Patent Abstract:
A spindle motor structure is disclosed wherein the spindle motor structure comprises a spindle motor including a stator having a core wound with a coil and a rotor rotating about the stator; and a driving substrate aligned at an outer periphery of the rotor and soldered with driving control parts of the spindle motor including a plurality of circuit parts including a driving integrated circuit and the like; and a base on which the spindle motor and the driving substrate are installed, wherein the spindle motor is assembled with or dissembled from the base independently from the driving substrate.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Korean Application No. 10-2008-0128659, filed Dec. 17, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a structure including a spindle motor and a printed circuit board. An optical device is a device optically inputting data into an optical disk and outputting data from the optical disk, where the optical device includes an optical pickup accessing data of the optical disk, a spindle motor rotating the optical disk and a feeding motor moving the optical pickup toward inner and outer peripheries of the optical disk. A spindle motor performs the function of rotating a disk to enable an optical pickup which linearly reciprocates in an optical disk drive (ODD) to read data recorded on the disk. A spindle motor structure defines an assembled structure including a spindle motor and a printed circuit board driving the spindle motor. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The present disclosure intends to provide a spindle motor structure capable of easily coupling and separating a spindle motor from a printed circuit board. 
         [0004]    The spindle motor structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a spindle motor including a stator having a core wound with a coil and a rotor rotating about the stator; and a driving substrate aligned at an outer periphery of the rotor and soldered with driving control parts of the spindle motor including a plurality of circuit parts including a driving integrated circuit and the like; and a base on which the spindle motor and the driving substrate are installed, wherein the spindle motor is assembled with or dissembled from the base independently from the driving substrate. 
         [0005]    The spindle motor structure according to another aspect of the present disclosure comprises: a spindle motor including a stator having a core wound with a coil and a rotor rotating about the stator; a driving substrate aligned at an outer periphery of the rotor and soldered with driving control parts of the spindle motor including a plurality of circuit parts including a driving integrated circuit and the like; a core substrate aligned at an inner side of the rotor and installed with the core and to which the coil is soldered and connected to the driving substrate; and a base on which the spindle motor, the driving substrate and the core substrate are installed, wherein the spindle motor or the core substrate is assembled with or dissembled from the base independently from the driving substrate. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an imaginary comparative exemplary embodiment for comparing with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a spindle motor and a printed circuit board according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating an imaginary comparative exemplary embodiment for comparing with exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, where an assembled structure of a spindle motor and a printed circuit board is shown. 
         [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a spindle motor  10  is formed with a bearing housing (not shown) press-fitted by a bearing (not shown), and the bearing is supportively and rotatably installed by a lower portion of the rotation shaft  11 . 
         [0014]    A stator including a core  13   a  and a coil  13   b  is coupled to an outer periphery of the bearing housing, and a rotor including a rotor yoke  15   a  and a magnet (not shown) is coupled to an outer periphery at an upper side of the rotation shaft  11 . 
         [0015]    The bearing housing is vertically installed with a metallic base  20  on which a printed circuit board (substrate  30 ) mounted with a plurality of parts is installed. 
         [0016]    The substrate  30  is connected with a lead wire  13   bb  of the coil  13   b  by way of soldering and is supportively soldered by one side of the core  13   a . The substrate  30  also serves to insulate the coil  13   b  and the base  20 . If the substrate  30  fails to insulate the coil  13   b  and the base  20 , a separate insulator may be installed. 
         [0017]    The spindle motor structure as illustrated in  FIG. 1  is coupled by the stator at an area of the substrate  30  at an inner side of the rotor yoke  15   a , whereby it makes it difficult to separate the substrate  30  from the spindle motor  10  in a case the substrate  30  is to be replaced for changing the characteristic of the spindle motor  10  or for being compatible with the product side. 
         [0018]    Another drawback is that the stator is coupled at an area of the substrate  30  inside the rotor yoke  15   a , which makes it difficult to perform the coupling process of the spindle motor  10  and the substrate  30 . 
         [0019]    Thus, the present disclosure intends to solve the aforementioned conventional drawbacks and exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure to improve the drawbacks will be described in the following. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a spindle motor and a printed circuit board according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, and  FIG. 3  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a spindle motor  100  and a driving printed circuit board (substrate  210 ) are coupled to a metallic base  310 . 
         [0022]    Hereinafter, in the description of directions and surfaces of constituent elements including the base  310 , a surface and a direction facing a vertical upper side of the base  310  are referred to as ‘upper surface and upper side’ and a surface and a direction facing a lower side of the base  310  are referred to as ‘lower surface and lower side’. 
         [0023]    The spindle motor  100  includes a bearing housing  110  which in turn is provided in a cylindrical shape with an open bottom, where a lower end open surface of the bearing housing  120  is insertedly coupled with a coupling hole  312  formed at the base  310 . 
