Disk drive spindle motor having a cavity defined by one of an upper surface of a stator support structure and a lower surface of a stator tooth
View Patent ↗A spindle motor includes a shaft defining a longitudinal axis, a hub, a bearing assembly disposed between the hub and the shaft for allowing the hub to rotate, and a stator. The stator includes an inner diameter, an outer diameter, a stator tooth having a distal end, and a coil wound around the stator tooth. The stator tooth has a lower surface extending between the coil and the distal end of the stator tooth. The spindle motor includes a stator support structure supporting one of the inner and outer diameters, the stator support structure having an upper surface facing the lower surface, wherein at least one of the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth defines a cavity.
1. A spindle motor for a disk drive, comprising:
a shaft;
a hub;
a magnet attached to the hub;
a bearing assembly disposed between the hub and the shaft for allowing the hub to rotate;
a bracket;
a stator including:
an annular segment attached to the bracket;
a stator tooth extending from the annular segment and having a distal end,
the distal end facing the magnet;
a coil wound around the stator tooth between the annular segment and the distal end;
the stator tooth having a lower surface extending between the coil and the distal end of the stator tooth;
a stator support structure attached to the bracket and having an upper surface in contact with the lower surface;
wherein at least one of the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth defines a cavity.
2. The spindle motor of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth define the cavity.
3. The spindle motor of claim 2 , wherein each of the lower surface of the stator tooth and the upper surface of the stator support structure includes a step.
4. The spindle motor of claim 2 , wherein the stator support structure includes a trough adjacent to an annular surface of the upper surface of the stator support structure.
5. The spindle motor of claim 1 , comprising:
an adhesive disposed between the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth.
6. The spindle motor of claim 5 , wherein the cavity allows a portion of the adhesive to flow into the cavity.
7. A spindle motor for a disk drive, comprising:
a shaft;
a hub;
a bearing assembly disposed between the hub and the shaft for allowing the hub to rotate;
a stator including:
an inner diameter;
an outer diameter;
a stator tooth having a distal end;
a coil wound around the stator tooth;
the stator tooth having a lower surface extending between the coil and the distal end of the stator tooth;
a stator support structure supporting one of the inner and outer diameters, the stator support structure having an upper surface facing the lower surface;
wherein at least one of the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth defines a cavity;
wherein the stator support structure supports the outer diameter of the stator; and
a bracket having a stator attachment surface;
the stator support structure disposed between the bracket and the lower surface of the stator tooth, the stator support structure supporting the outer diameter of the stator;
wherein the inner diameter of the stator is attached to the stator attachment surface.
8. A spindle motor for a disk drive, comprising:
a shaft;
a hub;
a bearing assembly disposed between the hub and the shaft for allowing the hub to rotate;
a stator including:
an inner diameter;
an outer diameter;
a stator tooth having a distal end;
a coil wound around the stator tooth;
the stator tooth having a lower surface extending between the coil and the distal end of the stator tooth;
a stator support structure supporting one of the inner and outer diameters, the stator support structure having an upper surface facing the lower surface;
wherein at least one of the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth defines a cavity;
wherein the stator support structure supports the outer diameter of the stator; and
a magnet attached to the hub;
wherein the cavity is adjacent to the magnet.
9. A disk drive comprising:
a base;
a spindle motor attached to the base;
a disk supported by the spindle motor;
the spindle motor including:
a shaft;
a hub;
a bearing assembly disposed between the hub and the shaft for allowing the hub to rotate;
a stator including:
an inner diameter;
an outer diameter;
a stator tooth having a distal end;
a coil wound around the stator tooth; the stator tooth having a lower surface extending between the coil and the distal end of the stator tooth;
a stator support structure supporting one of the inner and outer diameters, the stator support structure having an upper surface facing the lower surface;
wherein at least one of the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth defines a cavity;
wherein the stator support structure supports the outer diameter of the stator; and
wherein the spindle motor further includes a bracket having a stator attachment surface;
the stator support structure disposed between the bracket and the lower surface of the stator tooth, the stator support structure supporting the outer diameter of the stator;
wherein the inner diameter of the stator is attached to the stator attachment surface.
10. A disk drive comprising:
a base;
a spindle motor attached to the base;
a disk supported by the spindle motor;
the spindle motor including:
a shaft;
a hub;
a bearing assembly disposed between the hub and the shaft for allowing the hub to rotate;
a stator including:
an inner diameter;
an outer diameter;
a stator tooth having a distal end;
a coil wound around the stator tooth; the stator tooth having a lower surface extending between the coil and the distal end of the stator tooth;
a stator support structure supporting one of the inner and outer diameters, the stator support structure having an upper surface facing the lower surface;
wherein at least one of the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth defines a cavity;
wherein the stator support structure supports the outer diameter of the stator; and
a magnet attached to the hub;
wherein the cavity is adjacent to the magnet.
11. A disk drive comprising:
a base;
a spindle motor attached to the base;
a disk supported by the spindle motor;
the spindle motor including:
a shaft;
a hub;
a magnet attached to the hub;
a bearing assembly disposed between the hub and the shaft for allowing the hub to rotate;
a bracket;
a stator including:
an annular segment attached to the bracket;
a stator tooth extending from the annular segment and having a distal end, the distal end facing the magnet;
a coil wound around the stator tooth between the annular segment and the distal end;
the stator tooth having a lower surface extending between the coil and the distal end of the stator tooth;
a stator support structure attached to the bracket and having an upper surface in contact with the lower surface;
wherein at least one of the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth defines a cavity.
12. The disk drive of claim 11 , wherein the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth define the cavity.
13. The disk drive of claim 12 , wherein each of the lower surface of the stator tooth and the upper surface of the stator support structure includes a step.
14. The disk drive of claim 12 , wherein the stator support structure includes a trough adjacent to an annular surface of the upper surface of the stator support structure.
15. The disk drive of claim 11 , comprising:
an adhesive disposed between the upper surface of the stator support structure and the lower surface of the stator tooth.
16. The disk drive of claim 15 , wherein the cavity allows a portion of the adhesive to flow into the cavity.