SPINDLE MOTOR

Abstract

In a motor arranged to rotate a color wheel of a projector unit, a rotor yoke is fixed to a rotor hub by crimping the entire circumference thereof in order to prevent lubricating oil from leaking to the outside of the motor. A joint portion between the rotor yoke and the rotor hub is sealed with a sealant, such as an adhesive, to securely seal the joint portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view illustrating a motor according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a cross sectional view illustrating a joint portion at which a rotor hub and a rotor yoke are joined.

FIG. 2B is a bottom plan view illustrating the joint portion at which the rotor hub and the rotor yoke are joined.

FIG. 2C is a bottom plan view illustrating a joint portion of a conventional motor at which a rotor yoke and a housing are crimped at multiple locations.

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating a motor according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view illustrating a motor according to a third preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view illustrating a projector unit according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is across sectional view illustrating a conventional motor.

Claims

1. A motor comprising: a rotor unit arranged to rotate about a center axis, the rotor unit including: a rotor hub having a substantially circular shape centered about the center axis;a shaft concentric with the rotor hub and attached to an approximately middle portion of the rotor hub;a rotor yoke having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape concentric with the shaft, an entire circumference of an axial end portion of the rotor yoke being crimped to the rotor hub along an outer circumferential portion of the rotor hub; anda rotor magnet arranged at an inner circumferential surface of the rotor yoke; anda stator unit rotatably supporting the rotor unit, the stator unit including: a sleeve having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape concentric with the center axis, the sleeve being impregnated with lubricating oil to rotatably support the shaft; anda stator arranged to face the rotor magnet.

2. The motor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a sealant present on an entire circumference where the rotor hub and the rotor yoke are crimped to each other.

3. The motor as set forth in claim 2, wherein the sealant is provided along the entire circumference in a fluid state and then hardened, and the sealant is selected from a group including an adhesive, a resin material, and a paint material.

4. The motor as set forth in claim 3, wherein the sealant is a UV curable adhesive.

5. The motor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor hub and the rotor yoke are welded along the entire circumference of the rotor yoke.

6. The motor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a housing including an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator, and an annular concave portion at which the inner circumferential surface of the housing is radially outwardly recessed; andan oil supply member arranged in the annular concave portion.

7. The motor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a cap arranged at a bottom surface of the housing and crimped to the housing to close the bottom end opening of the housing; anda sealant applied to a portion at which the cap and the housing are crimped.

8. The motor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor hub is made of aluminum.

9. The motor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a bias magnet arranged at an axial end portion of the stator unit and having an annular shape whose inner circumferential surface faces an outer circumferential surface of the shaft with a gap defined therebetween; anda ring member made of magnetic material and arranged to axially face the bias magnet.

10. The motor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a back yoke arranged at an axial end portion of the stator unit and having an annular shape whose inner circumferential surface faces an outer circumferential surface of the shaft with a gap defined therebetween;a bias magnet having an annular shape and arranged on the back yoke; anda ring member made of magnetic material and arranged to axially face the bias magnet.

11. The motor as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a ring member made of magnetic material and arranged on the stator unit, the ring member having an inner circumferential surface facing an outer circumferential surface of the shaft with a gap defined therebetween; anda bias magnet arranged on the rotor unit and axially facing the ring member.

12. The motor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rotor hub includes a placing surface defined by a substantially flat surface that is substantially perpendicular to the center axis, and a color wheel fixed to the placing surface.

13. A motor including a rotor unit arranged to rotate about a rotational axis and a stator unit rotatably supporting the rotor unit, comprising: a rotor hub of the rotor unit having a substantially circular shape centered on the rotational axis;a shaft concentric with the rotor hub and attached to an approximately middle portion of the rotor hub;a rotor yoke having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape concentric with the shaft, an entire circumference of an axially end portion of the rotor yoke being welded to an outer circumferential portion of the rotor hub;a rotor magnet arranged at an inner circumferential surface of the rotor yoke;a sleeve of the stator unit having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape concentric with the rotational axis, and being impregnated with lubricating oil to rotatably support the shaft; anda stator of the stator unit facing the rotor magnet.

14. The motor as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: a housing including an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator, and an annular concave portion at which the inner circumferential surface of the housing is radially outwardly recessed; andan oil supply member arranged in the annular concave portion.

15. The motor as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a cap arranged at a bottom surface of the housing and crimped to the housing to close the bottom end opening of the housing; anda sealant applied to a portion at which the cap and the housing are crimped.

