Abstract: A vibration damping system is provided for damping vibrations in an apparatus (1). The damping system is particularly useful in a servowriter (1). The damping system has resilient means (7) for supporting at least the majority of the weight of the apparatus (1). The resilient means (7) has a first spring rate. The damping system has damping means (8) for damping vibrations of the apparatus (1). The damping means (8) has an effective second spring rate. The ratio of the first spring rate to the effective second spring rate is r:1 where r<1.

Abstract: A disk drive wherein a head raising and lowering arm is rotated around a pivot shaft of a slide plate by a cam action due to a cam groove of the head raising and lowering arm and a fixed guide shaft when the head raising and lowering arm is inserted in a head suspension by the slide plate, so that the head performs a soft landing from a head unloading position to a head loading position on a floppy disk.

Abstract: An air bearing slider for a magnetic head is defined by a leading edge and a trailing edge and has a central longitudinal axis extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge. A pair of side pads, and a center pad between the side pads that is disposed substantially on the center axis, are formed on the air bearing surface of the slider. A first central recess having a T-shaped configuration is etched to a first depth, preferably in the range of 5-30 micro-inches with reference to the air bearing surface. A second major recess portion is etched to a second depth in the range of 60-150 micro-inches. The air bearing surface is configured for high load applications and maintains a flat flying height profile. The configured slider is particularly useful with small size sliders, such as picosliders.

Abstract: A loading mechanism of disk type data storage device for accessing data from a disk is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a main chassis having a sliding slot and a rotating shaft, a disk tray mounted to the main chassis for the loading of the disk; an optical pick-up module mounted to the main chassis for accessing data from the disk; a height controlling arm for height controlling of the optical pick-up module; a motor driving a transmission gear module; a sliding rack contained in the sliding slot of the main chassis and driven by the transmission gear module so as to drive the height controlling arm; a first detecting switch to stop the motor after the disk tray is fully loaded into the main chassis; and a second detecting switch to stop the motor when the disk tray is fully unloaded from the main chassis.

Abstract: An optical disk player, used for reproducing data recorded on a laser or compact disk, is disclosed. In the disk player, a dust cover is rotatably hinged to the top surface of a pick-up unit. The above dust cover is brought into movable contact with and is operated in conjunction with the guide surface of a cam member. The dust cover thus selectively covers or opens the objective lens of the pick-up unit. Due to the dust cover, it is possible to almost completely prevent foreign substances, such as dust, from sticking on the lens, thereby effectively protecting the lens. The dust cover precisely opens or covers the lens in conjunction with a slidable movement of a guide rod of the dust cover relative to a sectioned guide surface of the cam member. The guide surface of the cam member is formed within a range corresponding to a distance between the inside edge of the chucking place of the disk to the junction between the chucking place and the data place of the disk.

Abstract: An optical pickup feed device for feeding an optical pickup in a radial direction of an optical disc, includes guide rods enabling the optical pickup to move in a predetermined radial direction of an optical disc, and a driving system for producing a driving force to the optical pickup. The driving system comprises: a feed screw arranged in parallel with a direction in which the optical pickup moves, and is rotatable by a driving force from a driving motor; a nut engaging on the feed screw for moving the optical pickup, said nut including an engaging portion engageable with the feed screw and a bank portion provided on either side of the engaging portion, said bank portion being protruding toward the feed screw.

Abstract: In a recording-medium loading apparatus, a recording medium can be smoothly attached to a tray without inconvenient operations. The recording-medium loading apparatus has a reduced thickness. A tray is movable between an exchanging position at which the recording medium is removed or inserted and a loaded position at which a recording or reproducing operation is performed on the recording medium. The recording medium is inserted into a holder. The holder is supported by a support member so that the holder is movable between an accommodating position at which the holder is accommodated in the tray and an insertion/ejection position at which the holder is separated from the tray. The holder is movable to the insertion/ejection position when the tray is moved to the exchanging position, and the holder is held at the accommodating position during a process for moving the tray to the loaded position.

Abstract: Provided are novel data storage devices, such as hard disk apparatuses. The devices include a clean chamber accommodating a component formed from a free cutting stainless steel. The free cutting stainless steel has a sulfur (S) content of not less than 0.25 percent by mass and a manganese-to-sulfur content ratio (Mn/S) of not greater than 1.8. The free cutting stainless steel has been subjected to: (1) an acid cleaning; (2) to a passivation treatment; (3) to a degreasing treatment and to a subsequent rust-removing, descaling chemical treatment; or (5) to a degreasing treatment and to a subsequent chromate treatment.

Abstract: A disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises an opening, a closing member, a tray and a drive mechanism. The opening is formed at the front of the apparatus. The closing member closes and discloses the opening. The tray receives a disc thereon. The tray is moved between a first position where the tray is projected out of the opening and generally perpendicular to the front of the apparatus and a second position where the tray is retracted into the enclosure through the opening and generally parallel to the front of the apparatus. The tray drive mechanism moves the closing member between a position where the closing member discloses the opening and a position where the closing member closes the opening, and the tray between the above-mentioned first and second positions.

Abstract: According to the present invention, when a disk package is inserted from an insertion port in X1 direction into a package loading area, an edge portion of a case comes into abutment with a receiving portion of a moving plate and moves from position (a) to position (b) together with the moving plate. At this time, a push-up piece of the moving plate pushes a to-be-pushed-up portion of a contact mechanism portion in Z2 direction, so that the contact mechanism portion is turned in &bgr;2 direction from position (c) to (d). As a result, contacts come into abutment and hence into electrical connection with connection terminals of the disk package. Since this abutment is effected immediately before the loading of the disk package is completed, the contacts slide slightly on the connection terminals.

