US 4,539,614 AGranted

Flexible magnetic disk clamping an injector mechanism

AssigneeDrivetec, Inc.

InventorHerbert E. Thompson

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Abstract

A floppy disk drive mechanism includes a clamping lever which is turned to align the floppy disk with a drive spindle and clamp it thereto. The clamping lever is not accessible until the disk has been fully inserted into the drive mechanism thus minimizing damage as may occur by operating the clamping mechanism when the disk is not fully inserted. Further, turning of the accessible handle causes a rotational clamping device to be moved vertically downward along a line perpendicular to the plane of the floppy disk so as to further align the disk with the drive spindle and clamp it thereto. The clamping lever also is not accessible when in the fully clamped condition. An overcenter link holds the clamping mechanism in the fully clamped condition and a lock-out prevents ejection of said disk during operation. By pushing a release button, the over-center link is disengaged and a spring-loaded mechanism unclamps the clamping mechanism and raises the read/write head free of the disk. The spring-loaded mechanism includes a member that strikes the disk driving it partially out from the drive mechanism so that it can be readily removed. At the same time, the clamping lever is returned to its recessed, rest position.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A disk drive having a frame including a front end, left and right side walls disposed at opposite ends of said front end, a support member connected between said side walls and said front end of said frame, a face plate connected outward of and adjacent to said front end so as to be substantially perpendicular to said support member, having an aperture in said support member and a spindle extending through said aperture, said spindle connected to said drive and including a first inner wall defining a first recess therein and an abutment surface for supporting an associated flexible magnetic disk adjacent to a central opening thereof, a mechanism for appropriately providing either a centering and clamping action or an ejection force to said flexible magnetic disk, said mechanism comprising:

a guide slot in said face plate for accepting and fully enclosing said flexible magnetic disk, said guide slot including alignment means and end stops which the disk rests against when fully inserted;
rotatable means for centering and clamping said disk to said spindle, said rotatable means being positioned in axial alignment with said spindle;
rotor means adapted for connection to said rotatable means for driving said rotatable means between a disk clamping position and a disk releasing position as said rotor means turn in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction;
spring-loaded means for supplying a clockwise or a counterclockwise turning motion to said rotor means, whereby said rotatable means may be brought into centering and clamping engagement with said disk so as to center it with and clamp it to said abutment surface of said spindle;
and
means for locking said spring-loaded means when said rotatable means is in clamping engagement with said disk and said spindle.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.