Abstract: A spindle motor includes a base, a shaft arranged on the base and extending in a vertical direction, a stator having a coil defined by a wound conductive wire and arranged on an upper surface of the base, and a rotor rotatably supported around the shaft. The base has a through hole that penetrates the base from the upper surface to a lower surface. The conductive wire is drawn out to the lower surface side through the inside of the through hole. The through hole is sealed by a sealing material. The through hole includes a columnar lower column body and a columnar upper column body. The lower column body is arranged on the lower surface side of the base. A cross-sectional area of the upper column body orthogonal to an axial direction is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the lower column body orthogonal to the axial direction.

Abstract: A spindle motor includes a base, a shaft arranged on the base and extending in a vertical direction, a stator having a coil defined by a wound conductive wire and arranged on an upper surface of the base, and a rotor rotatably supported around the shaft. The base has a through hole that penetrates the base from the upper surface to a lower surface. The conductive wire is drawn out to the lower surface side through the inside of the through hole. The through hole is sealed by a sealing material. The through hole includes a columnar lower column body and a columnar upper column body. The lower column body is arranged on the lower surface side of the base. A cross-sectional area of the upper column body orthogonal to an axial direction is smaller than a cross-sectional area of the lower column body orthogonal to the axial direction.

Abstract: Provided is a base unit for use in a disk drive apparatus including a motor arranged to be capable of rotating about a central axis extending in a vertical direction. The base unit includes a base member arranged to extend radially to support the motor, and including a predetermined adhesion region and an outside region outside of the adhesion region; and a connector electrically connected to a wire arranged on the base member. The connector is adhered to the base member through an adhesive at the adhesion region of the base member. A wettability of the adhesive on the adhesion region is higher than a wettability of the adhesive on the outside region of the base member.

Abstract: This motor includes a base and a circuit board arranged on a lower surface of the base. The base includes a first annular portion and a second annular portion. The first annular portion is arranged under a stator. The second annular portion is arranged under a flange portion of a hub. A conducting wire drawn out from the stator is arranged to pass through a through hole defined in the first annular portion, and is soldered to a land portion of the circuit board. The second annular portion is arranged to have an axial thickness smaller than that of the first annular portion. The land portion is arranged radially inward of the through hole. The above arrangement makes it easier to achieve a reduced axial dimension of the motor while ensuring a sufficient axial dimension of the hub, which is arranged axially above the second annular portion.

Abstract: A fluid bearing apparatus includes a stationary member and a rotating member. A bearing surface of the stationary member and a bearing surface of the rotating member are arranged opposite to each other with a minute gap therebetween. The minute gap has a fluid arranged therein. At least one of the bearing surfaces includes a first dynamic pressure groove array. The first dynamic pressure groove array includes a plurality of first dynamic pressure grooves arranged unevenly at irregular intervals in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A base unit includes a connector electrically connected to a motor having a central axis extending in a vertical direction, and a connector support portion arranged to support a board portion of the connector. The connector support portion includes a bottom plate portion arranged to extend perpendicularly to the central axis, and arranged to support a lower surface of the board portion; a window portion arranged to pass through the bottom plate portion in an axial direction, and arranged to cover or overlap with an electrode terminal of the connector when viewed in the axial direction; a first recessed portion defined in an upper surface of the bottom plate portion around the window portion, and arranged to overlap with the lower surface of the board portion when viewed in the axial direction; and a second recessed portion defined in the upper surface of the bottom plate portion, and arranged to be spaced apart from the first recessed portion.

Abstract: Provided is a base unit for use in a disk drive apparatus including a motor arranged to be capable of rotating about a central axis extending in a vertical direction. The base unit includes a base member arranged to extend radially to support the motor, and including a predetermined adhesion region and an outside region outside of the adhesion region; and a connector electrically connected to a wire arranged on the base member. The connector is adhered to the base member through an adhesive at the adhesion region of the base member. A wettability of the adhesive on the adhesion region is higher than a wettability of the adhesive on the outside region of the base member.

