Patent Publication Number: US-6981797-B2

Title: Hydrodynamic bearing unit

Description:
This application is a continuation application which claims the benefit of application Ser. No. 09/925,830, filed Aug. 9, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,712,514. The disclosure of the prior application is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a hydrodynamic bearing unit. This bearing unit is preferably used particularly for supporting a spindle motor in information apparatus, for example, in a magnetic disk device such as an HDD, an FDD or the like, an optical disk device such as a CD-ROM, a DVD-ROM or the like, and a magneto-optical disk device such as an MD and an MO or the like, or for supporting a spindle in a polygon scanner such as a laser beam printer (LBP) or the like. 
   In the spindle motor of each kind of the above information apparatus, a higher speed, a lower cost, and a lower noise are demanded in addition to the high rotation precision or the like. One of the key elements that determine these performance requirements is a bearing for supporting a spindle of the motor. In recent years, as this kind of bearing unit, the usage of the hydrodynamic bearing with excellent characteristics is investigated to meet the demanded performance, or the bearing is actually used. 
   In spindle motors for the above information apparatus in recent years, the high rotation precision is more strongly demanded in an attempt to increase the information recording density and obtain higher speed rotation. In order to meet this demand, still higher rotation precision is demanded with respect to the hydrodynamic bearing incorporated in the above spindle motors. 
   As a factor which largely affects rotation precision of hydrodynamic bearings, clearance control in a radial bearing clearance and a thrust bearing clearance for generating dynamic pressure is considered important. 
   The present invention aims at providing a hydrodynamic bearing unit with a high rotation precision wherein clearance control of the radial bearing clearance and the thrust bearing clearance is made appropriate. 
   Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to suppress the friction of a radial bearing surface and a thrust bearing surface to maintain an excellent bearing performance in the hydrodynamic bearing unit described above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides a hydrodynamic bearing unit comprising: a shaft member having a shaft portion and a flange portion; a bearing member arranged on an outer circumference of the shaft member; and a radial bearing portion and a thrust bearing portion respectively comprising bearing surfaces with grooves (dynamic pressure grooves) for generating hydrodynamic pressure and bearing clearances facing the bearing surfaces, and supporting the shaft member in non-contact state, in a radial direction and a thrust direction respectively, with hydrodynamic pressure generated in the bearing clearances when the shaft member and the bearing member relatively rotate, wherein the squareness of the both end surfaces of the flange portion with respect to the outer circumference of the shaft portion of the shaft member is 0.001 mm or less respectively, and the flatness of the both end surfaces of the flange portion is 0.001 mm or less respectively. 
   The “bearing member” in this invention includes a structure in which the bearing member having a radial bearing surface and a thrust bearing surface is fixed to a housing and a structure in which a radial bearing surface and a thrust bearing surface are directly formed on a housing. 
   In this case, it is desirable that the squareness of the end surface of the bearing member located opposite to one of the both end surfaces of the flange portion via the thrust bearing clearance with respect to the inner circumference of the bearing member is set to 0.002 mm or less while the flatness thereof is set to 0.0015 mm or less. Furthermore, the flatness of the surface located opposite to the other end surface of the flange portion via the thrust bearing clearance is set to 0.002 mm or less. 
   Furthermore, according to the present invention, in a hydrodynamic bearing unit comprising: a housing with a bottom portion; a bearing member fixed to an inner circumference of the housing; a shaft member having a shaft portion inserted into the inner circumference of the bearing member and a flange portion; a radial bearing portion provided between the inner circumference of the bearing member and the outer circumference of the shaft portion of the shaft member for supporting the shaft member in a radial direction in non-contact state with a dynamic pressure generated in a radial bearing clearance; and a thrust bearing portion respectively provided between each end surface of the flange portion of the shaft member and an end surface of the bearing member or an inner surface of the bottom portion of the housing for supporting the shaft member in a thrust direction in non-contact state with a dynamic pressure generated in the thrust bearing clearances, the flatness of the inner surface and the outer surface of the housing is 0.005 mm or less. 
