Bearing Or Air-gap Adjustment Or Bearing Lubrication Patents (Class 310/90)
  • Patent number: 9030067
    Abstract: A bearing assembly for an electric motor is provided that includes a bearing having an inner race and an outer race, and a bearing float sleeve having an outer race engaging member. The outer race engaging member includes an outer surface sized for slip fit engagement with a bearing seat formed in a motor end member such that the bearing float sleeve can be displaced axially in relation to the bearing seat and an inner surface configured for engagement with the bearing outer race such that the bearing outer race is in a fixed rotational position with respect to the bearing float sleeve. The bearing float sleeve includes at least one feature operational to maintain a fixed rotational position of the bearing float sleeve with respect to the motor end member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: John Raczek, Scott Wright, Mark Bartz, C. Scott Eagleton, Jeffrey P. Nelessen, Gerald R. Muehlbauer
  • Patent number: 9030069
    Abstract: There is provided a hydrodynamic bearing assembly including: a shaft; a sleeve disposed to be spaced apart from the shaft by a predetermined interval to form a bearing clearance therewith; and a thrust member installed on the shaft, wherein at least one of the shaft, the sleeve, and the thrust member is provided with a dynamic pressure groove for generating fluid dynamic pressure in a lubricating fluid provided in the bearing clearance, and one side of a portion of the dynamic pressure groove into which the lubricating fluid is introduced is provided with a pressure reduction preventing groove for suppressing a reduction in pressure generated at the time of introduction of the lubricating fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong Il Kwon, Hyo Seok Lee, Ju Ho Kim
  • Publication number: 20150123506
    Abstract: A permanent magnet machine, a rotor assembly for the machine, and a pump assembly. The permanent magnet machine includes a stator assembly including a stator core configured to generate a magnetic field and extending along a longitudinal axis with an inner surface defining a cavity and a rotor assembly including a rotor core and a rotor shaft. The rotor core is disposed inside the cavity and configured to rotate about the longitudinal axis. The rotor assembly further including a plurality of permanent magnets for generating a magnetic field which interacts with the stator magnetic field to produce torque. The permanent magnets configured as one of internal or surface mounted. The rotor assembly also including a plurality of retaining clips configured to retain the plurality of permanent magnets relative to the rotor core. The pump assembly including an electric submersible pump and a permanent magnet motor for driving the pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Ken Ivcar Salas Nobrega, Jeremy Daniel Van Dam, Manoj Ramprasad Shah, William Dwight Gerstler, Tsarafidy Raminosoa, Edward John Flett, Patel Bhageerath Reddy, James Pellegrino Alexander
  • Patent number: 9024492
    Abstract: A laser-welded joint structure between insulation frame and bearing cup of fan includes a base having a bearing cup and a stator having at least one insulation frame. The insulation frame includes a sleeve portion defining a bore axially extending therethrough. The sleeve portion is provided on an inner wall surface with at least one pressing section that radially projects into the bore to press a lower side against an upper end of the bearing cup and a bearing received therein. A portion of at least one lateral side of each pressing section that is in contact with the upper end of the bearing cup is melted by laser beam to form a laser-welded joint, so that the insulation frame and the bearing cup are integrally connected together at reduced manufacturing cost and have increased structural strength. A method of forming the laser-welded joint structure is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Asia Vital Components Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bor-Haw Chang, Ping-Tsang Ho, Chin-Sung Pan, Feng Liu
  • Patent number: 9024494
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes a mechanical backup bearing system arrangement to work in conjunction with non-contact magnetic bearings and capable of coping with thermal expansions of the bearing components during operations. Expansions or contractions of an inner or outer race of a bearing can be compensated using particular springs providing a low profile and a proper stiffness. An electric machine system includes a rotational portion and a stationary portion. The electric machine further includes a magnetic bearing configured to support the rotational portion to rotate within the stationary portion. A mechanical back-up bearing resides in a cavity between the rotational portion and the stationary portion. A flat spring is carried by the stationary portion and abutting the back-up bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Calnetix Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lawrence A. Hawkins, Alexei Filatov
  • Publication number: 20150116866
