Method of manufacturing dynamic pressure bearing device, and dynamic pressure bearing device

• US 6,733,180 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PHC Holdings Corporation
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakamura, Junichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hannon, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US10/203,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20030012465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 645 Days
• Field of Search: 384/100, 384/107, 384/114, 184/58, 141/4, 141/7
• US Class Current: 384/100
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/107 with at least one surface for radial load and at least one surface for axial load
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/103 retained in or near the bearing
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/107 Grooves for generating pressure

Abstract

To provide a manufacturing method of a dynamic pressure bearing device and a dynamic pressure bearing device to inject a proper amount of lubricating oil to a bearing unit by using a simple process without leaving air bubbles in the bearing unit. The bearing unit is exposed in an atmosphere of reduced pressure such as in a vacuum chamber or the like to evacuate air in a gap between a shaft body and a bearing. The proper amount of lubricating oil is dropped to an open end of the gap of the bearing unit by using a dispenser. The bearing unit is released to an atmospheric air to fill the lubricating oil into a gap of the bearing unit.

Claims

1. A dynamic pressure bearing device, comprising:

a bearing body and a shaft body having a gap therebetween for receiving lubricating oil, the bearing body and the shaft body forming a bearing unit having one end closed and the other end opened and

a ring-shaped concave part having a volume substantially equal to a quantity of lubricating oil located adjacent an open end of said gap.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said ring-shaped concave part is located on at least one of said shaft body and said bearing body.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein said ring-shaped concave part comprises a chamfered part surrounding an opening of a shaft body insertion hole of said bearing body, said chamfered part located along said open end of said gap of said bearing unit, and a space at a position connected to said chamfered part and extending to a point where an outer periphery of said shaft body and an inner periphery of said bearing body are close to each other, whereby a sum of a chamfered volume of said chamfered part and a volume of said space is substantially equal to said quantity of lubricating oil.

4. The dynamic pressure bearing device according to claim 3, wherein said bearing unit comprises an open side having ring-shaped grooves thereon for preventing lubricating oil from spreading.

5. A method for lubricating a dynamic pressure bearing device that comprises a bearing body and a shaft body forming a bearing unit, said bearing body and shaft body having a gap therebetween, said method comprising:

reducing the atmospheric pressure in the gap to a pressure below ambient pressure;

supplying a quantity of lubricating oil adjacent said gap; and

returning the atmospheric pressure in the gap to ambient pressure, thereby causing said lubricating oil to fill said gap;

placing a plurality of bearing units on a pallet; and

moving said pallet and a supply side of said lubricating oil to continuously supply said lubricating oil to said bearing units.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said supplying further comprises supplying a quantity of lubricating oil to a ring-shaped concave part having a volume substantially equal to said quantity of lubricating oil located adjacent an open end of said gap.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

supplying lubricating oil with a dispenser comprising a nozzle having an oil repellent agent on a leading end thereof.