Abstract: A disk player receives a disk through an insertion aperture and supports the disk opposite contact points on its edge, between laterally movable left and right-side disk guides. The disk's left side contacts a belt revolved on the left-side disk guide causing the disk to roll along the right side disk guide. An outwardly opening flap hinged at the top of the insertion aperture is held open when the disk player is prepared to receive a disk. As the disk is inserted the disk guides begin moving apart which causes the flap, urged by a spring, to drop to the back surface of the disk. The disk holds the flap partly open until a trailing edge of the disk passes inside at which point the flap's closure is detected and the flap locked in the closed position to prevent irregular insertion of additional disks. The closure of the flap registers the precise position of the disk.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive head includes a magnetoresistive element and a for-bias soft magnetic film attached to the magnetoresistive element via a spacer. The for-bias soft magnetic film has an axis of easy magnetization which is set to be non-perpendicular to a direction of a bias magnetic field applied to the for-bias soft magnetic film. The bias magnetic field is generated by a sense current flowing in the magnetoresistive element. With this structure, the for-bias soft magnetic film can be easily magnetically saturated so that a reliable characteristic of the magnetoresistive head is ensured. The axis of easy magnetization of the for-bias soft magnetic film may be inclined to the direction of the bias magnetic field by an angle of equal to or less than 60 degrees. Alternatively, the axis of easy magnetization of the for-bias soft magnetic film may be inclined to the direction of the bias magnetic field by an angle of equal to or less than 15 degrees.

Abstract: A computer data storage cartridge magazine for carrying data storage cartridges from conventional "off-line" storage to a storage library subsystem where cartridges may be electronically read or written. The magazine comprises a series of horizontally arranged slots. Each slot has a front spring lever which is operated by the user to insert and remove individual cartridges and a rear locking lever which is operated by the robotic mechanisms of the library subsystem. A safety bar extends substantially the length of the magazine and is located under the rear locking levers. The safety bar acts to ensure that the rear locking levers do not become accidently depressed when the magazine is carried by the user. The safety bar is disengaged by a mated pin when the magazine is inserted into the library subsystem. The rear locking levers may then be actuated (depressed) by an arm on the robotic mechanism of the library subsystem.

Abstract: A supporting mechanism for a vehicle mounting apparatus including a housing settable in a first posture and a second posture. In the first posture, a line extending along a predetermined direction is oriented in the direction of gravitational force. In the second posture, a line intersecting the line extending along the predetermined direction is oriented in the direction of gravitational force. The vehicle mounting apparatus further includes an apparatus body accommodated in the interior of the housing. The supporting mechanism includes a plurality of springs which resiliently connect the apparatus body to the housing. When the housing is in the first and second postures, at least two of the plurality of springs support the apparatus body with respect to the direction of gravitational force, and points connecting the two springs and the apparatus body are disposed on opposite sides of a vertical line passing through the center of gravity of the apparatus body.

Abstract: A tray for loading and ejecting a disk into and out of a disk drive includes a step wall structure that defines a positioning area for receiving the disk and a clamping arrangement used to hold the disk during loading and unloading when the disk drive is in a vertical position. The clamping arrangement is made up of a clamping device biased by an elastic member so as to apply a radial force to the disk and urge the disk against the step wall. The clamping device includes a flexible mortise slot that engages a pillar extending from the tray to latch the clamping device and thereby disable the clamping device when the disk drive is horizontally positioned.

Abstract: An actuator arm bumper for dampening contact between a surface of an actuator arm and a surface of a disc in a disc drive. The actuator arm bumper comprises a non-marring, non-particulating and durable material such as polycarbonate which extends through and beyond the cross-sectional thickness of the actuator arm. The actuator arm bumper is formed from a sphere or rod of polycarbonate material which is placed into an opening of the actuator arm and deformed using a heat staking or crimping operation. A ramp loading installation tool is also used to simultaneously form all of the actuator arm bumpers in the actuator arms of the disc drive.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing device that includes a disc stocker for holding a plurality of disc cartridges in tiers so that each disc cartridge is partially exposed to outside. A transport device selects one of the disc cartridges held by the disc stocker and transports the selected disc cartridge to a recording and/or reproducing unit. The transport device thrusts toward the inside of the disc stocker to initiate the operation of selecting one of the disc cartridges and transporting the selected disc cartridge to the recording and/or reproducing unit. The transport device includes a movably supported movement member and an endless driving belt having a portion lying along a path of movement of the movement member. The endless belt is placed around and fed by a driving pulley member. A follower pulley member is arranged on the movement member and carries the endless driving belt placed therearound.