16. The motor as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a bias magnet arranged at an axial end portion of the stator unit and having an annular shape whose inner circumferential surface faces an outer circumferential surface of the shaft with a gap defined therebetween; anda ring member made of magnetic material and arranged to axially face the bias magnet.

17. The motor as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a back yoke arranged at an axial end portion of the stator unit and having an annular shape whose inner circumferential surface faces an outer circumferential surface of the shaft with a gap defined therebetween;a bias magnet having an annular shape and arranged on the back yoke;a ring member made of magnetic material and arranged to axially face the bias magnet.

18. The motor as set forth in claim 13, further comprising: a housing having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an upper end opening, a bottom end opening, an inner circumferential surface supporting the sleeve, and an outer circumferential surface supporting the stator;a ring member made of magnetic material and arranged on the stator unit, the ring member having an inner circumferential surface facing an outer circumferential surface of the shaft with a gap defined therebetween; anda bias magnet arranged on the rotor unit and axially facing the ring member.

19. The motor as set forth in claim 13, wherein the rotor hub includes a placing surface defined by a substantially flat surface that is substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, and a color wheel fixed to the placing surface.

20. A motor including a rotor unit rotating about a rotational axis and a stator unit rotatably supporting the rotor unit, comprising: a rotor hub of the rotor unit having a substantially circular shape centered on the rotational axis;a shaft concentric with the rotor hub and attached to an approximately middle portion of the rotor hub;a ring member made of magnetic material and arranged on the rotor hub;a rotor yoke having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape concentric to the shaft, an entire circumference of an axial end portion of the rotor yoke being crimped to an outer circumferential portion of the rotor hub;a rotor magnet arranged at an inner circumferential surface of the rotor yoke;a housing of the stator unit having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape with an inner circumferential surface and an outer circumferential surface;a sleeve rotatably supporting the shaft and having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape concentric with the rotational axis, an outer circumferential surface of the sleeve being fixed to the inner circumferential surface of the housing;a stator arranged at the outer circumferential surface of the housing and facing the rotor magnet;a back yoke arranged at a portion of the stator unit near an axial end portion of the sleeve;a bias magnet having an annular shape arranged on the back yoke and axially facing the ring member; anda gap defined between the shaft and an inner circumferential surface of at least one of the bias magnet and the back yoke.

21. The motor as set forth in claim 20, wherein the housing includes an annular concave portion at which the inner circumferential surface of the housing is radially outwardly recessed, and an oil supply member is arranged in the annular concave portion.

22. The motor as set forth in claim 20, wherein the housing includes an upper end opening and a bottom end opening, the motor further comprising: a cap arranged at a bottom surface of the housing and crimped to the housing to close the bottom end opening of the housing; anda sealant applied to a portion at which the cap is crimped to the housing.

23. The motor as set forth in claim 20, wherein the rotor hub includes a placing surface defined by a substantially flat surface that is substantially perpendicular to the rotational axis, and a color wheel fixed to the placing surface.

24. A display unit comprising: a color wheel assembly including a rotary color wheel having color filters on a circular disk and arranged to project and display a color picture image, and a motor according to claim 1 arranged to drive the color wheel; anda light source arranged to emit light toward the color wheel;a digital micro mirror device arranged to reflect light transmitted through the color wheel by movable mirrors;a projection optical system arranged to project the light reflected from the digital micro mirror device onto a screen; anda case arranged to house the color wheel assembly, the light source, the digital micro mirror device, and the projection optical system.

25. A display unit comprising: a color wheel assembly including a rotary color wheel having color filters on a circular disk and arranged to project and display a color picture image, and a motor according to claim 13 arranged to drive the color wheel;a light source arranged to emit light toward the color wheel;a digital micro mirror device arranged to reflect light transmitted through the color wheel by movable mirrors;a projection optical system arranged to project the light reflected from the digital micro mirror device onto a screen; anda case arranged to house the color wheel assembly, the light source, the digital micro mirror device, and the projection optical system.

26. A display unit comprising: a color wheel assembly including a rotary color wheel having color filters on a circular disk and arranged to project and display a color picture image, and a motor according to claim 20 arranged to drive the color wheel;a light source arranged to emit light toward the color wheel;a digital micro mirror device arranged to reflect light transmitted through the color wheel by movable mirrors;a projection optical system arranged to project the light reflected from the digital micro mirror device onto a screen; anda case arranged to house the color wheel assembly, the light source, the digital micro mirror device, and the projection optical system.