularly to a spindle motor such as used in a hard disc drive, and to the
`
`construction and arrangement of the body of the spindle motor to align and retain
`
`the respective component parts of the motor, as well as stator assemblies used in
`
`15
`
`the motors and hard disc drives using the motors, and methods of developing and
`
`manufacturing high speed motors.
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`Computers commonly use disc drives for memory storage purposes. Disc
`
`drives include a stack of one or more magnetic discs that rotate and are accessed
`
`20
`
`using a head or read-write transducer. Typically, a high speed motor such as a
`
`spindle motor is used to rotate the discs.
`
`An example of a conventional spindle motor 1 is shown in FIG. 1. The
`
`motor 1 includes a base 2 which is usually made from die cast aluminum, a
`
`stator 4, a shaft 6, bearings 7 and a disc support member 8, also referred to as a
`
`25
`
`hub. A magnet 3 and flux return ring 5 are attached to the disc support member 8.
`
`The stator 4 is separated from the base 2 using an insulator (not shown) and
`
`attached to the base 2 using a glue. Distinct structures are formed in the base 2
`
`and the disc support member 8 to accommodate the bearings 7. One end of the
`
`shaft 6 is inserted into the bearing 7 positioned in the base 2 and the other end of
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 6
`
`

`

`2
`
`the shaft 6 is placed in the bearing 7 located in the hub 8. A separate electrical
`
`connector 9 may also be inserted into the base 2.
`
`Each of these parts must be fixed at predefined tolerances with respect to
`
`one another. Accuracy in these tolerances can significantly enhance motor
`
`5
`
`performance.
`
`In operation, the disc stack is placed upon the hub. The stator windings are
`
`selectively energized and interact with the permanent magnet to cause a defined
`
`rotation of the hub. As hub 8 rotates, the head engages in reading or writing
`
`activities based upon instructions from the CPU in the computer.
`
`10
`
`Manufacturers of disc drives are constantly seeking to improve the speed
`
`with which data can be accessed. To an extent, this speed depends upon the speed
`
`of the spindle motor, as existing magneto-resistive head technology is capable of
`
`accessing data at a rate greater than the speed offered by the highest speed spindle
`
`motor currently in production. The speed of the spindle motor is dependent upon
`
`15
`
`the dimensional consistency or tolerances between the various components of the
`
`motor. Greater dimensional consistency between components leads to a smaller
`
`gap between the stator 4 and the magnet 3, producing more force, which provides
`
`more torque and enables faster acceleration and higher rotational speeds. One
`
`drawback of conventional spindle motors is that a number of separate parts are
`
`20
`
`required to fix motor components to one another. This can lead to stack up
`
`tolerances which reduce the overall dimensional consistency between the
`
`components. Stack up tolerances refers to the sum of the variation of all the
`
`tolerances of all the parts, as well as the overall tolerance that relates to the
`
`alignment of the parts relative to one another.
`
`25
`
`In an effort to enable increased motor speed, some hard disc manufacturers
`
`have turned to the use of hydrodynamic bearings. These hydrodynamic bearings,
`
`however, have different aspect ratios from conventional bearings. An example of
`
`a different aspect ratio may be found in a cylindrical hydrodynamic bearing in
`
`which the length of the bearing is greater than it's diameter. This results in more
`
`30
`
`susceptibility to problems induced by differing coefficients of thermal expansion
`
`than other metals used in existing spindle motors, making it difficult to maintain
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 7
`
`

