Spindle motor having air dynamic pressure bearing and rotating device having the spindle motor as driving source

• US 6,127,756 A
• Filed: 03/03/1999
• Issued: 10/03/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electro-Mechanics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Group)
• Original Assignee: Seiko Instruments Incorporated (Seiko Group)
• Inventors: Komata, Kimio, Iwaki, Tadao
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): Waks, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US09/261,902
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 310/90, 310/156, 384/109, 384/110, 384/112
• US Class Current: 310/90
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/026 with helical grooves in the bearing surface to generate hydrodynamic pressure, e.g. herringbone grooves
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/045 with grooves in the bearing surface to generate hydrodynamic pressure, e.g. spiral groove thrust bearings
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/102 with grooves in the bearing surface to generate hydrodynamic pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/105 with at least one bearing surface providing angular contact, e.g. conical or spherical bearing surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2370/12 Hard disk drives or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/107 Grooves for generating pressure
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/088 radially supporting the rotor directly

Abstract

A spindle motor has a rotor, a stator and an air dynamic pressure bearing for supporting the rotor for rotation about a rotational axis relative to the stator. The air dynamic pressure bearing comprises a first dynamic pressure bearing portion and a second dynamic pressure bearing portion. The first dynamic pressure bearing portion comprises a convex side bearing member having a conical convex portion, a concave side bearing member having a conical concave portion receiving the conical convex portion, and dynamic pressure generating grooves formed on one of a surface of the conical convex portion and a surface of the conical concave portion. The second dynamic pressure bearing portion comprises a shaft having a first end fixed to the concave side bearing member and extending along the rotational axis, a bore formed in the convex side bearing member for receiving a second end of the shaft to permit rotation of the convex side bearing member relative to the concave side bearing member about the shaft, and dynamic pressure grooves formed on one of an outer circumferential surface of the shaft and an inner circumferential surface of the bore.

Claims

1. In a spindle motor comprised of a rotor having a rotor magnet and a stator having a stator coil:

an air dynamic pressure bearing for supporting the rotor for rotation about a rotational axis relative to the stator, the air dynamic pressure bearing comprising a conical dynamic pressure bearing portion comprised of a convex side bearing member having a conical convex portion and a column portion, a bore disposed in the convex side bearing member and extending along the rotational axis, a concave side bearing member having a conical concave portion receiving the conical convex portion, and dynamic pressure generating grooves formed on one of a surface of the conical convex portion and a surface of the conical concave portion;

a radial dynamic pressure bearing portion comprised of a shaft extending through the bore of the dynamic pressure bearing portion and having a first end integrally connected to the concave side bearing member, and dynamic pressure grooves formed on one of an outer circumferential surface of the shaft and an inner circumferential surface of the bore; and

a thrust dynamic pressure bearing portion comprised of a generally disk-shaped bearing member fixed at a second end of the shaft and having a surface disposed in confronting relation to an end surface of the column portion of the convex side bearing member, and dynamic pressure grooves formed at one of the surface of the disk-shaped bearing member and the end surface of the column portion of the convex side bearing member.

2. A spindle motor according to claim 1;

wherein the dynamic pressure grooves of the conical dynamic pressure bearing portion and the radial dynamic pressure bearing portion are formed so that centers of a dynamic pressure distribution along the rotational axis match.

3. A spindle motor according to claim 1;

wherein the rotor has a generally cup-shaped rotor member connected to the rotor magnet, the rotor member being integrally connected at a central portion thereof to the column portion of the convex side bearing member.

4. A spindle motor according to claim 1;

wherein the convex side bearing member, the concave side bearing member and the disk-shaped bearing member are comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of stainless steal and aluminum.

5. A spindle motor according to claim 4;

wherein the bearing member of the thrust dynamic pressure bearing has a surface in confronting relation to an end surface of the convex side bearing member; and

further comprising a layer of diamond-like carbon disposed on at least one of the surface of the bearing member and the end surface of the convex side bearing member.

6. A spindle motor according to claim 4;

wherein the conical convex portion of the convex side bearing member has an outer circumferential surface in confronting relation to an inner circumferential surface of the conical concave portion of the concave side bearing member; and

further comprising a layer of diamond-like carbon disposed on at least one of the outer circumferential surface of the conical convex portion and the inner circumferential surface of the conical concave portion.

7. A spindle motor according to claim 1;

further comprising a projection portion formed at a tip portion of the conical convex portion of the convex side bearing member for supporting a load in a thrust direction.

8. A spindle motor according to claim 7;

further comprising a projection portion formed at a base portion of the conical concave portion of the concave side bearing member for supporting a load in a thrust direction.

9. A spindle motor according to claim 1;

wherein the conical convex portion of the convex side bearing member and the conical concave portion of the concave side bearing member each has a conical apex angle of 30 to 40 degrees.

10. A spindle motor according to claim 1;

wherein the conical convex portion of the convex side bearing member and the conical concave portion of the concave side bearing member each has a conical apex angle of 50 to 70 degrees.

11. A spindle motor according to claim 1;

wherein the dynamic pressure generating grooves of the conical dynamic pressure bearing portion have a groove angle of 15 to 20 degrees.

12. In a rotating device having a rotary body, a spindle motor according to claim 5 for rotationally driving the rotary body.

13. In a spindle motor having a base frame, a stator integrally connected to the base frame, a rotor, and an air dynamic pressure bearing for supporting the rotor for rotation about a rotational axis relative to the stator, the air dynamic pressure bearing comprising:

a first bearing member connected to the rotor for rotation therewith, the first bearing member having a convex conical portion and a bore;

a second bearing member integrally connected to the base frame and having a bore, the second bearing member having a concave conical portion disposed in confronting relation to and receiving therein the convex conical portion of the first bearing member; and

a shaft having a first end extending into the bore of the first bearing member and a second end extending into and being integrally connected to the bore of the second bearing member.

14. A spindle motor according to claim 13;

further comprising first dynamic pressure generating grooves formed on one of a surface of the convex conical portion and a surface of the concave conical portion, and second dynamic pressure generating grooves formed on one of an outer circumferential surface of the shaft and an inner circumferential surface of the bore of the first bearing member.

15. In a rotating device having a rotary body, a spindle motor according to claim 14 for rotationally driving the rotary body.