# US 10,373,644 B2 · Spindle motor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,373,644 B2 - Document ID: US10373644B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/880,130 - Filed: 2018-01-25 - Published: 2018-05-31 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2010-11-18 - Assignees: LG Innotek Co., Ltd. - Applicants: LG Innotek Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hoeop Yoon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373644B2 ## CPC - H02K 11/33: Drive circuits, e.g. power electronics (H02K11/38 takes precedence) - G11B 19/2009: {Turntables, hubs and motors for disk drives; Mounting of motors in the drive (means for clamping of disk to turntable G11B17/022 and subgroups)} - H02K 1/187: {to inner stators} - H02K 5/00: Casings; Enclosures; Supports - H02K 5/10: with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers - H02K 5/163: {radially supporting the rotary shaft at only one end of the rotor (H02K5/165, H02K5/167, H02K5/173 take precedence)} - H02K 5/165: {radially supporting the rotor around a fixed spindle; radially supporting the rotor directly (H02K5/167, H02K5/173 take precedence)} - H02K 2203/03: Machines characterised by the wiring boards, i.e. printed circuit boards or similar structures for connecting the winding terminations - H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53}) - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A spindle motor is provided, the motor comprising: a base plate, a PCB on the base plate, a bearing assembly arranged on the base plate, a stator coupled to a periphery of the bearing assembly, a rotor rotationally coupled to the bearing assembly, the rotor including a yoke and a magnet, and a rotation shaft rotationally coupled to the bearing assembly. The base plate includes a planar portion and a protruding portion arranged along with a periphery of the yoke, the protruding portion being apart from the yoke. The base plate is partially covered with the PCB in a region where the stator is arranged. And, a height from the planar portion to an upper surface of the protruding portion is smaller than a height from the planar portion to a lower surface of the periphery of the yoke. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spindle motor, comprising: a base plate; a printed circuit board (PCB) on the base plate; a bearing assembly arranged on the base plate; a stator coupled to a periphery of the bearing assembly and comprising a core; a rotor rotationally coupled to the bearing assembly, the rotor including a yoke and a magnet; and a rotation shaft rotationally coupled to the bearing assembly; wherein the yoke comprises an upper plate and a lateral plate, wherein the PCB is provided with an exposure unit exposing a portion of the base plate opposite to the stator, wherein the base plate comprises a fence bent from the portion exposed by the exposure unit, the fence being formed along an edge of the portion exposed by the exposure unit, and the fence being disposed below a portion of the lateral plate of the yoke, wherein the fence is spaced apart from a lower surface of the portion of the lateral plate of the yoke, and wherein the PCB is disposed between the base plate and the core and is arranged on the base plate such that the portion of the base plate exposed by the exposure unit is not covered by the PCB. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the base plate comprises a first part opposite to the core of the stator, and wherein the first part of the base plate comprises the portion of the base plate exposed by the exposure unit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The spindle motor according to claim 2, wherein the PCB is arranged on the base plate such that the first part of the base plate comprises another portion that is covered by the PCB. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the base plate includes a first through hole to be coupled to the bearing assembly, and the PCB includes a second through hole formed at a position corresponding to that of the first through hole and partially opened toward the fence. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the fence of the base plate takes a shape of a curved line when viewed from above the spindle motor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The spindle motor according to claim 5, wherein the fence of the base plate has the same curvature as that of a core of the stator. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The spindle motor according to claim 5, wherein the fence of the base plate takes a shape of a semicircle when viewed from above the spindle motor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein a height from the portion of the base plate exposed by the exposure unit to an upper surface of the fence of the base plate is the same as a thickness of the PCB. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the fence of the base plate makes a right angle with the portion of the base plate exposed by the exposure unit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein a height from the portion of the base plate exposed by the exposure unit to an upper surface of the fence of the base plate is greater than a thickness of the PCB. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the bearing assembly comprises a bearing housing and a bearing inserted into the bearing housing, and wherein the core of the stator comprises radially formed core pieces, wherein the stator further comprises a coil wound on the core pieces, wherein the magnet is opposite to the core pieces, and wherein the rotation shaft is inserted into the bearing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the PCB is formed with a through hole through which the bearing assembly passes, and wherein a diameter of the through hole of the PCB is larger than a diameter of the bearing assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the core extends outward, in a radial direction of the rotation shaft, from the periphery of the bearing assembly; and wherein the fence of the base plate is located further outward, in the radial direction, from the rotation shaft than the core is. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, wherein the fence of the base plate inhibits foreign objects from entering the spindle motor through the exposure unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The spindle motor according to claim 1, further comprising a suction magnet arranged on an inner surface of the upper plate of the yoke or an upper surface of the core opposite to the inner surface of the upper plate of the yoke.