Disk storage device with improved spindle torque and acceleration

A disk storage device comprising:

• a housing enclosing a clean chamber;
• at least one data storage disk located within said clean chamber;
• a read head for reading data recorded on said at least one data storage disk;
• and
• a motor for rotating said at least one data storage disk past said read head, said motor including:
• a rotor having a disk mounting portion positioned within said clean chamber and coupled to said at least one data storage disk;
• a shaft located along an axis of rotation and affixed to said rotor for rotation therewith;
• a support member contiguous with said housing including a bearing support;
• first and second axially spaced bearings rotatably supporting said shaft and mounted within said bearing support;
• a stator surrounding said bearing support and positioned on the same side of said support member as said clean chamber, said stator having one or more poles and windings;
• a ring element affixed to said housing and extending over the stator, said ring element having an opening surrounding an outer periphery of said rotor;
• an annular permanent magnet surrounded by said stator poles and spaced therefrom to form a substantially cylindrical air gap therewith;
• and
• a ferromagnetic portion included as part of said rotor, wherein said ferromagnetic portion has a substantially cylindrical surface upon which the annular permanent magnet is mounted and a radially extending portion extending over and radially beyond the permanent magnet and covering at least a portion of the air gap, said permanent magnet arranged to interact with magnetic flux produced by said stator to drive said rotor and rotate said at least one data storage disk about said axis of rotation.

A disk storage device comprising:

• a housing enclosing a clean chamber;
• at least one data storage disk having a circular opening and located within said clean chamber;
• a read head for reading data recorded on said at least one data storage disk;
• and
• a motor for rotating said at least one data storage disk past said read head, said motor including:
• a rotor having a disk mounting portion positioned within said clean chamber and coupled to said at least one data storage disk;
• a shaft located along an axis of rotation and affixed to said rotor for rotation therewith;
• a support member contiguous with said housing including a bearing support;
• first and second axially spaced bearings rotatably supporting said shaft and mounted within said bearing support;
• a stator surrounding said bearing support and positioned on the same side of said support member as said clean chamber, said stator having one or more poles and windings;
• and
• an annular permanent magnet surrounded by said stator poles and spaced therefrom to form a substantially cylindrical air gap therewith, said permanent magnet arranged to interact with magnetic flux produced by said stator to drive said rotor and rotate said at least one data storage disk about said axis of rotation,
• wherein the disk mounting portion of the rotor includes a substantially cylindrical portion that extends through the opening of the at least one data storage disk, and the outer diameter of said permanent magnet is greater than the diameter of the circular opening of the at least one data storage disk, and
• said rotor includes a ferromagnetic portion, wherein said ferromagnetic portion has a substantially cylindrical surface upon which the annular permanent magnet is mounted and a radially extending portion extending over and radially beyond the permanent magnet and covering at least a portion of the air gap.

A disk storage device comprising:

• a housing enclosing a clean chamber;
• at least one data storage disk located within said clean chamber;
• a read head for reading data recorded on said at least one data storage disk;
• and
• a motor for rotating said at least one data storage disk past said read head, said motor including:
• a rotor having a disk mounting portion positioned within said clean chamber, said disk mounting portion including a radially extending shoulder supporting said data storage disk;
• a stator having one or more windings supported on a member contiguous with said housing, said stator being located on the same side of said housing as said clean chamber;
• a shaft aligned along an axis of rotation and affixed to said rotor for rotation therewith;
• a bearing support member having bearings rotatably supporting said shaft;
• a ring element affixed to said housing and extending over the stator, said ring element having an opening surrounding said rotor;
• an annular permanent magnet affixed to said rotor and positioned within said stator so as to form an air gap therewith;
• and
• a ferromagnetic portion included as part of said rotor, wherein said ferromagnetic portion has a first substantially cylindrical surface upon which the annular permanent magnet is mounted and a radially extending portion extending over and radially beyond the permanent magnet covering at least a portion of the air gap,
• said stator and permanent magnet being located immediately adjacent the radially extending shoulder of said disk mounting portion of said rotor and positioned on a side thereof opposite to said data storage disk, and
• whereby flux produced by said stator interacts with said permanent magnet to rotate said rotor and data storage disk about said axis of rotation.