Abstract: A head gimbal assembly for use in disk drive systems comprising a load beam, a flexure physically connected to the load beam, a slider physically connected to the flexure for movement with the flexure. The slider includes a transducer and n bonding pads to which the transducer is electrically connected. A flex circuit is provided having n conductors connected to the n bonding pads for providing electrical connection to the transducer, a portion of the flex circuit being routed between the flexure and the slider such that the portion, flexure and slider moves as a single unit, and a reduced stiffness area to minimize the effects on roll and pitch characteristics of the slider due to said flex circuit being connected to said n bonding pads on said slider and being routed between the flexure and slider.

Abstract: A disk transport mechanism for a disk player employs a fixed disk guide to support one edge of a disk and a drive-side disk guide, with a revolving belt, to support and drive an opposite edge of the disk. The disk is held between the fixed and drive-side disk guides to press the revolving belt against the disk edge causing the disk to roll along the fixed disk guide. The disk is positioned by registering its position using an engaging flap near an insertion aperture. Eject, playback, and storage positions are established by cumulating pulses from an encoder, connected to the belt drive, as the belt moves from a registration position to the target position. The fixed and drive-side disk guides are movably supported on a chassis and urged together by a spring. The guides have sufficient range of movement to accommodate 80 and 120 mm disks. The revolving belt is supported by a wall that prevents the belt from bowing under the force of the disk edge.

Abstract: A balancing device of an actuator in a hard disk drive, for mass balancing an actuator arm which rotates about a pivot bearing. The balancing device includes an actuator arm having a mounting hole at a distal end therein, and being adapted to carry a head gimbal assembly and a balance gimbal; and the balance gimbal having a circular throat protruding from one end thereon and being assembled to actuator arm by mounting the circular throat into the mounting hole of actuator arm and snapping a ball bearing into the circular throat to thereby secure the circular throat against opposite surface of the mounting hole, so as to mass balance the actuator arm when the actuator rotates about its axis of rotation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a magnetic transducer element with outstanding productivity, with which the track width can be defined to a high degree of accuracy and required magnetic characteristics can be reliably imposed upon the central active area. Laminated films which generate a magnetoresistance effect, a magnetic domain control film, which applies a magnetic bias to the laminated films and a pair of lead conductor films are provided. The laminated films and the magnetic domain control film are laminated to each other to constitute a central active area. The lead conductor films terminate the side end surfaces of the central active area at the two sides in direction running at a right angle to direction of the lamination of the central active area.

Abstract: A recording medium reproducing apparatus which has a reduced height as compared to the conventional recording medium reproducing apparatus of the same type. The recording medium reproducing apparatus reproduces a selected one of a plurality of recording media accommodated therein. A recording medium reproducing unit reproduces one of the recording media. A recording medium accommodating unit has a plurality of recording medium accommodating sections each accommodating one of the recording media. A recording medium conveying mechanism conveys the recording media between the recording medium reproducing unit and the recording medium accommodating unit. A recording medium reproducing unit supporting mechanism rotatably supports the recording medium reproducing unit. A recording medium accommodating unit supporting mechanism rotatably supports the recording medium accommodating unit.

Abstract: In a disc storage system employing multiple recording heads to increase throughput by providing simultaneous access through multiple data streams, a sampled amplitude read channel is disclosed for detecting, in parallel, estimated data sequences from the read signals associated with each data stream. Timing recovery in the read channel is implemented through interpolation, that is, by asynchronously sampling the analog read signals and interpolating to synchronous sample values. In this manner, a frequency synthesizer can generate a single reference clock for clocking operation of all the discrete time circuitry, thereby eliminating noise caused by multiple clocks as well as simplifying diagnostics. Furthermore, interpolated timing recovery avoids noise due to cross-talk between voltage controlled oscillators (VCOs) that would likely occur in a conventional synchronous sampling timing recovery design. A significant advantage is that the read channel can reside in a single integrated circuit.

