Abstract: A cassette changer is mountable on a magnetic recording-reproduction apparatus having a cassette inlet-outlet opening. The cassette changer includes a cassette shifter which shifts a new cassette from a stand-by position above the cassette inlet-outlet opening to an insertion position facing the cassette inlet-outlet opening, and a cassette mover which inserts and withdraws a cassette into and from the magnetic recording-reproduction apparatus through the cassette inlet-outlet opening. The cassette mover is provided with a pair of rollers on both sides of the cassette, a roller shifter which shifts the rollers between an operative position to come into contact with the sides of the cassette to insert and withdraw the cassette and an inoperative position displaced from the sides of the cassette to allow the cassette to be shifted by the cassette shifter; and a roller driver which drives the rollers in forward and backward directions to insert and withdraw the cassette.

Abstract: The invention provides a magnetic head slider with flying height that is uniform over a recording surface and is relatively insensitive to altitude changes when used in a data storage device. In one embodiment, a slider platform carries two or more gas bearing pads in the form of TPC type pads, each having a transverse pressurization contour along at least one side edge of its face, at least one NP type pad provided with a bearing face and a recess which develops a subambient pressure level, and an ambient pressure reservoir separating each TPC type pad from each NP type pad for preventing hydrodynamic interaction between the pads. The ambient pressure reservoir defines a cavity having a depth with respect to the face of each TPC pad sufficient to maintain substantially ambient pressure in the cavity during movement of the recording medium. In another embodiment, the gas bearing pads take the form of a combination of pads with transverse pressurization contours and pads without TPC effects.

Abstract: A low profile, miniaturized rigid disk dam storage drive includes a micro-swaged connection that mounts the transducer carrying load beams to the respective actuator arms. The micro-swage plate, that is laser welded to the load beam, includes a swage boss that does not exceed 0.3 millimeters in length. The outer periphery and the distal end surface of the tubular swage boss are tapered to counteract rotation and shearing of the boss during swaging. In applications where the smooth exterior swage boss surface does not provide sufficient torque-out capability, the periphery of the boss is formed with axially extending irregularities to enhance the torque-out capability without increasing the pull-out force that would be necessary for disassembly and rework. The preswaged boss configuration includes frusto-conical peripheral and distal end surfaces to afford a swaged configuration with a generally radial end surface and maximum swaged contact through the available length of the swage boss.

Abstract: A new Clock Style Counter Attachment for providing a playing time readout of magnetic tape cassettes using an analog clock timer facing. The inventive device includes an add on gear disposed around a rotating drive shaft of a cassette playing device, a transmission drive shaft having a transmission gear at one end and a drive slot gear at its other end, and a timer having a timing gear system and a time display mechanism. The transmission gear operatively engaging the add on gear to rotate the transmission drive, and the drive slot gear operatively engaging a timing gear system. The timing gear system is operatively connected to the time display mechanism which displays the length of time a magnetic tape cassette has played in the magnetic tape cassette playing device.

Abstract: A disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus for selectively taking and loading plural discs housed within a housing section on a recording/reproducing section for information recording and/or reproduction is to be reduced in size. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus has a housing section housing plural discs and uplifted or lowered by a lifting mechanism, and a transfer mechanism for selectively taking out discs out of the housing section and for housing the discs taken out in this manner in the housing section. The recording and/or reproducing apparatus also has a main tray movable between a first position protruded out of a main body of the apparatus and a second position housed within the housing section and a recording/reproducing section for information recording and/or reproduction on or from the disc set on the setting portion on the main tray.

Abstract: A driving device for a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus having a simple construction. The driving device includes a loading motor, a first spur gear and a first worm, a second spur gear and a second worm mounted on a base plate such that they are parallel to the first spur gear and the first worm, an actuating gear provided between the base plate and an actuating plate and engaging with the second worm, a pinch roller actuating gear engaging with the first actuating gear, a first gear provided on the actuating plate and engaging with the first actuating gear, a pinch drive assembly having an input gear at its lower section. This input gear engages with the pinch roller actuating gear. The driving device also includes a tape cassette loading housing having a worm gear engaging with the first worm.

Abstract: A disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which a cartridge container has a number of disc cartridges loaded internal sections without stacking of the disc cartridges by arraying the disc cartridges in one plane in a matrix configuration includes a rotation supporting substrate supporting a driving part supporting substrate carrying a disc rotation driving mechanism and an optical pickup approached to and separated from the disc cartridge, a stationary part support substrate rotatably supporting the rotation supporting substrate, a rotation driving mechanism for rotating the rotation supporting mechanism, and a driving part supporting substrate lift mechanism for bringing the disc rotation driving mechanism and the optical pickup towards the disc cartridge or separating them away from the disc cartridge.

