Patent ID: 7095147

Claim:
A disc drive motor comprising: a stationary assembly comprising a sleeve; a rotating assembly comprising a shaft and a hub supported for rotation within the sleeve; a fluid dynamic bearing established in a gap between the shaft and the sleeve; a radial capillary seal defined proximate a first end of the gap; at least one re-circulation path extending from the radial capillary seal toward a second end of the gap near an end of the shaft; a magnet assembly supported by the rotating assembly; a stator supported by the stationary assembly that cooperates with the magnet assembly to induce rotation of the rotating assembly; wherein the fluid dynamic bearing includes a journal bearing, defined in an interfacial region between the shaft and the sleeve for establishing fluid flow through the fluid dynamic bearing; a counterplate supported from the sleeve and having a surface facing an end surface of the shaft, one of counterplate surface and the shaft end surface having a groove pattern thereon to establish a thrust bearing in the gap between the shaft end surface and the counterplate surface, wherein the groove pattern pumps fluid radially inward toward a central axis of the shaft; and a ring clip supported in a groove of the shaft, the groove being of sufficient depth to allow the ring clip to be displaced therein, the ring clip extending beneath a axially facing shoulder of the sleeve to act as a shock displacement limiter in the axial direction for the shaft relative to the sleeve.