Abstract: Inertia couple (F1) generated by the agency of an angular acceleration at which a turntable (2) is accelerated after the same has started rotation and the inertial moment of a rotating body including a hub (11) provided with a center hole (12) and a drive hole (13) are exerted on a hub supported on the turntable (2) by the tip (3a) of a center shaft (3) attached to the turntable (2) and a drive pin (5) supported on the turntable (2). The hub (11) is moved for centering by the inertia couple (F1) so that the respective edges (12a, 13a) of the center hole (12) and the drive hole (13) are brought into contact with the tip (3a) of the center shaft (3) and the drive pin (5), respectively. Any force need not be applied by magnetic heads on the rotating body for centering.

Abstract: A disc loading device for loading discs of different sizes. The disc loading device includes a lower plate for receiving discs of different sizes, a guide section movably installed on the lower plate for guiding the discs, a positioning section movably installed at the lower plate for determining the position where the discs are received, and a returning section for returning the positioning section back to the initial position when the discs are withdrawn from the disc recording/reproducing device. The guide section includes a pair of contacting members for contacting the discs, a slide bar movably and rotatably installed with the contacting members, and a slide spring for elastically connecting the contacting members.

Abstract: An actuator block for supporting suspension assemblies of a data storage system for read or write operations. The suspensions assemblies are coupled to an actuator arm of the actuator block via a mounting plate. The mounting plate is formed of a generally flat planar member coupled to a first end of the suspension assembly and defining upper and lower surfaces and sides. The mounting plate is coupled to the actuator arm along sides of the mounting plate to secure the suspension assemblies to the actuator block for operation without imparting a significant force to the suspension assembly along a load axis of the suspension assembly.

Abstract: A multiple disk drive storage system includes a latch assembly for positively latching a head positioning actuator arm when the head is positioned on a load/unload mechanism at the outer perimeter of the disks. Latching and unlatching cycles of the latch assembly are effected by interaction of the actuator arm motion and a latch arm retention magnet structure. In the latch position, the actuator arm is mechanically captured by a hook shaped latch head at one end of the movable latch arm, so that, even in a power off condition the actuator arm is positively latched by the combination of the actuator arm motion limitations, the latch head shape, the latch arm motion limitations and a bias spring urging the hooked latch head into a permanent, static latch with the actuator arm. The opposite end of the latch arm is provided with a magnetic mass which is attracted and held by the retention magnet.

Abstract: An anti-dust cover driving device for a CD player includes a base body, a laser head base unit mounted on the base body and having a laser head. An anti-dust cover is provided above the base body, moved to hide the laser head or not by a driving device consisting of a gear, a shaft, an activating means, and a power device for rotating the gear and the shaft. The anti-dust cover does not hide the laser head when a CD player cover is closed, but is moved to hide the laser head when the CD player cover is opened by means of the driving device. Therefore, the laser head is always hidden and prevented from having dust fall on it whether the CD player is closed or opened. And the anti-dust cover is moved within a short distance, not moving out of the dimensions of the CD player.

Abstract: A disc device of the present invention comprises a disc accommodating unit (I) for accommodating a plurality of discs (D), a transfer mechanism (III) for removing a disc (D) from the disc accommodating unit (I), and a disc driving unit (II) capable of moving between a standby position P1 where it is not overlapped with the discs (D) accommodated in the disc accommodating unit (I) and a driving position P2 where it is overlapped with the discs (D) accommodated in the disc accommodating unit (I), and driving any one of the discs (D) accommodated therein. When the disc driving unit (II) is located at the standby position P1, the transfer mechanism (III) stands by at a position where it is overlapped with the disc driving unit (II), and when the disc driving unit (II) is located at the driving position P2, the transfer mechanism (III) moves to a position where it is not overlapped with the disc driving unit (II) and can transfer any one of the discs (D) accommodated in the disc accommodating unit (I).

Abstract: The present invention discloses a disk drive motor comprising a rotary member having an annular space formed therein coaxially with the axis of rotation, and ring-shaped balancing members accommodated in the annular space and capable of changing its mass distribution circumferentially along the circle of the annular space. In case of any imbalanced rotation occurring during the rotation, the balancing members temporarily gather at a portion of the annular space where the mass imbalance is taking place. When the motor speed exceeds the value at which resonance takes place due to coincidence between the frequency of the vibration of each of the balancing member and the natural frequency of the motor, the balancing members move to a position symmetrical with the point of mass imbalance to eliminate the mass imbalance, thereby reducing motor run-out.

Abstract: In a recording medium loading device which permits a package containing a recording medium to be loaded removably into the body of the device, the package has a guide groove extending linearly in a direction of insertion into the device body, a lock groove contiguous to the guide groove and formed in a concave shape in a direction intersecting the direction of insertion, and a stopper groove extending along the direction of insertion and in parallel with the guide groove.

Abstract: In a recording medium loading device which permits a package containing a recording medium to be loaded removably into the body of the device, the package have a guide groove extending in a direction of insertion into the device body and a lock groove contiguous to the guide groove and formed in a concave shape in a direction intersecting the direction of insertion. In a package loading area of the device body are provided a lock projection adapted to engage the lock groove to lock the package at a loaded position, an urging member for urging the lock projection in a direction of engagement with the lock groove, a restriction member which, when the package is inserted into the device body, restricts the lock projection positioned in the guide groove so as not to undergo an urging force of the urging member, and a release member which moves in interlock with the insertion of the package.

Abstract: As manufactured disk drive head suspension load beams are modified for facile permanent adjustment in pitch characteristic by a localized reduction in material in the load beam forward portion web and/or rails within a transverse locus to facilitate deflection of the load beam to a different pitch characteristic.