    Abstract: A rotary actuator for positioning a recording head in a data storage mechanism and that includes first and second cylindrical subassemblies separated by an air gap. One of the subassemblies includes a magnetically conductive core with an electrically conductive coil wrapped thereover to enable first and second current flow directions in the circuit. The other of the subassemblies includes a magnetically conductive core and at least one magnet secured thereto. Transmission of an electric current through the electrically conductive coil induces rotation of one of the subassemblies relative to the other of the subassemblies to rotate the recording head about an axis that is perpendicular to recording media on the recording head. The disclosed rotary actuator facilitates quick and accurate recording head position changes due to low inertia of the rotating subassembly as well as reduced inductance and symmetrical mass distribution of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Darryl Wayne Yeakley, Frank A. Goodknight, Steven G. Suttle
  • Patent number: 9018814
    Abstract: A motor includes a bearing holder having a substantially cylindrical shape and a surrounding member fixed to a radial outer surface of the bearing holder. The bearing holder includes a plurality of holder protrusion portions each including a radial outer surface at least partially making contact with the surrounding member and a plurality of holder recess portions positioned radially inward of the plurality of holder protrusion portions. The plurality of holder protrusion portions and the plurality of holder recess portions are alternately arranged along a circumferential direction. A central angle of a portion of an inner circumferential surface of the surrounding member remaining out of contact with each of the plurality of holder protrusion portions is equal to or larger than a central angle of a portion of an outer circumferential surface of a bearing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9019656
    Abstract: A disk drive unit includes a rotor configured to rotate a disk accommodated within a disk accommodating space and set thereon, a fixed body configured to rotatably support the rotor, a fluid dynamic pressure generating part provided between the fixed body and the rotor, and a plurality of ring-shaped members, provided in an overlapping manner along a direction of a rotational axis of the rotor within a space that communicates the disk accommodating space and a gas-liquid interface of the lubricant, and covering a gap between the rotor and the fixed body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Ryusuke Sugiki
  • Patent number: 9018821
    Abstract: A stator arrangement for an electromechanical transducer is provided. The stator arrangement includes a base structure, a coil holder, a coil mounted at the coil holder; and a flexible element connecting the base structure to the coil holder flexibly relative to each other. Further, an electromechanical transducer is provided that includes the above-mentioned stator arrangement and a rotor arrangement rotatable relative to the base structure around an axial direction. Still, further, a wind turbine is provided that includes the above-mentioned electromechanical transducer as a generator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Henrik Stiesdal
  • Patent number: 9006947
    Abstract: There is provided a spindle motor including: a base part including a base member and a lower thrust member fixedly installed on the base member; a shaft having a lower end portion fixedly installed on the base part; an upper thrust member fixedly installed on an upper end portion of the shaft; a sleeve disposed between the upper and lower thrust members and rotatably installed on the shaft; and a rotor hub fixedly installed on the sleeve to thereby rotate together therewith, wherein the sleeve includes a connection hole formed therein in order to connect an inner diameter portion thereof to an outer peripheral surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Young Ha Park
  • Patent number: 9006945
    Abstract: This disclosure discloses a rotating electrical machine that is integrally formed with a reduction device having an input shaft and an output shaft and employs one of a field system and an armature as a rotor and the other of the field system and the armature as a stator, including a rotating shaft to which the rotor is fixed and that is coaxially connected to the input shaft of the reduction device, and a bearing support member configured to support bearings that rotatably support the input shaft of the reduction device, wherein the stator is provided to the bearing support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yaskawa Denki
    Inventors: Nobukazu Miyauchi, Toshiyuki Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 9006944
    Abstract: A motor includes a base, a rotor and a stator. The base includes a shaft tube having an open end and a closed end. A shaft supporting assembly is received in the shaft tube and includes a top portion. The rotor includes a shaft rotatable about a longitudinal axis, and the shaft includes a retaining groove. The stator includes a limiting member having a distal end. The limiting member defines an opening through which the shaft extends. The limiting member further includes a bottom facing the shaft supporting assembly. A gap and a supporting member are formed between the bottom and the top portion. The supporting member is closer to the shaft tube than to the shaft, and the gap is closer to the shaft than to the shaft tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Sunonwealth Electric Machine Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Patent number: 9006946
