Patent ID: 6979931

Claim:
A spindle motor for use in a disk drive having a rotatable head stack assembly, the spindle motor comprising: a spindle motor hub defining an axis of rotation; a magnet radially attached about the spindle motor hub; and a spindle motor stator including: a stator rim; and a plurality of stator teeth arrayed about and internally extending from the stator rim, the stator teeth being sized to fit about the magnet in operable communication therewith for rotating the spindle motor hub, the stator teeth having laminate layers, the stator teeth having at least one reduced height stator tooth, the reduced height stator tooth having fewer laminate layers than a remainder of the stator teeth, the reduced height stator tooth being positionable adjacent the head stack assembly in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation for allowing the head stack assembly to pivot over the reduced height stator tooth.