Abstract: A data recording apparatus includes a memory card reader, and an optical disk recording/reproduction device. The optical disk recording/reproduction device includes a unit for transmitting data read by the memory card reading, and for inhibiting the opening of a tray during the recording of data. The apparatus further has a unit for confirming, after the completion of data recording, that a memory card has been removed, a unit for opening the tray when the removal of the memory card has been confirmed and a tray ejection operation has been performed, and a unit for closing the tray after the tray has been open for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing device for use in recording and reproducing data on and from a recording medium while moving read/write head means relative to the recording medium in a moving direction, which comprises a carriage supporting the read/write head means and guided by a guiding member in the moving direction, and a voice coil motor comprising a voice coil and a magnetic circuit device for driving the carriage in the moving direction. The carriage has a coil holding portion by which the voice coil is fixedly held in the condition that the coil axis is arranged in the moving direction. The voice coil is applied with a driving electric current for driving the carriage. The magnetic circuit device is fixedly disposed adjacent to the voice coil to generate a magnetic field intersecting the driving current flowing through the voice coil, the voice coil moving in the moving direction together with the carriage by an interaction of the driving current and the magnetic field.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing device for use in recording and reproducing data on and from a recording medium while moving read/write head means relative to the recording medium in a moving direction, which comprises a carriage supporting the read/write head means and guided by a guiding member in the moving direction, and a voice coil motor comprising a voice coil and a magnetic circuit device for driving the carriage in the moving direction. The carriage has a coil holding portion by which the voice coil is fixedly held in the condition that the coil axis is arranged in the moving direction. The voice coil is applied with a driving electric current for driving the carriage. The magnetic circuit device is fixedly disposed adjacent to the voice coil to generate a magnetic field intersecting the driving current flowing through the voice coil, the voice coil moving in the moving direction together with the carriage by an interaction of the driving current and the magnetic field.

Abstract: In a large-capacity FD comprising a disk-shaped recording medium on which a plurality of tracks are arranged with concentric circles, each track is divided into a predetermined number of sectors having a length equal to one another. Each sector consists of a serve field and a data field. The servo field in each sector includes a sector number field in which a sector number and alternation contents of the magnetic disk medium are written and a track number field in which a track number is written. The sectors on each track may be assigned with serial sector numbers in a circumferential direction in order with skipping over any defective sector. The plurality of tracks may be separated in a radial direction into a plurality of zones each including at least one alternate track.

Abstract: In a method of carrying out defect management on reading data from a disk-shaped magnetic recording medium comprising a plurality of tracks separated into a user data area available to a user, an alternate area, and a management area, the method comprises the steps of retrying reading operation of data up to a maximum retry count when an error is detected on reading of data for a target sector in the user data area and of registering the target sector in a defect table in the management area and writing read-out data in an alternate sector in the alternate area in a case where a retry count is not less than a specific count when retry results in a success.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing device for use in recording and reproducing data on and from a recording medium while moving read/write head means relative to the recording medium in a moving direction, which comprises a carriage supporting the read/write head means and guided by a guiding member in the moving direction, and a voice coil motor comprising a voice coil and a magnetic circuit device for driving the carriage in the moving direction. The carriage has a coil holding portion by which the voice coil is fixedly held in the condition that the coil axis is arranged in the moving direction. The voice coil is applied with a driving electric current for driving the carriage. The magnetic circuit device is fixedly disposed adjacent to the voice coil to generate a magnetic field intersecting the driving current flowing through the voice coil, the voice coil moving in the moving direction together with the carriage by an interaction of the driving current and the magnetic field.

Abstract: In a motor drive for driving a motor having three-phase coils in both a high rotation speed mode making the motor at a high rotation speed and a low rotation speed mode making the motor at a low rotation speed which is extremely lower than the high rotation speed, the motor drive comprises a mode selection circuit for making a connection of the three-phase coils unipolar and bipolar connections on the high and the low rotation speed modes, respectively. A frequency generation pattern detects a rotation speed of the motor. On the basis of the rotation speed detected by the frequency generation pattern, a combination of a PLL circuit and a driving transistor drives the motor at the high and the low rotation speeds on the high and the low rotation speed modes, respectively.

Abstract: In a motor drive for driving a motor having three-phase coils in both a high rotation speed mode in which the motor rotates at a high rotation speed and a low rotation speed mode in which the motor rotates at a low rotation speed which is extremely lower than the high rotation speed, the motor drive includes a mode selection circuit for making a connection of the three-phase coils unipolar and bipolar connections on the high and the low rotation speed modes, respectively. A frequency generation pattern detects a rotation speed of the motor. On the basis of the rotation speed detected by the frequency generation pattern, a combination of a PLL circuit and a driving transistor drives the motor at the high and the low rotation speeds in the high and the low rotation speed modes, respectively.

