Patents Examined by Matthew J. Bussan
  • Patent number: 4905106
    Abstract: A device for detecting the light transmissivity of an object to be detected comprises a light emitting element and a light receiving element which are opposed to each other across the detected object. The device is arranged to cause the light emitting element to intermittently emit a light and to detect the light transmissivity of said detected object on the basis of a detection signal obtained from the light receiving element when the light is emitted by the light emitting element and another detection signal obtained from the light receiving element when no light is emitted by the light emitting element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 27, 1990
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichiro Suzuki, Toshihiro Sugikubo
  • Patent number: 4903155
    Abstract: A disc drive for a disc including a disc rotating apparatus comprising a rotating shaft for being received within a first aperture of the disc. A spindle is affixed to the shaft. The spindle has a surface disposed in a plane perpendicular to the shaft, for supporting the disc. The disc drive includes a position controlling member received in a second aperture of the disc, a rigid member for controlling the position of the position controlling member, and a biasing member for urging the rigid member in at least one direction so that the position controlling member engages the disc. A centering force to center the disc on the disc rotating apparatus is produced due to the action of the position controlling member on the disc. The biasing member may be configured so as to act upon the rigid member in an additional direction to produce an additional centering force component when the position controlling member engages the disc, thus urging sides of the first aperture of the disc against the rotating shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1990
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Maekawa, Hideya Yokouchi, Tomoe Aruga, Tadashi Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 4901176
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic head support assembly for a floppy disc device, in which the pressure of a spring to a magnetic head against a floppy disc is finely adjusted so as to apply a predetermined pressure thereto and to obtain an excellent contact condition between the magnetic head and magnetic disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takashi Kuzuhara
  • Patent number: 4901178
    Abstract: A thin film magnetic head whereby the inclined surface is formed with a prescribed angle relative to the upper surface of the substrate in the vicinity of a slide contact surface thereof with a magnetic recording medium, the magnetic gap is formed on the magnetic film on the inclined surface, and the azimuth of the magnetic gap is set by the inclined surface.By forming grooves or protrusions on the substrate, the inclined surface by which the azimuth of the magnetic gap is set is defined. A coil conductor is formed on the flat portion of the upper surface of the substrate.With the thin film magnetic head presented by this invention, a double azimuth thin film magnetic head of a multi-channel thin film magnetic head can be easily provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomio Kobayashi, Iwao Abe, Kazuo Kashiwa, Yukihiro Aizawa, Hiroyuki Suzukawa
  • Patent number: 4899242
    Abstract: A locking mechanism for a front cover of a magnetic tape cassette which occupies only a small space is disclosed.The locking mechanism comprises a locking lever provided in at least one of the both ends of the cassette case, an elastic member always deflecting the locking lever toward an end plate of the front cover of the cassette case and an achoring member provided in one of end plates of the front cover so as to be engageable with an anchoring click of the locking lever, and the locking lever is slidably guided by a guiding mechanism formed in the cassette case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Hashizume, Masaru Ikebe, Masatoshi Okamura, Haruo Shiba
  • Patent number: 4899244
    Abstract: A disk cartridge, operable with a disk drive, includes a generally flat-shaped case enclosing a recording medium disposed on a disk about a central hub. The case includes top and bottom walls disposed on opposite sides of the disk, the bottom wall having an access opening through which a disk drive is to engage with the hub. A foil spring has a generally flared dish shape, and is symmetrically formed and positioned about a central axis of the hub. The spring is positioned between the disk and the top wall for urging the disk toward the bottom wall to close the access opening with the hub and to close a spindle receiving aperture in the hub to prevent entry of contaminants during periods of nonuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Polaroid Corporation
    Inventor: John B. Morse
  • Patent number: 4897746