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a motor structure with reduced rotation resistance of a bearing. The motor structure according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes: a fixing body, a shaft fixed to the fixing body, a bearing rotatably fitted on the shaft, a rotating body fixed to an outer side of the bearing and rotated by electromagnetic force, a case fixed to the fixing body and having the shaft, the bearing, and the rotating body accommodated in an inner space thereof, and a washer fixed to a top inside of the case so as to be interposed between the top inside of the case and a top surface of the bearing and contacting a part of the top area of the bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyung Su Park, Dong Su Moon, Yong Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 8998189
    Abstract: A wave washer is used for a shaft supporting device of an electric power steering system. The wave washer has an annular portion and six outward protrusions. The annular portion has first protrusions that protrude in a first axial direction and second protrusions that are formed so as to continuous with the first protrusions and that protrude in a second axial direction. Each outward protrusion protrudes from an outer periphery of the annular portion in a radially outward direction of the radial direction of the annular portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Toyama, Hiroyuki Takahashi, Kosuke Tsukahara, Fumihiro Kawakami, Tomohiro Niwa, Yoshinobu Muramoto, Naoki Kinouchi, Takaya Tanikawa
  • Publication number: 20150092299
    Abstract: There are provided a spindle motor including a lower thrust member fixed to a base member; and a shaft fixed to the lower thrust member, wherein the lower thrust member includes a fitting protrusion protruding upwardly in the axial direction and fitted into a fixing groove formed in a lower end of the shaft so as to be depressed upwardly in the axial direction, a thrust bearing surface forming a thrust bearing between the thrust bearing surface and a lower surface of the sleeve, and an extension part protruding from an outer edge of the lower thrust member in a radial direction upwardly in the axial direction to form a liquid-vapor interface between the extension part and an outer surface of the sleeve while enclosing the sleeve, and the thrust bearing surface has inner and outer concave parts depressed in one of inner and outer diameter directions thereof, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Song Bon Oh, Shin Young Cheong, Kum Kyung Lee
  • Patent number: 8994234
    Abstract: A linear actuator displaces a relative position between a guide rail and a slide table, which is arranged in confronting relation to the guide rail. Projections are formed on opposite end sides of the guide rail, the projections extending along a direction of displacement and projecting toward the slide table. The slide table is disposed between the projections on the opposite end sides of the guide rail, with rigid balls being interposed therebetween. Guide grooves and guide grooves, which rollably support the balls, are provided on the projections on the opposite end sides of the guide rail and on the slide table. The guide grooves and the guide grooves apply, on the balls, a pressure caused by a magnetic attractive force of permanent magnets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hisashi Yajima, Tatsuya Hosaka, Toshio Sato
  • Patent number: 8995084
    Abstract: The disk drive device includes a base member with a first upper surface and a second lower surface, a hub, a bearing unit arranged on the base member that rotatably supports the hub, a spindle drive unit that drives the hub to rotate, and a wiring member arranged on the second surface of the base member. The spindle drive unit includes a stator core having a salient pole with coil wound around, and a magnet opposed thereto. The base member includes a wire hole through which a wire is placed, with a first opening on the first surface and a second opening on the second surface. A concaved area on the second surface includes a lower slope, axially between the concaved area and the second opening on which a wiring member is arranged. The wire is connected to the wiring member, radially outside of an outer diameter of the magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Tashiro, Takanori Watanabe, Hiroshi Iwai
  • Publication number: 20150085397
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft and the rotating portion includes a sleeve portion, a hub, a magnet, and a cap. The sleeve portion is arranged opposite to the shaft. The hub is made of metal, and includes a top plate portion extending radially outward from the sleeve portion, and an outer tubular portion extending downward from an outer edge of the top plate portion. The magnet is fixed to the outer tubular portion and is arranged opposite to the stator. The cap is made of metal, and includes an annular plate-shaped portion fixed to an upper surface of the top plate portion. The magnet has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the hub. The cap has a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of both the hub and the magnet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventor: Atsushi YAWATA
