Rotational Drive Detail Patents (Class 360/99.08)
  • Publication number: 20130170070
    Abstract: A magnetic-recording head with touch-down detector incorporating a carbon nano-tube (CNT). The magnetic-recording head includes a write element, a read element and a touch-down detector. The write element is configured to write data to a magnetic-recording disk. The read element is configured to read data from the magnetic-recording disk. The touch-down detector includes a thermal sensor, and a CNT portion. The thermal sensor is configured to convert heat to a voltage signal. The CNT portion is configured to touch down on the magnetic-recording disk. The CNT portion is also coupled to the thermal sensor, and is configured to transfer heat generated by contact between the CNT portion and the magnetic-recording disk to the thermal sensor. A hard-disk drive (HDD) including the magnetic-recording head with touch-down detector incorporating a CNT, and a method for detecting contact between the magnetic-recording head and a recording surface of a magnetic-recording disk are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Inventors: Sarbanoo Das, Masafumi Mochizuki
  • Patent number: 8476793
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for stiffening a base plate of a spindle motor to improve shock resistance and vibration response, and thereby increase reliability and performance of a disc drive memory system. A stiffener tab for stiffening a base plate is connected to the base plate, extends from the base plate, and is dimensioned to fit adjacent to a stator tooth. Stiffening of a base plate is especially useful in the case of stamped base plate designs that typically have uniform thickness, whereas cast base plate designs are formed with thicker sections. In an aspect, the present invention stiffens a motor cup portion of the base plate, and replaces stiffness lost by removal of material from the base plate to form holes for recessing a stator into the base plate. Axial and angular displacement of a spindle motor during shock events and vibration are decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Inventor: Anthony J. Aiello
  • Patent number: 8477483
    Abstract: An electronic component and method for manufacturing thereof allow efficient separation of a mother substrate into electronic components defining individual devices. The method includes forming a conductive layer including electrodes and pads for a plurality of devices, an insulating layer that partially covers the conductive layer and that includes pad openings surrounding the pads and exposing at least central portions of the pads, and power supply lines that connect the pads of neighboring ones of the devices in the mother substrate. Power is applied to the power supply lines, and electrolytic plating is performed. Thus, plating layers are formed in the pad openings. Subsequently, external terminals are formed on the plating layers. By cutting the mother substrate, the mother substrate is separated into individual components defining electronic devices. Divided surfaces of the plurality of power supply lines are formed on each of the components so as to be separated from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Motoji Tsuda
  • Publication number: 20130163112
    Abstract: There is provided a base assembly including: a bracket device connected to a head assembly in order to drive the head assembly for reading information from a disk and including an elastic member provided on one surface thereof, the elastic member having a terminal disposed in an inner portion thereof and connected to a main circuit board; and a press base formed by press processing and having an opening part into which the elastic member is inserted, wherein the press base includes an elastic support part forming the opening part and extended in a direction into which the bracket device is inserted to thereby increase a contact area with the elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Il Geun JEON
  • Publication number: 20130163116
    Abstract: There is provided a spindle motor. The spindle motor includes a fixed member; and a rotating member rotating relatively to the fixed member, and having oil filling a bearing clearance formed between the fixed member and the rotating member, wherein the fixed member and the rotating member are provided with an oil diffusion path communicating an air/oil interface formed at a boundary between the oil filled in the bearing clearance and air with the outside, and at least one of the fixed member and the rotating member is provided with at least one dummy oil groove opened to the oil diffusion path and having oil filled in at least a portion of the inside thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 27, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Ho SHIN, Chang Jo YU
  • Patent number: 8472133
    Abstract: There is provided a motor allowing for an increase in the rigidity of a hydrodynamic bearing by controlling a gap between a shaft and a sleeve as well as minimizing power consumption and a recording disk derive device including the motor. The motor includes a sleeve having a cylindrical shape and including a hole whose inner circumferential surface has at least one dynamic pressure groove therein; and a shaft rotatably inserted into the hole of the sleeve and having at least one rigidity reinforcing portion protruding in an outer diameter direction from an outer circumferential surface thereof corresponding to the dynamic pressure groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Sun Kang