   In addition to the above structure, the squareness of the both end surfaces of the flange portion with respect to the outer circumference of the shaft portion of the shaft member can be set to 0.001 mm or less while the flatness of the both end surfaces of the flange portion can be set to 0.001 mm or less. Furthermore, the squareness of the end surface of the bearing member located opposite to one of the both end surfaces of the flange portion via the thrust bearing clearance with respect to the inner circumferential surface of the bearing member can be set to 0.002 mm or less while the flatness thereof can be set to 0.0015 mm or less. Furthermore, the flatness of the inner surface of the bottom portion of the housing can be set to 0.002 mm or less. 
   Furthermore, the present invention provides a hydrodynamic bearing unit comprising: a housing with a bottom; a bearing member fixed to an inner circumference of the housing; a shaft member having a shaft portion inserted into the inner circumferential surface of the bearing member and a thrust plate provided on the shaft portion; a radial bearing portion provided between the inner circumferential surface of the bearing member and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion of the shaft member for supporting the shaft portion in a radial direction in non-contact state with a dynamic pressure action of fluid generated in a radial bearing clearance; and a thrust bearing portion respectively provided between each end surface of the thrust plate of the shaft member and the lower end surface of the bearing member or the bottom surface of the housing for supporting the thrust plate in a thrust direction in non-contact state with a dynamic pressure action of fluid generated in a thrust bearing clearance; wherein the surface hardness of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion is larger than that of the inner circumferential surface of the bearing member, the surface hardness of the both end surfaces of the thrust plate is larger than that of the lower end surface of the bearing member and the bottom surface of the housing, the surface roughness of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion is smaller than that of the inner circumferential surface of the bearing member, the surface roughness of the both end surfaces of the thrust plate is smaller than that of the lower end surface of the bearing member and the bottom surface of the housing, and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion has a surface characteristic on which fine projections constituting the surface roughness is smoothed. The surface with such surface characteristic can be formed through grinding process or the like followed by tumbler process, barrel process or the like. Alternatively the surface can be formed through grinding process or the like followed by relatively sliding process with the slide member with a surface hardness larger than the surface. 
   In the above structure, preferably, the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion has a mean square inclination angle Δq, designated in ISO4287/1, of 2.0 or less. 
   In the above structure, the both end surfaces of the thrust plate can assume a structure in which the both end surfaces of the thrust plate has a surface characteristic on which fine projections constituting the roughness of the surface is smoothed. In this case, the both end surfaces of the thrust plate can have the mean square inclination angle Δq, designated in ISO4287/1, of 2.0 or less. 
   Furthermore, in the above structure, preferably the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion has the arithmetic average deviation Ra, designated in ISO4287/1, of 0.04 μm or less, while the both end surfaces of the thrust plate have the arithmetic average deviation Ra, ruled out in ISO4287/1, of 0.04 μm or less, preferably Ra 0.01 μm or less. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a sectional view showing a spindle motor having a hydrodynamic bearing unit according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional view showing a hydrodynamic bearing unit according to the first embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a view showing a relation between the squareness of the outer circumference of the shaft portion with respect to the end surface of the flange portion and radial NRRO. 
       FIG. 4  is a sectional view showing a hydrodynamic bearing unit according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  is a view showing one example of a structure of a spindle motor for an information apparatus incorporating a hydrodynamic bearing unit  1  according to this embodiment. This spindle motor is used in a disk drive device such as an HDD or the like. The spindle motor comprises the hydrodynamic bearing unit  1  supporting a shaft member  3  such that it can rotate freely in non-contact state, a disk hub  4  attached on then shaft member  3 , a motor stator Ms, and a motor rotor Mr. The stator Ms and the rotor Mr are located opposite position via a gap in a radial direction. The stator Ms is attached on the outer circumferential surface of the casing  6  while the rotor Mr is attached on the inner circumferential surface of the disk hub  4 . The housing  5  of the hydrodynamic bearing unit  1  is attached on the inner circumferential surface of the casing  6 . On the disk hub  4 , one or a plurality of disks D such as magnetic disks or the like is/are held. When the stator Ms is electrified, the rotor Mr is rotated with the excitation force between the stator Ms and the rotor Mr, so that the disk hub  4  and the shaft member  3  are integrally rotated. 
