US 4,069,508 AGranted

Flexible magnetic disc recording system

AssigneeTexas Instruments Incorporated

InventorFrank Thomas Bilek

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Abstract

A system is provided for recording and/or reading information on the upper major surface of a flexible information storage disc. The system is comprised of a stationary surface or smoothing plane and a rotational drive member wherein the flexible disc is rotated over the stationary surface with the lower major surface of such disc facing the stationary surface. At least one opening is provided in the disc for receiving the rotational drive member and engaging therewith to provide the requisite rotation to the disc. The rotational drive member is essentially perpendicular to the stationary surface with the disc being free to move laterally along the drive member. Rotation of the disc causes the disc to rise above the surface, creating an air cushion between the flexible disc and surface. A recording and/or playback head is selectively passed over the upper major surface of the flexible disc for reading and/or writing information on the disc as it rotates.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A system for recording and/or reading information on a major surface of a sheet of flexible information storage media having upper and lower opposite major surfaces and at least one opening therethrough comprising:

a. a body having a stationary smoothing plane surface;
b. rotational means having an upper major surface located substantially in or below said smoothing plane surface for rotating said information storage media over said stationary surface with the lower major surface of said information storage media facing said stationary surface and the upper major surface of said rotational means, said rotational means having at least one pin member which mates with said at least one opening for coupling said information storage media to said rotational means, said at least one opening having a larger perimeter than said at least one pin member to the extent that said information storage media is freely laterally movable along said pin member wherein a fluid cushion of optimum thickness is substantially evenly formed between said stationary surface and the lower major surface of said storage media when said information storage media is in rotation over said stationary surface, and also forms, to at least said predetermined thickness, a fluid layer between the upper major surface of said rotational means and the lower major surface of said storage media, said fluid being drawn through said at least one opening to form said cushion and said information storage media being self-positioning along said pin member;
and
c. a recording and/or reading head mounted in a predetermined position with respect to the stationary surface of said body for recording and/or reading said information on said information storage media when said media is in rotation.

1 more element

A system for recording and/or reading information on a recording surface of flexible information storage media, said media including a sheet of flexible material having upper and lower major surfaces, a central mounting portion extending radially outwardly from the approximate geometric center of said sheet and an outer body portion integral with the center mounting portion and concentric therewith, the outer body portion of one of the major surfaces of said flexible material providing said recording surface on which information may be recorded, said central mounting portion being provided with at least one aperture extending from said upper major surface to said lower major surface, said system comprising:

a. a body having a stationary smoothing plane surface and an opening extending to said stationary surface;
b. rotational means having an upper major surface opening with said upper major surface located substantially in or below said smoothing plane surface for rotating said sheet of flexible material over said stationary surface with the lower major surface of said flexible material facing said stationary surface, said rotational means having at least one pin member which mates with said at least one aperture for coupling said infomation storage media to said rotational means, said at least one opening having a large perimeter than the perimeter of the said at least one pin member to the extent that said information storage media is freely laterally movable along said pin member wherein a fluid cushion of predetermined optimum thickness is substantially evenly formed between said stationary surface and the lower major surface of said storage media when said information storage media is in rotation over said stationary surface, and also forms, to at least said predetermined thickness, a fluid layer between the upper major surface of said rotational means and the lower major surface of said storage media, said fluid being drawn through said at least one opening to form said cushion and said information storage media being self-positioning along said pin member with respect to said rotational means;
and
c. a recording and/or reading head mounted in a predetermined position with respect to the stationary surface of said body for recording and/or reading information on the outer body portion of the recording surface of said sheet of flexible material when said sheet of flexible material is in rotation over said surface.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.