  • Patent number: 8472132
    Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing apparatus includes a first minute gap, a second minute gap, a third minute gap, a fourth minute gap, and a fifth minute gap. A flow of a lubricating oil from the fifth minute gap to the fourth minute gap is caused by a plurality of dynamic pressure generating grooves arranged within the fluid dynamic bearing apparatus. This flow causes air bubbles mixed in the lubricating oil within the fifth minute gap to flow toward the third minute gap and be discharged to an outside through the third minute gap. In addition, a flow of the lubricating oil into the third minute gap caused by a centrifugal force accompanying rotation is inhibited.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignees: Nidec Corporation, Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamada, Junya Mizukami, Tsuyoshi Morita, Tetsuya Maruyama, Takuro Iguchi, Troy Michael Herndon, Norbert Steven Parsoneault, Jeffry Arnold LeBlanc
  • Publication number: 20130155547
    Abstract: A damping material to increase a damping ratio is disclosed. In one embodiment, an actuator arm assembly of a hard-disk drive (HDD) comprises an actuator arm. A viscoelastic layer is coupled with the actuator arm. A constraining layer is coupled with the viscoelastic layer on a side of the viscoelastic layer opposite the actuator arm. The coupling of the actuator arm, the viscoelastic layer, and the constraining layer occurs over an area which is a fraction of the area between the constraining layer and the actuator arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Hajime Eguchi, Naoaki Kanada
  • Patent number: 8467145
    Abstract: There is provided a spindle motor. The spindle motor includes a fixed member; and a rotating member rotating relatively to the fixed member, and having oil filling a bearing clearance formed between the fixed member and the rotating member, wherein the fixed member and the rotating member are provided with an oil diffusion path communicating an air/oil interface formed at a boundary between the oil filled in the bearing clearance and air with the outside, and at least one of the fixed member and the rotating member is provided with at least one dummy oil groove opened to the oil diffusion path and having oil filled in at least a portion of the inside thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun Ho Shin, Chang Jo Yu
  • Publication number: 20130148241
    Abstract: The disk drive device includes a base member, a hub, a bearing unit which is arranged on the base member and which rotatably supports the hub, and a spindle drive unit which drives the hub to rotate. The spindle drive unit includes a stator core having a salient pole, a coil wound around the salient pole and a magnet opposed to the salient pole. The hub formed of magnetic material includes an outer cylinder portion engaged with an inner circumference of a recording disk and an inner cylinder portion to which an outer circumference of the magnet is fixed. The diameter of the inner cylinder portion is larger than the diameter of the outer cylinder portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: ALPHANA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: ALPHANA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
  • Publication number: 20130148240
    Abstract: A disk drive is disclosed comprising a disk, a spindle motor operable to rotate the disk, a head actuated over the disk, an interface operable to receive a host supply voltage, and a capacitor. The host supply voltage is used to charge the capacitor to a capacitor voltage higher than the host supply voltage. During a power failure, the host supply voltage stops charging the capacitor, and a motor supply voltage is generated from the spindle motor. The capacitor voltage is used to operate control circuitry, and when the capacitor voltage decays below the motor supply voltage, the motor supply voltage charges the capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Applicant: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: TIMOTHY A. FERRIS, ROBERT P. RYAN
  • Publication number: 20130135771
    Abstract: There is provided a hard disk drive including: a bottom plate including a disk rotating by a motor; and a cover having a first wall member formed thereon, the first wall member inducing an airflow generated at the time of rotation of the disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2012
    Publication date: May 30, 2013
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hyun Chul LEE, Il Oung Park
  • Patent number: 8451558
    Abstract: A disk drive device includes: a base member; a hub on which a recording disk is placed; a bearing unit arranged on the base member for rotatably supporting the hub; and a spindle drive unit for rotationally driving the hub, wherein the spindle drive unit includes a stator core having salient poles, a coil wound around each of the salient poles, and a magnet having a plurality of magnetic poles arranged in a circumferential direction opposed to the salient poles, the hub includes an outer cylindrical portion formed of a magnetic material and engaged with an inner periphery of the recording disk, and an inner cylindrical portion fixing an outer periphery of the magnet, the number of magnetic poles is an even number in a range of 10 to 16, and the number of salient poles is a multiple of 3 in a range of 12 to 24.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Watanabe, Mitsuo Kodama, Hiroshi Iwai, Akira Nishio
