Abstract: A head feeding mechanism used for an apparatus for recording and/or reading information signals on/from such a recording medium as an optical disk comprises a head mechanism, a feed screw, a rotation driving mechanism, a base, and a forcing mechanism. The feed screw is engaged with the head mechanism and rotated to feed the head mechanism. The rotation driving mechanism drives the feed screw to rotate. On the base is arranged the rotation driving mechanism. The base includes a pair of bearings used for the feed screw. At least one of the pair of bearings is a thrust bearing. The forcing mechanism is provided on the base and butts against one end of the feed screw. The forcing mechanism applies a force working on the feed screw both in the thrust direction and in the direction orthogonal to the thrust direction.

Abstract: An optical includes a tray on which an optical disc is placed, a mechanism for driving the tray, a clamp for pressing the optical disc, and a housing for housing the tray therein. A clamp lever is pivotally hinged on the tray in order to retain the clamping and an elastic member for pressing the clamp is fixed to an opposite end of the clamp lever.

Abstract: An optical disk drive adopting an optical disk as a recording medium is provided. The optical disk drive includes an adjusting mechanism on a deck to adjust phase and tilt. The adjusting mechanism includes a phase adjusting device which is installed on the deck, for supporting one end of at least one of first and second shafts to adjust the phase, and a complex adjusting device which is rotatably installed on the deck, for supporting the other end of the at least one shaft to adjust the tilt and phase. Therefore, the optical disk drive can store a large amount of information in a disk by a highly precise deck mechanism and be stably installed regardless of the installation direction and position thereof. Further, a tray can be ejected without electric power and simple and convenient assembling and maintenance thereof are guaranteed.

Abstract: A vibration-absorbing damper for an optical disk drive for absorbing external vibrations, installed between a deck plate and a deck frame, which includes upper and lower vertical vibration-absorbing portions, positioned in parallel to each other at a predetermined distance for absorbing vibrations applied thereto in a vertical direction; a horizontal vibration-absorbing portion vertically extending from the upper vertical vibration-absorbing portion to the lower vertical vibration-absorbing portion for absorbing vibrations applied thereto in a horizontal direction; a partition vertically combining the upper and lower vibration-absorbing portions; and a protrusion protruded from the lower surface of the lower vertical vibration-absorbing portion and having a hooking portion to be combined with the deck frame.

Abstract: A recording medium device adapted so that a recording medium on which information signals are recorded is accommodated. This recording medium device comprises a cartridge body within which the recording medium on which information signals are recorded is accommodated, and an erroneous recording prevention member including a portion of detection detected by a detection mechanism of the recording/reproduction unit side, and attached to the cartridge body so that it can be moved within the range between a first position where the portion of detection is detected by the detection mechanism and a second position where it is not detected by the detection mechanism.

Abstract: A recording medium loading apparatus has a recording/reproducing mechanism fixedly arranged in a horizontal posture, a lid body disposed in a generally vertical posture in front of a main body, and a guide mechanism for positioning the tray, in association with the opening/closure of the lid body, just above the lid body to load the recording medium when the lid is in the open state and at a position where the recording medium is mounted on the recording/reproducing mechanism to be played when the lid is in the closed state, thereby achieving inexpensive, compact and high-quality operating with high reliability without using a motor.

Abstract: A cartridge handling system for storing and accessing at least one data cartridge may comprise a frame having a first cartridge access side and a second cartridge access side. A guide member associated with the frame includes a first section located adjacent the first cartridge access side of the frame and a second section located adjacent the second cartridge access side of the frame. The first and second guide sections of the guide member are connected together so that the guide member comprises a substantially continuous member. A cartridge access device having a cartridge access end engages the guide member so that the cartridge access end is adjacent the first cartridge access side when the cartridge access device is located on the first section of the guide member and so that the cartridge access end is adjacent the second cartridge access side when the cartridge access device is located on the second section of the guide member.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for the storage and/or reproduction of information on/from an information carrier accommodated in a cartridge. The apparatus comprises a motorized loader for the motorized loading of a cartridge. The apparatus has a mechanism by means of which the cartridge can be pulled into the apparatus with a first transmission ratio and is subsequently moved into an operational position with a second transmission ratio. The mechanism is based on the fact that the motorized loading mechanism comprises an element having two contact surfaces which are disposed at an angle relative to one another.

Abstract: A magnetic disc cartridge includes a larger capacity magnetic disc with a center core fixed to its center. The magnetic disc is contained for rotation in a casing which is provided with a spindle hole through which a spindle of the disc drive system is inserted into the casing. The center core is provided with a collar portion on which the magnetic disc is fixed and an abutment surface which is parallel to the collar portion and is adapted to be held against a pedestal surface on the spindle of the disc drive system under magnetic attraction. A center hole is formed in the abutment surface substantially at the center thereof and a drive pin hole is formed in the abutment surface radially outwardly spaced from the center hole. An annular protrusion is formed on the inner surface of the casing so as to project toward the center core inside the collar portion to limit radial movement of the center core.

Abstract: A magazine loading and ejecting apparatus of a disk player for loading and ejecting a magazine accommodating a plurality of disks in and out of a disk player main body, including: a stopper having a locking protrusion and being installed in the disk player main body to be capable of reciprocating perpendicular to a direction the magazine is inserted; a cam groove formed on the magazine, the cam groove having a first angled portion along which the locking protrusion slides in contact therewith when the magazine is inserted in the disk player main body and a locking groove into which the locking protrusion is inserted and locked when the magazine is completely inserted into the disk player main body; a spring which elastically biases the stopper in one direction; and an ejection unit which ejects the magazine from the disk player main body.

