Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-22
2002-04-30
Cao, Allen (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
active
06381091
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk drive apparatus for performing at least one of recording information onto or reproducing information from a recording medium, for example, a disk. In particular, the present invention relates to a disk drive apparatus provided with a damping mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 21
is a perspective exploded view showing a conventional damping mechanism in a disk drive apparatus. As shown in
FIG. 21
, a disk drive motor
1002
for driving a disk
1001
is fixed onto a base
1003
, and two guide axes
1005
are fixed onto the base
1003
so as to be parallel to each other. Furthermore, a recording/reproducing head
1004
for recording information onto or reproducing information from the disk
1001
is supported by the guide axes
1005
so as to move in a radial direction (represented by an arrow
1009
) of the disk
1001
. The base
1003
is fixed onto a chassis
1008
via damping portions
1007
made of rubber resin disposed at four corners. The damping portions
1007
are fixed between the chassis
1008
and the base
1003
with screws (not shown) or the like.
The damping function in a conventional disk drive apparatus with the above-mentioned structure will be described.
The recording/reproducing head
1004
moves in the radial direction
1009
along the disk
1001
which rotates at a high speed, thereby recording information onto or reproducing information from the disk
1001
. At this time, the high-speed rotation of the disk
1001
and the high-speed movement of the recording/reproducing head
1004
in the radial direction
1009
cause mechanical vibrations.
Thus, in a disk drive apparatus requiring low noise and low vibrations, in order to prevent the above-mentioned mechanical vibrations from being propagated to outside the apparatus, attempts have been made to attenuate the mechanical vibrations by using the damping portions
1007
.
Attempts have also been made to attenuate the mechanical vibrations by using the damping portions
1007
for the purpose of enhancing vibration resistance and shock resistance of the disk drive apparatus, i.e., for the purpose of minimizing the propagation of the mechanical vibrations of the chassis
1008
(caused by shock and vibrations outside the apparatus) to the recording/reproducing head
1004
, and the like.
In a recording/reproducing apparatus for recording/reproducing information with respect to a hard disk, an optical disk, or the like, a higher density of information recorded on the disk, a larger amount of space of the disk, a higher data transfer speed involved in high-speed rotation of the disk, and a shorter access time are desired. Furthermore, recently, in order to adapt to a note-size personal computer, there has been a demand for a thinner disk drive apparatus with decreased power consumption and lower noise.
It is desired to substantially enhance tracking control precision of the recording/reproducing head, along with a higher density of information recorded on the disk and a higher capacity of the disk. However, by doing so, the mechanical vibrations caused by the high-speed rotation and high-speed access of the disk in the disk drive apparatus cause external disturbance vibrations, resulting in a decrease in tracking control precision. on the other hand, there has been a demand for a thinner disk drive apparatus with decreased power consumption and lower noise.
Therefore, in a disk drive apparatus, it is desired to provide a damping mechanism for efficiently suppressing internal vibrations and enhancing vibration resistance and shock resistance in a limited available space.
In the conventional damping mechanism shown in
FIG. 21
, the damping portions
1007
are fixed between the chassis
1008
and the base
1003
with screws (not shown) or the like. Therefore, it is difficult to render the disk drive apparatus thinner by incorporating such a conventional damping mechanism. Furthermore, the available space of the damping portions
1007
tends to be reduced, which makes it difficult to increase a design flexibility. Consequently, the effect of attenuating vibrations of the damping portions
1007
is degraded.
Furthermore, considering horizontal and vertical setting conditions of a disk drive apparatus, and that various conditions of the mechanical vibrations caused by the movement of the recording/reproducing head
1004
are concentrated in the radial direction
1009
, it is required to provide the vibration attenuating characteristics of the damping portions
1007
with anisotropy, by rendering an intrinsic vibration frequency of the damping portions
1007
in the radial direction
1009
different from that of the damping portions
1007
in a tangential direction (represented by an arrow
1014
) orthogonal to the radial direction
1009
. However, in the case of using substantially spherical damping portions
1007
as shown in
FIG. 21
, it is difficult to realize anisotropy of the intrinsic vibration frequency between the radial direction
1009
and the tangential direction
1014
. Accordingly, a damping effect is not sufficient.
Furthermore, there is a limit to a space accommodating vibrations of the disk drive apparatus, so that the base
1003
should be disposed substantially horizontal. However, in general, the center of gravity of the base
1003
on which the disk drive motor
1002
and the recording/reproducing head
1004
are disposed is likely to be biased toward the disk drive motor
1002
. Therefore, in the conventional damping mechanism, the damping portions
1007
of which material or shape is varied depending upon the setting position, are disposed, whereby a horizontal posture of the base
1003
is realized. However, this increases the kinds of the damping portions
1007
. Furthermore, different kinds of damping portions
1007
may be mixed during assembly of the apparatus, which makes it necessary to classify them.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A disk drive apparatus of the present invention, includes: a movable portion, a stationary portion disposed around the movable portion, and a damping portion disposed between the movable portion and the stationary portion for connection therebetween, the movable portion, the stationary portion, and the damping portion being disposed substantially in a plane, wherein a head for performing at least one of recording or reproducing information with respect to a disk, a head drive portion for moving the head, and a rotation drive portion for driving a disk are provided on the movable portion.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the stationary portion is disposed so as to surround the movable portion, an annular gap in formed between the movable portion and the stationary portion, and the damping portion has an annular shape and is disposed in the annular gap.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the damping portion partially connects the movable portion to the stationary portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the damping portion includes a first damping portion connected to the movable portion, a second damping portion connected to the stationary portion, and an intermediate movable portion connecting the first damping portion to the second damping portion.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the damping portion is made of rubber resin or silicon resin.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the damping portion is made of a thermoplastic elastomer.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the movable portion and the stationary portion are made of synthetic resin such as ABS resin and PBT resin.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the intermediate movable portion is made of synthetic resin such as ABS resin or PBT resin.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the damping portion includes a plurality of portions having intrinsic vibration frequencies which are different from each other.
A disk drive apparatus of the present invention, includes: a plurality of movable portions disposed
Akimaru Kenji
Takizawa Teruyuki
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