         [0024]    The bearing housing  110  is press-fitted by a bearing  120  which in turn is rotatably and supportively installed by a lower outer periphery of rotation shaft  130 . The opened lower surface of the bearing housing  110  is coupled with a thrust stopper  141  that prevents the rotation shaft  130  from disengaging toward downstream of the bearing housing  110 . 
         [0025]    A stator  150  has a core  151  coupled to the outer periphery of the bearing housing  110 , and a coil  155  wound on the core  151 . A rotor  160  includes a rotor yoke  161  supported on the rotation shaft  130  exposed to the outside of the bearing housing  110 , and a magnet  165  coupled to the rotor yoke  161  in opposition to the stator  150 . 
         [0026]    Accordingly, when a current is applied to the coil  155 , the rotor  160  and the rotation shaft  130  are rotated through electromagnetic fields formed between the coil  155  and the magnet  165 . 
         [0027]    The rotor yoke  161  also serves to function as a turn table on which a disk  50  is mounted. A felt  181  is installed at an upper perimeter of the rotor yoke  161  for inhibiting the mounted disk  50  from slipping. 
         [0028]    A clamp device  170  elastically supporting the disk  50  and inhibiting the disk  50  from disengaging upward of the rotor yoke  161  is installed on the outer perimeter of the rotor yoke  161  coupled to the rotation shaft  130 , in order to align the center of the mounted disk  50  with the center of the rotation shaft  130 . The coil  155  of the spindle motor  100  is connected to the driving substrate  210  to receive an external electric power. 
         [0029]    The present exemplary embodiment of the present invention is so provided as to easily connect the coil  155  of the spindle motor  100  and the driving substrate  210 , which is described in the following. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the driving substrate  210  is provided at the outer periphery of the rotor yoke  161  and is coupled at the lower surface thereof to an upper surface of the base  310  using an adhesive or a two-sided tape. 
         [0031]    To this end, an area of the driving substrate  210  corresponding to an upper surface area of the base  310  for mounting the rotor yoke  161  is formed thereinside with a sink  210   a . The driving substrate  210  is formed with a connection pattern  211  to which a lead wire  155   a  of the coil  155  is connected using solder, and is also installed with a plurality of circuit parts including a driving integrate circuit (IC.  213 ) and the like. 
         [0032]    An adhesive  410  is coated on an upper surface of the base  310  inside the rotor yoke  161 . The adhesive  410  supports one side of the core  151  and simultaneously insulates the metallic base  310  and the coil  155 . An area of the adhesive  410  for supporting the core  151  is formed with a protrusion  410   a  toward the core  151  side. 
         [0033]    In the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driving substrate  210  is aligned at the outer periphery of the spindle motor  100  to enable the lead wire  155   a  of the coil  155  to be easily connected to the driving substrate  210 . 
         [0034]    In a case of separating the driving substrate  210  and the spindle motor  100  for replacing the driving substrate  210 , the only procedure is to simply detach the lead wire  155   a  of the coil  155  from the driving substrate  210 . 
         [0035]    Unexplained reference numeral  145  in  FIGS. 2 and 3  defines a thrust plate for inhibiting the rotation shaft  130  and the thrust stopper  141  from being worn out by supporting the lower portion of the rotation shaft  130 . 
         [0036]    Now, a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, from which a structure alone which is different from that of the first exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0038]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an upper surface of the base  310  inside the rotor yoke  161  is coupled to the lower surface of a core substrate  420  using an adhesive or a two-sided tape. The core substrate  420  serves to insulate the metallic base  310  and the coil  155 , and to support one side of the core  151 . The core  151  is supported at one side thereof by the core substrate  420  by a solder  422 . 
         [0039]    The coil  155  and a driving substrate  220  are interconnected via a flexible flat cable  510 , an electric line or other electrically connecting means. 
         [0040]    To be more specific, one side of the flexible flat cable  510  is fixedly coupled to the core substrate  420  to allow the lead wire  155   a  of the coil  155  being connected using solder, while the other side of the flexible flat cable  510  is exposed to the outside of the rotor yoke  161  to be connected using solder to a connection pattern  223  formed at the driving substrate  220 . 
         [0041]    A tip end of the driving substrate  220  formed at the connection pattern  223  is formed with a support groove  220   aa  into which a center of the flexible flat cable  510  is supportively inserted, in order to facilitate the soldering of the flexible flat cable  510  and the driving substrate  220 . 
         [0042]    When the driving substrate  220  and the core substrate  420  are coupled to the base  310 , an upper surface of the driving substrate  220  and an upper surface of the core substrate  420  may be positioned on the same planar surface, in order to facilitate the soldering of the flexible flat cable  510  and the driving substrate  220 . 
         [0043]    In the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driving substrate  220  is arranged on an outer periphery of the spindle motor  100 , and an area of the flexible flat cable  510  connected to the driving substrate  220  is exposed outside of the rotor yoke  161 . Accordingly, it is easy to connect the flexible flat cable  510  to the driving substrate  220  and to separate the driving substrate  220  from the flexible flat cable  510 . A flexible substrate may be used instead of the flexible flat cable  510 . 