  • Patent number: 8451557
    Abstract: In a disk drive device, a magnetic recording disk is to be mounted on a hub. A base plate rotatably supports the hub through a bearing unit. A projecting portion is formed on the upper surface of the base plate having a cylindrical side surface centered along the rotational axis of the motor. A laminated core is formed by laminating magnetic steel sheets and has a ring portion and a plurality of teeth radially extending from the ring portion. The disk drive device has a tubular vibration-deadening ring. The outer surface of the vibration-deadening ring is press-fitted into the ring portion at least at a position, along the motor's rotational axis, closer to the upper surface than to the lower surface of the laminated core; and the inner surface of the vibration-deadening ring is fixed to the side surface of the projecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Nagai, Hiroshi Iwai
  • Patent number: 8434945
    Abstract: A side pressure applying mechanism for a motor may include a rotation shaft of the motor rotatably supported through a support bearing, a side pressure bearing which is loosely fitted to the rotation shaft, an urging member which is abutted with the side pressure bearing to apply a side pressure to the rotation shaft, engaging parts which are formed in a frame and with which both end portions of the urging member are respectively engaged, and a restricting part for restricting movement of the urging member toward the axial direction of the rotation shaft. The restricting part is provided at a position nearer to an abutting position where the urging member is abutted with the side pressure bearing between an engaging position where the urging member is engaged with the engaging part and the abutting position of the urging member with the side pressure bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Sankyo Corporation
    Inventor: Kazuumi Tani
  • Patent number: 8427779
    Abstract: In a disk drive device, a recording disk is mounted on a rotor. A base has a bearing hole, the center of which is along the rotational axis of the rotor. A bearing unit rotatably supports the rotor with respect to the base, the bearing unit being glued to the bearing hole. A ring-shaped first groove, the center of which is along the rotational axis, is arranged on a side surface of the bearing hole. A ring-shaped second groove, the center of which is along the rotational axis, is arranged on an outer surface of the housing, the outer surface contacting the side surface of the bearing hole. The position of the second groove with respect to its direction along the rotational axis is different from the position of the first groove with respect to its direction along the rotational axis. The base and the bearing unit are electrically connected by a conductive resin applied along an edge portion of the bearing hole, the edge portion being on a lower surface of the base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Shinji, Takuji Yamada
  • Patent number: 8427777
    Abstract: In a disk drive device, a hub has an outer circumferential wall portion configured to hold a recording disk. A base member has a cylindrical portion, whose central axis is the rotation axis of the hub, on a surface on the side of the hub. A fluid dynamic bearing holds a lubricant and rotatably supports the hub relative to the base member. A ring-shaped attraction plate including a magnetic material is fixed to the base member and faces a magnet in the axial direction. The outer circumferential wall portion is configured such that the outer circumferential wall portion surrounds the attraction plate and that the range of the outer circumferential wall portion in the axial direction overlaps with the range of the attraction plate in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Yoshio Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8427778
    Abstract: A sleeve supports a shaft. A housing member is arranged so as to surround the sleeve and make the end of the sleeve protrude. A base member holds the housing member and fixes a stator core so as to surround the housing member. A hub drives a recording disk by being rotated integrally with the shaft, with a magnet being fixed to an annular portion concentric with the shaft so as to face the stator core fixed to the base member. A thrust member is rotated integrally with the hub, and a descender portion and a ring portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Japan Advanced Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takuji Yamada, Yuji Omura, Mitsuo Kodama
  • Patent number: 8416523
    Abstract: A disk drive device comprises a hub on which a magnetic recording disk is to be mounted; a base rotatably supporting the hub through a bearing unit; a sintered core fixed to the base, the sintered core having a ring portion and nine teeth that extend radially from the ring portion; coils wound around nine teeth; and a cylindrical magnet fixed to the hub. The sintered core is formed by heat-treating an iron powder. At least one of (a) the surfaces of particles of the iron powder and (b) the surfaces of the sintered core is insulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 8415844
    Abstract: There is provided a base assembly for a motor, including: a base member having a shaft system of the motor mounted therein; a pulling plate bonded to the base member to prevent excessive floating of the motor; and at least one adhesive filling part formed in the pulling plate, and providing an adhesion space for an adhesive used for bonding the pulling plate to the base member to increase a contact area with the adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ta Kyoung Lee
