Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-08
2004-03-16
Heinz, A. J. (Department: 2653)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
active
06707638
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to data storage devices, or disk drives, for recording digital information on or reading digital information from a flexible magnetic media, which is disposed within a cartridge shell, and more particularly, to an apparatus to prevent the ejection of a cartridge from a disk drive during operation of the disk drive.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Cartridge based tape and disk data storage devices for storing digital electronic information have been in use in the computer industry for several decades. Removable disk cartridges typically comprise an outer casing or shell that houses a disk-shaped magnetic, magneto-optical or optical storage medium upon which information can be stored. The cartridge shell often comprises upper and lower halves that are formed of injection molded plastic and are joined together to house the disk. Magnetic disk media can be either rigid or flexible and are mounted on a hub that rotates freely within the cartridge. When the cartridge is inserted into a disk drive, a spindle motor in the drive engages the disk hub in order to rotate the disk within the cartridge at a given speed. The outer shell of the cartridge typically has a media access opening proximate one edge to provide the recording heads of the drive with access to the disk. A shutter or door mechanism is provided to cover the head access opening when the cartridge is not in use to prevent dust or other contaminants from entering the cartridge and settling on the recording surface of the disk. The shutter commonly is biased to a closed position with a spring. To open the shutter and gain access to the media, the drive employs a mechanism that overcomes the bias of the spring.
Disk drives for use with such removable disk cartridges typically employ either a linear actuator mechanism or a radial arm actuator mechanism for positioning the read/write head(s) of the disk drive on the recording surface(s) of the storage medium, or disk. Because the disk cartridges are designed to be removable from the drive, the linear or radial arm actuators must be able to move off, and away from, the storage medium to a retracted position in order to prevent damage to the head(s) when a cartridge is inserted and removed from the disk drive. Moreover, many removable cartridge disk drives employ a pair of opposing read/write heads for recording and reproducing information on both sides of a storage medium. Typically, the opposing heads are disposed on flexible suspension arms at the distal end of an actuator that allow the heads to fly closely over the respective surfaces of the rotating disk.
Disk drives further require a mechanism for allowing the heads to load only after a cartridge is inserted into the drive. The actuator that carries the recording heads of the disk drive across the recording surfaces of the disk should not be allowed to move unless a disk cartridge is present. In the prior art, mechanical or electrical switches typically are employed to determine the presence of a disk cartridge within the drive. Such switches typically are positioned so that when a disk cartridge is inserted fully into the drive, the cartridge contacts the switch, thereby providing an indication that the disk cartridge is present.
When a user has completed the use of a disk cartridge, a mechanism must be provided to eject the disk cartridge from the drive and substantially simultaneously ensure that the read/write heads are retracted from the disk into a predetermined safe position so as to prevent any damage to the read/write heads. Typically, a tray or spring loaded lever is used to push the cartridge out of the drive. The spring loaded tray or lever is often coupled to the head protection mechanism so that the protection of the heads occurs in unison with cartridge ejection.
A system for the loading and ejection of a cartridge is disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,125 (the “125 patent”), entitled “Cartridge Load and Eject Mechanism for a Removable Cartridge Drive,” which issued Apr. 25, 2000 and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIGS. 1-5C
show the mechanism disclosed in the 125 patent.
FIG. 1
is a top view of a disk drive
50
with its top cover removed and the components moved from their relative operational positions for clarity. Drive
50
comprises a chassis
57
, an actuator
49
(preferably a rotary actuator), including an opposing pair of load beams
44
having a read/write head
46
disposed at the end of each load beam, a spindle motor
52
and a spindle
40
, a load ramp
47
, a shutter opening arm
48
, and a load/eject mechanism which includes pinion
36
, gear
24
, sliding lever
22
, and lever compression spring
23
. The operation of the load eject mechanism is described more fully below. A disk cartridge can be inserted into the front of the drive in the direction indicated by the arrow. During insertion, the cartridge slides linearly along the top surface of chassis
57
and spindle motor
52
for engagement with the read/write heads
46
.
FIGS. 2A and 2B
present top and bottom views of an exemplary disk cartridge
10
for use with the drive
50
of the present invention. Disk cartridge
10
comprises a flexible magnetic disk
14
, a disk media hub
12
, top and bottom cartridge shell halves
18
a
and
18
b
, a rotary shutter
16
, and a shutter pivot pin
20
. Shutter
16
rotates within cartridge
10
between an open position and a closed position. In the open position, shutter
16
is rotated away from a generally wedge shaped disk access opening
13
that is formed in cartridge shell
18
, exposing the top and bottom surfaces of disk
14
for access by a read/write head or heads contained within a disk drive. In the closed position, shutter
16
is rotated over disk access opening
13
, sealing disk cartridge
10
and protecting disk
14
. The flexible magnetic disk
14
is formed of a thin polymer film, such as MYLAR, and has a thin magnetic layer uniformly dispersed on the top and bottom surfaces. The magnetic surfaces magnetically sensitize the flexible disk
14
and enable the storage of digital data when the surface is brought into magnetic communication with a magnetic transducer of the type commonly found in disk drives. Disk
14
is generally circular with a circular hole proximate the center of disk
14
.
Media hub
12
is firmly secured to disk
14
such that the center of hub
12
is aligned proximate the center of disk
14
. Media hub
12
is preferably attached to disk
14
via a well-known adhesive process. The disk and hub assembly are rotatably disposed between upper and lower cartridge shell halves
18
a
,
18
b
. Lower cartridge shell half
18
b
has a substantially circular spindle access opening
18
c
such that a disk drive can provide rotational power to disk
14
via hub
12
. Preferably, said access opening presents a rounded edge.
Cartridge shell
18
also comprises a side cut-out
34
and abutment surface
35
. As explained more fully below, cut-out
34
and abutment surface
35
engage sliding lever
22
during cartridge insertion and ejection. Cut-out
34
functions to retain the cartridge in drive
50
and ensure proper cartridge insertion while abutment surface
35
provides a flat surface for engagement and spring loading of sliding lever
22
.
Referring now to
FIGS. 3A and 3B
, the operation of disk drive
50
in conjunction with a cartridge
10
is illustrated.
FIG. 3A
shows the drive mechanisms in the positions that are assumed prior to insertion of a cartridge
10
, which is the same positions that are assumed after ejection of a disk cartridge. By contrast,
FIG. 3B
shows the positions of the drive mechanisms when a cartridge is fully inserted and the drive is operational. Referring first to
FIG. 3A
, actuator
49
is retracted onto load ramps
47
. Sliding lever
22
is released (i.e., biased forward). And, shutter operating arm
52
is ready to engage and rotate open a shutter
16
. Shutter operating arm
52
comprises a finger
52
a
that is adapted to engage shutter
16
and rotate it to
Castro Angel
Hagler James T.
Heinz A. J.
Iomega Corporation
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