Abstract: A bearing apparatus includes a stationary shaft, an upper annular portion, a lower annular portion, and a sleeve. An outer circumferential surface of the upper annular portion includes a cylindrical surface and an inclined surface arranged above the cylindrical surface. The cylindrical surface has an axial length smaller than that of the inclined surface of the upper annular portion. One of an upper surface of the sleeve and a lower surface of the upper annular portion includes a pumping groove array defined therein. An upper surface of a lubricating oil is defined in an upper capillary seal portion, while a lower surface of the lubricating oil is defined in a lower capillary seal portion. The upper capillary seal portion has an opening angle larger than that of the lower capillary seal portion.

Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a plurality of disks within a disk drive has a single fastening hole located at its symmetrical center sized to pass the shaft of a screw having a head diameter larger than the fastening hole. The screw fastens the disk clamp to a motor hub supporting the plurality of disks. The disk clamp has a moat around the fastening hole, at a maximum diameter that is smaller than the head diameter of the head on the fastening screw. The moat may be circular, have spike trenches angled toward the fastening hole, or be spiral. The diameter of the spiral moat decreases in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward the fastening hole. The midsection of the disk which the screw head covers is biased at a negative angle toward the fastening hole forcing particles generated during assembly toward the fastening hole of the disk clamp.

Abstract: A disk clamp for clamping a number of magnetic hard disks within a disk drive has a plurality of balance weight holes and a coined index mark for use as a reference in balancing the hard disks after assembly. The disk clamp also has a coined profile located adjacent or around the balance weight holes in order to provide uniform circumferential clamp force by the disk clamp. The disk clamp has a profile that places the inner region of the disk clamp in the plastic deformation region at a certain specified clamping force at the center of the disk clamp.

Abstract: A spindle motor includes a flat stator, a rotor magnet arranged above the stator, and a magnetic portion made of a ferromagnetic material. The magnetic portion is positioned lower than the stator and the magnetic portion are axially overlapped with coils. A magnetic attraction force is generated between the magnetic portion and the rotor magnet. Since the magnetic portion is positioned lower than the stator, it is possible to cause magnetic fluxes to efficiently flow between the rotor magnet and the stator. Further, the stator includes a protrusion protruded radially outward beyond an outer circumferential portion of a rotor hub. Accordingly, in a plan view, the stator is positioned radially outward of the rotor hub.

Abstract: A disk drive device is provided with a recording disk, a base member, a bearing unit, and a hub member. In a marking step, unbalance information indicating the displacement of the center of gravity of the hub member with respect to the rotation center of the hub member is acquired, and an information mark containing the unbalance information is applied to at least the hub member or the base member. In an installing and adjustment step, the unbalance information is read form the information mark, and the position for installing the recording disk in an outer cylinder part is determined in accordance with the unbalance information so as to install the recording disk on the hub member.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a method and apparatus for centring a disk on a spindle, a spinstand and a method of testing with a spinstand. The method of centring includes attaching the disk to the spindle with a stick-slip clamp. A vector is determined by which the centre of the disk is displaced from the spindle axis and the vector is aligned with a movably mounted piezo actuator. A voltage is then applied to the piezo actuator to cause the piezo actuator to apply an impulse to the edge of the disk to cause the disk to slip in the clamp and reduce the displacement of the disk.

Abstract: Disclosed is a slim-type high speed rotation optical disk apparatus having a turn table for loading an optical disk thereon. As compared with conventional ones, a brake pad is located near to the front end so that the brake pad comes into tight contact with a side of the tray's front portion when the tray is inserted. This reduces the noise and vibration of the optical disk apparatus.

Abstract: A support (611) that is substantially cylindrical so as to be received by a disk hole (1NA) and has a positioning portion (612) on a circumference adjacent to a first axial end is provided with a concave portion (613) of which both ends open to the circumference along a radial direction. A first engaging portion (614) protrudes from around the circumference at which a first axial end of the concave portion opens substantially opposes to the positioning portion with a gap equal to or more than a thickness of an optical disk (1N). A moving member (615) is disposed in the concave portion in a manner movable along a radial direction of the support. A second engaging portion (616) protrudes on an end of the moving member at a position corresponding to a second axial end of the concave portion.