  • Patent number: 8416524
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a base portion, a rotor hub, a stator, and a circuit board. The base portion preferably includes a through hole and is arranged to spread out radially around a central axis. The rotor hub is arranged above the base portion to rotate about the central axis. The stator is arranged above the base portion, and includes coils each including at least one lead wire. The circuit board is arranged radially outward of the through hole, and arranged on a lower surface of the base portion. The base portion includes a communicating groove arranged to join the through hole and the circuit board to each other. The at least one lead wire of the coils is arranged to pass inside the through hole and the communicating groove to be electrically connected to the circuit board. The through hole is sealed with a sealant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignees: Nidec Corporation, Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Saichi, Kazuhiko Fukushima, Hironori Ando, Kazushi Miura, Katsuya Takahashi, Takehito Tamaoka, Jonathan M. Garbarino, Robert N. Lion
  • Patent number: 8416522
    Abstract: A disk drive motor hub includes a top cylindrical portion defining a longitudinal axis, a middle cylindrical portion proximate the top cylindrical portion, and a bottom cylindrical portion proximate the middle cylindrical portion. The middle cylindrical portion defines an upper mounting surface substantially normal to the longitudinal axis, the upper mounting surface extending radially beyond the top cylindrical portion, and the bottom cylindrical portion defines a lower mounting surface substantially normal to the longitudinal axis, the lower mounting surface extending radially beyond the middle cylindrical portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian P. Schott, Nils E. Larson
  • Publication number: 20130083426
    Abstract: A motor includes a shaft portion, an upper plate cylindrical portion, a lower plate cylindrical portion, and a sleeve portion disposed between an upper plate portion and a lower plate portion. The sleeve portion includes an inner sleeve cylindrical portion and an outer sleeve cylindrical portion. An upper seal portion is arranged between the outer circumferential surface of the upper plate cylindrical portion and the inner circumferential surface of the outer sleeve cylindrical portion. A lower seal portion is arranged between the outer circumferential surface of the outer sleeve cylindrical portion and the inner circumferential surface of the lower plate cylindrical portion. At least a portion of the upper seal portion and at least a portion of the lower seal portion radially overlap with a radial gap between the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion and the inner circumferential surface of the inner sleeve cylindrical portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito TAMAOKA, Shuji IWASAKI, Yoichi SEKII, Hideki NISHIMURA
  • Publication number: 20130083427
    Abstract: A motor includes a shaft component, an upper plate portion, a lower plate portion, and a sleeve portion. The shaft component includes an inner shaft portion and an outer shaft portion. The upper plate portion defines a single monolithic member with one of the inner shaft portion and the outer shaft portion. The lower plate portion defines a single monolithic member with the other of the inner shaft portion and the outer shaft portion. The sleeve portion is disposed between the upper plate portion and the lower plate portion. A radial gap is defined between the sleeve portion and the outer shaft portion. A fixing range in which the outer shaft portion and the inner shaft portion radially overlap is arranged. At least a portion in an axial direction of the fixing range radially overlaps with an existing range in the axial direction of the radial gap.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuji IWASAKI, Yoichi SEKII, Takehito TAMAOKA, Hideki NISHIMURA, Kazuto MIYAJIMA, Takuro IGUCHI, Kazuhiro SATO, Takeyuki SHUTO
  • Patent number: 8411389
    Abstract: Described herein is a disk drive with a fluid bearing having a sleeve defining a bore that extends through a portion of the sleeve along an axis defined by the bore. The sleeve can have a first contact surface that extends in a direction transverse to the axis. A spindle is rotationally received within the bore, and the spindle and the sleeve permit relative rotational movement when the spindle is positioned within the bore. The spindle has a stopper with a second contact surface that extends in a direction transverse to the axis when the spindle is positioned within the bore. A portion of at least one of the first and second contact surfaces includes a softer material than that of the spindle and the bearing sleeve, and the first and second contact surfaces are configured to engage each other upon relative axial movement between the spindle and the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jifang Tian, Jian Yang
  • Publication number: 20130077190
