Read/write head retract mechanism

Abstract

A retract mechanism for a magnet head which can read from and/or write to a disk, the mechanism includes a spring arm which supports the head and urges the head toward the disk. The spring arm includes a cam follower which rides along the surface of the cam, which has two parallel horizontal surfaces and two incline surfaces. The spring arm is moved by an actuator in a radial direction along the disk. When the spring arm is moved radially away from the center of the disk, the cam urges the spring arm upwardly, thereby lifting the head up and away from the disk. As the spring arm continues to move radially away from the center of the disk, the cam guides the spring arm such that the head rests safely on a landing platform.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following, explanation will be given on the invention referring to drawings showing the embodiments thereof.

In FIG. 5, reference numberal 3 is a read and/or write head for reading and/or writing a magnetic disk 1 which is rotatably driven by a spindle motor, the read and/or write head 3 comprising a slider 4 and a coil 41 fixed at one side of the slider 4. The slider 4 is attached to the tip of a tapered flat spring 5 through a gimbal spring, being supported by the flat spring 5 so that it is energized towards the magnetic disk 1. At the tip of the spring 5, a U-shaped cam follower 51 engaging with a ramp type cam 7 to be described later is formed. The base tip of the flat spring 5 is attached to an actuator 6 which rotates around a pivot shaft 61, as in the prior art of FIG. 1. The actuator 6 is in the form of an arm, on the tip of which is attached the flat spring 5, and moves the read and/or write head 3 on the magnetic disk 1 to the loading direction shown by an arrow 12 and to the retracting direction (unloading direction) shown by an arrow 13. The cam 7 is directed along the radial direction of the magnetic disk 1 so that the cam follower 51 moves on its profile. The cam 7 surrounds the outer edge of the magnetic disk 1, the upper and lower sides of which have two ramps each of whose thickness increases and decreases gradually and a flat section which connects these ramps. At the side surface of the slider 4 side of the cam 7, a landing plate 8 for landing the slider 4 is integrally formed. The other construction is the same as in FIG. 1.

Now, the loading/unloading operation of the disk driving apparatus for the invention constructed in the above described manner will be explained.

FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are enlarged sectional views of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5 explaining the loading/unloading operation. In these figures, subscripts a, b and c show the positions of the slider 4 and the cam follower 51 at the time of loading, when cam follower 51 reaches its maximum displacement due to cam 7, and the time of retracting (unloading) respectively.

As shown in FIG. 5, at the time of normal operation after the power source is on, the slider 4 of the magnetic head 3 rises above the magnetic disk 1. The relation between the read and/or write head 3 and the cam 7 at this time is shown by the slider 4a and the cam follower 51a shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7(a). After this, when the power source is turned off, the read and/or write head 3 is driven by the actuator 6 to the unloading direction shown in FIG. 5, the cam follower 51 being raised up along the cam 7. At this time, the slider 4 is separated from the magnetic disk 1, being in the state shown in FIG. 7(b). After that, the read and/or write head 3 advances more to the unloading direction 13, the cam follower 51 and the slider 4 connected to it both descend following the edge of cam 7, ending in the state shown in FIG. 7(c). The slider 4 rides on the landing plate 8, upon which it is supported. The motion line 14 shows the operation of the slider 4 at this time.

In addition, the loading/unloading operation of the slider 4 is performed during the rotation of the magnetic disk 1.

Next, explanation will be given for another embodiment.

Although, in the embodiment mentioned above, a flat board-like plate is shown as the landing plate 8 on which the slider 4 rides at the time of retracting, a brush-like landing plate 11 shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 may also be used. Moreover, although being not shown particularly in the figures, a landing plate on which a nonwoven fabric is sticked may also be used. Or, a landing plate on which a sheet having elasticity such as TEFLON is attached to can be used, too. Moreover, at this time, the slider 4 can be cleansed by making the slider 4 operate to rub the surface of the brush-like landing plate 11 or the landing plate on which the nonwoven fabric is attached to.

In addition, in the two embodiments mentioned above, although the slider 4 is said to load/unload during the rotation of the magnetic disk 1, CSS method can be applied in which the magnetic disk 1 is rotated after the loading/unloading of the slider 4.

As described in the above, according to the invention, as the head retract mechanism of the disk driving apparatus is so combined with the cam and landing plate as to support the slider, the slider does not hang from the spring, thereby high reliability can be obtained even when turbulence from the exterior such as vibration and shock is occurred.

In addition, according to an embodiment wherein an elastic sheet is attached to the landing plate, more positive absorption effect of shock can be obtained.

Moreover, using a brush-like landing plate, more surface contact is made with the slider than by using an elastic sheet, thereby supporting the slider better. Thus, this embodiment is more effective in absorbing shock.

Furthermore, there is an effect on lengthening the life of the disk driving apparatus by making the slider operate to cleanse itself on the landing plate on which the nonwoven fabric is sticked or on the brush-like landing plate.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit of essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the description preceding them, and all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds thereof are therefore intended to be embraced by the claims.

