Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With servo positioning of transducer assembly over track... – Optical servo system
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-31
2001-06-05
Huber, Paul W. (Department: 2753)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With servo positioning of transducer assembly over track...
Optical servo system
C369S044140, C369S053130, C369S258100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243333
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to magneto-optical disk drives, and specifically to systems for the mechanical operation of a disk drive. Conventional systems for governing the operation of a magneto-optical (MO) disk drive, including systems for the insertion of disk-bearing cartridges, applying a magnetic head, and allowing access to the interior of the disk drive, require many sensors and switches and complicated control circuits and routines. These systems are typically difficult to synchronize, and difficult to immobilize during transportation of the disk drive. If a mechanism such as a spring-loaded cartridge insertion and ejection mechanism is used, the operation is typically unstable and may jar the precision alignment of the internal reading and writing mechanisms. When moving parts are moved into position, misalignment and unstable positioning is an additional problem.
Furthermore, although shutters covering a cartridge insertion slot are well-known, where the body of an inserted disk cartridge is used to partially block dust or dirt from the MO disk drive interior, such shutters are unable to completely block the cartridge insertion slot, leaving the disk cartridge and sensitive optical components of the disk drive exposed to dust and dirt.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved shutter operating mechanism that enables a shutter plate to be easily moved in synchronization with cartridge loading operations into a closed position when a disk drive holds a disk cartridge and is empty of a disk cartridge, and into a fully retracted position when a cartridge is being inserted.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a disk cartridge loading system for a disk drive that draws a cartridge into a cartridge holder and moves the cartridge holder into a reading/writing position, using very few sensors and parts and in a single, smooth motion.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a timing control system for a disk drive that is capable of moving both a disk cartridge holder and a magnetic head between various operating positions using a simple control with few sensors and few parts.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a vertical positioning system and a horizontal positioning system for a magnetic head base which will securely hold the magnetic head base in a stable position against reference surfaces.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a magnetic head carriage locking mechanism which can hold a magnetic head carriage in a secure position when the magnetic head base is away from a writing position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a control process and apparatus to pre-align a magnetic head and an optical head before the heads are synchronized to each other.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a shutter operating mechanism (for a shutter for a disk cartridge insertion opening of a disk drive) includes a shutter plate, which has a closed position and a retracted position. The closed position fully closes the cartridge insertion opening, and the retracted position is completely retracted from a loading path of an inserted cartridge. The shutter operating mechanism further includes a moving mechanism for the shutter plate, which has distinct first, second, and third positions. When the moving mechanism moves to the first position, the shutter plate moves to the closed position, when the moving mechanism moves to the second position, the shutter plate moves to the retracted position, and when the moving mechanism moves to the third position, the shutter plate moves to the closed position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a disk cartridge loading system for a disk drive includes a disk cartridge holder, a mechanism for guiding the disk cartridge holder, a drawing mechanism to draw a disk cartridge into the cartridge holder (the drawing mechanism having a hooking position and a drawn-in position, and hooking a partially inserted disk cartridge at the hooking position and drawing the disk cartridge fully into the disk cartridge holder at the drawn-in position), a mechanism for guiding the drawing mechanism to guide the drawing mechanism between the hooking and drawn-in positions, a driving mechanism to drive both of (a) the guiding mechanism for the disk cartridge holder and (b) the guiding mechanism for the drawing mechanism, an insertion sensor for detecting an insertion of a disk cartridge into the disk cartridge holder, and at least one position sensor to detect an operational position of the driving mechanism. The driving mechanism is responsive to the detection by the position sensor and to the detection by the insertion sensor.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a timing control system for a magneto-optical disk drive includes a magnetic head base supporting a linearly movable magnetic head (the magnetic head base being movable between at least two magnetic head base positions), a disk cartridge holder for holding a magneto-optical disk (the disk cartridge holder movable between at least two disk cartridge holder positions), a first guiding mechanism (for guiding the magnetic head base to move between the magnetic head base positions when the first guiding mechanism is driven), a second guiding mechanism (for guiding the disk cartridge holder to move between the disk cartridge holder positions when the second guiding mechanism is driven), a motor, a plurality of sensors, and a timing control member driven by the motor (the timing control member unitarily including (a) a driving mechanism for driving the first and second guiding mechanisms, and (b) a plurality of activators to activate the sensors). The motor drives the timing control member in response to the actuation of the sensors by the activators of the timing control member, and the driving mechanism of the timing control member further drives the first and second guiding mechanism to move the disk cartridge holder and the magnetic head base.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a vertical positioning system for a magnetic head base of a magneto-optical disk drive (the magnetic head base supporting a linearly movable magnetic head) includes a housing, a vertical reference surface member provided to the housing, a positioning member provided to the magnetic head base, a guiding member contacting the positioning member for moving the magnetic head base towards the vertical reference surface member, and a resilient biasing member provided to the guiding member to bias the magnetic head base towards the vertical reference surface member. The guiding member moves the positioning member of the magnetic head base towards the vertical reference surface until the positioning member contacts the vertical reference surface member, whereupon the resilient biasing member contacts the positioning mechanism and the guiding mechanism releases the positioning mechanism. The positioning member is held against the vertical reference surface by the resilient bias of the biasing member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a horizontal positioning system for a magnetic head base of a magneto-optical disk drive (the magnetic head base supporting a linearly movably magnetic head) includes a mechanism for restricting motion of the magnetic head base to have a single rotational degree of freedom in a horizontal plane when the magnetic head base is in a writing position; and a mechanism of resiliently holding the magnetic head against a remote surface from the restricting mechanism when the magnetic head is in the writing position.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, a horizontal positioning system for a magnetic head base of a magneto-optical disk drive (the magnetic head base supporting a linearly movable magnetic head) includes a sliding fit pin provided to the magnetic head base, a sliding fit socket provided to a housing of the disk drive and
Kanazawa Hiroshi
Okuda Isao
Shin Takeharu
Shinozaki Shimpei
Takishima Suguru
Asahi Kogaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Greenblum & Bernstein P.L.C.
Huber Paul W.
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