    Abstract: A bearing apparatus includes stationary and rotating portions. The stationary portion includes a stationary shaft and a first cup portion. The rotating portion includes an annular recessed portion and first and second inner circumferential surfaces. Lubricating oil is arranged in a gap between the stationary and rotating portions. An upper surface of the lubricating oil is located between the second inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface of the first cup portion. A lower surface of the lubricating oil is located between the rotating and stationary portions. The rotating portion further includes a through hole filled with the lubricating oil. One of the first cup portion and the rotating portion includes a pumping groove array arranged thereon to cause the lubricating oil to flow toward one end of the through hole during rotation of the rotating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Nidec Corporation
  • Patent number: 8405970
    Abstract: A computer enclosure includes a case and a storage device module. The case includes a drive bracket. The storage device includes a supporting frame, an adapter board, and a number of data storage devices. The supporting frame includes an inserting portion inserted and fixed in the drive bracket, and a receiving portion exposed outside of the case and connected to the inserting portion. The adapter board is arranged in receiving portion. The data storage devices are vertically inserted in the receiving portion and communicate with the adapter board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Zheng-Heng Sun
  • Publication number: 20130070369
    Abstract: A suspension includes a flexure and a plurality of electrical traces formed on the flexure. Each electrical trace has a trace body and a bonding pad arranged for connecting with a slider, and the bonding pad is a free end before connecting with the slider and is capable of bending to the trace body flexibly, and the bonding pad includes a trace body layer and a solder layer formed on the trace body layer, thereby the bonding pads of the electrical traces connecting with the slider by reflowing the solder layer. The present invention uses no extra solder balls, so as to reduce the manufacturing cost and the corresponding apparatus cost. The invention also discloses a manufacturing method of a suspension, and a connecting method for a suspension and a slider.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: SAE Magnetics (H.K.) Ltd.
    Inventors: Shen kuang sidney CHOU, Chi hung Yuen, Yan bin Wang, Shu ming Zhang, Bin Zhao, Ming liang Lin
  • Patent number: 8400729
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a motor including a rotating portion and a stationary portion including a stator, a base portion, and a circuit board preferably includes the steps of: a) arranging the stator at a predetermined position on the base portion, and arranging a lead wire of a coil of the stator at a position on a far side of an imaginary cylindrical surface centered on a central axis and which touches top surfaces of teeth of a stator core with respect to the top surfaces; b) arranging a shield between a land portion of the circuit board and the top surfaces; c) soldering the lead wire to the land portion, the lead wire extending along an upper surface of the circuit board through a gap between the shield and the circuit board; d) removing the shield; and e) attaching the rotating portion to the stationary portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Tsuchitsugu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20130063839
    Abstract: A head-gimbal assembly (HGA) with a suspension-lead pad having a form that is configured to inhibit formation of an inter-pad solder bridge. The HGA includes a gimbal, a head-slider and a plurality of suspension-lead pads. The head-slider is coupled with the gimbal, and includes a plurality of head-slider pads. The plurality of suspension-lead pads is coupled with the plurality of head-slider pads by a plurality of solder bonds. A suspension-lead pad comprises a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a proximal side, disposed in proximity to a respective head-slider pad, and a distal side. A first width of the suspension-lead pad closer to the proximal side is substantially larger than a second width of the suspension-lead pad further from the proximal side than the first width. A disk drive including the HGA, and a head-slider with a head-slider pad having similar form to the suspension-lead pad are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Inventors: Yuhsuke Matsumoto, Tatsumi Tsuchiya, Eiki Oosawa, Tatsushi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8395862
    Abstract: The disk drive device includes a base member, a hub, a bearing unit which is arranged on the base member and which rotatably supports the hub, and a spindle drive unit which drives the hub to rotate. The spindle drive unit includes a stator core having a salient pole, a coil wound around the salient pole and a magnet opposed to the salient pole. The hub formed of magnetic material includes an outer cylinder portion engaged with an inner circumference of a recording disk and an inner cylinder portion to which an outer circumference of the magnet is fixed. The base member having a wire hole through which a wire from the coil passes, and a concavity that is formed at a bottom surface of the base member wherein the wire passes through the wire hole along a bottom face of the base member to a wiring member at the concavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takanori Watanabe, Hiroshi Iwai, Tomoyuki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 8395861
