Abstract: A magnetic disk drive having a disk for storing information, a spindle motor for rotating the disk, a head for recording information into the disk and reproducing information from said disk, a suspension supporting a slider provided with the head, a carriage supporting said suspension, a voice coil motor for exerting a rotational torque to the carriage so as to locate the head on the disk, a base and a cover, and a ramp serving as a guide for unloading the head from the disk. A part of the suspension slides over the ramp so as to effect the unloading operation and the position or the posture of the ramp is changed by sliding movement of the part of the suspension over and with respect to the ramp during the unloading operation.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive provided with a loadunload mechanism of the rampload type is disclosed, in which even if loading and unloading operations are frequently repeated, damage to a head due to impingement during the unloading operation is eliminated, and a ramp and the lift-tab of a suspension are less liable to wear, and an operation failure or malfunction due to wear debris is eliminated, thereby providing the drive of high reliability. The ramp is supported for minute displacement, and the posture of the ramp is changed during the unloading operation. The restraining members for restraining the posture of the ramp are provided, and the cushioning members are provided at portions that the ramp and the restraining members come into contact with each other.

Abstract: Shock-absorbing material made from a mixture of solid particles and viscous elastic material is arranged at the periphery of an information storage and retrieval device. When an external shock is applied to the device, the shock-absorbing material is greatly deformed and dissipates the shock energy by inner friction sufficiently to prevent damage to the inner mechanism of the device. The deformed shock-absorbing material can be restored to the original shape so that it is repeatedly usable. Furthermore, by comparing the deformed shape and the quick reference table provided with the device, the amount shock acceleration can be roughly determined. The device conforms to one of a series of dimensional standards for information storage and retrieval devices.

Abstract: In a magnetic disk apparatus, the spindle motor is provided with a hole that penetrates the hub in the axial direction thereof. The hole permits fluid pressure on the outside and inside of the hub to become balanced, reducing the axial fluid force caused by the rotation of the spindle motor. The apparatus further includes a bearing provided with a groove for dynamic pressure generation and a magnetic lubrication fluid which, in combination with a permanent magnet, prevents oil leakage and scattering.

Abstract: Shock-absorbing material made from a mixture of solid particles and viscous elastic material is arranged at the periphery of an information storage and retrieval device. When an external shock is applied to the device, the shock-absorbing material is greatly deformed and dissipates the shock energy by inner friction sufficiently to prevent damage to the inner mechanism of the device. The deformed shock-absorbing material can be restored to the original shape so that it is repeatedly usable. Furthermore, by comparing the deformed shape and the quick reference table provided with the device, the amount shock acceleration can be roughly determined. The device conforms to one of a series of dimensional standards for information storage and retrieval devices.

Abstract: A disc device which includes a rotary drive mechanism for rotating a replaceable recording medium. An unbalance correcting mechanism adapted to correct unbalance is incorporated in a rotary body rotating unit in the rotary drive mechanism, and includes a holding system having a holding member for holding the rotary drive mechanism and a head having at least a reproducing function. Further included is a support member composed of resilient members, for supporting a casing and a unit holder to each other. The holding system has a natural frequency higher than 30 Hz but lower than 70 Hz, and exhibits a transmission characteristic having a lift-up degree of higher than 8 dB at a resonant point.

Abstract: A rotating disk type information storage apparatus includes a rotating disk for storing information, a head for writing/reading the information, a support member for supporting the head, a first actuator for moving the support member to a predetermined position on the rotating disk, and a second actuator including a movable member supported by the support member and capable of being rotated about an axis perpendicular to a recording surface of the rotating disk, and a driving force generating member for rotating the movable member. The movable member is integrated with the support member and has the head mounted thereto, in which a center of gravity of the movable member including the mounted members generally coincides with the center of rotation of the movable member. The second actuator corrects an error in a positioning of the support member and positions the head, and the movable member is not vibrated during the positioning.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus comprises an optical pickup for directing a light beam onto pits formed in an optical disk and for receiving reflected light from the optical disk, an optical pickup supporting member including two guide rods for guiding the optical pickup in a radial direction of the optical disk, two first mounting members for mounting ends of one guide rod, and two second mounting members for mounting ends of the other guide rod, a chassis for mounting the first and second mounting members, an optical pickup driving mechanism including gears and a motor to move the optical pickup in a radial direction of the optical disk, a turntable on which the optical disk is located, and an optical disk drive motor for rotating the turntable.

Abstract: An optical disk drive has an aberration detector and an aberration correction circuit. A semiconductor laser device made of semiconductor crystals constituting a semiconductor laser light source includes an active layer for performing light amplification through current injection and guiding light in waveguide, a reflection member for reflecting light into said active layer, and a top electrode and a bottom electrode used for current injection to the active layer, wherein the top electrode is divided into a main electrode and a plurality of subsidiary electrodes, and injection current to the subsidiary electrodes is controlled so as to correct an aberration generated at an optical focussing system and an optical disk.

Abstract: An optical head for a recording device in which data are recorded on a recording surface of an optical memory disk, comprises, a head body which is substantially prevented from moving perpendicularly to the recording surface and is movable to be positioned roughly along the recording surface, an object lens for focussing a light beam on the recording surface, a carriage on which the object lens is mounted and which is movable to be positioned precisely along the recording surface, a drive base member for generating a force substantially parallel to the recording surface between the drive base member and the carriage to position precisely the carriage along the recording surface, and an elastic member for connecting the drive base member to the head body to support the drive base member relative to the head body elastically in a direction substantially parallel to the recording surface, joining areas between the elastic member and the drive base member and between the elastic member and the head body are align

Abstract: A disk locating actuator of a disk apparatus has a carrier member carrying a head and a curved flexible printed circuit fixed at its one end to the carrier member and at its other end to a base. Angles at which the flexible printed circuit is fixed are suitably determined so as to diminish any dynamic reacting force produced by vibration of the flexible printed circuit, thus ensuring high degree of head locating precision.

Abstract: An optical disk apparatus comprises an optical pickup for directing a light beam onto pits formed in an optical disk and for receiving reflected light from the optical disk, an optical pickup supporting member including two guide rods for guiding the optical pickup in a radial direction of the optical disk, two first mounting members for mounting ends of one guide rod, and two second mounting members for mounting ends of the other guide rod, a chassis for mounting the first and second mounting members, an optical pickup driving mechanism including gears and a motor to move the optical pickup in a radial direction of the optical disk, a turntable on which the optical disk is located, and an optical disk drive motor for rotating the turntable.

Abstract: In an optical scanning type tunneling microscope, reference light is prepared in addition to light used to be projected to a sample, and this reference light and also light picked up from an optical probe are caused to interfere with each other. As a result, phase information of light about a region having a very smaller dimension than a wavelength of the light irradiated from alight source can be acquired.