Abstract: A disk player having a self-compensating dynamic balancer which can limit internal vibrations generated by an eccentric center of gravity of a disk, and a turntable, a clamper and a spindle motor which incorporate a self-compensating dynamic balancer. The self-compensating dynamic balancer is formed integrally with rotating members in a disk player; that is, a turntable, a clamper and/or a rotor of a spindle motor. The self-compensating dynamic balancer includes at least one race which is integrally formed with the rotating member and rotates around a rotational shaft, a mobile unit which is located in the race to be capable of moving, and a cover member for covering an opening of the race. Thus, internal vibrations occurring due to the eccentric center of gravity of the disk can be effectively limited by the self-compensating dynamic balancer in which the mobile unit is disposed far away from the center of orbital rotation by a centrifugal force during rotation thereof.

Abstract: A balancing mechanism for the spindle of a computer hard disk drive uses two, substantially flat wire clips at each end of the disk pack. The clips are designed so that one clip in each pair nests concentrically inside the other clip in the pair. Each clip is provided with a substantially identical imbalance in the installed position. If the imbalance vectors of each clip at one end of the disk pack are oriented 180 degrees apart, the resulting imbalance at that end of the pack is zero. Conversely, if the imbalance vectors are oriented at the same angle, the imbalance is maximized. Thus, the resolution of the imbalance provided by the clips is theoretically infinite between these limits, up to the precision of the clips. The orientation of the imbalance vector is controlled by the angle of the pair of clips relative to an index mark on the disk pack. The magnitude of the desired counterbalance is controlled by rotating the clips in each pair relative to each other.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus, the spindle motor is provided with a hole that penetrates the hub in the axial direction thereof. The hole permits fluid pressure on the outside and inside of the hub to become balanced, reducing the axial fluid force caused by the rotation of the spindle motor. The apparatus further includes a bearing provided with a groove for dynamic pressure generation and a magnetic lubrication fluid which, in combination with a permanent magnet, prevents oil leakage and scattering.

Abstract: A disk storage device that utilizes an inner rotor spindle motor in which the spindle shaft is fixed to the disk mounting hub and rotates therewith. Support for the spindle is provided by a bearing tube that has a greater diameter and greater rigidity than the stationary shaft or post typically employed to support the disk stack in an outer rotor arrangement. The bearing tube supports the bearings in which the spindle shaft is journalled and allows wider axial spacing between the bearings, reducing spindle run out. At the same time, the bearing tube functions to entrap contaminants from the bearings within the internal motor space and reduces contamination in the clean chamber. Further, the motor elements are located outside the clean room chamber, further enhancing the cleanliness of the environment surrounding the data storage disks.

Abstract: A shaft having a diameter A is press-fitted into the central hole of the boss. A tapered portion is formed around one end of the shaft, which is inserted to the center hole, such that a dimension in the extending direction of the shaft is R. The boss includes a cylindrical recess formed concentrically with the center hole on one end face thereof facing a side from which the shaft is inserted such that a dimension in the extending direction of the center hole thereof is larger than R, and such that a diameter thereof is A<B≦1.05A. The cylindrical recess includes a first side wall linearly extending from the end face of the boss and a second side wall subsequent to the first side wall, which is tapered inwardly in order to serve as an insertion guide member against which the tapered portion of the shaft is to be abutted when the shaft is inserted into the center hole.

Abstract: A bearing structure for a spindle motor is disclosed. The bearing structure provides a fluid bearing seal and support structure that may simultaneously addresses the problems of preventing oil leakage, of maintaining the bearing integrity under shock, of reducing oil evaporation and of minimizing distortion of the active bearing surface. The bearing structure includes a thrust plate coupled to a shaft and a bearing plate and load plate coupled to a sleeve, wherein the load plate urges the bearing plate towards the thrust plate, and wherein an adhesive is interposed between the load plate and the thrust plate. The adhesive may be an UV epoxy. The sleeve is operatively coupled to a stator, and the stator rotates the sleeve upon receiving a drive signal. The bearing further includes a diffusion barrier disposed between the sleeve and the stator. A second diffusion barrier is disposed between the load plate and the shaft.

Abstract: An attachment structure and method for a disk drive apparatus for making the coupling resonance frequency of a hard disk drive the same whether one disk is loaded or a plurality of disks are loaded based upon parameters obtained from a simulation model. The modeling of a coupling vibration for one disk and for two disks is performed using a coupling vibration model of a linear two degree-of-freedom system. The component parts of a spindle motor providing a spring constant Kp are adjusted so that the resonance frequency determined by coupling that of a spindle motor with that of the disk(s) is made much the same whether one disk or two disks are loaded. This adjustment enables stable track following to be secured without the need for adding dummy disks and other parts.