     FIG. 2  is a view showing the first embodiment of the hydrodynamic bearing unit  1 . The bearing unit  1  comprises a shaft member  3 , a cylindrical housing  5  with a bottom, a bearing member  7  and a sealing member  9  such as a seal washer or the like for sealing one end side of the bearing member  7  (open side of the housing  5 ) as main constituent elements. The shaft member  3  has a shaft portion  3   a , and a flange portion (a thrust plate)  3   b  provided on one end portion of the shaft portion  3   a . The shaft portion  3   a  is arranged on an inner circumferential surface of the bearing member  7  and the flange portion  3   b  is arranged between an end surface  7   b  of the bearing member  7  and a bottom portion  51  of the housing  5 . The bottom portion  51  of the housing  5  closes the open portion on one end of the housing  5 , and is integrally formed on the housing  5 , or may be formed of a separate lid member. 
   The bearing member  7  is formed of soft metal or sintered metal impregnated with oil or the like. On the inner circumference of the bearing member  7 , a radial bearing surface  11   a  with a plurality of dynamic pressure grooves by transferring, rolling or the like in press process. As a consequence, at the time of the relative rotation of the shaft member  3  and the bearing member  7  (at the time of the rotation of the shaft member  3  in the embodiment), a dynamic pressure of the fluid (for example, lubricating oil) filled in a radial bearing clearance Cr between the radial bearing surface  11   a  and the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  is generated. This dynamic pressure action constitutes a radial bearing portion  11  for supporting the shaft portion  3   a  in a radial direction in non-contact state. 
   On the both sides of the flange portion  3   b , thrust bearing clearances Cs 1  and Cs 2  which are clearances in an axial direction are provided. The thrust bearing clearance Cs 1  is formed between one end surface  3   b   1  of the flange portion  3   b  and the end surface  7   b  of the bearing member  7  located opposite thereto while the other thrust bearing clearance Cs 2  is formed between the other end surface  3   b   2  of the flange portion  3   b  and the inner surface  51   a  of the bottom portion  51  of the housing  5 . On end surfaces facing the thrust bearing clearances Cs 1  and Cs 2 , for example, on the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the flange portion  3   b , thrust bearing surfaces  13   a  and  13   b  with dynamic pressure grooves for the generation of the hydrodynamic pressure are formed. The dynamic pressure of the fluid is generated in the thrust bearing clearances Cs 1  and Cs 2  at the time of the above rotation, so that a thrust bearing portion  13  is constituted for supporting the flange portion  3   b  from both sides in a thrust direction in non-contact state. 
   The configuration of the dynamic pressure grooves of the radial bearing surface  11   a  and the thrust bearing surfaces  13   a  and  13   b  can be arbitrarily selected. Any of the known herringbone type, spiral type, step type, multiple arc type or the like can be selected, or any of these types can be appropriately combined to be used. 
   By the way, an HDD, one kind of information apparatus, having tens of thousands of tpi (Track per inch) is being developed for a larger capacity. For example, in the case that an HDD with 20,000 tpi has a distance of 1.27 μm between tracks, about one tenth or less thereof (0.13 μm or less) is demanded as a radial non-repeated run out (NRRO) of the spindle motor. 
   At present, an HDD with 50,000 tpi are put into practical use where 0.05 μm or less is demanded as NRRO.  FIG. 3  is a view showing the measurement result of the change in the radial NRRO in the case that the squareness of the outer circumference of the shaft portion  3   a , and the end surface of the flange portion  3   b  is made different. According to  FIG. 2 , in order to suppress the NRRO to 0.05 μm or less, it can be understood that 1 μm or less is required as the squareness. Consequently, it is desired that the squareness of the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the flange portion  3   b  with respect to the outer circumference of the shaft portion  3   a  of the shaft member  3  is set to 0.001 mm or less respectively (desirably, 0.0005 mm or less). 
   It is difficult to control the thrust bearing clearance Cs 1  to an appropriate value only by regulating the squareness. From this viewpoint, it is desirable to set the flatness of the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the flange portion  3   b  to 0.001 mm or less (desirably, 0.0005 mm or less). 
