Nidec Corporation

West Digital Technologies, Inc.

Akihiro Yudate

Takayuki Ishino

Sho Nakamura

Tomohiro Yoneda

Masahiro Akagi

Takeshi Ohiro

Takako Hayakawa

Kazuhiro Sato

Kimihiko Sudo

Kunio Sakurada

Masahiro Shiraishi

Yuta Onobu

Toshihiro Akiyama

Jiro Kaneko

Toshikazu Himeno

Wataru Yamauchi

Akinobu Sumiji

Takuro Matsumoto

Shinya Yano

Kiyofumi Inoue

Akio Tatsumi

Shozo Tagata

Takashi Fujiwara

A bearing apparatus includes a cylindrical sleeve, a shaft rotatably inserted in the sleeve, lubricating oil arranged in a gap defined between an inner circumferential surface of the sleeve and an outer circumferential surface of the shaft, a seal member arranged at an axially upper end portion of the sleeve projecting from the sleeve, and an annular member fixed to an outer circumferential surface of the axially upper end portion of the shaft to rotate together with the shaft. The annular member includes a projecting portion projecting axially downward. The seal member and an axially lower end portion of the projecting portion overlap each other when viewed in at least one of the axial direction or a radial direction.

Bearing apparatus, motor, and fan motor

A base member includes a recessed portion extending in radial directions and recessed upward from a lower surface of the base member, and a hole extending through the recessed portion in the vertical direction. The recessed portion includes a recessed portion loop-shaped surface defining a loop-shaped surface in the radial direction. A connector is located on a lower side of the recessed portion to cover the hole portion. An adhesive is located between the connector and the recessed portion. A minimum value of a gap distance in the radial direction between an outer end of the connector and an inner end of the recessed portion in which the outer end of the connector and the inner end of the recessed portion are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween is greater than a minimum value of a gap in the vertical direction distance between an upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface, in which the upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween. The adhesive includes a filler.

Base unit and disk drive apparatus

A base member includes a recessed portion extending in radial directions and recessed upward from a lower surface of the base member and a hole extending through the recessed portion in the vertical direction. The recessed portion includes a recessed portion loop-shaped surface defining a loop-shaped surface in the radial direction. A connector is located on a lower side of the recessed portion to cover the hole portion. An adhesive is located between the connector and the recessed portion. A minimum value of a gap distance in the radial direction between an outer end of the connector and an inner end of the recessed portion in which the outer end of the connector and the inner end of the recessed portion are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween is greater than a minimum value of a gap in the vertical direction distance between an upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface, in which the upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween. The adhesive includes an inorganic filler.

A base member includes a recessed portion arranged to extend in radial directions and recessed upward from a lower surface of the base member, the radial directions being directions perpendicular to a vertical direction; and a hole portion arranged to pass through the recessed portion in the vertical direction. The recessed portion includes a recessed portion loop-shaped surface being a loop-shaped surface perpendicular to the vertical direction. A connector is arranged on a lower side of the recessed portion to cover the hole portion. An adhesive is arranged between the connector and the recessed portion. A minimum value of a gap distance between an outer end of the connector and an inner end of the recessed portion in a radial direction in which the outer end of the connector and the inner end of the recessed portion are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween is greater than a minimum value of a gap distance between an upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface in the vertical direction, in which the upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween.

A base member includes a recessed portion arranged to extend in radial directions and recessed upward from a lower surface of the base member, the radial directions being directions perpendicular to a vertical direction or directions parallel to these directions; and a hole portion arranged to pass through the recessed portion in the vertical direction. The recessed portion includes a recessed portion loop-shaped surface being a loop-shaped surface perpendicular to the vertical direction. A connector is arranged on a lower side of the recessed portion to cover the hole portion. An adhesive is arranged between the connector and the recessed portion. A minimum value of a gap distance between an outer end of the connector and an inner end of the recessed portion in a radial direction in which the outer end of the connector and the inner end of the recessed portion are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween is greater than a minimum value of a gap distance between an upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface in the vertical direction, in which the upper surface of the connector and the recessed portion loop-shaped surface are opposed to each other with the adhesive therebetween.

A base member includes a base through-hole which interconnects an upper opening and a lower opening. An insulating sheet portion is disposed at a lower surface side of the base member. The insulating sheet portion covers at least a portion of the lower opening. Lead wires extending from coils extend to the lower surface side of the base member through the base through-hole. The lead wires extend radially outward along a lower surface of the insulating sheet portion while making contact with the insulating sheet portion. The lead wires are soldered to land portions of a circuit substrate. The lower opening is covered with a sealing material. The circuit substrate includes a first region. The insulating sheet portion is defined by a smaller number of layers than the first region.

Spindle motor and disk drive apparatus

A base plate of a disk drive apparatus includes a motor base disposed around a central axis and a base body portion extending radially outward of the motor base. The motor base is made of a metallic material of a first type. The base body portion is made of a metallic material of a second type. Thus, the axial thickness of a portion of the base plate close to the central axis can be significantly reduced and a reduction in the stiffness of the portion can be prevented. Further, the motor base includes a flange portion and a plastic deforming portion. The flange portion and the plastic deforming portion are respectively in contact with at least a portion of both axial end surfaces of an inner end portion of the base body portion. Thus, extraction of the motor base in the axial direction is prevented.

Base plate of motor including flange portion and plastic deforming portion and disk drive apparatus

A base member of a motor includes a base body portion and a motor base portion. The motor base portion is made of a first kind of metal. The base body portion is made of a second kind of metal. The first kind of metal is larger in Young's modulus than the second kind of metal. The motor base portion includes a base through-hole and a base groove portion. A lead wire of a coil extends radially outward through the base through-hole and the base groove portion. Within the base groove portion, an insulating layer is arranged between the lead wire and a bottom surface of the base groove portion to cover a border between the motor base portion and the base body portion, an outer edge of the base groove portion, and an inner edge of the base body portion opposed to the outer edge.

Motor and disk drive apparatus

A spindle motor for use in a disk drive apparatus includes stationary and rotating portions. The stationary portion includes a shaft including a thrust plate. A sleeve portion includes an axial end surface arranged opposite the thrust plate. A first seal member is arranged opposite the thrust plate on an opposite side with respect to the sleeve portion. The thrust plate preferably includes a plate communicating hole arranged to connect first and second thrust gaps defined, respectively, between the thrust plate and the sleeve portion and between the thrust plate and the first seal member. The sleeve portion preferably includes a sleeve communicating hole arranged to connect the first thrust gap with an opposite axial side thereof. A lubricant is arranged to fill a communicating channel extending from a first to a second capillary seal portion through the plate communicating hole and the sleeve communicating hole.

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Kyoto, Japan

Akihiro Yudate