`

`3
`
`dimensional consistency over the operating temperature that the drive sees
`
`between the hydrodynamic bearings and other metal parts of the motor.
`
`Hydrodynamic bearings have less stiffness than conventional ball bearings so they
`
`are more susceptible to imprecise rotation when exposed to vibrations or shock.
`
`5
`
`An important characteristic of a hard drive is the amount of information
`
`that can be stored on a disc. One method to store more information on a disc is to
`
`place data tracks more closely together. Presently this spacing between portions
`
`of information is limited due to vibrations occurring during the operation of the
`
`motor. These vibrations can be caused when the stator windings are energized,
`
`10
`
`which results in vibrations of a particular frequency. These vibrations also occur
`
`from harmonic oscillations in the hub and discs during rotation, caused primarily
`
`by non-uniform size media discs.
`
`An important factor in motor design is the lowering of the operating
`
`temperature of the motor. Increased motor temperature affects the electrical
`
`15
`
`efficiency of the motor and bearing life. As temperature increases, resistive loses
`
`in wire increase, thereby reducing total motor power. Furthermore, the Arhennius
`
`equation predicts that the failure rate of an electrical device is exponentially
`
`related to its operating temperature. The frictional heat generated by bearings
`
`increases with speed. Also, as bearings get hot they expand, and the bearing cages
`
`20
`
`get stressed and may deflect, causing non-uniform rotation and the resultant
`
`further heat increase, non-uniform rotation requiring greater spacing in data tracks,
`
`and reduced bearing life. One drawback with existing motor designs is their
`
`limited effective dissipation of the heat, and difficulty in incorporating heat sinks
`
`to aid in heat dissipation. In addition, in current motors the operating temperatures
`
`25
`
`generally increase as the size of the motor is decreased.
`
`Manufacturers have established strict requirements on the outgassing of
`
`materials that are used inside a hard disc drive. These requirements are intended
`
`to reduce the emission of materials onto the magnetic media or heads during the
`
`operation of the drive. Of primary concern are glues used to attach components
`
`30
`
`together, varnish used to insulate wire, and epoxy used to protect steel laminations
`
`from oxidation.
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 8
`
`

`

`4
`
`In addition to such outgassed materials, airborne particulate in a drive may
`
`lead to head damage. Also, airborne particulates in the disc drive could interfere
`
`with signal transfer between the read/write head and the media. To reduce the
`
`effects of potential airborne particulate, hard drives are manufactured to exacting
`
`5
`
`clean room standards and air filters are installed inside of the drive to reduce the
`
`contamination levels during operation.
`
`Heads used in disc drives are susceptible to damage from electrical shorts
`
`passing through a small air gap between the media and the head surface. In order
`
`to prevent such shorts, some hard drives use a plastic or rubber ring to isolate the .
`
`10
`
`spindle motor from the hard drive case. A drawback to this design is the
`
`requirement of an extra component.
`
`Another example of a spindle motor is shown in U.S. Patent No. 5,694,268
`
`(Dunfield et al.) (incorporated herein by reference). Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8 of
`
`this patent, a stator 200 of the spindle motor is encapsulated with an
`
`15
`
`overmold 209. The overmolded stator contains openings through which mounting
`
`pins 242 may be inserted for attaching the stator 200 to a base. U.S. Patent
`
`No. 5,672,972 (Viskochil) (incorporated herein by reference) also discloses a
`
`spindle motor having an overmolded stator. One drawback with the overmold
`
`used in these patents is that it has a different coefficient of linear thermal
`
`20
`
`expansion ("CL TE") than the corresponding metal parts to which it is attached.
`
`Another drawback with the overmold is that it is not very effective at dissipating
`
`heat. Further, the overmolds shown in these patents are not effective in
`
`dampening some vibrations generated by energizing the stator windings.
`
`U.S. Patent No. 5,806,169 (Trago) (incorporated herein by reference)
`
`25
`
`discloses a method of fabricating an injection molded motor assembly. However,
`
`the motor disclosed in Trago is a step motor, not a high speed spindle motor, and
`
`would not be used in applications such as hard disc drives. Thus, a need exists for
`
`an improved high speed spindle motor, having properties that will be especially
`
`useful in a hard disc drive, overcoming the aforementioned problems.
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 9
`
`