   Here, the “squareness” means, in a combination of a predetermined planar surface with a reference surface, a deviation scale on the above predetermined surface from a geometric surface in geometrically right angle with respect to the reference surface. This is represented, for example, by measuring the amplitude (maximum value) of the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  by contacting respective terminals to the both end surfaces  3   b    1  and  3   b   2  of the flange portion while rotating the shaft member  3  on an axis center. Furthermore, the “flatness” means a height difference between the maximum convex portion and minimum concave portion on a measurement surface. In the case where dynamic pressure grooves are present on a planar surface which becomes an object in any case, an imaginary surface connecting ridges (projections) between the dynamic pressure grooves is formed as a reference (the same holds true of the following). 
   The squareness of the end surfaces  7   a  of the bearing member  7  located opposite to one end surface  3   b    1  of the both end surfaces  3   b    1  and  3   b   2  of the flange portion  3   b  with respect to the inner circumference of the bearing member  7  is set to 0.002 mm or less (preferably, 0.0015 mm or less) while the flatness of the end surface  7   a  is set to 0.0015 mm or less (desirably, 0.001 mm or less). 
   Furthermore, the flatness of the inner surface  51   a  of the bottom portion  51  located opposite to the other end surface  3   b   2  of the flange portion  3   b  via the thrust bearing clearance Cs 2  is set to 0.002 mm or less (desirably, 0.0015 mm or less). 
   The radial bearing clearance Cr and the thrust bearing clearances Cs 1  and Cs 2  can be secured to an appropriate value by regulating the squareness and the flatness as described above, so that the contact of the shaft portion  3   a  with the bearing member  7  or the bearing member  7  and the bottom portion  51  with the flange portion  3   b  in rotating is prevented, and a sufficient dynamic pressure can be generated for supporting the shaft in each bearing clearance, thereby a high rotation precision is attained. 
   Furthermore, it is possible to secure the assemblage precision at the time of the assemblage of the bearing unit  1  by setting the parallelism between the inner surface  51   a  and the outer surface  51   b  of the bottom portion  51  to 0.005 mm or less (desirably, 0.003 mm or less). 
   Here, the “parallelism” means, assuming one of two planar surfaces to be parallel each other as a reference surface, a deviation scale of the other surface from a geometric surface geometrically parallel to the reference surface. 
   As described above, the radial bearing clearance and the thrust bearing clearances are secured to an appropriate value by controlling the squareness and the flatness of each portion within a predetermined value so that an unstable rotation resulting from the mutual contact of the bearing surfaces and the shortage of the dynamic pressure in the bearing clearances is prevented, thereby it is possible to suppress torque loss and torque change to obtain a high rotation precision. 
   Furthermore, the assemblage precision at the time of assemblage can be secured by controlling the parallelism of the inner surface and the outer surface of the housing to a predetermined value. 
     FIG. 4  is a view showing the second embodiment of the hydrodynamic bearing unit  1 . The hydrodynamic bearing unit  1  comprises a housing  5  with a bottom having a cylindrical inner circumferential surface  5   a , a cylindrical bearing member  7  fixed to the inner circumferential surface  5   a  of the housing  5 , a shaft member  3 , and a sealing member  9  for shielding the upper end surface side (open side of the housing  5 ) of the bearing member  7  as its main constituent elements. 
   The housing  5  is formed of, for example, brass and comprises a cylindrical side portion  5   b  and a bottom portion  51 . In this embodiment, the side portion  5   b  and the bottom portion  51  of the housing  5  are integrally constituted, but they may be constituted in a separate structure. 
   The shaft member  3  is formed of, for example, stainless steel (SUS420J2) or the like, and comprises the shaft portion  3   a , and the flange portion  3   b  (a thrust plate) integrally or separately provided on the shaft portion  3   a . The shaft portion  3   a  is, inserted into the inner circumferential surface  7   a  of the bearing member  7  with a predetermined radial bearing clearance Cr, and the thrust plate  3   b  is accommodated into the space portion between the lower end surface  7   b  of the bearing member  7  and the bottom surface  7   c  of the housing  5 . Thrust bearing clearances Cs 1  and Cs 2  are respectively provided between the upper end surface  3   b   1  of the thrust plate  3   b  and the lower end surface  7   b  of the bearing member  7  and between the lower end surface  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  and the bottom surface  51   a  of the housing  5 . 
