Magnetic disk drive having a cartridge with actuator and spindle

A magnetic disk drive comprising:

• A) a cartridge including:
• a) a planar magnetic recording medium;
• b) a spindle fixed to a central part of the magnetic recording medium;
• c) a magnetic head which is fixed to an actuator through a suspension and which magnetically writes information on the magnetic recording medium and reads the information recorded on the magnetic recording medium;
• the suspension being a leaf spring with one end being fixed to the actuator and the other end supporting the magnetic head in such a manner as to enable the magnetic head to be pushed up vertically relative to the actuator;
• d) the actuator which supports the magnetic head at one end thereof and which rocks around a pivot in a plane parallel to a recording surface of the recording medium;
• e) a shutter mechanism which is closed so as to accommodate the magnetic recording medium, spindle, magnetic head and actuator in the cartridge in a sealed state and which is opened so as to expose at least a part of the spindle and the actuator in an unsealed state;
• f) a means for moving the magnetic head outside of the recording surface of the magnetic recording medium in a plane which is parallel to the recording surface of the magnetic recording medium by rotating the actuator when the shutter mechanism is closed;
• g) a retracting cam for pushing up the suspension when the shutter mechanism is closed;
• and
• h) a ramp loading mechanism for receiving the suspension and holding the vertical position of the magnetic head when the magnetic head moves outside of the recording surface of the magnetic recording medium and the suspension is pushed up;
• and
• B) a driving device including:
• i) a loading mechanism for mounting the cartridge on the driving device while opening the shutter mechanism and for removing the cartridge while closing the shutter mechanism;
• j) a spindle driving mechanism for rotating the magnetic recording medium by rotating the spindle in the unsealed state in which the cartridge is mounted;
• and
• k) an actuator driving mechanism for moving the position of the magnetic head by rocking the actuator in the unsealed state in which the cartridge is mounted.

A magnetic disk drive comprising:

• A) a cartridge including:
• a) a planar magnetic recording medium;
• b) a spindle fixed to a central part of the magnetic recording medium;
• c) a magnetic head which is fixed to an actuator and which magnetically writes information written on the magnetic recording medium;
• d) the actuator which supports the magnetic head at one end thereof and which rocks around a pivot in a plane parallel to a recording surface of the recording medium;
• e) a shutter mechanism which is closed so as to accommodate the magnetic recording medium, spindle, magnetic head and actuator in the cartridge in a sealed state and which is opened so as to expose at least the spindle and the pivot in an unsealed state;
• and
• f) an elastic thin-film seal which is an annular member composed of a plurality of scale-like pieces so as to cover a peripheral edge of the exposed pivot, which is deformed by a rotational force around the pivot and which absorbs the rotational force by deformation and seals at least the peripheral edge of the exposed pivot;
• and
• B) a driving device including:
• g) a loading mechanism for mounting the cartridge on the driving device while opening the shutter mechanism and for removing the cartridge while closing the shutter mechanism;
• h) a spindle driving mechanism for rotating the magnetic recording medium by rotating the spindle in the unsealed state in which the cartridge is mounted;
• i) an actuator driving mechanism for moving the position of the magnetic head by rocking the actuator in the unsealed state in which the cartridge is mounted;
• j) a turntable opposed to one end of the pivot in such a manner as to seal the exposed pivot in an axial direction when the cartridge is mounted on the driving device and the shutter mechanism is open;
• and
• k) a coupling member engaged with the turntable so as to transmit rotational force of the actuator driving mechanism and rotate the turntable.