`

`5
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`A motor has been invented which overcomes many of the foregoing
`
`problems. In a first aspect, the invention is a motor having a stator substantially
`
`encapsulated within a body of thermoplastic material; and one or more solid parts
`
`5
`
`used in the motor either within or near the body. The thermoplastic material has a
`
`coefficient of linear thermal expansion such that the thermoplastic material
`
`contracts and expands at approximately the same rate as the one or more solid
`
`parts.
`
`In another aspect, a motor for a hard disc drive comprises at least one
`
`10
`
`conductor, at least one magnet, at least one bearing and a shaft; and a monolithic
`
`body of thermoplastic material substantially encapsulating the at least one
`
`conductor. The bearing is either encapsulated in the thermoplastic material,
`
`housed in a hollow cylindrical insert encapsulated in the thermoplastic material, or
`
`secured in a bore formed in the body of thermoplastic material.
`
`15
`
`In another aspect, the motor has improved shock resistance and comprises
`
`an assembly comprising windings and laminations; and shock absorbing
`
`thermoplastic material substantially encapsulating the assembly. The shock
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`absorbing thermoplastic material has a vibration dampening such that the
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`assembly has a reduction of harmonics in the range of 300-2000 Hz of at least
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`20
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`5 decibels compared to an assembly with the same windings and laminations not
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`being encapsulated.
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`The invention provides the foregoing and other features, and the advantages
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`of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description
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`of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying
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`25
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`drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the
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`invention and do not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the
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`appended claims and equivalents thereof.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
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`FIG. 1 is an exploded, partial cross-sectional and perspective view of a
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`30
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`prior art high speed motor.
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`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 10
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`

`

`6
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`FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stator used in a ·first embodiment of the
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`present invention.
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`FIG. 3 is an exploded, partial cross-sectional and perspective view of a
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`high speed motor in accordance with the first embodiment of the present
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`5
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`invention.
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`FIG. 3A is an exploded, partial cross sectional and perspective view of an
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`alternative embodiment of the motor shown in FIG. 3.
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`FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the high speed motor of FIG. 3.
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`FIG. 5 is an exploded, partial cross-sectional and perspective view of a
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`10
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`high speed motor in accordance with a second embodiment of the present
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`invention.
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`FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the high speed motor shown in FIG. 5.
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`FIG. 7 is an exploded, partial cross-sectional and perspective view of a
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`high speed motor in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention.
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`15
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`FIG. 8 is an exploded, partial cross-sectional and perspective view of a
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`high speed motor in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present
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`invention.
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`FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a high speed motor in accordance with a
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`fifth embodiment of the present invention.
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`20
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`FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a high speed motor in accordance with
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`a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
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`FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a high speed motor in accordance with
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`a seventh embodiment of the present invention.
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`FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the inserts used in the high speed motor of
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`25
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`FIG. 11.
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`FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a high speed motor in accordance with
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`an eighth embodiment of the present invention.
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`FIG. 14 is an exploded, partial cross-sectional and perspective view of a
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`high speed motor in accordance with the ninth embodiment of the present
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`30
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`invention.
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`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 11
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`

`

`7
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`FIG. 15 is a drawing of a mold used to make the encapsulated stator of
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`FIG. 3.
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`FIG. 16 is a drawing of the mold of FIG. 15 in a closed position.
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`FIG. 17 is an exploded and partial cross sectional view of components used
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`5
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`in a pancake motor, a tenth embodiment of the invention.
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`FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a high speed motor in accordance with
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`an eleventh embodiment of the invention.
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`FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a stator and shaft used in a twelfth
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`embodiment of the present invention.
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`10
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`FIG. 20 is an exploded and partial cross sectional view of a hard disc drive
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`of the present invention.
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`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
`
`First Embodiment
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`15
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`A first embodiment of a high speed motor of the present invention is shown
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`in FIGS. 2-4. By "high speed" it is meant that the motor can operate at over
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`5,000 rpm. The spindle motor 10 is designed for rotating a disc or stack of discs
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`in a computer hard disc drive. Motor 10 is formed using an encapsulation method
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`which reduces the number of parts needed to manufacture the motor as compared
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`20
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`with conventional motors used for disc drives, thereby reducing stack up
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`tolerances and manufacturing costs and producing other advantages discussed
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`below.
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`Referring to FIG. 2, a stator 20 is first constructed, using conventional steel
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`laminations 11 forming a magnetically inducible core 17 having a plurality of
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`25
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`poles 21 thereon, and wire windings 15 which serve as conductors. The
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`conductors induce or otherwise create a plurality of magnetic fields in the core
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`when electrical current is conducted through the conductors. In this embodiment,
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`a magnetic field is induced in each of the poles 21.
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`The stator 20 is then used to construct the rest of the spindle motor 10
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`30
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`(FIG. 3). The spindle motor 10 includes a hub 12, which serves as a disc support
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`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 12
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`