A disk storage device comprising:

• a housing enclosing a clean chamber;
• at least one data storage disk having a circular opening and located within said cleaning chamber;
• a read head for reading data recorded on said at least one data storage disk;
• and
• a motor for rotating said at least one data storage disk past said read head, said motor including:
• a rotor having a disk mounting portion positioned within said clean chamber, said disk mounting portion including a radially extending shoulder supporting said data storage disk;
• a stator having one or more windings supported on a member contiguous with said housing, said stator being located on the same side of said housing as said clean chamber;
• a shaft aligned along an axis of rotation and affixed to said rotor for rotation therewith;
• a bearing support member having bearings rotatably supporting said shaft;
• an annular permanent magnet affixed to said rotor and positioned within said stator so as to form an air gap therewith;
• said stator and permanent magnet being located immediately adjacent the radially extending shoulder of said disk mounting portion of said rotor and positioned on a side thereof opposite to said data storage disk, whereby flux produced by said stator interacts with said permanent magnet to rotate said rotor and data storage disk about said axis of rotation,
• wherein the disk mounting portion of said rotor includes a substantially cylindrical portion that extends through the circular opening of the at least one data storage disk, and the outer diameter of said permanent magnet is greater than the diameter of said circular opening of the at least one data storage disk, and
• said rotor includes a ferromagnetic portion, wherein said ferromagnetic portion has a substantially cylindrical surface upon which the annular permanent magnet is mounted and a radially extending portion extending over and radially beyond the permanent magnet covering at least a portion of the air gap.

A disk storage device comprising:

• a housing enclosing a clean chamber;
• at least one data storage disk located within said clean chamber;
• a read head for reading data recorded on said at least one data storage disk;
• and
• a motor for rotating said at least one data storage disk past said read head, said motor including:
• a rotor having an annular magnetic flux producing and conducting member and a hub portion, said hub portion extending through a central opening in said at least one data storage disk and having a central and substantially cylindrical cavity opening toward one end of said hub portion, said magnetic flux producing and conducting member being affixed to an end of said hub portion such that the magnetic flux producing and conduction member is concentric with said central and substantially cylindrical cavity, and wherein an outer diameter of said flux producing and conducting member is greater than a diameter of the central opening in said at least one data storage disk;
• a stator having at least one winding, said stator positioned to surround said magnetic flux producing and conducting member and spaced therefrom by an air gap;
• a bearing support aligned with an axis of rotation that extends through the central and substantially cylindrical cavity of said hub portion and having at least one bearing member rotatably supporting said rotor, said bearing support having a substantially cylindrical outer surface that is spaced from the inner wall of said central and substantially cylindrical cavity of said hub portion;
• and
• an annular member affixed to the housing and extending over the stator and cooperating with a surface on the hub such that a portion of the annular member extends beneath a portion of the hub to substantially enclose said stator and stator windings.

A disk storage device comprising:

• a housing enclosing a clean chamber;
• at least one data storage disk located within said clean chamber;
• a read head for reading data recorded on said at least one data storage disk;
• and
• a motor for rotating said at least one data storage disk past said read head, said motor including:
• a rotor having an annular magnetic flux producing and conducting member, a non-ferromagnetic hub portion, and a substantially cylindrical ferromagnetic support member, said hub portion extending through a central opening in said at least one data storage disk, said rotor forming a substantially cylindrical central cavity with an opening toward a lower end, said magnetic flux producing and conducting member being affixed to an end of said ferromagnetic support member such that the magnetic flux producing and conducting member is concentric with said central cavity, and wherein an outer diameter of said flux producing and conducting member is greater than a diameter of the central opening in said at least one data storage disk;
• a stator having at least one winding, said stator positioned to surround said magnetic flux producing and conducting member and spaced therefrom by an air gap, and wherein a radially extending portion of the ferromagnetic support member extends over and radially beyond the annular magnetic flux producing and conducting member and covers a portion of the air gap;
• a bearing support aligned with an axis of rotation that extends through the central cavity of said rotor and having at least one bearing member rotatably supporting said rotor, said bearing support having a substantially cylindrical outer surface that is spaced from the inner wall of said ferromagnetic support member by a narrow gap that retards the escape of particles from said bearing member into said clean chamber.