Hard drive motor, Konideco, sued Seagate, its biggest customer, for patent infringement and compensation

The internal structure of the mechanical hard disk is not complicated. The three core components are the spindle motor, the magnetic head, and the disk.

The spindle motor field can be said to be monopolized by Japan. Nidec (Nidec) is the absolute overlord, with a share of over 85%. The next vendor is also from Japan, namely Minebea.

On January 18, Nidec initiated a patent lawsuit in Wilmington, the largest city in Delaware, claiming that Seagate’s 2TB Barracuda ST200LM15 and 16TB Coolwolf Pro ST16000NE00 hard drives infringed five of its own technical patents.

After investigation, the hard disk involved in the case did not use Nidec’s motor, but it happened to be Minebea. Therefore, it seems that Nidec is suing Seagate, but it seems that “the drunkard’s intention is not to drink.” The real goal is The rival Minebea.

However, Nidec and Minebea have a patent cross-licensing agreement, and it is not clear which link went wrong.

Nidec's demands include Seagate's suspension of infringement, suspension of related products, and compensation for damages.

Financial report data shows that hard drive spindle motors account for the largest proportion of Nidec's business, which is about 86% of its revenue sources.