    Abstract: A disk drive device includes a fixed body section, a rotating body section, a bearing unit and a drive unit. The bearing unit includes a shaft that is a rotation center, a sleeve that has an accommodating portion in which the shaft is accommodated and that permits relative rotation around the shaft, a radial space defined by an inner wall surface of the sleeve-accommodating portion and an outer wall surface of the shaft, first and second radial dynamic pressure grooves that generate a radial dynamic pressure in at least one of the inner wall surface of the sleeve and the outer wall surface of the shaft that define the radial space, a lubricant charged into the radial space, and a porous filter that is disposed in at least a portion of the charging space in which the lubricant is charged, for capturing foreign matter contained in the lubricant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoyuki Tashiro
  • Patent number: 8390953
    Abstract: The disk drive device includes a base plate, a hub on which a recording disk is mounted, a shaft bearing unit that is arranged on the base plate and that rotatably supports the hub, and a spindle drive unit that drives the hub to rotate. The spindle driving unit includes a stator core having a salient pole, a coil wound around the salient pole, and a magnet opposed to the salient pole. The hub formed of a magnetic material includes an outer cylindrical portion engaged with an inner circumference of the recording disk. A shaft is inserted into a sleeve, and the sleeve, which is of an approximate cylindrical shape, is inserted into a housing as part of the shaft bearing unit. The shaft is fixed to the rotational center of the hub, rotating along the axis together with the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yusuke Tokunaga
  • Publication number: 20130050873
    Abstract: A stator includes a stator core and a plurality of coils. The stator core includes a core-back and a plurality of teeth portions. Each of the teeth portions includes a coil winding portion, a tip end portion, and an increased width portion. The tip end portion has a circumferential width larger than a smallest width of the coil winding portion. The increased width portion has a circumferential width larger than the smallest width of the coil winding portion. The increased width portion includes a slanted portion extending radially outward and upward. An axial position of a magnetic center of the rotor magnet positioned radially outward of the stator overlaps with an axially extending range of the tip end portion. A thickness of the slanted portion in a direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the slanted portion is smaller than an axial thickness of the coil winding portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki ABE, Takehito TAMAOKA, Kazuhiro SATO
  • Publication number: 20130050872
    Abstract: A motor includes a stationary unit and a rotary unit. The stationary unit includes a stator, a base portion having at least one hole extending in the up-down direction, and a flexible wiring substrate. The flexible wiring substrate reaches a position higher than a lower surface of the base portion through at least one hole and is arranged to supply electric power to the stator. The flexible wiring substrate includes a connection portion arranged higher than the lower surface of the base portion and connected to the stator. The connection portion includes a solder portion arranged on a lower surface thereof to cover a portion of a lead wire extending from a coil of the stator. At least a portion of the solder portion is positioned within the hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi SEKII, Takehito TAMAOKA, Kazuhiro SATO, Kazuhiko FUKUSHIMA, Hiroyuki ABE
  • Publication number: 20130050871
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stationary portion, and a rotating portion supported rotatably with respect to the stationary portion. The stationary portion includes a base portion, a ring-shaped core back, a plurality of teeth, and a coil. The rotating portion includes a magnet radially opposite to a radially inner end surface of the teeth and a hub arranged to hold the magnet. The teeth include an outer core portion arranged radially outward from an outer circumference of the hub, and an inner core portion arranged radially inward from the outer core portion. The inner core portion includes a positioning portion which is positioned radially outward from the outer circumference of the hub, and arranged radially inward from the coil, and the width of the positioning portion in a circumferential direction is larger than the width of the outer core portion in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takehito TAMAOKA
  • Publication number: 20130050874
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stator unit and a rotor unit supported to be rotatable with respect to the stator unit. The stator unit includes a stator, a base portion including a through hole, and a circuit board. The circuit board includes a connection portion to which a conductive wire from the stator is connected after passing through the through hole. A lower surface of the base portion includes a central region, a peripheral region, a recess portion, and a protrusion. A position of a distal portion of the protrusion is provided at a level higher than a level of a lowermost surface region of the central region and lower than a level of a bottom surface of the recess portion in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to a central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nidec Corporation
  • Patent number: 8385017