    Abstract: A magnetic head device for a floppy disk drive apparatus, which can read data from, and write data on, floppy disks of different recording densities is disclosed. The magnetic head device comprises a read/write head having at least two read/write gaps, an erase head, and gap selecting circuit. The read/write gaps have different gap length one another. Respective gap lengths correspond to the recording densities of the floppy disks. A gap selecting circuit of the magnetic head device selectes an optimal read/write gap for the floppy disk loaded to the floppy disk drive apparatus. The type, or the recording density, of the floppy disk loaded to the floppy disk drive apparatus is checked by means of a high recording density detecting switch. The detecting switch sends a signal to the gap selecting circuit in accordance with the recording density of the loaded floppy disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Shoji Saito
  • Patent number: 4897752
    Abstract: A disk cartridge which comprises a cartridge case, a disk rotatably encased in the cartridge case, and a cleaning sheet supported on the inside surface of the cartridge case by welding, the cartridge case being composed of a thermoplastic synthetic resin, and the cleaning sheet being composed at least of a mixed fabric of acrylic fibers and rayon fibers and being fixed to the inside surfaces of the cartridge case by welding has distinguished disk-handling characteristics and cartridge case-fixing characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Doi, Toru Yamakawa, Fujio Matsumoto, Kunio Mizushima
  • Patent number: 4897747
    Abstract: In a method for making a thin-film magnetic head, there are stages for depositing hardening material in the plane of the magnetic films and in the neighbourhood of the active surface of the magnetic head. The invention also relates to a magnetic head made according to this method. The invention can be applied to thin-film magnetic heads for magnetic tape read/write devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Thomson-CSF
    Inventors: Paul-Louis Meunier, Manijeh Razeghi, Jean-Luc Rolland
  • Patent number: 4893207
    Abstract: A magnetic writing and optical reading head for a magnetic data carrier including at least one optical focusing device (SOI.sub.1, SOI.sub.1) for focusing a beam of light onto the carrier, and a magnetic writing transducer (TMI.sub.1, TMI.sub.2) disposed on the same rail (PI.sub.1, PI.sub.2) of the head as the optical device. According to the invention, the head is characterized in that the optical device and the transducer are disposed in the immediate vicinity of one another at a distance d less than the ratio of the difference between the width of the track L.sub.p and the diameter D of the beam of light produced by the device (SOI.sub.1, SOI.sub.2) to twice the sine of the maximum azimuth angle .psi..sub.M. The invention is applicable to magnetooptical disk memories.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Bull S.A.
    Inventors: Christian Maury, Dan-Tam Pham, Jean-Marie Richard
  • Patent number: 4893206
    Abstract: Apparatus for controlling the radial position of a transducer (e.g. an optical, magneto-optic, or magnetic write/read head) relative to a spinning disk (e.g. a data storage disk) comprises a transducer-supporting radial access arm which is mounted via a rotary bearing for pivotal movement about a spinning support shaft. The continuous rotary movement of the support shaft dramatically reduces stick-slip friction in the bearings separating the support shaft and the access arm, thereby reducing start-up torque and enabling more precise positioning of the transducer relative to the disk. Moreover, it prolongs the life of the rotary bearing in that it eliminates so-called Brinelling (wearing of the bearing balls or rollers due to small oscillations about the same point).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Boris A. Shtipelman, David L. White
  • Patent number: 4893209
    Abstract: A multifunctional cleaning tape (2) is used as part of a video cassette (7) for cleaning the magnetic head of a VCR (12) and providing diagnostic/instructional information to the user. The tape includes a first, non-magnetic cleaning segment (4) for cleaning the magnetic head followed by a magnetic diagnostic/instructional segment (6) containing prerecorded diagnostic/instructional information which is played to the user. The diagnostic/instructional information includes information relating to the cleanliness of the magnetic head and for adjusting the VCR for improved visual and audio output and tape tracking. The transition to the diagnostic/instructional segment is hidden by recording electronic noise at the initial portion (26) of such segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Tandy Corporation
    Inventor: Mohammed Siddiq
  • Patent number: 4891724
    Abstract: The disk drive read/write head actuator track apparatus consists of a rail having a rail mount at either end to secure the rail to the frame of the disk drive system. The rail is oriented in a radial direction so that, as the read/write head actuator mechanism traverses the length of the rail, the read/write heads move in a radial direction from the spindle to the perpihery of the disks. The rail mount at one end of the rail rigidly connects the rail to the disk drive frame in a location proximate to the perpihery of the disks. This first rail mount precisely locates the one end of the rail with respect to a point on the frame of the disk drive system and is constructed in a way that renders it resistant to flexure in any direction. The other end of the rail is connected to a second rail mount which is attached to the frame of the disk drive system in a location proximate to the spindle of the disk drive system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1990
