Abstract: A PCMCIA electrical connector for assembly to a printed circuit board is disclosed which includes a C-shaped connector with strain relief for the contact tails to prevent stress fracturing of soldered connections. The connector is circumjacent the front edge and the side edges of the printed circuit board and snap engages the side edges of the board for precise alignment of the contact tails for soldering to a corresponding conductive pad on a surface of the board. The connector has opposed channel shaped legs which receive the side edges of the circuit board therebetween. The strain relief may include a flex beam formed on one side wall of the channel shaped leg which has a locating pin engaging a corresponding hole in the edge portion of the circuit board. Alternatively, each channel shaped leg may have a notch in the base of the channel adapted to receive an outwardly projecting tab on each side edge of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A PCMCIA electrical connector for assembly to a printed circuit board is disclosed which includes a C-shaped connector with a strain relief for the contact tails to prevent stress fracturing of soldered connections. The connector is circumjacent the front edge and the side edges of the printed circuit board and snap engages the side edges of the board for precise alignment of the contact tails for soldering to a corresponding conductive pad on a surface of the board. The connector has opposed channel shaped legs which receive the side edges of the circuit board therebetween. The strain relief may include a flex beam formed on one side wall of the channel shaped leg which has a locating pin engaging a corresponding hole in the edge portion of the circuit board.Alternatively, each channel shaped leg may have a notch in the base of the channel adapted to receive an outwardly projecting tab on each side edge of the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A hard disk drive that contains a detection circuit which senses the back emf of a voice coil. The detection circuit generates a shock detection signal when the back emf of the voice coil exceeds a pre-determined value. The write disable gate of the disk drive is disabled when the voltage detection circuit generates the shock detection signal.

Abstract: An information storage system for recording data on a flexible magnetic recording disc is provided. The information storage system includes an optoelectronic system for determining the position of a magnetic head transducer, which is used to read and/or write information on the disc, with respect to the disc. The optoelectronic system has a moveable shutter member with a plurality of apertures formed therein for moving along with the head. The shutter member moves with respect to a stationary mask member having first and second sets of apertures formed therein. As the shutter moves, selected apertures of the mask member are in registration with apertures in the shutter, thereby allowing light to pass therethrough, while other apertures of the mask member are blocked off by solid portions of the shutter, thereby blocking off light passage. The optoelectronic system senses which apertures of the mask member are open and which are blocked off and generates an electrical signal indicative thereof.

Abstract: An information storage system has means for erasing information from selected recording tracks of a flexible magnetic recording dis. To ensure that all the remnants of the prior information signal are erased, a magnetic head transducer is first offset a predetermind distance from the centerline of a selected track in one direction from the center of the media and then a predetermined distance in the other direction from the center of the media. The erase signal is applied to the head when the head is in both offset positions. Ideally, when the center of the head is positioned on the center of the track, the head records information in a record band of predetermined width on either side of the centerline of the track. In practice, however, the head may deviate from the centerline position during system operation and thereby record information outside of the record band.

Abstract: In magnetic disc recording apparatus, an intermediate arm which transmits spring pressure from a load spring to the transducing head pad is pivoted on a shaft journaled either in holes in the intermediate arm or head arm. These holes have substantially flat interior surfaces obliquely facing the shaft and each other. The angles at which these surfaces are set are chosen to cause the arm to slip if necessary with respect to the load spring whenever the head is lifted from the disc surface, to a centered position with respect to these interior surfaces, by supplying sufficient force to overcome the frictional forces existing on the intermediate arm while the head is being lifted from the recording surface. This centering is important because it repositions the intermediate arm accurately with respect to the cantilevered arm which results in the head being accurately positioned with respect to the arm.