    Abstract: In a motor, an annular radially extending gap is defined between an outer annular surface and a lower surface of an annular cover portion. The radially extending gap has an axial width smaller than a maximum width of an upper seal portion defined between an outer circumferential surface of an upper thrust portion and an inner circumferential surface of a tubular portion. An annular axially extending gap is defined between an inner cylindrical surface and a radially inner edge of the annular cover portion. The axially extending gap has a radial width smaller than the maximum width of the upper seal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Junya Mizukami, Takayuki Oe, Yoichi Sekii, Naoki Sabashi, Takehito Tamaoka, Takashi Yamamoto, Shigeki Horiki, Kazushi Miura, Mitsuhiro Takemoto
  • Patent number: 8379345
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The stationary portion preferably includes a shaft portion, an upper thrust portion, and an outer tubular portion. The rotating portion preferably includes an inner tubular portion, a flange portion, an upper hub annular portion, and a lower hub annular portion. The flange portion includes a communicating hole. An upper surface of a lubricating oil is located in a fifth gap defined between an upper thrust portion and an upper hub annular portion, while a lower surface of the lubricating oil is located in a sixth gap defined between an outer tubular portion and a lower hub annular portion. The communicating hole and a space extending from the fifth gap to the sixth gap through a fourth gap, a first gap, a second gap, and a third gap are continuously filled with the lubricating oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Junya Mizukami, Takayuki Oe, Yoichi Sekii, Naoki Sabashi, Hideki Nishimura, Takehito Tamaoka, Takashi Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20130038964
    Abstract: A spindle motor includes a base portion, a rotor hub, a stator, and a circuit board. The base portion preferably includes a through hole and is arranged to spread out radially around a central axis. The rotor hub is arranged above the base portion to rotate about the central axis. The stator is arranged above the base portion, and includes coils each including at least one lead wire. The circuit board is arranged radially outward of the through hole, and arranged on a lower surface of the base portion. The base portion includes a communicating groove arranged to join the through hole and the circuit board to each other. The at least one lead wire of the coils is arranged to pass inside the through hole and the communicating groove to be electrically connected to the circuit board. The through hole is sealed with a sealant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventor: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
  • Publication number: 20130027807
    Abstract: A disk drive device comprises: a hub; a base rotatably supporting the hub via a bearing; a core fixed to the base; a cylindrical magnet fixed to the hub; and a suction plate fixed to the base, the suction plate being arranged to face the cylindrical magnet in a direction along the rotational axis and made of magnetic material. The suction plate is arranged so that the minimum distance between the suction plate and the rotational axis is greater than the minimum distance between the cylindrical magnet and the rotational axis. A projection area created by projecting the cylindrical magnet onto a plane that is perpendicular to the rotational axis partially overlaps a projection area created by projecting the suction plate onto the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: ALPHANA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daiki HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 8363353
    Abstract: In a spindle motor, a lead wire extending from a coil includes a first solder portion coated with a first solder. The lead wire is arranged to extend downward through a base hole portion and a board hole portion. The first solder portion is soldered to a circuit board through a second solder portion. An upper end portion of the first solder portion is arranged above an upper surface of the circuit board such that d1>(d2?d3)/2 is satisfied, where d1 denotes the axial distance between the upper end portion of the first solder portion and the upper surface of the circuit board, d2 denotes an opening width of the board hole portion, and d3 denotes the diameter of the lead wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Atsushi Yawata
  • Patent number: 8363352
    Abstract: Disclosed are a motor and a recording disc drive apparatus that can prevent a fluid in a fluid dynamic bearing from being discharged to the outside. A motor according to an aspect of the invention may include: a shaft; a sleeve having a cylindrical shape and supporting the shaft such that the shaft is rotatable therein; a rotor case engaged with an upper end of the shaft and having a rotor main wall having a cylindrical shape and protruding from one surface thereof in order to receive part of the sleeve; and a cover engaged with an end portion of the rotor main wall and extending the rotor main wall, wherein at least two sealing portions preventing leaks of a fluid used to lubricate the sleeve are formed between an internal circumferential surface, defined by the rotor main wall and the cover, and an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang Sun Kang
  • Patent number: 8359608