  • Publication number: 20150085398
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stationary portion with a shaft, a circular plate portion, a wall portion, and a plate portion. The plate portion has a flat plate portion and an annular convex portion. The sleeve includes an annular portion, an outer side cylindrical portion, and an inner side cylindrical portion. The inner side cylindrical portion and an upper radial dynamic pressure groove array are superimposed in a radial direction. The upper radial dynamic pressure groove array includes a plurality of upper spiral grooves that is inclined in one direction with respect to an axial direction and a plurality of lower spiral grooves that is inclined in another direction opposite to the one direction. A lower end of the upper spiral grooves is positioned farther on an upper side than an upper surface of the annular portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Atsushi YAWATA, Hirotoshi UCHIBORI, Toshihiro AKIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150086398
    Abstract: A rotor unit for a brushless direct current motor (BLDC motor) comprises a main body integrally formed with a rotor shaft and an annular ring magnet mounted on the main body. The annular magnet comprises an anisotropic hard ferrite and is laterally magnetized. The rotary shaft and the main body of the rotor unit may be formed from one plastic material. The rotor unit is supported within the BLDC motor via self-lubricating bearing seats.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Gernot Teufl, Andreas Pleschinger
  • Publication number: 20150084463
    Abstract: A bearing mechanism includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft portion and a plate portion. The rotating portion includes a sleeve including an annular portion, a cylindrical portion, an annular bottom surface, and a first communication hole. The rotating portion includes a ring member arranged to cover at least a portion of an opening of the first communication hole, and faces the plate portion via a first gap. A pumping groove array is disposed in the plate portion or the ring member. A second communication hole is disposed between the ring member and the annular bottom surface, and connected to the first communication hole. At least a portion of the opening of the second communication hole is positioned on a farther radial direction inner side than the pumping groove array.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hirotoshi UCHIBORI, Toshihiro AKIYAMA, Atsushi YAWATA
  • Publication number: 20150084462
    Abstract: Provided is a rotor structure of a rotary electric machine, which is easily adaptable to offer a wide variety of products. The rotor structure of a rotary electric machine includes at least: a rotor shaft (3); a rotor core including a first rotor core section (15) and a second rotor core section (17); a boss section (9); and a pressurizing section. The second rotor core section and the boss section are arranged on an outer circumference of the rotor shaft. The first rotor core section is arranged on an outer circumference of the boss section. The pressurizing section is positioned on an axially outer side of the rotor core. The second rotor core section is pressurized by an abutment surface of the boss section. The first rotor core section arranged on the boss section is pressurized by the pressurizing section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Ryuichi Shimomura, Masaya Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150084464
    Abstract: A permanent magnet rotor shaft assembly for a high speed electrical machine provides a permanent magnet cylindrical core having a longitudinal axis, the cylindrical core being axially compressed by first and second end shafts and being radially compressed by a sleeve made of a non-magnetic high strength metal. At least one of the first and second end shafts includes, facing the cylindrical core, a central shoulder head that cooperates with a mating central recess made in a central portion of a front face of the cylindrical core. An easy concentric alignment of the first and second end shafts with the permanent magnet cylindrical core is allowed while inserting the sleeve and the stiffness of the assembled set is enhanced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: SKF MAGNETIC MECHATRONICS
    Inventors: Lateb Ramdane, Joaquim Da Silva
  • Publication number: 20150084461
    Abstract: A motor includes a shaft supported by upper and lower bearings and rotatable about an axis; a rotor magnet fixed to the shaft; a stator arranged radially outside and opposite to the rotor magnet with a gap therebetween; an upper bracket holding the upper bearing; and a lower bracket holding the lower bearing. The upper bracket includes an upper cylindrical cover press fitted to a stator core from above, an upper bearing holding portion, and a top plate portion arranged to join the upper cylindrical cover and the upper bearing holding portion. The lower bracket includes a lower cylindrical cover press fitted to the stator core from below, a lower bearing holding portion, and a bottom plate portion arranged to join the lower cylindrical cover and the lower bearing holding portion. Each of the upper and lower brackets is fixed to the stator core through press fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keizo FURUKAWA, Kazuya KITAJI
