Abstract: Provided is a light deflector deflecting a light beam, and including a reflector that reflects the light beam, a first gripper that grips one end of the reflector, a first driver that rotates a first rotating shaft coupled to the first gripper, a second gripper that grips the other end of the reflector, and a second driver that rotates a second rotating shaft coupled to the second gripper.

Abstract: An environment information acquisition unit acquires a signal state of a traffic light. A self-position estimation unit estimates a self-position of the autonomous moving object. A traveling route decision unit calculates a first time necessary to move along a first route from the self-position to an end point of a crosswalk and a second time necessary to move along a second route from the self-point to a start point of the crosswalk in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red on the crosswalk after a predetermined time or in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red, and selects a route corresponding to a time smaller between the first time and the second time. A vehicle control unit controls autonomous movement of the autonomous moving object so that the autonomous moving object moves along the selected route.

Abstract: An environment information acquisition unit acquires a signal state of a traffic light. A self-position estimation unit estimates a self-position of the autonomous moving object. A traveling route decision unit calculates a first time necessary to move along a first route from the self-position to an end point of a crosswalk and a second time necessary to move along a second route from the self-point to a start point of the crosswalk in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red on the crosswalk after a predetermined time or in a case in which the signal state is changed from blue to red, and selects a route corresponding to a time smaller between the first time and the second time. A vehicle control unit controls autonomous movement of the autonomous moving object so that the autonomous moving object moves along the selected route.

Abstract: A stage comprises a linear guide rail (2) for guiding a movable table (4), a driven bar (12), a linear drive actuator in contact with the driven bar (12) to transmit driving force to the driven bar (12), and parallel plate springs (30) for holding opposite ends of the driven bar (12). A drive transmitting surface of the linear drive actuator is provided so as to be separated from the movable table (4), and this prevents the accuracy of positioning from being reduced. Also, the parallel springs (30) reduce deforming forces applied to sections supporting the driven bar (12), and this prevents the driven bar from being damaged. The configuration makes the stage highly accurate and highly reliable.

Abstract: A stage comprises a linear guide rail (2) for guiding a movable table (4), a driven bar (12), a linear drive actuator in contact with the driven bar (12) to transmit driving force to the driven bar (12), and parallel plate springs (30) for holding opposite ends of the driven bar (12). A drive transmitting surface of the linear drive actuator is provided so as to be separated from the movable table (4), and this prevents the accuracy of positioning from being reduced. Also, the parallel springs (30) reduce deforming forces applied to sections supporting the driven bar (12), and this prevents the driven bar from being damaged. The configuration makes the stage highly accurate and highly reliable.

Abstract: A magnetic-head supporting mechanism includes a slider having a chamfered bleed portion, a mounting portion on which the slider is mounted, a flexible finger portion extending in a longitudinal direction and supporting the mounting portion, a load beam extending in the longitudinal direction that connects at an end to a positioning mechanism, and that applies a load to the slider, and a regulating member extending from the load beam in the longitudinal direction for preventing change of an attitude of the slider when an angular attitude of the slider exceeds a predetermined angle. The regulating member extends over and above the flexible finger portion and over and above the slider and has an end in the longitudinal direction at a position approximately equal to an end of the flexible finger portion in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk unit, the flying height margin of a magnetic recording element part during recording is reduced, whereby improvement in recording density and increase in capacity or decrease in size of the unit is realized. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk unit has a magnetic disk arranged in a freely rotational manner and a magnetic head slider disposed to face a surface of the magnetic disk, and generates air flow between the magnetic disk and the magnetic head slider for flying, and records data using a magnetic recording element. The magnetic head slider has a slider substrate part and a thin-film head part formed on the slider substrate part using a thin-film process. The thin-film head part has an insulating member, a magnetic recording element provided in the insulating member, and a heat radiation member for radiating heat generated by the magnetic recording element from lateral regions of the magnetic recording element to the slider substrate part.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention achieve a decrease in electric power consumption while ensuring high recording density and high reliability in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a rotatable magnetic disk and a magnetic head slider to be able to fly above a surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head slider comprises an air bearing surface, by which the magnetic head slider is caused to fly and come near to the rotating surface of the magnetic disk with a predetermined spacing therebetween, recording and reproducing elements to perform at least one of recording on and reproduction from the magnetic disk, and a heating device to adjust a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk. The heating device is mounted such that heating thereof causes a part of the air bearing surface to expand and project to increase a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: A suspension having a magnetic head assembly 1 mounted thereon is provided, wherein the magnetic head assembly comprises: a write head 1-2; a read head 1-1; and a resistive heating element 1-3 for controlling the flying heights of the magnetic heads, wherein the wires HTx and GTx for the resistive heating element is disposed such that they sandwich the wires RxX and RxY for the read head. The wires for the resistive heating element may be disposed between the wires for the write head and the wires for the read head. Furthermore, the waveform of the current or voltage to the resistive heating element has a time constant of 1 ?sec or more, the resistive heating element having wires disposed near the wires of the read head.