   The bearing member  7  is formed of, for example, a porous material, in particular, sintered metal of copper and iron. Lubricating oil or lubricating grease is impregnated into the inside pores to provide impregnated oil bearing. Plural dynamic pressure grooves are formed in a region constituting a radial bearing surface of the inner circumferential surface  7   a  of the bearing member  7 . When the bearing member  2  is rotated, a dynamic pressure action is generated in the radial bearing clearance Cr, so that the shaft portion  3   a  of the shaft member  3  is supported in a radial direction so as to rotate freely in non-contact state, with the oil film of the lubrication oil formed in the radial bearing clearance Cr. As a consequence, a radial bearing portion  11  is constituted for supporting the shaft member  3  in a radial direction such that it can rotate freely in non-contact state. The dynamic pressure groove may be formed on the outer circumference of the shaft portion  3   a  of the shaft member  3 . 
   A dynamic pressure groove is formed respectively on regions of the upper end surface  3   b   1  of the thrust plate  3   b  or the lower end surface  7   b  of the bearing member  7 , and the lower end surface  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  or the bottom surface  51   a  of the housing  5 , which become the thrust bearing surfaces. When the shaft member  3  is rotated, a dynamic pressure action is generated in the thrust bearing clearance Cs 1  and Cs 2 , so that the thrust plate  3   b  of the shaft member  3  is supported in a thrust direction so as to rotate freely in non-contact state, with the oil film of the lubricating oil formed in the thrust bearing clearance Cs 1  and Cs 2 , As a consequence, the thrust bearing portion  13  is constituted for supporting the shaft member  3  in a thrust direction such that it can rotate in non-contact state. 
   The configuration of the dynamic pressure groove of the radial bearing surface and the thrust bearing surface can be arbitrarily selected, so that any of the known herringbone type, spiral type, step type, and multiple arc type is selected or such types are appropriately combined and used. 
   In the above structure, the surface hardness of the outer circumference surface of the shaft portion  3   a  is larger than that of the inner circumferential surface  7   a  of the bearing member  7  while the surface hardness of the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  is larger than that of the lower end surface  7   b  of the bearing member  7  and the bottom surface  51   a  of the housing  5 . For example, the shaft member  3  is subjected to surface hardening process such as plating process, carbonation, nitration, carbo-nitration or other thermal process, so that the surface hardness of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  and the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  is adjusted to Vickers hardness HV of 500 or more, preferably about HV of 500 through 550. 
   Furthermore, the surface roughness of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  is smaller than that of the inner circumferential surface  7   a  of the bearing member  7  while the surface roughness of the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  is smaller than that of the lower end surface  7   b  of the bearing member  7  and the bottom surface  51   a  of the housing  5 . In this embodiment, the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  and the both end surfaces  3   b    1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  are finished with cutting process such as grinding process or the like after surface hardening process, and thereafter tumbler process or barrel process is conducted, so that fine projections (fine projections constituting the roughness of these surfaces) on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  and the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  are smoothed. As a consequence, in this embodiment, each mean square inclination angle Δq, designated in ISO4287/1, of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  and the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  is set to 2.0 or less. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the arithmetic average deviation Ra, designated in ISO4287/1, of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  is set to 0.04 μm or less while the arithmetic average deviation Ra of the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  is 0.04 μm or less, preferably 0.01 μm. 
   The smoothing process of the fine projections is conducted only on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  while the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  may be subjected to cutting process such as grinding process or the like. In that case, for example, when the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  are subjected to cutting process, the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  of the shaft member  3  is supported with a shoe whose surface hardness is larger than that of the surface (for example, a shoe formed of hard material such as superhard alloy, combacs or the like), and the shaft portion  3   a  is relatively slided with respect to the shoe, so that the surface projection of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a  can be smoothed. Furthermore, in this case, it is preferable that the surface roughness of the both end surfaces  3   b   1  and  3   b   2  of the thrust plate  3   b  are made smaller than that of the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion  3   a , and, for example, the arithmetic average deviation Ra is set to 0.0 μm or less. 
   As described above, according to the present invention, friction on the radial bearing surface constituting the radial bearing portion and the thrust bearing surface constituting the thrust bearing portion is suppressed, so that the excellent bearing performance of the hydrodynamic bearing unit of this type can be maintained over a long period.