  • Patent number: 8987957
    Abstract: Systems and methods for rotor bearings that enable improved oil circulation, wherein axial grooves are formed in the outer periphery of each bearing to form channels that allow axial flow of oil through the channels. Each bearing includes a collar, a sleeve and an interference ring. The collar has a bore through its center in which a rotatable sleeve is positioned. The outer periphery of the collar has a circumferential groove and at least one axial groove that extends from one face of the collar to the other. An axially permeable interference ring positioned within the circumferential groove extends radially outward from the groove beyond the outer periphery of the collar. The interference ring (e.g., a looped coil spring) allows fluid in the axial groove to flow through the interference ring. The axial groove may have a different depth than the circumferential groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: John M. Knapp, Scott E. Strope
  • Patent number: 8975798
    Abstract: A method and system for reducing bearing failure in a rotating electrical device includes installing a magnetic core around the rotor shaft between the rotor and the bearing. The magnetic core creates an electrical impedance which reduces the current which flows through the bearings, and therefore reduces bearing failure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Inventors: René Larivé, Martin Tanguay, Sylvain Larivé
  • Patent number: 8975796
    Abstract: A motor includes a stator integrally molded together with a stator member, which includes a stator iron-core wound with a winding, by insulating resin, a rotor mounted on a shaft as a center and confronting the stator, two bearings supporting the shaft rotatably, brackets fixing the bearings, and a drive circuit board including a drive circuit which supplies an electric current to the winding and drives the rotor. Either one of the two bearings includes an outer ring and an inner ring both of which are electrically insulated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Kado, Hirofumi Mizukami, Akihiko Watanabe, Takehiko Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 8975797
    Abstract: A disk-rotating motor includes a rotor section including a rotor magnet attached to a rotor frame and a shaft fixed to a center of the rotor frame, and a stator section including a shaft-bearing which bears the shaft, wherein the stator section includes the shaft-bearing, a shaft-bearing housing which holds the shaft-bearing, a thrust plate which bears the shaft in an axis direction, a stator core which is arranged to face the rotor magnet and provided with wire-winding, a core holder which holds the stator core, and a bracket which holds the shaft-bearing housing. The bracket has a projecting part which fixes the shaft-bearing at a central part thereof, an inner diameter part of the shaft-bearing is press-fitted to be tightened to the projecting part, and an outer diameter part of the shaft-bearing housing is adhered to be tightened to an inner diameter part of the core holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Nishikata, Kumio Masuda
  • Publication number: 20150055246
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes an upper bearing portion and a lower bearing portion each of which is inclined with respect to a central axis. The upper bearing portion includes an upper dynamic pressure generating groove defined in at least one of an upper outer circumferential surface of a shaft portion and an upper inner circumferential surface of a sleeve. The lower bearing portion includes a lower dynamic pressure generating groove defined in at least one of a lower outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion and a lower inner circumferential surface of the sleeve. The radial distance between a lower end portion of the upper dynamic pressure generating groove and the central axis is shorter than the radial distance between an upper end portion of the lower dynamic pressure generating groove and the central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akinobu SUMIJI
  • Publication number: 20150054367
    Abstract: A method of and a device for protecting an electric motor (4) in a pod unit (1) for propulsion of marine vessels against shaft bending shocks when the blades (2) of the pod propeller hit ice blocks or other hard objects, said motor (4) having a drive shaft (3), a rotor (41) and a stator (42), said shocks tending to momentarily bend the drive shaft (3) to such an extent that the rotor (41) will come into contact with the stator (42). In accordance with the present invention, the rotor (41) is prevented from coming in detrimental contact with the stator (42) by providing at least two members (61, 62), which together form a radial plain bearing (6) having mating arcuate bearing surfaces (611 and 621, respectively), which during normal operation of the motor (4) are spaced from one another by a gap and come in contact with one another only at extreme loads with short durations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2012
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Andreas Eriksson, Anders Lobell, Per Nahnfeldt, Gunnar Styrud
  • Publication number: 20150055247
