Abstract: This invention describes a means and method for moving an arm in precise angular increments to a degree of precision far beyond the capacity of a normal reduction gear assembly acting at the impetus of a stepper motor. At rest a set of paired and unequal high precision gear sets hold the member in place. To accomplish movement, they are decoupled and a normal reduction gear mechanism is employed to drive the member to the approximate location desired. The more precise location of the member is accomplished by the recoupling the high precision gear sets. Thus, without high precision movement a high precision location is attained.

Abstract: A disk cartridge assembly includes a rotatable magnetic disk enclosed within a rectangular cartridge. Attached to the top and bottom covers of the cartridge are a plurality of leaf springs which urge the top and bottom sections toward and against one another. Resilient cloth liners are mounted to the inside surfaces of the top and bottom covers. As the leaf springs urge these sections toward one another, the liners engage the disk surface to prevent the disk from moving freely within the cartridge. The leaf springs are flexible in the axial direction but rigid in the radial direction, thus to maintain the top and bottom sections in alignment with one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for positioning a magnetic transducer member with respect to a magnetic disk has an actuator which is rotated about an axis and includes an arm having a first end secured to the actuator for rotation of the arm about the axis. The arm has an oppositely disposed second end. A load spring member has a first end and a second end and is secured at its first end to the second end of the arm. A gimbal spring is secured to the second end of the load spring member and supports the transducer member. The gimbal spring permits the transducer member to move vertically and to pitch and roll as it flies over the rotating surface of the magnetic disk. The arm, load spring member, and gimbal spring are symmetrical with respect to a straight line running from the axis of rotation of the actuator to the center of the transducer. The transducer member is a two ski head and has a magnetic read/write core secured to the trailing edge of one of the skis.

Abstract: A disk drive is provided with a vent tube which is long (i.e., 20 inches) compared to its bore (i.e., 0.013 inch) to minimize diffusion of water vapor into the drive without seriously affecting pressure gradients along the length. Minimum bore diameters are given for specified lengths of vent tube. Conveniently, a desiccant is employed with a heater to absorb water vapor admitted to the drive and to expel water vapor when the drive is operated. A thermally-operated valve is also employed to expel water vapor when the drive operates. The desiccant may be employed in a chamber separated from the disk chamber, whereupon pressure valves are provided to adjust the pressures in the drive.

Abstract: In a data storage apparatus, a motor isolation mount for isolating a linear magnetic motor from a base plate so that forces imparted by the motor to the base plate do not excite resonance which might cause head-to-track positioning errors.

Abstract: An inductive transducer includes first and second relatively movable members, the first relatively movable member having a plurality of windings and the second relatively movable member having a winding. The windings of the first relatively movable member each have a pair of terminals and are each arranged in a pattern comprised of a first section coupled to one of the terminals and a second section coupled to the other terminal and to the first section. Each section includes a plurality of conductors oriented substantially parallel to one another wherein immediately adjacent conductors of such section are capable of conducting current in opposite directions and are coupled to one another by an end-segment arranged substantially perpendicular to the conductors.

Abstract: An improved spring-loaded spindle lock shaft for disk drive media to prevent introducing eccentricity in a disk pack when the pack is attached to a motor driven spindle and is rotated thereby.