Abstract: In a recording/reproducing device for use in recording and reproducing data on and from a recording medium while moving read/write head means relative to the recording medium in a moving direction, which comprises a carriage supporting the read/write head means and guided by a guiding member in the moving direction, and a voice coil motor comprising a voice coil and a magnetic circuit device for driving the carriage in the moving direction. The carriage has a coil holding portion by which the voice coil is fixedly held in the condition that the coil axis is arranged in the moving direction. The voice coil is applied with a driving electric current for driving the carriage. The magnetic circuit device is fixedly disposed adjacent to the voice coil to generate a magnetic field intersecting the driving current flowing through the voice coil, the voice coil moving in the moving direction together with the carriage by an interaction of the driving current and the magnetic field.

Abstract: In a disk protection method for protecting a magnetic recording disk upon ejection thereof from a removable magnetic recording/reproducing device by an eject mechanism through operation of an eject button, data writing relative to the magnetic recording disk is inhibited in response to a data write inhibit signal which is generated immediately after the operation of the eject button and before the eject mechanism actually starts the ejection of the magnetic recording disk. The eject mechanism actually ejects the magnetic recording disk from the removable magnetic recording/reproducing device in a condition where the data writing is inhibited.

Abstract: In a method of starting rotation of a magnetic disk medium of a large-capacity flexible disk by a spindle motor for use in a high-density type flexible disk drive for carrying out data recording and reproducing operation to and from the magnetic disk medium of the large-capacity flexible disk which requires to rotate at a high rotation speed on recording and reproducing, the method includes: a first step of rotating the spindle motor at a low rotation speed lower than the high rotation speed on rotation starting of the magnetic disk medium; a second step of rotating the spindle motor at the high rotation speed subsequently to rotating of the spindle motor at the low rotation speed; a third step of rotating the spindle motor at the low rotation speed subsequently to rotating of the spindle motor at the high rotation speed; and a fourth step of rotating the spindle motor at the high rotation speed subsequently to rotating of the spindle motor at the low rotation speed at the third step.

Abstract: In a high-density FDD for driving a magnetic disk medium of an FD inserted thereinto, a switch unit 50 detects whether the inserted FD is a large-capacity FD or a small-capacity FD. A control device 60 is connected to the switch unit 50, a control device 60 controls drive of a spindle motor 100 so as to rotate the spindle motor 100 at a high rotation speed when the inserted FD is identified as a large-capacity FD, and so as to rotate the spindle motor 100 at a low rotation speed when the inserted FD is identified as a small-capacity FD.

Abstract: A flexible disk drive includes a carriage spaced from a main frame and holding a magnetic head, a pair of guide bars for guiding the carriage, rubber dampers fixed on each of the guide bars at both axial end portions thereof, and a linear motor for moving the carriage in a given radial direction of a flexible disk. When the linear motor excessively in the carriage in the given radial direction, the rubber dampers work to stop the carriage in a manner so as to prevent a shock.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording/reproducing device, a voice coil motor includes a voice coil and a magnetic circuit for producing a magnetic field intersecting the electric current flowing through the voice coil. The voice coil motor drives a carriage holding a magnetic head. A flexible printed circuit is disposed adjacent to the voice coil for feeding the electric current to the voice coil and sending signals to and from the magnetic head. Between the voice coil and the flexible printed circuit is interposed a magnetic shield for preventing to noise from influencing the flexible printed circuit upon feeding the electric current to the voice coil.

Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing device which incorporates a lift arm and presser assembly, wherein the lift arm and presser assembly includes a lift arm holding a magnetic head, a carriage attached with the lift arm which is movable relative to the carriage, and a lift arm pressing spring attached to the carriage for pressing the lift arm. The lift arm pressing spring presses the lift arm at a position closer to the magnetic head than to a middle point between the magnetic head and a center portion of the lift arm.

Abstract: A flexible disk drive includes a magnetic head carriage, a linear motor for moving the carriage, and a carriage locking mechanism for locking the carriage in response to ejecting action of a flexible disk from the flexible disk drive. A lever unit has an ejecting lever and a locking lever. The ejecting lever is a part of an ejecting mechanism for ejecting the flexible disk from the flexible disk drive. The locking lever is disposed in the vicinity of the carriage, and locks the carriage from movement after the flexible disk is ejected from the flexible disk drive by the ejecting lever. The lever unit is made of non-magnetic material such as resin as one body.