Abstract: A cartridge auto-changer is provided containing a plurality of cartridges therein and adapted to take out any one of the cartridges to thereby effect the recording and/or reproduction of information. The cartridge auto changer includes an information recording-reproducing apparatus for effecting recording and/or reproduction of information on recording mediums contained in the cartridges, a containing shelf for containing the plurality of cartridges therein, and a conveying device for conveying the cartridges between the information recording-reproducing apparatus and the containing shelf. The conveying device includes a feed roller for conveying the cartridges from the conveying device to the information recording-reproducing apparatus, and a push lever for pushing the cartridges into the information recording-reproducing apparatus subsequently to the conveyance of the cartridges by the feed roller.

Abstract: A magazine having a plurality of reset detecting portions arranged concentrically with the magazine and corresponding to disk accommodating spaces having respective predetermined identification numbers. A position index group is disposed between each two adjacent reset detecting portions for detecting the identification number of the particular disk space to which the reset detecting portion, toward the direction of rotation of the magazine, of the two portions corresponds. A sensor is provided on the path of rotation of the magazine on a chassis for detecting the reset detecting portions and position index groups. The sensor is connected to a processor for storing the identification number of the disk space as positioned in alignment with a path of movement of a disk.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a recording medium, for example, an optical disk, a tape cassette or the like, has an apparatus body having an opening in the front surface side thereof, a front panel and a guard plate. The apparatus body includes therein a recording and/or reproducing unit for recording and/or reproducing the recording medium. The recording medium is inserted into the apparatus body or discharged from the apparatus body through the opening. The front panel is rotatively provided at the front surface side of said apparatus body. The front panel is rotated between a first position for closing the opening and a second position for opening the opening. The guard plate projects to a position for covering a portion of the front panel when the front panel has been rotated from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A VCR player tape cartridge reinsertion device for automatically reinserting a conventional tape cartridge back into a tape input slot in a conventional VCR player after the conventional tape cartridge has rewound and been partially ejected therefrom so as to allow the conventional tape cartridge to automatically record continuously without the need for an endless tape. The device includes a platform, a motor, an upright shaft, and at least one arm. The platform is positioned in close proximity to the tape input slot. The motor is disposed in the platform and has a shaft that extends vertically upwardly therefrom. The upright shaft is vertically-oriented and operatively connected to the shaft of the motor for rotation therewith.

Abstract: A disc player according to the first aspect of the aspect of the present invention includes present invention has a disc holding member movable in parallel to the surface of the disc tray for holding the disc in corporation with the disc tray at least when the disc tray is placed outside the disc player and a disc hold releasing member for disengaging the disc holding member from the disc placed on the disc tray in the course of the disc tray moving toward a prescribed reproducing position in the disc player.

Abstract: A disk playback device has an opening-closing slide for moving a tray between a stacker and a disk discharge position, and a gear train for horizontally moving the tray between the stacker and a loading completed position. The device further has a first and second slide members for raising or lowering the tray as opposed to an optical head base after the tray is brought to the loading completed position by the gear train, and third slide member for raising or lowering the slide as timed with the ascent or descent of the tray. With the tray brought to the position of the head base, the third slide member further slidingly moves to raise the slide to couple the slide with another tray within the stacker.

Abstract: In the thin film magnetic transducer element, the front end portions of the upper pole piece and the lower pole piece are partially removed in such a manner that they align non parallel to the gap film on he opposite sides of the gap film. The condition .DELTA.P1>.DELTA.P2 is satisfied when the difference between the maximum pole length P1max and the minimum pole length P1min of the lower pole piece is .DELTA.P1 and the difference between the maximum pole length P2max and the minimum pole length P2min of the upper pole piece is .DELTA.P2. The sub pulse is reduced and so the partial response method can be employed.