Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record medium – In container
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-17
2001-10-16
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record medium
In container
Reexamination Certificate
active
06304417
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to data storage drives and more particularly, to a removable cartridge for magnetic disk drives.
BACKGROUND
Magnetic disk drives which write and read digital data from flexible magnetic disks have been extensively used. “Floppy disk drives” have been extensively used for small, so-called microcomputer systems, for word-processing applications and the like. The flexible disk cartridge includes a relatively thin, flexible jacket which is inserted into the floppy disk drive.
Rigid disk drives, such as the IBM 3350, usually have a fixed rigid magnetic media. The magnetic heads do not contact the magnetic surface, but ride on a thin film of air. Because of this, and other features, these disk drives are capable of extremely precise and high speed operation. This type of disk drive is commonly referred to as a “Winchester” drive. Rigid disks enclosed in a rigid, removable cartridge, or shell have also been used. U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,452—Thompson et al is an example of such a drive. “Bernoulli” disk drives having performance characteristics similar to that of Winchester drives, but with removable cartridges, have been developed. A flexible magnetic disk is enclosed in a rigid box which is normally completely closed. U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,748—Bauck, et al and related patents to the common assignee show such drives using Bernoulli stabilized flexible disks. U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,173—Jones et al and related patents to the common assignee, show improvements which relate to so-called “half height” drives.
The cartridges for these drives have a door which closes the cartridge when it is removed from the drive. This prevents debris from contaminating the magnetic recording medium when the cartridge is not in the drive. When the cartridge is inserted into the drive, this door slides to an open position to provide access for the magnetic recording heads to engage the recording medium.
When the cartridge is removed from the drive, it is often subject to rough handling. During handling, physical contact of the disk with the shell may damage the disk, particularly if the disk and cartridge shell are subject to excessive “rattling”.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,444,586, Iftikar, et al. discloses a mechanism for clamping the cartridge against the cartridge shell when the cartridge is removed from the drive and releasing the clamping mechanism when the cartridge is inserted into the drive. In the Iftikar, et al patent a nut and screw mechanism is actuated by a tang which is rotated as the cartridge is inserted into the drive. Unfortunately, such a design requires added complexity of the drive because the mechanism to actuate the tang is disposed within the drive, as distinguished from within the cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,650,899 Schick, et al. discloses a cam mechanism which clamps the hub against the cartridge shell as the access door of the cartridge is opened and closed when the cartridge is inserted into or ejected from the drive.
It is a goal of the present invention to provide an advantageous clamping mechanism which is actuated by the opening and closing of the cartridge door as it is inserted into and ejected from the drive, which optimizes head space, which reduces the number of moving parts, and which diminishes rattling of the cartridge while the cartridge is outside of the drive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a clamping mechanism in a data storage cartridge includes a movable member and a stationary member. The mechanism is actuated by the door of the cartridge which is opened when the cartridge is inserted into the drive and is closed when the cartridge is removed from the drive. The mechanism of the present invention restrains the recording medium to prevent rattling when the cartridge is removed from the drive, i.e. when the door is closed. The clamping mechanism is disposed on the same axis as the rotatable recording medium.
When the door is closed the clamping mechanism translates the motion of the door closing into a surface that clamps the hub on which the recording medium is mounted against a rear wall of the cartridge. Preferably, the clamping mechanism is at least partially located in a cavity formed in the hub while the clamping mechanism is in the clamped position, although such location is not necessary. The clamping mechanism comprises a stationary member and a movable member. The stationary member is affixed to the planar surface of the cartridge. The movable member is operationally coupled to the door via an actuating arm, and movably coupled to the stationary member such that as the door opens and closes, the movable member is rotated on the stationary member. The door movement, thus, causes axial motion of the clamping mechanism which is disposed in a cavity in the hub. A surface of the clamping mechanism bears against the disk hub to clamp the disk hub against the planar wall of the cartridge.
Four embodiments of the present invention are provided, each of which provides an actuating arm that is coupled to the cartridge door, a stationary member that is rigidly connected to the cartridge shell, and a movable member that is coupled to the stationary member. The actuating arm rotates the movable member, which is coupled to the stationary member such that rotation of the movable member produces axial translation of the movable member. The movable member translates toward the recording medium housed within the cartridge while the cartridge is removed from the drive so as to clamp the recording medium between a contact surface of the movable member and the cartridge shell.
In the first two embodiments, a spring that is coiled around the axis of rotation provides torsion to the movable member, which are a nut and a screw, respectively, to bias the movable member toward the camped position. In the third embodiment, a helical spring is disposed near the periphery of the movable member, which is a screw, to bias the movable member toward the clamped position. The fourth embodiment lacks a spring to bias the movable member, which is a spiral spring and plate assembly. Therefore, the clamping mechanism of the fourth embodiment may either be actuated entirely by the door, or may be biased by a spring coupled to the actuating arm.
The present invention produces the advantage that the mechanism for actuating the clamping mechanism is disposed within the cartridge shell, preferably within a cavity in the disk hub, which saves vertical space within the drive and reduces complexity. Further, providing a clamping mechanism that has only one moving part (in addition to the door and the actuating arm) within the cartridge produces less debris, which is an important and growing consideration with increasing areal density of the magnetic information.
The present invention encompasses any clamping mechanism that is operatively coupled to the cartridge door and that includes a movable member that is coupled to a stationary member such that rotation or pivoting of the movable member results in axial translation. For example, the present invention encompasses a screw
ut combination regardless of whether the movable member clamps the recording medium against the top or the bottom of the cartridge shell, or whether the screw or the nut comprises the movable member Further, in addition to a nut and screw arrangement, the present invention encompasses a protrusion (for example, a pin) that slides within a helical or inclined groove, and also a helix or helically oriented members that slide within a helical groove—regardless of whether the grooves are disposed in the stationary or movable member. Further, the terms “screw” and “nut” are broadly used herein to comprise threads of any type on either or both the movable member and stationary member.
The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the following more detailed description and appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5862026 (1999-01-01), Schick et al.
patent: 5991130 (1999-11-01), Schick et al.
patent: 6021029 (2000-
Blum James
Bracken Allen T.
Krieger George T.
Iomega Corporation
Klimowicz William
Woodcock Washburn Kurtz Mackiewicz & Norris LLP
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