Superconductor devices useful for disk drives and the like
AssigneeUniversity of Colorado Foundation, Inc.
InventorFrank S. Barnes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Superconducting material improves the operating efficiency and reduces the operating power demand for a disk drive suitable for interchanging data with a magnetic or optic media. The arm containing the head is moved along a path by a balanced superconductor to magnetic field interface such as for radial positioning relative to a circular media and is maintained in constant spatial relation with respect to the media by advantageous application of superconductive layers and magnetic field sources. The superconductor environment also permits efficient bearing support for the media as well as accommodating superconductor motors for driving the media and the use of various circuit elements associated with the drive electronics.
Claims14
Apparatus for exchanging information with a circular media and which includes a drive mechanism for radially positioning a head relative to the media with the head including structure for imparting information to the media, for detecting information on the media, or both, comprising:
- an arm having at least one head attached thereto wherein said head is capable of interchanging information with the media, and
- bearing means for suspending said arm, said bearing means including a superconductor layer element, a magnetic field source element and means mounting one of said elements on said arm and the other said element in interfacing relationship to said one of said elements so that said interfacing relationship is maintained throughout the radial travel of said arm.
A drive for exchanging information between a circular media mounted on a spindle and a head comprising
- an elongated arm having the head attached thereto and a layer of superconductor material on one side thereof, said arm being radially positionable over the surface of the circular media,
- an annular magnet means in peripheral relation to the circular media and oriented to direct a magnetic field towards said arm superconductor layer for maintaining a relatively constant spacing between said arm and the media throughout the radial travel of said arm relative to the circular media,
- a bearing assembly including a second annular magnet means and an annular ring of superconductor material in interfacing relation and attached for supporting said circular media in concentric relation to the media spindle,
- a motor constructed at least in part of superconductor material and coupled for imparting rotary motion to the media spindle, and
- means controlling the environment of said drive for maintaining all said superconductor materials in their superconducting state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.