`

`8
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`member, the stator 20 and a body 14. Together the stator 20 and body 14 make up
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`a stator assembly 13. The body 14 is preferably a monolithic body 14. Monolithic
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`is defined as being formed as a single piece. The body 14 substantially
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`encapsulates the stator 20. Substantial encapsulation means that the body 14
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`5
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`either entirely surrounds the stator 20, or surrounds almost all of it except for
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`minor areas of the stator that may be exposed. However, substantial encapsulation
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`means that the body 14 and stator 20 are rigidly fixed together, and behave as a
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`single component with respect to harmonic oscillation vibration.
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`The body 14 is preferably formed of a phase change material, meaning a
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`10
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`material that can be used in a liquid phase to envelope the stator, but which later
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`changes to a solid phase. There are two types of phase change materials that will
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`be most useful in practicing the invention: temperature activated and chemically
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`activated. A temperature activated phase change material will become molten at a
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`higher temperature, and then solidify at a lower temperature. However, in order to
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`15
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`be practical, the phase change material must be molten at a temperature that is low
`
`enough that it can be used to encapsulate a stator. Preferred temperature activated
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`phase change materials will be changed from a liquid to a solid at a temperature in
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`the range of about 200 to 700°F. The most preferred temperature activated phase
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`change materials are thermoplastics. The preferred thermoplastic will become
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`20
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`molten at a temperature at which it is injection-moldable, and then will be solid at
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`normal operating temperatures for the motor. An example of a phase change
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`material that changes phases due to a chemical reaction, and which could be used
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`to form the body 14, is an epoxy. Other suitable phase change materials may be
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`classified as thermosetting materials.
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`25
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`As shown in FIG. 4, a shaft 16 is connected to the hub or disc support
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`member 12 and is surrounded by bearings 18, which are adjacent against the
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`body 14. A rotor or magnet 28 is fixed to the inside of the hub 12 on a flange so as
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`to be in operable proximity to the stator. The magnet 28 is preferably a permanent
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`magnet, as described below. The body 14 includes a base 22. In addition,
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`30
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`mounting features, such as apertures 25, and terminals comprising a connector 26
`
`Petitioners' Exhibit 1008, pg. 13
`
`

`

`9
`
`for connecting the conductors to an external power source are formed as a part of
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`the stator assembly. The terminals 26 are partially encapsulated in the body 14.
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`Referring to FIGS. 3-4, the base 22 of the body 14 is generally connected
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`to the hard drive case (not shown). Connecting members (not shown), such as
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`5
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`screws, may be used to fix the base 22 to the hard drive case, using holes 25 as
`
`shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, other types of mounting features such as
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`connecting pins or legs may be formed as part of the base 22. The connector 26 is
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`preferably a through-hole pin type of connector 26 and is coupled through the hard
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`drive case to the control circuit board residing on the outer surface of the base (not
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`10
`
`shown). Alternatively the connector may be a flexible circuit with copper pads
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`allowing spring contact interconnection.
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`The stator 20 is positioned in the body 14 generally in a direction
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`perpendicular to