Abstract: A spindle motor includes a spindle motor hub that supports one or more disks, and has a contact area reduction portion that minimizes the area of contact between the hub and a disk when the disk is mounted to the hub. The spindle motor hub includes a hub body having a cylindrical sidewall that includes a contact section around which the disk extends and a non-contact section. The non-contact section is constituted by the contact area reduction portion. An outer diameter of the cylindrical hub body at the contact section is greater than an outer diameter of the cylindrical hub body at the contact area reduction portion of the non-contact section.

Abstract: A turntable of a recording medium drive can include a coupler having an inner circumference to which a rotating shaft is fixed, and an outer circumference onto which a disk is inserted; a table extending outwardly from the outer circumference of the coupler and for mounting the disk thereon; and first and second claws elastically supporting the disk by making contact with a clamping region of the disk. In an embodiment, the distance from the center of the rotating shaft to an outer surface of the first claws making contact with the clamping region of the disk is longer than the distance from the center of the rotating shaft to an outer surface of the second claw making contact with the clamping region of the disk.

Abstract: A spindle motor includes a shaft arranged concentric with as a central axis and extending in a vertical direction, a rotor unit arranged to rotate about the central axis, a stator including a base member and a magnetic member fixed to the base member and axially opposed to the magnet. The magnetic member includes an opposing portion axially opposed to the magnet so that a magnetic attracting force is generated between the opposing portion and the magnet and a protrusion portion protruding downwards from the opposing portion. The base member includes a recess portion, and the protrusion portion of the magnetic member is fixed within the recess portion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a disc playback apparatus with a built-in disc drive which performs hand-close process. The control unit 60 has the A/D input port P which is given the voltage of the terminal of the loading motor 78, after voltage reduction by the dividing resistors R1 and R2. It acquires the voltage applied to the A/D input port P at intervals of 20 ms if the disc tray 10 is in its completely ejected state and compares the acquired voltage with a predefined threshold value. If the acquired voltage is lower than the predefined threshold value, it clears the count, and if the acquired voltage is higher than the predefined value, it increments the count. If the count over 5, the control unit 60 delivers control signals to the driver circuit 88, thereby driving the loading motor to retract the disc tray 10.

Abstract: A vacuum assisted disc clamping device provides a number of fixture rings preferably concentrically stacked on a fixture body that is moveable in fixture ring stacking direction and actuated by a wedge drive to compensate for varying fixture levels associated with the individual fixture rings and disc standards. Each fixture ring includes a planar flange with a vacuum groove and a central conical portion that rises above the planar flange. The conical portion is defined with a diameter and cone angle such that a disc of corresponding dimensional standard may be readily placed on the fitting fixture ring with the disc bottom being sucked onto the planar flange while the disc hole centers on the conical portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a bearing mechanism used in an electric motor includes (a) inserting an annular member into a substantially cylindrical closed-bottom cup member to bring a first end portion of a shaft fitted to the annular member into contact with a thermoplastic resin member arranged on an inner bottom surface of the cup member, bringing the annular member into contact with the shaft in a direction leading from an opening of the cup member to a bottom portion of the cup member, and fixing the annular member to the cup member; and (b) deforming the resin member by externally heating the bottom portion of the cup member and applying a load acting toward the bottom portion on a second end portion of the shaft. Further, an electric motor includes a rotor unit, a stator unit, and the bearing mechanism manufactured by this method.