Abstract: Thread grooves (internal threads) for electrical connection are directly formed in two mounting portions among a total of eight mounting portions provided in the side surfaces and bottom surface of the base plate of a magnetic disk device which are provided in two positions electrically far from the magnetic head with respect to the noise frequency. The two mounting portions are grounded to the chassis of a system having the magnetic disk device mounted thereon. Mounting members having the electrical insulating property are fitted in the mounting holes of the six mounting portions which are disposed in positions electrically closer to the magnetic head and the mounting members are electrically isolated from the chassis of the system when they are mounted on the chassis of the system by use of fixing screws.

Abstract: An inductive pinched-gap thin film head (TFH) device having pole-tips which are in substantial contact in two areas, thereby precisely defining a pinched-gap segment. The substantial contact between the pole-tips effectively eliminates all flux lines emanating from the edges and corners during the write operation. The write magnetic field is thus precisely confined to across the pinched-gap segment. As a result, the written medium track width is accurately defined by the width of the pinched-gap segment with high degree of magnetization coherency and virtual elimination of the track-edge noise. The improved (medium) signal-to-noise ratio facilitates substantial increase of the track density. Photolithographic definition and etching of the gap-vias to the bottom pole-tip, followed by deposition of the top pole-tip, facilitates precise and consistent control of the width of the pinched-gap segment (and the written track) down to <1 .mu.m.

Abstract: An exchange-biased magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer in which the MR layer composition is changed at the interface with an antiferromagnetic layer, which is in direct contact with the ferromagnetic MR layer. The exchange-bias field strength H.sub.UA in the MR layer is increased at room temperature by adding a specially-optimized transition region in the ferromagnetic MR layer at the interface. The percentage of iron in the ferromagnetic alloy varies from a higher value at the interface to a lower value at the opposite end of the transition region. The higher iron ratio at the antiferromagnetic interface enhances the exchange-bias field H.sub.UA and the lower iron ratio throughout the bulk of the ferromagnetic MR layer maintains the lower coercivity preferred in the layer, thereby enhancing the longitudinal bias field with respect to the MR coercivity. Advantageously, the enhanced longitudinal bias effect of the special ferromagnetic transition region does not reduce the critical temperature T.sub.

Abstract: Disclosed is a turntable of a disc player on which a mini disc and a compact disc can be loaded in an alternative manner, and which has a simple structure, and thereby can be made to be small and compact. The turntable has a mini disc loading body, a compact disc loading body, an assembling section for assembling the mini disc loading body and the compact disc loading body with each other.

Abstract: An exchange-biased magnetoresistive (MR) read transducer in which the MR layer composition is changed at the interface with an antiferromagnetic layer, which is in direct contact with the ferromagnetic MR layer. The exchange-bias field strength H.sub.UA in the MR layer is increased at room temperature by adding a specially-optimized transition region in the ferromagnetic MR layer at the interface. The percentage of iron in the ferromagnetic alloy varies from a higher value at the interface to a lower value at the opposite end of the transition region. The higher iron ratio at the antiferromagnetic interface enhances the exchange-bias field H.sub.UA and the lower iron ratio throughout the bulk of the ferromagnetic MR layer maintains the lower coercivity preferred in the layer, thereby enhancing the longitudinal bias field with respect to the MR coercivity. Advantageously, the enhanced longitudinal bias effect of the special ferromagnetic transition region does not reduce the critical temperature T.sub.

Abstract: A rotary actuator assembly in a magnetic disk drive unit capable of simultaneously realizing at low costs a reliable lock mechanism for an actuator and the improvement in gap magnetic flux density at both ends in a moving range of the actuator. The rotary actuator assembly includes a base; an actuator arm subassembly rotatably mounted on the base, the subassembly having one end supporting a plurality of magnetic heads and another end supporting a moving coil; and a magnetic circuit fixed to the base, the magnetic circuit constituting a voice coil motor in combination with the moving coil. Further, a latch magnet for locking the actuator arm subassembly is fixed to either the base or the magnetic circuit. The latch magnet has a magnetic pole directed to a center yoke of the magnetic circuit, and the magnetic pole has the same polarity as that of surfaces of an inner magnet and an outer magnet of the magnetic circuit opposed to the center yoke.