Abstract: A magnetic disc unit includes a rotating disc type magnetic disc, a head for recording and reproducing data to and from the magnetic disc, and a head support mechanism for supporting the head. The magnetic disc unit includes a shroud surrounding an outer periphery of the magnetic disc other than at least at an inserting part of a carriage arm which is linked to the magnetic head support mechanism. A gap between an end face of the outer periphery of the magnetic disc and the shroud is set in a range not less than 0.1 mm but not greater than 0.4 mm.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention achieve a decrease in electric power consumption while ensuring high recording density and high reliability in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a rotatable magnetic disk and a magnetic head slider to be able to fly above a surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head slider comprises an air bearing surface, by which the magnetic head slider is caused to fly and come near to the rotating surface of the magnetic disk with a predetermined spacing therebetween, recording and reproducing elements to perform at least one of recording on and reproduction from the magnetic disk, and a heating device to adjust a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk. The heating device is mounted such that heating thereof causes a part of the air bearing surface to expand and project to increase a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk device capable of improving the shielding function for the magnetic head yet maintaining a form factor. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk device comprises a magnetic disk; a magnetic head for recording/reproducing information; a magnetic disk drive mechanism for moving magnetic head in the radial direction of the magnetic disk; a housing including a base and a cover having a nonmagnetic material; and a magnetic shielding member having a magnetic material. The housing has a cut-away portion corresponding to a range in which the magnetic head moves, and the magnetic shielding member is formed in a U-shape including an upper wall portion, a side wall portion and a bottom wall portion. The magnetic shielding member covers the range in which the magnetic head moves, and is disposed in the cut-away portion so as to form substantially the same surface as the surfaces of the upper wall, side wall and bottom wall of the housing.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention achieve a decrease in electric power consumption while ensuring high recording density and high reliability in a magnetic disk apparatus. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus comprises a rotatable magnetic disk and a magnetic head slider to be able to fly above a surface of the magnetic disk. The magnetic head slider comprises an air bearing surface, by which the magnetic head slider is caused to fly and come near to the rotating surface of the magnetic disk with a predetermined spacing therebetween, recording and reproducing elements to perform at least one of recording on and reproduction from the magnetic disk, and a heating device to adjust a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk. The heating device is mounted such that heating thereof causes a part of the air bearing surface to expand and project to increase a distance between the recording and reproducing elements and the surface of the magnetic disk.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a magnetic disk device which improves the shielding function for the magnetic heads while maintaining a form factor having an inexpensive constitution. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk device comprises a rotary disk-type magnetic disk; a magnetic head for recording or reproducing information; a magnetic head support mechanism for supporting the magnetic head; a shroud having an opening in which the magnetic head support mechanism is inserted, and surrounding the outer circumference of the magnetic disk; and a housing. The housing includes a base and a cover, and accommodates the magnetic disk, the magnetic head, the magnetic head support mechanism and the shroud. The base is constituted by using a nonmagnetic material and the shroud is constituted by using a magnetic material.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus, mounting of plural heating elements to a magnetic head slider is permitted. Thermally assisted magnetic recording from inner to outer surface is permitted at a small amount of power consumption. In one embodiment, the magnetic disk apparatus has a magnetic disk on which magnetic information is recorded, a magnetic head slider having an air bearing surface for floating from the magnetic disk in proximity thereto, and a rotary actuator moving over the disk arcuately while supporting the magnetic head slider by a suspension. A recording element acting to record magnetic information on the magnetic disk, a playback element acting to play back the magnetic information recorded on the magnetic disk, and plural heating elements acting to locally heat the magnetic disk are carried on the magnetic head slider.

Abstract: A head support mechanism includes a head to read/write information, and an actuator for moving the head. Flanges are provided on opposite sides of a load beam of the head support mechanism, and at least one recessed portion is provided on the load beam. A thickness of the load beam at the at least one recessed portion is smaller than a thickness at other portions of the load beam at least one of oscillation damping material and an IC circuit is arranged in the at least one recessed portion.

Abstract: A magnetic-head supporting mechanism includes a slider having a chamfered bleed portion, a mounting portion on which the slider is mounted, a flexible finger portion extending in a longitudinal direction and supporting the mounting portion, a load beam extending in the longitudinal direction that connects at an end to a positioning mechanism, and that applies a load to the slider, and a regulating member extending from the load beam in the longitudinal direction for preventing change of an attitude of the slider when an angular attitude of the slider exceeds a predetermined angle. The regulating member extends over and above the flexible finger portion and over and above the slider and has an end in the longitudinal direction at a position approximately equal to an end of the flexible finger portion in the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A magnetic head slider including: a head element which records or reproduces information on a magnetic disk, a slider having said head element, and an electric conducting film in which paired first and second parts are formed to be substantially parallel, where current flows within said first and second parts are in the opposite direction as against said slider.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus, a function of shielding a magnetic head is improved while maintaining the form factor with an inexpensive structure. In one embodiment, a magnetic disk apparatus has a magnetic disk, a magnetic head that records or plays back information, a magnetic head support mechanism supporting the magnetic head, a positioning mechanism that moves the magnetic head in a radial direction of the magnetic disk to place the head in position, an enclosure made of a nonmagnetic material, and a shield member made of a magnetic material. The magnetic disk, magnetic head, magnetic head support mechanism, positioning mechanism, and shield member are housed in the enclosure.

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention allow a magnetic disk drive to achieve noise reduction and low power consumption through rotation at a low speed and a high transfer rate through rotation at a high speed while allowing reliability to be maintained and achieving an improved recording density. An embodiment of a magnetic disk drive in accordance with the present invention includes, a magnetic disk medium driven at a plurality of rotational speeds, a magnetic head for recording and reproducing data in and from the magnetic disk medium, a heater for controlling a flying height of the magnetic head, and a control unit for controlling the current to the heater, and in that the control unit controls the current to the heater. The control unit controls the current to the heater according to the plurality of rotational speeds.