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 disk recorder/player (1) including a skew adjusting means of a thin design is provided which includes a base (101), a disk rotation driving mechanism (102) for an optical disk (4), an optical pickup (103), first and second guide shafts (105, 106) to support the optical pickup (103) at opposite ends of the latter, an optical pickup moving means (104) guided by the first and second guide shafts (105, 106) in moving the optical pickup (103) radially of the optical disk (4), an elastic member (126) put in contact with the first and second guide shafts (105, 106) to force the first and second guide shafts (105, 106) in a direction generally perpendicular to the main side of the optical disk (4), an adjusting screw (127) put into contact with the first and second guide shafts (105, 106) from the opposite side of the elastic member (126) to move the first and second guide shafts (105, 106) in a direction opposite to the direction of forcing by the elastic member (126), and a skew adjusting means (109) which adjust

Abstract: The invention relates to a rotary drive adapted for creating liquid flow in rotatable microfluidic discs. A rotary drive for spinning a disc shaped substrate having microfluidic structures formed therein for the flow control of microliter and/or nanoliter volumes of liquid by centrifugal force is suggested, comprising a motor with a spindle having an axis of rotation. A rotary member is connected for rotation with the spindle and driven for rotation relative to a stationary member, the rotary member being formed with a top plane having a centering guide for receiving the disc so as to force a symmetry axis of the disc into alignment with said axis of rotation. A vacuum source is connected with the stationary member and communicating with the rotary member or a part thereof rotating with the rotary member for applying sub-pressure to the disc when spinning the disc about its symmetry axis. Preferably, the rotary member is journalled for contact-free rotation relative to the stationary member.

Abstract: Improvements to turntables that facilitate inoculation of petri dishes. In one embodiment, the present invention is a motorized turntable for a petri dish that allows the user to use both hands for inoculation of the petri dish. In another embodiment, the present invention features an improved upper plate for a petri dish turntable that allows the user to more easily remove the petri dish from the upper plate after inoculation. In another embodiment, the present invention provides an apparatus for rotating a conventional turntable for petri dishes.

Abstract: A disc braking device is utilized in an optical disc drive. The disc braking device is installed on a disc tray of an optical disc drive. Without being affected by an covering component or the location of the disc braking device, the disc braking device makes a disc stop rotating in a more direct and efficient way. The disc braking device contains a structure portion; a braking rod installed and not fixed on the structure portion; and a braking component installed on the braking rod and utilized for making the disc stop rotating.

Abstract: An information reproducing apparatus is provided with: a clamping device (900) capable of clamping and clamp-releasing a recording medium (100); a rotating device (20) for rotating the recording medium clamped by the clamping device; a reading device (30) disposed opposite to an information record surface of the recording medium for reading information recorded on the information record surface of the recording medium; a driving device (34, 34D, 32) capable of moving the reading device in a radial direction of the recording medium; and a linkage device (24, 83, 85) for linking a clamping or clamp-releasing action by the clamping device with a movement of the reading device by the driving device.

Abstract: A disc clamping apparatus includes an upper clamper holder, a lower clamper holder which is combined with the upper clamper holder, a clamper which is movably installed between the upper clamper holder and the lower clamper holder and clamps a disc that is disposed on a turntable, a first magnetic member installed between the upper clamper holder and the lower clamper holder, a second magnetic member installed on the turntable to face the first magnetic member so that a magnetic force operates between the first magnetic member and the second magnetic member to clamp the disc and an elastic member disposed between the upper clamper holder and the clamper so as to provide an elastic force to push the clamper against the disc. The disc clamping apparatus clamps discs having various thicknesses. Also, a clamping force of the disc clamping apparatus is changed in proportion to the thickness of the disc, and thus a proper clamping force can be applied to the disc based on the thickness of the disc.

Abstract: By a disk device including: a reproducing base which is supported pivotally and enably to swing on a base, and on which a turntable is set; a supporting member which is supported pivotally and enably to swing on the base and which supports the reproducing base in a predetermined position; a clamper which is supported pivotally and enably to swing on the base and which opposes to the turntable to pinch and hold a disk; and a movement regulating member which regulates swing movements of the supporting member and the clamper, supporting by the supporting member in relation to the reproducing base is made sure to prevent deformation of the reproducing base by a clamping force of the clamper.