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft, a first cup portion. The first cup portion includes a circular plate member and an annular member. The rotating portion includes an annular concave portion that accommodates at least a lower end portion of the annular member. A lubricant is interposed in a gap between a surface of a stationary portion and a surface of the rotating portion. The shaft, the rotating portion, and the lubricant define a fluid dynamic pressure bearing. A connection gap that reaches an inner side of the first cup portion from an outer circumferential surface of the first cup portion is configured between the circular plate member and the annular member. At least a portion of the connection gap is filled with an adhesive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Hironori ANDO, Mitsuhiro TAKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 8964330
    Abstract: A disk drive device includes a chassis, a top cover fixed to a chassis, a rotating body on which a disk retained in a disk retaining space formed between the chassis and the top cover is to be mounted, and a bearing body that supports the rotating body in a freely rotatable manner relative to the chassis. The bearing body has a lubricant applied in a predetermined area, and a capturer that captures the vaporized lubricant from the gas-liquid interface is provided in a space in communication with the disk retaining space from the gas-liquid interface of the lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Matsuo
  • Patent number: 8963392
    Abstract: An axial flux electric machine and associated method of use that includes a shaft, a rotor attached to the shaft, a plurality of permanent magnets positioned underneath the rotor, an electrical winding positioned below the plurality of permanent magnets, a stator that encircles the shaft that is located below the rotor, a first bearing assembly located below the stator and encircling the shaft of the rotor, a second bearing assembly located below the first bearing assembly and encircling the shaft, and a spring mechanism, located between the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly, to distribute load placed on the shaft between the first bearing assembly and the second bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignees: Regal Beloit America, Inc., Regal Beloit Australia Pty., Ltd.
    Inventors: William A. Ziegler, Michael D. Smith, Charles Richard Langford
  • Patent number: 8963386
    Abstract: A spindle motor is provided, the motor comprising: a base plate, a PCB on the base plate, a bearing assembly arranged on the base plate, a stator coupled to a periphery of the bearing assembly, a rotor rotationally coupled to the bearing assembly, the rotor including a yoke and a magnet, and a rotation shaft rotationally coupled to the bearing assembly. The base plate includes a planar portion and a protruding portion arranged along with a periphery of the yoke, the protruding portion being apart from the yoke. The base plate is partially covered with the PCB in a region where the stator is arranged. And, a height from the planar portion to an upper surface of the protruding portion is smaller than a height from the planar portion to a lower surface of the periphery of the yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hoeop Yoon
  • Patent number: 8963390
    Abstract: A spindle motor comprises a turntable, on which a disc is loaded, and a motor which rotates the turntable, wherein a top face plate of a magnetic body rotor case, which rotates united with a rotational shaft of the motor, serves as the turntable. A centering member that guides the inner edge of the disc so as to be concentric with the rotational shaft is disposed on the top face plate of the rotor case and a clamping magnet is disposed in a through-opening on the interior of the centering member and is in contact with the top face plate of the rotor case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Tokyo Parts Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masahiro Nishidate
  • Patent number: 8963385
    Abstract: A spindle motor is provided, the motor including: a base plate; a PCB Printed Circuit Board arranged on an upper surface of the base plate; a bearing assembly coupled to the base plate; a stator coupled to a periphery of the bearing assembly; and a rotor rotationally coupled to the bearing assembly, wherein the base plate is formed with a foreign object inflow prevention fence to inhibit inflow of foreign objects into the stator and the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hoeop Yoon
  • Patent number: 8957553
    Abstract: A brushless motor includes a stator molded integrally with a resin having a fixing member including a stator iron core and a winding wound thereon, a rotor of a disk-like iron core holding a ferrite resin magnet in a circumferential direction, the rotor arranged to face the stator about a shaft, a bearing rotatably supporting the shaft, and conductive brackets fixing the bearing. The brackets are electrically connected to each other with a conducting pin in the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiko Hasegawa, Hirofumi Mizukami, Akihiko Watanabe, Haruhiko Kado
  • Patent number: 8953280