Abstract: A rotary magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus includes a stationary cylinder formed on a lower portion of an outer peripheral surface thereof with a guide lead for guiding a lower edge of a magnetic tape and defining a tape running face on an upper portion of the outer peripheral surface thereof, a first bulge portion formed on an upper edge portion of the tape running face of the stationary cylinder on a tape leaving side of the upper edge portion of the tape running face and a second bulge portion which is smaller in height than the first bulge portion and formed on the upper edge portion of the tape running face on the tape leaving side thereof and in the vicinity of the first bulge portion on a tape incoming side of the first bulge portion. The first bulge portion serves to relax shock or vibration of a magnetic tape leaving the magnetic head and the second bulge portion serves to improve "head-touch" of the magnetic tape.

Abstract: An objective lens drive device includes an objective lens holder, a fixing member, drive coils mounted on one of the objective lens holder and the fixing member; magnets mounted on the other, the magnets positioned in a face-to-face relationship with the drive coils and supplied with an electric current so as to drive the lens holder in both a focusing and a tracking direction, the magnets are magnetized with polarization at least in the focusing direction; and magnetic pieces placed in the magnetic circuits of the magnets relating to a focusing direction, wherein a two-dimensional restoring force is generated in the focusing and tracking directions by the magnetic attraction acting on the magnetic pieces so that the objective lens is held at the neutral point, at least one end portion of the magnetic pieces in the polarizing direction is wider than the middle portion.

Abstract: A disk tray wherein the friction is reduced during the loading or unloading operation of a disk cartridge to thereby avoid the damage of the disk cartridge is disclosed. A guiding apparatus for guiding the disk cartridge is elastically provided on an upper portion of the main body of the disk tray to reduce a friction between the upper portion of the main body and the disk cartridge which occurs during an insertion or ejection of the disk cartridge. The guiding apparatus is rotatable due to the friction with the disk cartridge. The guiding apparatus includes a roller rotatable due to a friction with the disk cartridge during the insertion or ejection of the disk cartridge, which is inserted in a receiving portion formed at an upper portion of the main body, a supporting bracket for rotatably supporting the roller on both sides at both ends of a rotation axis of the roller and a spring between the supporting bracket and an inner upper surface of the receiving portion for buffering a rotation of the roller.

Abstract: An improved disc drive is capable of compensating the relative positional shift of a head caused mainly by a temperature change. The disc drive includes a frame having a disc holder for rotatably driving a disc, a head for reading information recorded in the disc, a head carriage which is movable in a predetermined radial direction of the disc, a rotation shaft extending in parallel with the radial direction, a driving mechanism for moving the head carriage in the radial direction by engaging with the rotation shaft, an adjustment mechanism for compensating the positional shift of the head due to a change of ambient temperature by providing an additional deformation of the adjustment mechanism to the carriage.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus which accepts two different sizes of magnetic-tape cassettes each having two juxtaposed reels comprises four drive means mounted stationarily in the apparatus and each comprising a reel spindle and a reel disc. Both the reel spindles and the reel discs are axially movable and, when a magnetic-tape cassette is loaded into the apparatus this cassette is detected by means of the reel spindles which are not adapted to enter into driving engagement with this cassette. The reel spindles and the reel discs which are not adapted to enter into driving engagement with this cassette are moved into an area situated outside the area occupied by the inserted magnetic-tape cassette by the cassette housing.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus, and associated method, for laterally positioning the head/access arms of a computer mass storage device disk drive relative to the individual storage media disks thereof. The relative lateral positions of the head/access arms and the corresponding disks are determined, and the access arms are laterally translated to permit a merging operation of the various head/access arms and disks of a disk stack to be performed. The head/access arms are positioned by the application of biasing forces which are normal to the longitudinal axes of the access arms to laterally position the access arms without sliding engagement between the positioning apparatus and the access arms.

Abstract: An automatic disc changer which includes a tray storage section for accommodating a stack of disc trays each having an opening defined in a support surface thereof on which a corresponding information carrier disc is placed. An information pick-up unit is disposed at a location adjoining the tray storage section and supported for movement up and down between elevated and lowered positions corresponding respectively to play and stand-by positions. A tray transport mechanism is provided for transporting a lowermost one of the stack of the disc trays within the tray storage section towards the stand-by position immediately above the information pick-up unit. Also, tray elevating mechanism carrying the information pick-up unit and operable to elevate the disc tray at the stand-by position towards the play position is located in the play section.