    Assignee: Storage Technology Corporation
    Inventors: Lester M. Yeakley, Hessam Taqhdir
  • Patent number: 4887175
    Abstract: A disc driving unit is arranged so that a spindle for rotating a disc member, a pulley coupled to the spindle to transmit a rotational force to the spindle, and an inner or outer ring of a bearing to support the spindle rotatably are formed integrally. This arrangement greatly reduces a number of components in the unit so that the assembly process can be greatly simplified. Moreover, the error during assembly can be kept small. Furthermore, the bearing is disposed inside the rotating plane of the spindle, so that the rotational accuracy and planarity of the spindle are improved, and the overall height of the unit can be minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1989
    Assignee: Canon Denshi Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akio Hoshi
  • Patent number: 4885647
    Abstract: A rotary head apparatus of the type which reproduces digital signals recorded in one or more oblique tracks on a recording medium, the digital signals being formatted such that one frame of the digital signals is formed of n blocks, each block having added to it a block address and a frame address, wherein the apparatus compares the frame address from the reproduced signal with a reference frame address which varies with a reference period, and the transporting speed of the recording medium is then controlled so as to make the difference between the reproduced frame address and the reference frame address constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiraku Sugiki, Hiroyuki Ino, Tadashi Fukami
  • Patent number: 4885650
    Abstract: A magnetic head for reading or writing information magnetically encoded on a substrate is disclosed. Included in the head are a magnetic core and a boron carbide contact surface which the substrate rubs against during reading or writing. The boron carbide contact surface is electrically conductive and is resistent to wear. Grounding of the conductive boron carbide contact surface avoids static electric charge build up on the contact surface caused by rubbing of the substrate against the magnetic head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1988
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: Eugene F. Banka, Charles B. Hebeler
  • Patent number: 4879616
    Abstract: A magnetic disc pack loading mechanism used in a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus in an electronic still camera or the like is disclosed which power loads a magnetic disc pack in a predetermined recording or reproducing position by moving a pack holder containing the magnetic disc pack therein. The loading mechanism is provided with a pre-lock mechanism which can secure provisionally the magnetic disc pack within the pack holder when the magnetic disc pack has been inserted into the pack holder and a shutter opening/closing mechanism which can open fully a shutter in the magnetic disc pack cooperatively with the loading operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shigeru Ando
  • Patent number: 4878137
    Abstract: A disk file device includes a stocker for accommodating a plurality of cartridges each holding a disk. A cartridge displacing mechanism with a cartridge rceiving container passes a cartridge through an opening formed in the casing. A carrier moves a cartridge between the cartridge displacing mechanism and the stocker and between the stocker and a disk. The opening formed in the casing is on the side of the stocker and the cartridge displacing mechanism has an electric motor for turning the cartridge receiving container through 180.degree. when a cartridge is passed through the opening so that the carrier and the cartridge receiving container are prevented from colliding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tohru Yamashita, Takaharu Takematsu
  • Patent number: 4875126
    Abstract: A stationary tape guide, for a magnetic tape recorder utilizing helical scanning, having a laterally extending guide path, the generous contour of which is forwardly convexed on a projection on a horizontal reference plane, along which at least two straight guide projections inclined to said reference plane and a single straight guide projection extending orthogonal to said reference plane are serially and integrally provided. Such a guide is secured in close proximity to a cylinder at its opposite sides to thereby guide the tape contacting with the tape surface on which a magnetic material is coated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 17, 1989
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 4873596
    Abstract: A magnetic disk drive apparatus includes a base plate and a first motor mounted on the base plate. The first motor has a rotatable shaft engageable with a magnetic disk for rotating the magnetic disk. A carrier has a central opening through which the shaft of the first motor extends. A magnetic head fixed to the carrier is engageable with the magnetic disk. Opposite sides of the carrier is slidably supported on the base plate. A second motor mounted on the base plate has a rotatable shaft. The carrier and the shaft of the second motor are coupled so that the carrier slides linearly in accordance with rotation of the shaft of the second motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Harada, Yasushi Okamura