Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Head mounting – For moving head into/out of transducing position
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-24
2001-06-05
Heinz, A. J. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Head mounting
For moving head into/out of transducing position
C360S256400
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243238
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording-medium recording/reproducing device, and, in particular, to a recording-medium recording/reproducing device having a head moving mechanism which causes a head to approach a recording medium in response to movement of the recording medium, which movement is performed by a recording-medium moving mechanism.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an electronic apparatus such as a personal computer, a word processor or the like, a magnetic disk device, for example, is provided as means for recording information. In the magnetic disk device, when a disk cartridge as a recording-medium container is loaded, a magnetic disk contained in the disk cartridge is rotated, and a magnetic head slides on the magnetic disk so as to perform magnetic recording/reproducing.
The magnetic disk device has a recording-medium moving mechanism which includes a disk holder in which the disk cartridge is inserted, and a slider which performs a sliding operation in response to a disk-cartridge inserting operation and moves the disk holder from a cartridge insertion/ejection position to a cartridge loaded position.
Force is applied to the slider in one direction by a coil spring or the like. When the disk cartridge is inserted, a latch lever is pushed by an end of the disk cartridge so as to rotate, and, thereby, prevention of movement of the slider by the latch lever is released. As a result, the slider slides in the direction in which the force is applied thereto, and moves the disk holder to the cartridge loaded position. At this time, as a result of the disk holder falling from the cartridge insertion/ejection position to the cartridge loaded position, the disk in the disk cartridge is chucked onto a turntable.
In order to positively perform this loading operation performed by the disk holder, the force of the spring to be applied to the slider is set to be strong. The slider is accelerated by the spring force during a time starting when the disk cartridge is inserted into the disk holder and ending when the disk cartridge is loaded, and, then, the slider slides at an approximately fixed speed. Therefore, at a time when the slider reaches a sliding completion position, the magnetic head comes into contact with the magnetic disk so strongly that a magnetic film on the surface of the magnetic disk may be damaged.
In order to eliminate such a problem, in the device in the related art, a damper for decelerating the slider is provided. An oil damper is used as such a damper. The oil damper includes a gear engaging with a rack provided on the slider, a rotating body which rotates together with the gear, and a container which is filled with grease and contains the rotating body. In this oil damper, when the rotating body provided in the container rotates as a result of the slider sliding, the rotating body is decelerated due to viscosity resistance of the grease provided in the container, and the slider is decelerated.
However, in the above-described disk device in the related art, the viscosity of the grease provided in the container depends on the temperature. That is, when the temperature is low, the viscosity resistance of the grease is so large that it is not possible to positively perform the loading operation of the magnetic disk. Further, when the temperature is high, because the viscosity resistance of the grease is small, the loading operation is performed so strongly that the magnetic film of the magnetic disk may be damaged.
Further, in the magnetic disk device, achievement of high-density recording has been attempted as a result of the rotation speed of the magnetic disk being increased, and, thus, the storage capacity of the magnetic disk has been increased. In such a type of a magnetic disk device, buoyant force, caused by an air flow generated due to high-speed rotation of the magnetic disk, is applied to the magnetic head. Thereby, magnetic recording/reproducing can be performed in a condition in which the magnetic head slightly floats above the magnetic disk so that the surface of the magnetic disk is not damaged.
However, in a condition in which the magnetic disk rotates at low speed, no sufficient buoyant force is applied to the magnetic head. Therefore, when the magnetic head is caused to approach the magnetic disk in the condition in which the magnetic disk rotates at low speed, the magnetic head comes into contact with the magnetic disk, and, as a result, a possibility that the magnetic film formed on the surface of the magnetic disk is damaged is high.
Further, in an ejecting condition in which the magnetic disk is ejected from the magnetic disk device or in a waiting condition in which the magnetic head is positioned away from the magnetic disk, the head carriage which supports the magnetic head is locked and the magnetic head is prevented from coming into contact with the magnetic disk so that the magnetic disk is prevented from being damaged.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording-medium recording/reproducing device in which the above-mentioned problems are solved.
A recording-medium recording/reproducing device, according to the present invention, comprises:
a head carriage which supports a head;
a locking member which is movable between an engagement position at which the locking member engages with an engagement portion of the head carriage and a disengagement position at which the locking member disengages with the engagement portion of the head carriage;
a first link;
a driving unit which stops driving one end of the first link in each of an ejecting mode in which a recording medium is ejected from the device and a waiting condition in a recording/reproducing mode, in which condition the head is not in contact with the recording medium;
a second link, one end of which is connected with the other end of the first link, and the other end of which is connected with the locking member; and
a force-applying member which applies force to the locking member so as to cause the locking member to move to the engagement position,
wherein, when the driving unit drives the one end of the first link, the first link and the second link rotate so as to cause the locking member to move to the disengagement position, and, when the driving unit stops driving the one end of the first link, the force applied by the force-applying member causes the locking member to move to the engagement position.
Accordingly, in the present invention, when the driving unit drives the one end of the first link, the first link and the second link rotate so as to cause the locking member to move to the disengagement position, and, when the driving unit stops driving the one end of the first link, the force applied by the force-applying member causes the locking member to move to the engagement position. Thereby, in the condition other than the condition in which the head is used for performing recording/reproducing, that is, in the condition other than the condition in which the seeking operation is performed in the recording/reproducing mode, the head cannot move, and, thereby, the head is prevented from freely moving when external vibration is applied to the device in each of the ejecting mode and the waiting condition in the recording/reproducing mode. Further, in a case where the device is transported or the like in which vibration is applied to the device, the recording medium is prevented from being damaged due to movement of the head. Furthermore, because the movement of the one end of the first link driven by the driving unit is converted into rotations of the first link and the second link, and causes the locking member to move, merely a small amount of movement of the one end of the first link is needed. As a result, it is possible use a compact driving unit.
Other objects and further features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4987
Anderson Kill & Olick P.C.
Heinz A. J.
Teac Corporation
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