    Abstract: There is provided a spindle motor including: a shaft including a body portion having a fixing recess formed on a lower portion thereof, a flange portion extending in an outer radial direction from an upper portion of the body portion, and a first insertion portion extending downwardly from the flange portion in an axial direction; a lower thrust member including a fixed portion inserted into the fixing recess, a disk portion extending from the fixed portion in an outer radial direction, and first and second protrusion portions extending from the disk portion in the axial direction; a base member coupled to the second protrusion portion; and a rotating member forming a bearing clearance with the shaft and provided to be rotatable with respect to the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Viatcheslav Smirnov
  • Patent number: 8952585
    Abstract: There is provided a rotating member for a motor, the rotating member including: a hub coupled to a shaft system of the motor and rotating together therewith; a main wall portion protruding from one surface of the hub and allowing oil to be sealed between the main wall portion and a sleeve supporting the shaft system; and a pumping portion formed in a lower surface of the main wall portion and generating fluid pressure for preventing a leakage of the oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Dong Jin Park
  • Publication number: 20150035401
    Abstract: A motor includes a base, a stator unit and a rotor. The base includes a shaft tube receiving a sleeve bearing and a positioning member. The positioning member positions the sleeve bearing and includes a hole having a minimal diameter. The stator unit is arranged on the base. The rotor includes a shaft and a permanent magnet. The shaft extends through the hole of the positioning member and rotatably couples with the sleeve bearing. An air gap is formed between the permanent magnet and the stator unit. The shaft has a maximal diameter, and the minimal diameter of the hole of the positioning member is larger than 1.05 times of the maximal diameter of the shaft but is smaller than or equal to two times of the maximal diameter of the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Alex Horng
  • Publication number: 20150036241
    Abstract: A first capillary seal portion is positioned on a radially outer side of a bearing portion. A second capillary seal portion is positioned higher in an axial direction than the bearing portion and further on radially inner side than the first capillary seal portion. A seal cap covers a portion of an opening of the first capillary seal portion and a portion of an opening of the second capillary seal portion. The maximum width of a first gap between the outer circumferential surface of the shaft and an inner circumferential surface of the seal cap in a radial direction and the maximum width of a second gap between an upper surface of the sleeve portion and a lower surface of the seal cap in an axial direction is smaller than the maximum width of the opening of the first capillary seal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiro SHIRAISHI, Tsuchitsugu WATANABE
  • Patent number: 8946955
    Abstract: Control over an electric motor is especially critical in large drilling rigs and a means of accurately and quickly measuring the speed of the rotor of an electric motor and correlating that information with other real-time information has been hampered by the failure of the prior art to attach optical encoders to electric motors with precision. The present device attaches to arbor of a cap on the end of the rotor which provides a centralized and sealed shaft extending through a covering plate on the end of the motor and directly attaching to an optical encoder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Inventor: Watts C Cutter, III
  • Patent number: 8946960
    Abstract: An axial flux electric motor is disclosed. The motor includes a rotor having a first rotor face, a second rotor face, a primary bearing locator on the first rotor face and one or more permanent magnets mounted to the first rotor face. Also included is a stator having a first stator face, a second stator face, a secondary bearing locator on the first stator face, a stator winding having one or more conductors and a connector for connection of the stator winding to a power source. A bearing assembly is also provided and positioned between the first face of the rotor and the first face of the stator for rotationally supporting movement of the rotor relative to the stator, the bearing assembly axially displacing the rotor from the stator to provide an air gap therebetween. The bearing assembly is engaged by the primary and secondary bearing locators to correctly position the bearing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Regal Beloit America, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven Camilleri, Matthew Turner
  • Patent number: 8949095
    Abstract: A method to improve design efficiency by reducing power plant complexity and engineering costs by minimizing power plant changes when installing into new powertrain groups. A three-dimensional grid is defined for the powertrain group with power plant and transmission zones to define projections for attaching selected components to a powertrain version. The zones correspond to matrices dividing each of a width, length, and height of a respective plant and of a transmission into specified proportions. A respective zone is designated for attaching each of the selected components within the group. Each powertrain version is designed to place each selected component for a powertrain version within a predetermined tolerance margin of its respective designated zone. The grid organization is also applied to placement of components and placement of the powertrain itself within the underhood environment of a vehicle, a vehicle platform, or a group of vehicle models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Rodney L. Lopez, Deepak B. Chhaya, Michael A. Scheuer, Chris P. Roxin, John A. Norcutt
