Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-29
2003-04-01
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
active
06542327
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a disk drive unit, more precisely relates to a disk drive unit, which is capable of preventing vibration of magnetic heads and magnetic disks, which are caused by air steam.
FIG. 16
shows a plan view of an inner mechanism of a conventional disk drive unit. Magnetic disks
102
are accommodated in an enclosure
100
. Arms
104
are swung parallel to surfaces of the disks
102
by actuators
106
. Suspensions
108
are respectively fixed to front ends of the arms
104
. A magnetic head
110
is attached to a front end of each suspension
108
. The magnetic heads
114
respectively face the surfaces of the disk
102
.
FIG. 17
is a side sectional view of the disk drive unit, in which the magnetic disks
102
are seen from the side. The disks
102
are arranged in an axial direction of a shaft
112
. The magnetic heads
102
respectively correspond to the disks
102
. The shaft
112
is connected to a spindle motor (not shown), so that the disks
102
are rotated together with the shaft
112
by the spindle motor.
While the disks
102
are stopped, the magnetic heads
110
respectively contact the surfaces of the disks
102
; while the disks
102
are rotated, the magnetic heads
110
are lifted or floated from the surface of the disks
102
by air streams, which are caused by the rotation of the disks
102
. For writing and reading data, seeking action of the magnetic heads
110
are executed by swinging the arms
106
about a shaft
105
by the actuators
106
.
The disks
102
are rotated at high speed so as to write and read data, so dusts in the enclosure
100
badly influence the seeking action. Therefore, the enclosure
100
includes a filter so as to prevent invasion of dusts. Since the enclosure
100
is tightly sealed and the arms
104
, the magnetic heads
110
, etc. are moved at high speed, the air streams, which are caused by the rotation of the disks
102
, are disturbed in the enclosure
100
. Namely, stable air streams cannot be gained.
The magnetic heads
110
are vibrated by disturbed air streams or turbulent air streams, so that, in some cases, the magnetic heads
110
are excessively floated from the surface of the disks
102
. With this action, the conventional disk drive unit has following disadvantages: the magnetic heads
110
cannot write and read data; the surfaces of the disks
102
are damaged by colliding the magnetic heads
110
therewith; the suspensions
108
are bent; and the magnetic heads
110
are damaged.
These days the seeking action must be faster and faster due to higher record density and greater memory capacity. Further, floating level of the magnetic heads
110
, which are height of the magnetic heads
110
from the surface of the disks
102
, must be precisely controlled, so that the vibration of the magnetic heads
110
, which are caused by the turbulent air streams in the enclosure
100
, must be prevented.
To protect the magnetic heads
110
from the turbulent air streams, another conventional disk drive unit has a screen member
120
, which encloses the disks
102
(see FIG.
18
). In this disk drive unit, a space between a side face of the screen member
120
and outer circumferential faces of the disks
102
is made narrow so as to limit air streams between the disks
102
. With this structure, the vibration of the magnetic heads
110
can be reduced. However, the screen member
120
shown in
FIG. 18
cannot fully prevent the vibration of the magnetic heads
110
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a reliable disk drive unit capable of fully preventing vibration of magnetic heads, which are caused by turbulent air streams, which is caused by rotation of disks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk drive unit capable of having higher record density and operating at higher speed.
To achieve the object, a first basic structure of the disk drive unit of the present invention comprises: an enclosure; a shaft being provided in the enclosure, the shaft rotatably holding a disk; and a screen member being provided on an inner face of the enclosure, the screen member enclosing the shaft and being extended in parallel to the shaft, wherein a space is formed between the screen member and an inner bottom face of the enclosure.
In the disk drive unit, another space may be formed between the screen member and the inner face of the enclosure. With this structure, the air streams caused by the rotation of the disk can be introduce into another space, so that the air streams, which upwardly flow in the enclosure, can be properly restricted. Further, the screen member may be continuously rounded along the inner face of the enclosure. With this structure, the air streams can be circulated in another space and the air streams, which upwardly flow, can be properly restricted.
A second basic structure of the disk drive unit of the present invention comprises: an enclosure; a shaft being provided in the enclosure; and a plurality of disks being provided in the enclosure and rotatably held, with regular separations, by the shaft, wherein diameter of one of the disks is greater than that of others.
The disk drive unit may further comprise a screen member being provided close to outer circumferential faces of the disks other than the disk having greater diameter and extended in parallel to the shaft.
Further, in the disk drive unit, a space may be formed between the screen member and an inner face of the enclosure.
In the disk drive unit of the present invention, the air streams, which upwardly flow from the inner bottom face when the disk is rotated, can be properly restricted. By restricting the air streams, the vibration of the magnetic disk and the magnetic head, which occur while rotating the magnetic disk, can be effectively restricted. Therefore, data can be precisely written and read with high speed rotation of the disk. Further, colliding the magnetic head with the surface of the disk can be prevented, so that crush of the magnetic disk can be prevented and reliability of the disk drive unit can be improved.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5255254 (1993-10-01), Watanabe et al.
patent: 5526203 (1996-06-01), Mohajerani et al.
patent: 5636082 (1997-06-01), Shibuya et al.
patent: 5696649 (1997-12-01), Boutaghou
patent: 6147834 (2000-11-01), Srikrishna et al.
patent: 6271987 (2001-08-01), Allsup et al.
patent: 52134714 (1977-11-01), None
patent: 11-073756 (1999-03-01), None
patent: 11-232866 (1999-08-01), None
Fujitsu Limited
Greer, Burns & Crain LTD
Klimowicz William
Watko Julie Anne
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