    Abstract: There is provided a motor formed to have a simple coupling structure between a base plate and a sleeve holder, thereby implementing a simple structure and reducing costs and processes taken for manufacturing the motor, and an optical disc drive using the same. To this end, the motor includes a base plate having at least one protrusion formed therein, and a sleeve holder having a body part, of which the shape is cylindrical and in which a sleeve is fitted, and a flange protrudingly formed from a lower end of the body part in such a manner as to make surface-to-surface contact with an upper surface of the base plate, wherein the flange is formed to have at least one insertion hole, through which the protrusion is inserted so that the sleeve holder is coupled to the base plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pyo Kim, Jae Yoon Kim, Dong Yeon Shin
  • Patent number: 8358483
    Abstract: A stationary portion of a spindle motor includes a base member and a magnetic member. The magnetic member is arranged below a magnet and fixed to the base member. The magnetic member includes an annular plate portion arranged on an upper surface of the base member, and a projecting portion arranged to extend from the plate portion in an axial direction. At least a portion of the projecting portion is press fitted to a wall surface of the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Yoichi Sekii, Hirokazu Shirai, Junya Mizukami, Kazuyoshi Saito, Hideki Nishimura, Atsushi Yawata
  • Publication number: 20130016441
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a recording head includes a main pole, a trailing shield including a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion, and configured to form together with the main pole a first magnetic core, a leading shield including a first connecting portion connected to the main pole through a magnetic material and an end portion opposing to the end portion of the main pole through a non-magnetic material, and configured to form together with the main pole a second magnetic core, and first and second coils wound around the first and second magnetic cores, and a connection terminal configured to flow a current through the main pole, non-magnetic conductive layer, and trailing shield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 17, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomoko Taguchi, Yusuke Tomoda
  • Publication number: 20130003223
    Abstract: In a bearing apparatus, a first cup portion defining a portion of a stationary portion of a bearing apparatus includes a circular plate portion and a cylindrical portion projecting downward from an outer edge portion of the circular plate portion. A rotating portion of the bearing apparatus includes an annular recessed portion arranged to accommodate at least a lower end portion of the cylindrical portion. Accordingly, it is possible to limit the axial dimension of the bearing apparatus while also enabling a radial dynamic pressure groove array. Additionally, one end of a through hole defined in the rotating portion is arranged to open into the annular recessed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro KIMURA, Teiichi HIRONO, Kunio SAKURADA, Kyoko HORISE
  • Patent number: 8345379
    Abstract: A disk drive device has a hub so configured as to place and hold recording disks. Where the non-rotating eigenfrequency of resonance in a secondary rocking mode with the recording disks placed on the hub is defined to be F0 (Hz) and the rotational frequency of the hub is defined to be N (Hz), an extending part of the hub and a second cylinder part of the hub are formed such that the radial dimension of the extending part is smaller than the axial dimension of the second external cylinder part to satisfy to a relation F0>N·(3·P+2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Alphana Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiki Maeda, Kazuhide Kamata, Morifumi Ohsawa
  • Publication number: 20120327534
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a bearing mechanism of a motor includes steps a)-e). In step a), a bearing assembly is assembled. In step b), an upper seal gap between an upper thrust portion and an upper hub annular portion is arranged to face downward to increase the width of a gap between an outer tubular portion and a flange portion, or a lower seal gap between the outer tubular portion and a lower hub annular portion is arranged to face downward to increase the width of a gap between the upper thrust portion and the flange portion. In step c), pressure in all gaps is reduced. In step d), lubricating oil is injected into the upper or lower seal gap which faces upward, and a predetermined time or longer is allowed to pass. In step e), pressure is returned to atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Katsuki YAMAGUCHI, Shigeki HORIKI, Yoshitsugu HIDESHIMA, Akio TATSUMI, Akinobu SUMIJI, Takehito TAMAOKA, Kazushi MIURA, Mitsuhiro TAKEMOTO
  • Patent number: 8339731
    Abstract: Thus, if a shock or other disturbance to a disc stack spindle bearing assembly occurs that tilts the bearing assembly, the resulting motion is both a tilting, and a motion which is axial. If a shock axially moves the hub assembly, only an axial motion occurs. Thus the system has a non-linear behavior. Pursuant to this invention, when a tilting disturbance occurs, and some of it is dissipated in a net axial movement at a different frequency, energy is subtracted out of the system with motion that is not linearly related to the disturbance was that created it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Hans Leuthold, Susan Immisch, Saul Ceballos, Michael Tiller