  • Patent number: 8946950
    Abstract: There is provided a pulling plate for a spindle motor, the pulling plate including: a body having a circular ring shape; and a plastic deformation part protruding upwardly from the body and plastically deformed when being mounted. Since the pulling plate is installed in the base member by deforming the plating deformation part, a coupling strength between the pulling plate and the base member may be improved. In addition, since the pulling plate may be installed in the base member only through the deformation of the plastic deformation part, an amount of deformation may be reduced. Further, contamination generated in the case that the puling plate clips the base member may be reduced as compared to a case in which the entire pulling plate is press-fitted into the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Song Bon Oh, Jong Ryeol Oh
  • Patent number: 8944784
    Abstract: A motor device includes a main body, an assembling body, a stator and a rotor. The main body includes a first bearing hole and a plurality of first connectors, and all distances between each of the first connectors and an axle of the first bearing hole are the same. The assembling body has a second bearing hole. The stator includes a passage and a plurality of second connectors, the second connectors are coupled to the first connectors respectively to have the stator assembled in the main body, and the passage and the first bearing hole are coaxial. The rotor is disposed inside the passage and two ends of the rotor are installed in the first bearing hole and the second bearing hole respectively. By having both the stator and the rotor positioned by the main body, a gap between the rotor and the stator can be maintained consistently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Kun-Yi Liang, Shu-Er Huang, Yang-Guang Liu, Yueh-Ju Tang, Chi-Hsing Chen
  • Patent number: 8941277
    Abstract: A motor includes a bearing holder and an attachment plate fixed to a radial outer surface of the bearing holder. The attachment plate includes a flat portion including a circular hole and a burring portion axially protruding from the circular hole. The bearing holder includes holder protrusion portions each including a radial outer surface at least partially making contact with the burring portion and holder recess portions and the holder protrusion portions and the holder recess portions are alternately arranged along a circumferential direction. The burring portion includes a plurality of caulking sections extending radially outward to make contact with the circuit board and the plurality of caulking sections are arranged radially outward of the holder recess portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Watanabe, Masamichi Nagata
  • Patent number: 8941946
    Abstract: A motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion that is rotatable about a central axis extending in a vertical direction with respect to the stationary portion. The stationary portion includes a shaft and a cup portion. The shaft extends in an axial direction and is fixed to the cup portion. The rotating portion includes a sleeve portion including at least a portion thereof arranged inside the cup portion, and is arranged opposite to the shaft. The cup portion includes a cylindrical portion, a bottom plate portion, and a first conical portion. The cylindrical portion is radially opposite to an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve portion. The bottom plate portion is inside the cylindrical portion. The first conical portion extends upward from an inner end portion of the bottom plate portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Yoichi Sekii
  • Patent number: 8941278
    Abstract: A system for suspending a rotating body consisting of a combination of magnetic and engineered materials. The suspension system allows for some axial motion to account for varying system loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Inventor: Peter S. Aronstam
  • Patent number: RE45387
    Abstract: The invention relates to a spindle motor having a fluid dynamic bearing system comprising axial and radial bearings that contains a rotor component (14) which encloses a stationary shaft (12), which in turn is connected at both its ends to axially aligned bearing parts (16; 18) that are fashioned such that they form capillary sealing gaps (32; 34), a recirculation channel (28) filled with bearing fluid that connects the remote regions of the bearing to each other, and an electromagnetic drive system (42, 44) for driving the rotor component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Minebea Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Vladimir V. Popov, Jürgen Fleig, Martin Bauer, Guido Schmid, Olaf Winterhalter, Matthias Wildpreth, Thomas Fuss, Martin Engesser, Stefan Schwamberger