Abstract: A motor structure includes a base, at least one bearing, a shaft, a hollow coil assembly, and an elastic ring. The base has at least two fan-shaped sheets and a lower projection. The bearing is received between the fan-shaped sheets. The shaft is supported by the bearing for rotation and is formed with a circumferential groove. The hollow coil assembly for surrounding the fan-shaped sheets includes a plurality of snap engaging portions for engaging with the lower projection and includes an upper projection for pressing against the bearing. The elastic ring is engaged with the circumferential groove for fixing the bearing in cooperation with the lower projection and the upper projection.

Abstract: A novel spindle motor assembly is disclosed that utilizes a fixed shaft and places the motor rotor components on the outside wall of the spindle hub directly below its disc stack supporting flange. The structure disclosed provides a compact yet powerful motor having a relatively low profile.

Abstract: A disk drive spindle air bearing is disclosed having increased bearing stiffness, while being capable of manufacture using conventional tolerances. The invention therefore allows the construction of a disk drive spindle bearing without the need for oil or grease that may potentially contaminate the storage disks. The disclosed disk drive spindle air bearing also provides an air bearing having low acoustical noise and power consumption characteristics.

Abstract: A method of automatically measuring the dynamic imbalance of a disc stack of a disc drive assembly, the disc stack conveyed to a first selected position in a balance measure assembly station where a rotary positioner lifts and rotates the disc stack above a sensor to locate an electrical lead of the disc drive motor. The disc stack is positioned in a reference position to position the electrical leads a for powering the disc drive motor. The disc stack is then conveyed to a second selected position where a motor power assembly clamps and powers the motor and discs. A balance head assembly measures the magnitude and phase angle of the dynamic imbalance of the disc stack and records the measurement to a production control computer.

Abstract: A spindle for a disc drive which can be assembled without the use of adhesives is disclosed. Stator electromagnets are encapsulated in a plastic overmold. The stator is clamped to the base with a clamp spring arrangement. An offset between the stator surface and the base flange is covered by a clamp spring such that binding of the clamp spring by a fastener allows for an adjustable biasing force to secure the stator in place. The magnet and flux shield are attached to the rotor sleeve by an easily positioned retaining ring. An elastic foam washer provides a controlled force to secure the magnet and flux shield in place on the rotor. A second elastic foam washer and a shield provide a controlled biasing force to hold magnetic fluid and magnetic poles to the rotor. Bearings are laser welded to the rotor and the shaft to rotatably mount the rotor about the shaft.

Abstract: A spindle motor includes a shaft 6 which is rotatably supported; a rotor casing 7 which is turned together with the shaft 6; and a turn table 9 which is fixedly mounted on one end portion of the shaft 6 and is rotated with a disk 10 mounted thereon. An eccentric member 12 is loosely fitted on the part of the shaft 12 which is located between the rotor casing 7 and the turn table 9. The eccentric member 12 is turned with the rotation of the rotor casing 7. In place of the eccentric member, a ball may be arranged which is rolled around the shaft.

Abstract: A disk storage device that utilizes an inner rotor spindle motor in which the spindle shaft is fixed to the disk mounting hub and rotates therewith. Support for the spindle is provided by a bearing tube that has a greater diameter and greater rigidity than the stationary shaft or post typically employed to support the disk stack in an outer rotor arrangement. The bearing tube supports the bearings in which the spindle shaft is journalled and allows wider axial spacing between the bearings, reducing spindle run out. At the same time, the bearing tube functions to entrap contaminants from the bearings within the internal motor space and reduces contamination in the clean chamber. By configuring the inner rotor, including the disk support hub, to rotate around the outer diameter of the bearing tube, an elongated “gap seal” is formed, allowing more efficient containment of contaminants from the bearings without need for expensive ferrofluicdic seals.

Abstract: Disclosed is a disk rotating mechanism equipped with an automatic aligning mechanism in which the number of parts is reduced and in which an improvement in assembly operability and a reduction in cost are achieved. The automatic aligning mechanism includes a case body made of a non-magnetic material and formed as a flat cylinder with one end surface closed, two or more balance members provided so as to be freely movable in the inner space (movement space) of the case body, and an attracting magnet adapted to attract the balance members when the rotating mechanism is at rest or rotating at low speed, wherein the case body is supported by the spindle shaft of a spindle motor and wherein the closed end surface (table portion) thereof serves as the table portion of a turntable.

Abstract: A disc device includes a housing, a fixed shaft at least partially disposed in the housing, wherein the fixed shaft is divided into two parts which are joined together. The disc device also includes one or more discs, a hub for loading the discs, at least a head for reproducing information recorded on each of the discs, and a drive system for moving the head to any position on each of the discs. A motor for driving the hub to rotate is provided outside the housing, and at least two fluid film bearings are provided so that the hub is supported by the fixed shaft so as to be rotatable.