Abstract: An information recording/reproducing apparatus includes a holder for holding a cartridge inserted therein and loading it into a load position, the holder being capable of holding both a single-sided cartridge containing a recording medium having a recording surface on one side thereof and a double-sided cartridge containing a recording medium having recording surfaces on both sides thereof, a thickness of the double-sided cartridge being the same as that of the single-sided cartridge.

Abstract: A method in a computer network for automatically detecting a most advantageous protocol for communication by a client computer, said client computer being configured to be coupled to a server computer via a computer network. The method includes initiating a plurality of protocol threads for sending from the client computer to the server computer, a plurality of data requests. Each of the data requests employs a different protocol and a different connection. The data requests are configured to solicit, responsive to the data requests, a set of responses from the server computer. Each of the responses employs a protocol associated with a respective one of the data requests. The method further includes receiving at the client computer at least a subset of the responses. The method also includes initiating a control thread at the client computer.

Abstract: An aerodynamically powered release latch mechanism is provided for a fixed disk drive. A disk clamp for clamping a single data storage disk to a spindle hub comprises a centrifugal airflow pumping structure, such as radially and axially extending, generally L-shaped turboblades, for increasing the level of a vane deflecting airflow as the disk rotates. The vane deflecting airflow releases an aerodynamically released actuator latch mechanism.

Abstract: Disk images, and the like, are used to emulate storage volumes for the distribution of computer software. An image of a data storage volume, such as a hard disk drive, is stored in a file having a format that enables it to exhibit a behavior which is the same as the storage volume itself. The image files are accessed by means of an associated driver which can support a variety of different file system protocols, thereby permitting the files themselves to be independent of the format requirements of particular file systems. The data in the image file can be compressed in a manner such that a storage volume being emulated appears to be of a specified size, while actually requiring less space to store its contents. With these properties, the image files can be mounted in the manner of a hardware storage device, and large files can be readily transmitted and downloaded in an electronic format.

Abstract: An improved cassette loading/unloading device for use with magnetic tape machines is disclosed. It contains a connection member, which includes a first stopper portion extending from a drive plate toward a sliding plate; a second stopper portion mounted on a rear side of the first stopper portion; a connection sheet extending from the sliding plate into a space between the first and second stopper portions; a connection pin penetrating through the first, and second stopper portions and the connection sheet along the path of insertion of the cassette into the magnetic tape unit for relative sliding with the connection sheet; and a buffer spring provided on the connection pin between the second stopper portion and the connection sheet for buffering an impact force when the drive plate pushes the sliding plate.

Abstract: A disk loading mechanism of a disk drive includes a turntable which supports a disk at a playback position. A clamper clamps the disk on the turntable when the disk is rotated. A clamper holder supports the clamper such that the clamper is vertically movable relative to the turntable. A turntable moving unit vertically moves the turntable relative to the clamper between a non-contact position and a supporting position, the turntable and the disk being not placed in contact with each other when the turntable is at the non-contact position, and, when the turntable is at the supporting position, the disk being supported on the turntable. A clamper holder moving unit moves the clamper holder between a first position and a second position, the clamper and the disk being not placed in contact with each other when the clamper holder is at the first position, and, when the clamper holder is at the second position, the disk on the turntable is clamped by the clamper.

Abstract: A kit is provided for cleaning the tape-contacting parts of a tape transport device, particularly a data tape transport device. In the kit, separate cleaning cassettes are provided for cleaning the magnetic record/reproduce head, and for cleaning the capstan wheel. The capstan wheel of the tape transport is used as a drive source to drive a wiper arm in the first of the two cassettes, and the second cassette cleans the capstan wheel. Parts of the separate cassettes are made the same so as to minimize the manufacturing and design costs, and the two cassettes use the same replaceable cleaning elements, thus minimizing costs and making the kit easy to use. The cleaning elements used in the cassettes are high-density springy, absorbent foam pads each having an indented linear fused section or groove transverse to the direction in which wiping forces tend to remove the cleaning element from its holder.

Abstract: In a disc apparatus, an insertion or removal operation of a disc can be performed without drawing the entire tray from the disc apparatus. A tray is movable between a disc loading position and a disc exchanging position. The tray is located in the disc apparatus so that a disc placed on the tray is loaded to the disc apparatus when the tray is at the disc loading position. A portion of the tray is drawn from the disc apparatus so that the disc can be placed on or removed from the tray when the tray is at the disc exchanging position. A cover is provided above the tray so as to enclose the tray when the tray is at the first position. A cover opening mechanism opens the cover by being linked with a movement of the tray in a direction from the disc loading position to the disc exchanging position.

Abstract: A method for interchangeably using a first and second type of disc cartridge. The first type of disc cartridge has a shutter suitable for being made from bent sheet metal. The second type of disc cartridge has a shutter suitable for being made from synthetic material, such as a synthetic resin.

Abstract: A method and data transfer control unit for controlling a data transfer between a calling device and a called device, includes a first device for sending, from the calling device to the called device, a control signal for informing the called device of a data transfer format. A second device sends, from the called device to the calling device, a response signal for defining whether the data transfer format defined by the control signal has a predetermined state.