Abstract: A magnetic data storage system includes at least one storage disk having a data surface of concentric radial tracks and at least one burnishing track, a drive for rotating the disk; and a slider having an air bearing surface for air support of the slider over the data surface, wherein the burnishing track is a dedicated track for burnishing the slider.

Abstract: A spin-valve magnetoresistive sensor includes a free layer of a ferromagnetic material, a pinned layer provided on the free layer and a pinning layer of an anti-ferromagnetic material provided on the pinned layer, the anti-ferromagnetic material being an ordered alloy containing manganese. The pinned layer includes a first pinned layer of a ferromagnetic material, a second pinned layer of a ferromagnetic material provided on the first pinned layer and an intermediate layer interposed between the first and second pinned layers such that the first and second pinned layers establish a super-exchange interaction in an anti-parallel manner. The second pinned layer has a magnetic moment smaller than a magnetic moment of the first pinned layer.

Abstract: A data storage disk cartridge having a dual housing structure includes an inner housing that contains a disk, and an outer housing that contains the inner housing. The inner housing is at least partially removable from the outer housing for insertion into a disk drive. The outer housing remains external to the disk drive, however, except for a portion that is inserted into the drive to provide a docking channel for retraction of the inner housing. A shutter on the inner housing covers a portion of the disk, but is manipulable by the disk drive to uncover the disk and allow drive access. The dual housing structure of the cartridge is capable of significantly improving disk and drive reliability, particularly for recording applications that require higher areal recording densities, such as near field optical recording. In particular, the disk cartridge reduces the accumulation of debris on the disk and drive components.

Abstract: A disk drive has a base containing disks that are mounted on a central drive hub. A cover is mounted and sealed to the base. The cover has an aperture that is sealed with a flexible membrane. The membrane is selectively deflected into contact with the hub or one of the disks by a displacement device. The displacement device is completely external to the sealed drive to avoid contaminating the drive. In one version, a disposable plastic snap clamp is secured to the drive to lock the disks from rotation. A pusher finger on the clamp automatically engages and deflects the membrane into frictional engagement with the disk to immobilize it. The locked position is used during periods of non-operation of the drive. When the drive is operational, the clamp is removed to release the disks for rotation.

Abstract: A loading mechanism part for feeding a disc cartridge into a drive unit comprises a swing arm to be rotated by the drive of a rotation driving system, a loading arm provided in the drive unit to be rotated by the rotation of the swing arm, and a catch member provided in the drive unit for introducing the disc cartridge according to the rotation of the loading arm.

Abstract: There is put forward a tray for a CD/DVD drive. The usual drive tray includes a receiving location for CDs with a normal format and also for mini-CDs. The receiving location is formed by a receiving surface. The receiving surface is provided with a multitude of pin receivers. By way of positioning pins which may be inserted into the pin receivers there are formed bearing edges. Special shapes of CD/DVD may now be precentered and held by the positioning pins until the drive tray is retracted into the drive and the drive is ready for operation.

Abstract: A bottom pole is divided into a bottom pole tip and a bottom pole layer. The bottom pole tip is formed on a flat surface of the bottom pole layer, and insulating layers made of inorganic materials are buried in a concave part between the bottom pole tip and a bottom connecting portion. The throat height is determined by the end close to the bottom pole tip of the insulating layer. An top pole tip is formed to be longer than the bottom pole tip on a write gap layer and is extended to a position facing part of a thin film coil. Mgnetomotive force from the thin film coil is conducted to the top pole tip efficiently, and a write characteristic of a thin film magnetic head is improved.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for cooling the actuator coil with a suitable heat sink structure. The heat sink thermally couples the coil to one or more of the head-carrying arms, which are positioned close enough to the disc stack that rotation of the stack cools them. In one embodiment, a gap is formed between the coil and a thermal conduit, and the gap is made wide enough to allow a majority of the gap to be filed with a solid dielectric. Another embodiment is a method for controlling the minimum gap thickness. In yet another embodiment, a rotary actuator includes a heat conduit with a concave surface for bonding to the coil, increasing rigidity and thermal conduction.

Abstract: A disk cartridge incorporating a disk-shaped recording medium. A disk holder is arranged at the disk cartridge and is constituted by a structure capable of detaching from a disk cartridge main body. The disk holder holds information in respect of the disk-shaped recording medium and the disk cartridge main body includes an information holding portion holding the information in respect of the disk-shaped recording medium. Positions of an information holding portion holding the information of the disk-shaped recording medium of the disk holder and the information holding portion of the disk cartridge main body differ from each other when the disk holder is attached to the disk cartridge main body. The disk cartridge main body includes a transmitter for transmitting the information held by the disk holder to the information holding portion of the disk cartridge main body.

Abstract: System for recording and/or reproducing information, medium for use in the system, and magnetic write head for formatting the medium. The invention relates to a system including a magnetic tape (310) formatted by way of a write head (360), and an apparatus incluiding a magnetic head unit (320) which is movable on a transverse direction (y) by way of an actuator. By way of the write head (360) the magnetic tape (310) has been provided with a pattern of servotracks ST101-ST127 which extend in a longitudinal direction (x). The odd-numbered servotracks contain a first servosignal and the even-numbered servotracks contain a second servosignal Sb which is phase opposition to the first servosignal. The servotracks ST103-ST113 and ST116-ST126 have a typical width W1 and form a group of two bands of N1 servotracks which are separated by a band of N2 servotracks ST114, ST115 having a typical width W2. The magnetic tape (310) is provided to cooperate with an apparatus including eight magnetic write heads (H31-H38).

