Abstract: An apparatus having a flexible mounting mechanism according to the present invention includes a storage section, a casing accommodating and holding the storage section, a protective housing accommodating and protecting the casing, a supporting member provided between the casing and the protective housing for supporting the casing, and a maintaining member supporting the protective housing. The supporting member and the maintaining member have different vibration damping characteristics.

Abstract: To improve the positioning accuracy which has been limited so far due to a vibration mode of an actuator for positioning a head and increase the capacity of an apparatus by raising the density of tracks for recording or reproducing information.

Abstract: A storage apparatus of the present invention has an HDA of a storage portion, a box frame for containing the HDA and fixed to the HDA by bolts, and a protection box for incorporating at least the HDA and the box frame. A plurality of supporting members are arranged between the box frame and an inner surface of the protection box, so that the supporting members elastically support the HDA and the box frame in the protection box.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus comprising: a magnetic recording and reproducing medium; a spindle motor for effecting rotational drive of the magnetic recording and reproducing medium; a transducer for recording and reproducing information on one face of the magnetic recording and reproducing medium; a displacement member for displacing the transducer to an arbitrary radial position on the face of the magnetic recording and reproducing medium; an electric circuit board for processing the information and controlling the spindle motor and the displacement member; and a casing in which the magnetic recording and reproducing medium, the spindle motor, the transducer, the displacement member and the electric circuit board are mounted; the casing having a bottom wall such that a boxlike space is defined below the bottom wall; the electric circuit board being disposed in the boxlike space.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing medium includes: at least one recording and reproducing layer; and a heating layer which receives light for writing data, converts a part of energy of the light into heat, and selectively heats a desired portion of the recording and reproducing layer, thereby changing optical characteristics of the desired portion, wherein the heating layer converts the part of energy of the light into the heat by a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon.

Abstract: The information recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a recording medium including a plurality of concavo-convex pits; a light source for emitting laser light; a section for changing an optical characteristic value of the laser light, using interaction between the laser light and the recording medium; and a light detector for detecting the optical characteristic value of the laser light after the interaction occurs, and then outputting a signal in response to the detected optical characteristic value. The section for changing the optical characteristic value includes an evanescent wave generating section for generating an evanescent wave from the laser light. The evanescent wave generating section changes the optical characteristic value in accordance with how much the concavo-convex pits of the recording medium influences the evanescent wave. Multivalued data is reproduced on the basis of the signal from the light detector.

Abstract: A recording and reproducing medium includes: at least one recording and reproducing layer; and a heating layer which receives light for writing data, converts a part of energy of the light into heat, and selectively heats a desired portion of the recording and reproducing layer, thereby changing optical characteristics of the desired portion, wherein the heating layer converts the part of energy of the light into the heat by a surface plasmon resonance phenomenon.

Abstract: The information recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a recording medium including a plurality of concavo-convex pits; a light source for emitting laser light; a section for changing an optical characteristic value of the laser light, using interaction between the laser light and the recording medium; and a light detector for detecting the optical characteristic value of the laser light after the interaction occurs, and then outputting a signal in response to the detected optical characteristic value. The section for changing the optical characteristic value includes an evanescent wave generating section for generating an evanescent wave from the laser light. The evanescent wave generating section changes the optical characteristic value in accordance with how much the concavo-convex pits of the recording medium influences the evanescent wave. Multivalued data is reproduced on the basis of the signal from the light detector.

Abstract: The information recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a recording medium including a plurality of concavo-convex pits; a light source for emitting laser light; a section for changing an optical characteristic value of the laser light, using interaction between the laser light and the recording medium; and a light detector for detecting the optical characteristic value of the laser light after the interaction occurs, and then outputting a signal in response to the detected optical characteristic value. The section for changing the optical characteristic value includes an evanescent wave generating section for generating an evanescent wave from the laser light. The evanescent wave generating section changes the optical characteristic value in accordance with how much the concavo-convex pits of the recording medium influences the evanescent wave. Multivalued data is reproduced on the basis of the signal from the light detector.

Abstract: A magnetic disc apparatus has a rocking type actuator driven in a rocking motion by the driving force of a VCM (voice coil motor). Two flexible bending members fixed to a rotor move in synchronization with the driving of the rocking type actuator. The respective flexible bending members are attached to two FPC (Flexible printed circuit sheet) fixing portions provided on the outer wall of the rotor and radially arranged with respect to the driving center of the rocking type actuator so as to have the bending portions bent in directions opposite to each other. The reaction forces of the flexible printed circuit sheets are then canceled out with respect to each other at all times, and hardly affect the driving of the actuator. Therefore, reserve power may be given to the VCM (voice coil motor) while an actuator having a favorable follow-up characteristic with respect to data tracks can be obtained.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider support device is provided for use in a magnetic disc apparatus. The device comprises a magnetic head, a head slider having the magnetic head, a support arm portion which supports the head slider, and a gimbal spring fixed to a forward end of the support arm portion to attach the head slider. The support arm portion includes a load beam support portion for supporting the head slider and gimbal spring. A load beam plate spring portion applies a force to the head slider, towards a recording surface. A pivotal support arm portion has a pivotal movement center, about which the device pivots. The pivotal movement center pivotally supports the load beam support portion and the load beam plate spring portion at the rear of the support arm portion. The load beam support portion, the load beam plate spring portion and the pivotal support arm portion are formed from a single piece of material of constant thickness. The pivotal support arm portion has a flat face and a side face.

Abstract: A transducer driving apparatus symmetrically supports a transducer with soft members each being elastically deformed into circular-arc shape about an axis in a direction perpendicular to the transferring direction of the transducer. The rigidity of each of the soft members is strengthened by extremely narrowing its width in the radial direction of the circular-arc shape and by expanding its width in the center-axial direction. The soft members perform the caterpillar-like function to move a transducer to a predetermined position at an extremely fast speed with high precision to complete positioning.

Abstract: An optical disc drive apparatus has a remarkably improved track accessing ability in comparison with conventional like apparatus. On a base are provided an optical system having a light emitting element and a light sensing element, as well as an optical path deflecting element which performs a precision tracking. Further, an objective lens and a light guide element are provided on a rotating element which performs track seek and rough tracking. The light guide element comprises two reflecting members which are opposed in parallel with each other.