Abstract: A spindle motor for a disk drive includes a shaft, an upper bearing, a lower bearing, a stator, a hub and wire guide body. The upper bearing surrounds the shaft. The lower bearing surrounds the shaft, is spaced-apart from the upper bearing, and includes an inner race. The stator surrounds the shaft between the upper bearing and the lower bearing, and includes a stator wire extending from a stator core. The hub is concentrically positioned about the stator. The wire guide body is secured between the shaft and the lower bearing, and includes a generally cylindrically shaped surface and a channel. The channel is sized to receive the stator wire and is formed adjacent to the cylindrically shaped surface such that the channel opens into at least one of the shaft and the inner race.

Abstract: An integrated microfile includes a rotatably supported magnetic disk for storing data and a micromotor for rotating the disk. The micromotor includes a rotor fixedly joined to the disk and having a plurality of rotor poles. A stator includes a plurality of stator poles positioned around the rotor for sequentially cooperating with respective ones of the rotor poles for rotating the rotor to rotate the disk. A selectively movable access head is disposed adjacent to the disk for selectively addressing the data on the disk. The microfile may be fabricated using lithographic and electroplating techniques in subform-factor sizes in an exemplary embodiment.

Abstract: An electric motor having a pancake construction stator and rotor poles that are formed by photolithography. The stator and rotor can be formed from an amorphous material, thereby reducing grain boundaries and allowing smaller poles to be etched. The number of poles, never less than three, can be from 20 to 5000 times the stator diameter in centimeters. The extremely thin rotor comprises a flexible disk spaced from the stator by an air cushion maintained in accordance with forces as dictated by Bernoulli's principle. This insures that the spacing between the rotor and stator is automatically adjusted to minimize the distance between the rotor and stator poles and thereby to maximize flux linkage between the poles. By operating the motor in a range that avoids saturation of the poles, a variable torque motor is provided since increased current through the motor windings allows the magnetic field intensity and thus the flux linkage to increase.

Abstract: When a disc device employs a fluid bearing, vibrations can be decreased at a high-speed rotation. There are, however, problems of deterioration in bearing rigidity and leakage of lubricating fluid with increase in temperature. For this reason, a motor is disposed outside a housing, two shafts which differ in diameter from each other are joined with each other to form a fixed shaft, each of the two shafts is provided with a fluid bearing, a magnetic fluid is used as a lubricating fluid, and a magnetic seal is provided outside each bearing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic recording data storage device which can operate effectively at high rotational speeds. The magnetic recording device of the present invention comprises (a) a magnetic recording disk, (b) a spindle motor, (c) a head supported on an air bearing carrier, and (d) an actuator connected to the head carrier for moving the head across the rotating disk. The spindle motor comprises ball bearings lubricated by a grease comprising a polymeric amine and bis or tris (alkyl phenyl)phosphate. The grease improves rotational operation of the disk drive.

Abstract: The specification discloses a preferred system, apparatus, and method for constructing a pivot cartridge assembly. The preferred embodiment of the present invention involves the following steps. A pivot bearing and an actuator assembly are provided. The actuator assembly has an aperture for receiving the pivot bearing. The actuator assembly is heated until the aperture of the actuator assembly expands to accommodate the pivot bearing. The pivot bearing is inserted into the aperture of the heated actuator assembly. When the actuator assembly cools, the aperture of the actuator assembly thermodynamically contracts and constricts around the pivot bearing, locking the bearing in place. As a result, the actuator assembly and pivot bearing behave as a single rigid unit.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing static and dynamic balance in a disc drive having three recording discs. A spindle motor hub includes an outer surface which circumferentially extends about a central axis at an outer radius less than a disc inner radius. A groove is formed in the hub to provide a groove inner surface having a groove radius less than the hub outer radius. The groove radius is selected to be twice the hub outer radius minus the disc inner radius. First and third discs are loaded onto the hub and shifted to bring respective disc inner surfaces into abutment with the hub outer surface at a first angular location. The second, intermediate disc is loaded onto the hub and shifted to bring the disc inner surface into abutment with the groove inner surface at a second angular location opposite the first angular location.

Abstract: A spindle motor assembly for a hard disk drive which has a fluid filled tube that dynamically balances the spindle motor. The assembly may include a hub which is rotated by an internal motor. A plurality of disks may be coupled to the hub and separated by a number of spacers. In one embodiment, the fluid filled tube is attached to the hub. In another embodiment, the fluid filled tube is attached to the spacer. The fluid within the tube is allowed to move during rotation of the hub. Movement of the fluid may dynamically balance the spindle motor.

Abstract: A disk memory drive includes a brushless drive outer rotor motor having an internal space and a stator with windings. The outer rotor coaxially encircles the stator and a substantially cylindrical air gap is defined between the stator and the rotor. The rotor includes permanent magnets and a hub fixedly connected with the magnet. A disk mounting section is provided on the hub for accommodating at least one storage disk positioned in a clear space, the mounting section being adapted to extend through a central aperture of the storage disk. The windings and the magnets interacting with the windings are disposed for at least half of the axial longitudinal dimension thereof within a space surrounded by the disk mounting section of the hub. Bearings rotatably mount the rotor and the hub.