Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-08
2001-01-09
Renner, Craig A. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Disk record
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172845
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a flexible disc apparatus which limits the unloading (discharge) amount of the recording medium when it is being unloaded (discharged) from the apparatus.
FIG.
15
a
is an explanatory plan view showing the recording disc and FIG.
15
b
is an explanatory bottom view showing the recording disc. FIGS.
16
a
and
b
are explanatory views illustrating a conventional flexible disc apparatus.
In FIGS.
15
a
and
15
b
,
50
is a disc-shaped recording medium,
51
is a hub portion made of metal and secured to the central portion of the recording medium
50
,
51
a
is a hole portion provided in the hub portion
51
to which a rotary shaft of a recording medium driving motor (not shown) is inserted. It is to be noted that the hole portion
51
a
is positioned substantially at the center of a recording disc
55
.
52
is a medium cartridge portion for housing the recording medium
50
and
52
a
is a bore portion provided in the medium cartridge portion
52
, which is formed to have a size capable of causing the hub portion
51
to project outwardly.
52
b
is a window portion provided in the medium cartridge portion
52
,
52
c
is a groove portion provided in the medium cartridge portion
52
,
52
d
is an end portion on the unloading direction B of the groove portion
52
c
,
52
e
is a hole portion provided in the side face of the medium cartridge portion
52
and
52
f
is a taper portion on the unloading direction A of the medium cartridge portion
52
.
Also,
53
is a shutter for opening or closing the window portion
52
b
, and
54
is a hook arranged to be movable in the groove portion
52
c
for opening and closing the shutter. The hook
54
is mechanically connected to the shutter
53
through a length of wire (not shown).
55
is a recording disc, which includes the components designated by the above reference numerals
50
-
54
.
In FIGS.
16
a
and
16
b
,
60
is a frame,
61
is a carriage portion having a magnetic head (not shown),
62
is a drive motor for moving the carriage portion
61
,
63
is a medium drive motor for rotating the recording medium
50
,
64
is a medium unloading mechanism portion for releasing the recording disc
55
,
64
a
is a guide shaft portion disposed in the medium unloading mechanism portion
64
,
64
b
is a lever,
64
c
is an engagement spring of the lever, and
64
d
is a spring portion for energizing the lever.
65
is a unloading amount restricting spring, and
66
is a flexible disc apparatus, which includes the components designated by the above reference numerals
60
-
65
.
Next, the operation of the above described recording disc will be described.
FIG. 17
is an explanatory view showing the recording medium loading and unloading motion (inserting and discharging motion). The same reference numerals as those shown in FIGS.
15
a
,
15
b
,
16
a
and
16
b
designate identical or corresponding components, and thus their explanations will be omitted. It is to be noted that in this application both the loading direction A and the unloading direction B are generally referred to as the loading and unloading direction.
The operation for loading the recording medium
55
will now be described. When the recording disc
55
is moved in the loading direction A to insert it into the flexible disc apparatus
66
, the hook
54
abuts against the engagement spring
64
c
. A further loading of the recording disc
55
causes the shutter
53
to move to open the window portion
52
b
. That is, the engagement spring
64
c
is energized by the spring portion
64
d
through the lever
64
b
in the unloading direction B, so that the hook
54
is not allowed to move into the loading direction A and the hook
54
is positioned at the side of the unloading direction B by the spring portion
64
d
, so that the shutter
53
is moved via the wire (not shown) to open the window portion
52
b.
Also, the unloading amount restricting spring
65
is deformed by being pressed by the recording disc
55
so as to engage it to retreat to into the recess provided in the side surface of the frame
60
and, by a further loading of the recording disc
55
, temporarily engages with the hole portion
52
e
and again retreats into the recess of the frame
60
.
Then, by further inserting the recording disc
55
, the lever
64
b
is energized by the engagement spring
64
c
toward the side of the loading direction A, so that it is moved together with the recording disc
55
to the side of the loading direction A against the biasing force of the spring portion
64
d.
Then, when the recording disc
55
reaches the predetermined position on the frame
60
, it is latched by a latch mechanism (not shown) to complete the loading of the recording disc
55
.
The unloading operation of the recording disc
55
will now be described. When the unloading button (not shown) is depressed, the latch is released and is moved to the side of the unloading direction B of the recording disc
55
by the biasing force of the spring portion
64
d
. At this time, the unloading amount restricting spring
65
engages with the hole portion
52
e
to limit the movement of the recording disc
55
to the side of the unloading direction B.
In the conventional flexible disc apparatus
66
which has the above-described construction, the arrangement is such that upon the unloading operation of the recording disc
55
, the unloading amount restricting spring
65
is caused to move from the side opposite to the lever
64
b
to engage the hole portion of the recording disc
55
, and the recording disc
55
is pushed to the side of the lever
64
b
by the unloading amount restricting spring
65
, resulting in a tendency for the loading and unloading operation of the recording disc
55
to become disadvantageously unstable. Also, when the loading and unloading operation of the recording disc
55
is unstable, the unloading amount of the recording disc
55
is also disadvantageously difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a flexible disc apparatus free from the above discussed problems of the conventional flexible disc apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a flexible disc apparatus in which the loading and the unloading of the recording disc can be smoothly achieved and the disc unloading amount can be suitably limited.
With the above objects in view, the present invention resides in a flexible disc apparatus comprising a frame having a recording medium loading portion to which a recording disc having a disc-shaped recording medium is mounted, a head portion for recording information to the recording medium or reproducing a recorded information from the recording medium, a carriage portion for moving the head portion onto a predetermined track of the recording medium, a medium drive motor for rotating the recording medium, a recording medium unloading mechanism portion for unloading the recording disc, and a magnet portion for attracting a metal portion of the recording disc upon unloading of the recording disc.
The flexible disc apparatus may also include a frame having a recording medium loading portion to which a recording disc having a disc-shaped recording medium is mounted, a head portion for recording information to the recording medium or reproducing a recorded information from the recording medium, a carriage portion for moving the head portion onto a predetermined track of the recording medium, a medium drive motor for rotating the recording medium, a recording medium unloading mechanism portion for unloading the recording disc, and a unloading amount restricting spring portion arranged to be engageable with a recess portion positioned substantially on a central axis of the recording disc extending along the loading and unloading direction of the recording disc, the unloading amount restricting spring portion comprising a first engagement portion facing toward the side of the loading direction of the recording disc and defining a first predetermined angle with
Hamatsu Kazunobu
Oda Kazuya
Shoji Kenji
Tatehata Shoji
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Renner Craig A.
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