         [0044]    Now, a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
         [0045]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, from which a structure alone which is different from that of the second exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0046]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , a core substrate  420  coupled to an upper surface of the base  310  is connected to a connector  520 . The connector  520  includes a coupling unit  521  coupled to an outer periphery of the core substrate  420 , and a support unit  525  bent from an upper end of the coupling unit  521  toward a driving substrate  230  side. 
         [0047]    The support unit  525  is embedded with a connection terminal  520   a , and one side of the connection terminal  520   a  is exposed toward the core substrate  420  side, where the lead wire  155   a  of the coil  155  is connected using solder. The driving substrate  230  is formed with a connection terminal  235  inserted into the other side of the connector  520  and connected to the connection terminal  520   a . A tip end of the driving substrate  230  formed with the connection terminal  235  is formed with a support groove  230   aa  into which the support unit  525  of the connector  520  is supportively inserted. 
         [0048]    In the third exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driving substrate  230  is arranged on an outer periphery of the spindle motor  100 , and an area of the connector  520  connected to the driving substrate  230  is exposed outside of the rotor yoke  161 . Accordingly, it is easy to connect the connector  520  to the driving substrate  230  and to separate the driving substrate  220  from the connector  520 . 
         [0049]    Now, a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. 
         [0050]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating a spindle motor structure according to a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, from which a structure alone which is different from that of the third exemplary embodiment will be described. 
         [0051]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , an upper surface of a base  320  inside the rotor yoke  161  is coupled to the lower surface of a core substrate  430  using an adhesive or a two-sided tape. The core substrate  430  serves to insulate the metallic base  310  and the coil  155 , and to support one side of the core  151 . The core  151  is supported at one side thereof by the core substrate  430  by a solder  432 . 
         [0052]    The core substrate  430  is connected to a substrate  24 . To this end, the core substrate  430  and the driving substrate  240  are respectively connected to a connection pattern  434  and an access pattern  241 , where the connection pattern  434  is connected to a lead wire  155   a  of the coil  155  by a soldering process. 
         [0053]    The connection pattern  434  is formed at an upper surface of a protruding piece  436  protruding outside from an outer periphery of the core substrate  430 , and a tip end of a driving substrate  240  formed with the connection pattern  241  is formed with a support groove  240   aa  into which the protruding piece  436  is supportively inserted, in order to facilitate the connection between the connection pattern  434  and the access pattern  241 . 
         [0054]    When the core substrate  430  and the driving substrate  240  are coupled to a base  320 , an upper surface of the core substrate  430  and an upper surface of the driving substrate  240  may be positioned on the same planar surface, in order to facilitate the connection of the connection pattern  434  and the access pattern  241 . 
         [0055]    A gap may exist between a tip end of the protruding piece  436  and that of the driving substrate  240  when the protruding piece  436  is inserted into the support groove  240   aa . If the solder that has been introduced into the gap exceeds more than a predetermined amount, the solder may flow backward to an upper surface of the protruding piece  436  and to that of the driving substrate  240  to flow over the upper surface of the protruding piece  436  and that of the driving substrate  240 . This may cause generation of short-circuit. 
         [0056]    In order to inhibit the backward flow of the solder, a discharge hole  322  is formed at an area between the connection pattern  434  and the access pattern  241 , i.e., an area of the base  320  corresponding to a gap between a tip end of the protruding piece  436  and a cross-section of the driving substrate  240 . As a result, the solder that has introduced into the gap comes into the discharge hole  322  to be attached to the discharge hole  322  by tension, or to be discharged outside via the discharge hole  322 , thereby inhibiting the generation of short-circuit. 
         [0057]    In the fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the driving substrate  240  is arranged on an outer periphery of the spindle motor  100 , and an area of the connection pattern  434  of the core substrate  430  connected to the driving substrate  240  is exposed outside of the rotor yoke  161 . Accordingly, it is easy to connect the core substrate  430  to the driving substrate  220  and to separate the driving substrate  240  from the core substrate  430 . 
         [0058]    In the spindle motor structure according to the present invention, a substrate is arranged on an outer periphery of a rotor of the spindle motor, and an area connected to a coil of the spindle motor is exposed outside of the spindle motor to be connected to the substrate. Accordingly, it is easy to connect the spindle motor to the substrate and to separate the substrate from the spindle motor, whereby only the substrate may be replaced to standardize and common-use the spindle motor. 
         [0059]    Any reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “exemplary embodiment,” etc., means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the disclosure. The appearances of such phrases in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with any embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the purview of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with others of the embodiments. 
         [0060]    Although embodiments have been described with reference to a number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope of the principles of this invention. More particularly, various variations and modifications are possible in the component parts and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within the scope of the disclosure, the drawing and the appended claims. In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6