Claims

1. A read/write head retract apparatus for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:

a read and/or write head;

a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;

an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;

a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and

a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading.

2. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recording disk has magnetic recording surfaces disposed on both sides thereof.

3. A read/write retract apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said read and/or write head is a magnetic head having a slider which rises according to rotation of said recording disk.

4. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:

a read and/or write head;

a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;

an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;

a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and

a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading,

wherein said cam is provided along the radial direction of said recording disk, and has two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which connects the two tapered surfaces.

5. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cam includes a cam surface disposed at an outer periphery of said disk and extending in a radial direction along said recording disk.

6. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 5, for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:

a read and/or write head;

a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;

an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;

a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; said

a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading,

wherein said cam includes a cam surface disposed at an outer periphery of said disk and extending in a radial direction along said recording disk, and

wherein said cam surface comprises two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which interconnects the two tapered surfaces.

7. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein one of said tapered surfaces leads to said platform.

8. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:

a read and/or write head;

a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;

an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;

a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and

a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during loading,

wherein said cam comprises a pair of cam surfaces each extending in a radial direction of said recording disk and disposed at respective magnetic recording surfaces on opposed sides of said disk.

9. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein each cam surface comprises two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which interconnects the two tapered surfaces.

10. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein one of said tapered surfaces leads to said platform means.

11. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring has a cam follower thereon which rests directly on said cam.

12. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said cam follower is located at an outward end of said spring and wherein said head is located inwardly from said outward end.

13. A read/write head retract apparatus for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:

a read and/or write head;

a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;

an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;

a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and

a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading, wherein said platform surface includes a flat board-like landing plate upon which said read and/or write head directly rests.

14. A read/write retract apparatus for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:

a read and/or write head;

a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;

an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;

a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and

a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading, wherein said platform surface includes a brush-like landing plate upon which said read and/or write head directly rests.

15. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said flat surface and a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said flat surface.

16. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said second tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform.

17. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said second tapered surface directly contacts said platform.

18. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said second tapered surface does not directly contact said platform.

19. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed directly over said platform.

20. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein a plane of said second tapered surface intersects said platform.

21. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said flat surface and a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said flat surface.

22. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said second tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform.

23. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein said second tapered surface directly contacts said platform.

24. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein said second tapered surface does not directly contact said platform.

25. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed directly over said platform.

26. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein a plane of said second tapered surface intersects said platform.

27. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein an upper cam surface of said pair of cam surfaces comprises a first upper tapered surface, a second upper tapered surface, and an upper flat surface connecting said first upper tapered surface and said second upper tapered surface,

wherein said first upper tapered surface is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said upper flat surface and said second upper tapered surface is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said upper flat surface,

wherein a lower cam surface of said pair of cam surfaces comprises a first lower tapered surface, a second lower tapered surface, and a lower flat surface connecting said first lower tapered surface and said second lower tapered surface, and

wherein said first lower tapered surface is located closer to said center of said recording disk than said lower flat surface and said second lower tapered surface is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said lower flat surface.

28. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 27, wherein said second upper tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform, and

wherein said second lower tapered surface leads a second read and/or write head towards said platform.

29. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein said second upper tapered surface and said second lower tapered surface directly contact said platform.

30. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein said second upper tapered surface and said second lower tapered surface do not directly contact said platform.

31. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein a lowermost edge of said second upper tapered surface is disposed directly over said platform and an uppermost edge of said second lower tapered surface is disposed directly under said platform.

32. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein a plane of said second upper tapered surface intersects said platform and a plane of said second lower tapered surface intersects said platform.

33. A read/write head retract apparatus for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:

a read and/or write head;

a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;

an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;

a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and

a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading,

wherein said spring has a cam follower thereon which rests directly on said cam,

wherein said cam follower is located at an outward end of said spring and wherein said head is located inwardly from said outward end,

wherein said cam comprises a cam surface for guiding said cam follower, and

wherein said cam surface comprises a first tapered surface, a second tapered surface, and a flat surface connecting said first tapered surface and said second tapered surface.

34. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 33, wherein said first tapered surface is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said flat surface and said second tapered surface is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said flat surface, and

wherein said second tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform.

35. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located outside an outer circumference of said recording disk.

36. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located inside an outer circumference of said recording disk.

37. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located outside an outer circumference of said recording disk.

38. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located inside an outer circumference of said recording disk.

39. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 18, wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed above said platform such that a plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said lowermost edge.

40. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed above said platform such that a plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said lowermost edge.

41. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 30, wherein a lowermost edge of said second upper tapered surface is disposed above said platform such that a plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said lowermost edge, and

wherein an uppermost edge of said second lower tapered surface is disposed below said platform such that said plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said uppermost edge.