Abstract: An autochanger 10 for DAT cassettes 52 includes a 5¼ inch form factor housing 12 within which are arranged a tape drive mechanism 50, a magazine 70 for holding six DAT cassettes 52 and a transfer mechanism 13 for transporting DAT cassettes between the storage area 15 and the tape drive mechanism 50. A turntable 100 is mounted in the underside of the lid 16 of the housing 12 for rotating the magazine 70 about 18° so that all of the DAT cassettes in the magazine 70 are accessible from a single direction.

Abstract: Each arm module includes plate-shaped arms which lie on top of each other. A head slider is supported by the extending end of each arm module and faces a data recording surface of a magnetic disk. An actuator drives each arm module. Each arm module has a structure in which the plate-shaped arms which lie on top of each other are integrated with each other.

Abstract: A disk apparatus has a playback unit. In the playback unit, a drive plate having thereon a turntable and a spindle motor is compulsively mechanically driven by drive cams of a first and second driving plates, and then mechanically locked at a lower position or upper position. A clamp arm having a clamper is driven toward the drive plate with a biasing force of a spring, and resiliently locked at an upper position or lower position. A disk engaging section for engaging in a disk hole of a disk is formed on the clamper. A projection which is adapted to project through the disk engaging section is formed on the turntable. The disk is well chucked and the disk apparatus is ensured to perform a stable operation.

Abstract: A lens actuator of an optical head for an optical disc drive includes a two-dimensional actuator supported by a carriage via a spring, a second lens held by the two-dimensional actuator, a slider supported by the two-dimensional actuator and floated off a turning optical disc, and a first lens held by the slider. A laser beam is focused on the optical disc by an object lens system which includes the first lens and the second lens. The slider is supported by the two-dimensional actuator via a support having a predetermined spring constant in the focus directions while also having freedom to follow tilting of the optical disc.

Abstract: A suspension is cantilevered at the tip end of a carriage arm. A magnetic head is mounted on the free end of the suspension. A lift bar in parallel with the disk surface contacts the suspension from the below. The lift bar may move in the path intersecting the suspension while contacting the suspension. The lift bar thus generates the warp in the suspension. The magnetic head at the free end of the suspension may be kept away from the disk surface as a result of the warp in the suspension. The adjustment of the orientation of the lift bar prevents the suspension from twisting.

Abstract: A disc cartridge housing a disc-shaped recording medium in a main cartridge body portion is disclosed. The disc cartridge includes a main cartridge body portion having a circular medium housing section for rotationally housing a disc-shaped recording medium, a recording and/or reproducing opening for exposing at least a portion of the disc-shaped recording medium to outside and a driving opening for allowing intrusion of a rotating driving unit adapted for rotationally driving the disc-shaped recording medium. The disc cartridge also includes a shutter mechanism having a shutter member rotated along the major surface of the main cartridge body unit in a region provided with the medium housing section to open/close the recording and/or reproducing opening and a plurality of cartridge supporting portions at plural corner regions of larger area outside a region provided with the medium housing section of the main cartridge body unit.

Abstract: A disc storage stores a plurality of discs. A pair of driving rollers are provided for carrying a disc inserted from an opening to the disc storage. Each of the driving rollers is provided to be moved between a disc carrying position and a retracted position by a moving device.

Abstract: A single-sided, notched write head is provided for writing narrow erase band servo tracks as well as a double-notched write head, and for writing data tracks better than a double-notched write head. The single-sided, notched write head writes a narrow erase band on the notched side and a wide erase band on the unnotched side. In one embodiment, only one side of the first pole piece layer is notched, and in another embodiment a first side of the first pole piece layer is notched more than a second side. By writing servo tracks only a fraction of the track width of the write head, a wide erase band region is overwritten so that a narrow erase band is on each side of the servo track. Data tracks are written with a narrow erase band on one side and a wide erase band on the other side. The wide erase band on one side of the data track allows more flexibility in spacing the read head from adjacent tracks.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to improve characteristics of a thin-film magnetic head in the case where the frequency of data to write is high, in particular. In a thin-film magnetic head of the invention a nonmagnetic conductive member is provided to face at least part of a top pole layer of an induction-type magnetic transducer. Consequently, eddy currents are induced inside the nonmagnetic conductive member by a write current. The eddy currents suppress a magnetic field leaking from magnetic layers. In addition, the nonmagnetic conductive member is in contact with the top pole layer. Therefore, eddy currents generated inside the top pole layer are fed to the nonmagnetic conductive member, too.

Abstract: A low mass baseplate for attaching a suspension load beam to an actuator arm has a planar portion weld-attachable to a load beam base and a cylindrical boss portion attachable to an actuator arm, the planar portion is locally relieved to reduce mass while maintaining the baseplate effectiveness at the load beam spring portion. The baseplate relief is specially sized and configured to be free of entanglements during tumble deburring operations.