Abstract: A fluid bearing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a shaft arranged to extend along a central axis extending in a vertical direction; a rotating portion arranged opposite to an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, and arranged to be capable of rotating about the central axis with respect to the shaft; a lubricating oil arranged in a gap between the rotating portion and each of upper and lower outer circumferential surfaces of the shaft; a first groove defined in at least one of a middle outer circumferential surface of the shaft and a portion of an inner circumferential surface of the rotating portion, the portion being opposite to the middle outer circumferential surface, the first groove being arranged to extend along a circumferential direction; a plurality of second grooves each of which is defined in an upper surface of the rotating portion; and a plurality of communicating holes each of which is defined in the rotating portion, and is in communication

Abstract: This motor includes a base and a circuit board arranged on a lower surface of the base. The base includes a first annular portion and a second annular portion. The first annular portion is arranged under a stator. The second annular portion is arranged under a flange portion of a hub. A conducting wire drawn out from the stator is arranged to pass through a through hole defined in the first annular portion, and is soldered to a land portion of the circuit board. The second annular portion is arranged to have an axial thickness smaller than that of the first annular portion. The land portion is arranged radially inward of the through hole. The above arrangement makes it easier to achieve a reduced axial dimension of the motor while ensuring a sufficient axial dimension of the hub, which is arranged axially above the second annular portion.

Abstract: A base unit includes a connector electrically connected to a motor having a central axis extending in a vertical direction, and a connector support portion arranged to support a board portion of the connector. The connector support portion includes a bottom plate portion arranged to extend perpendicularly to the central axis, and arranged to support a lower surface of the board portion; a window portion arranged to pass through the bottom plate portion in an axial direction, and arranged to cover or overlap with an electrode terminal of the connector when viewed in the axial direction; a first recessed portion defined in an upper surface of the bottom plate portion around the window portion, and arranged to overlap with the lower surface of the board portion when viewed in the axial direction; and a second recessed portion defined in the upper surface of the bottom plate portion, and arranged to be spaced apart from the first recessed portion.

Abstract: A fluid bearing apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a shaft arranged to extend along a central axis extending in a vertical direction; a rotating portion arranged opposite to an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, and arranged to be capable of rotating about the central axis with respect to the shaft; a lubricating oil arranged in a gap between the rotating portion and each of upper and lower outer circumferential surfaces of the shaft; a first groove defined in at least one of a middle outer circumferential surface of the shaft and a portion of an inner circumferential surface of the rotating portion, the portion being opposite to the middle outer circumferential surface, the first groove being arranged to extend along a circumferential direction; a plurality of second grooves each of which is defined in an upper surface of the rotating portion; and a plurality of communicating holes each of which is defined in the rotating portion, and is in communication

Abstract: A fluid bearing apparatus includes a stationary member and a rotating member. A bearing surface of the stationary member and a bearing surface of the rotating member are arranged opposite to each other with a minute gap therebetween. The minute gap has a fluid arranged therein. At least one of the bearing surfaces includes a first dynamic pressure groove array. The first dynamic pressure groove array includes a plurality of first dynamic pressure grooves arranged unevenly at irregular intervals in a circumferential direction.

Abstract: A stationary portion includes a stator unit including coils in an annular shape with a central axis as a center; a base portion below the stator unit; and a housing defining an interior space in which a rotating portion, a bearing portion, and the stator unit are accommodated. The base portion includes a through hole extending through the base portion in an axial direction to join an outside of the housing and the interior space to each other; a sheet covering an upper opening of the through hole to close the through hole; a filler covering a lower opening of the through hole; and a vent passage defined in at least one of the base portion and the sheet to join the through hole and the interior space to each other.

Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stationary portion, a rotating portion arranged to rotate about a central axis extending in a vertical direction, and a bearing portion arranged to support the rotating portion such that the rotating portion is rotatable with respect to the stationary portion. The stationary portion includes a stator unit including a plurality of coils arranged in an annular shape with the central axis as a center; a base portion arranged below the stator unit; and a housing arranged to define an interior space in which the rotating portion, the bearing portion, and the stator unit are accommodated.

Abstract: A base member of a disk drive apparatus includes a window portion, a first groove, and a communicating groove. The window portion passes through a bottom plate portion of the base member in an axial direction. The first groove is defined in an upper surface of the bottom plate portion around the window portion. A connector includes a board portion and an electrode terminal on a lower surface of the board portion. The board portion is on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion to cover the window portion, the first groove, and a portion of the communicating groove. The communicating groove extends from the first groove up to a position outside of an outer circumferential portion of the connector. An adhesive layer is between the upper surface of the bottom plate portion and the lower surface of the board portion.

Abstract: A base member of a disk drive apparatus includes a window portion, a first groove, and a communicating groove. The window portion passes through a bottom plate portion of the base member in an axial direction. The first groove is defined in an upper surface of the bottom plate portion around the window portion. A connector includes a board portion and an electrode terminal on a lower surface of the board portion. The board portion is on the upper surface of the bottom plate portion to cover the window portion, the first groove, and a portion of the communicating groove. The communicating groove extends from the first groove up to a position outside of an outer circumferential portion of the connector. An adhesive layer is between the upper surface of the bottom plate portion and the lower surface of the board portion.

Abstract: A spindle motor includes a rotor unit rotatably supported by a bearing portion arranged to rotate about a central axis, a stator radially opposed to the rotor magnet with a gap therebetween and a substantially ring-shaped magnetic member arranged within a gap at an axial space between a disk and coil layers of the stator. The magnetic member includes a first planar portion and a second planar portion formed in a region overlapping with a moving region of a head unit, the first planar portion being positioned higher than the second planar portion. A carriage unit arranged to support the head unit may be accommodated within a space defined by the radial outer surface of the first planar portion, the upper surface of the second planar portion and the lower surface of the disk. Further, the coil layers can be made radially non-uniform in conformity with the shape of the magnetic member.

Abstract: A rotor hub for use in a motor installed into a recording disk driving device to spin a recording disk includes a convex portion, a disk placing portion around the convex portion, and the relief portion which is a substantially circular concave portion disposed between the convex portion and the disk placing portion. The recording disk, preferably a 1.8-inch or smaller type disk, having a center circular through-hole, is mounted on the rotor hub. When the recording disk is mounted on the rotor hub, with the bottom surface thereof abutting against a portion of the disk placing portion and an inner side surface of the center circular through-hole of the recording disk, an upper edge of the relief portion is arranged axially lower than an upper edge of the inner side surface of the center circular through-hole, and a bottom edge of the relief portion is arranged inward from an inner edge of the bottom surface of the recording disk.

Abstract: A bearing apparatus includes a rotating member, a fixed member opposing the rotating member and an ink-like resin material. Opposing surfaces of the rotating member and the fixed member form a bearing part and the ink-like resin material is applied to at least one of the opposing surfaces by transfer printing.

Abstract: A hydrodynamic bearing device comprises a shaft bush having a substantially conical inclined dynamic pressure surface around the outer circumference thereof which is relatively rotatably inserted in a bearing sleeve having a substantially conical inclined dynamic pressure surface around the inner circumference thereof. A substantially conical inclined bearing space is created in the gap between the inclined dynamic pressure surfaces of the bearing sleeve and shaft bush. Lubricant fluid is filled inside the inclined bearing space. A proper dynamic pressure generating means is formed on at least one of the inclined dynamic pressure surfaces of the shaft bush and bearing sleeve. The lubricant fluid is pressurized by the dynamic pressure generating means to generate dynamic pressure, by which the shaft bush and the bearing sleeve are relatively elevated in the radial and thrust directions so that their rotations are supported in a non-contact manner.