Storage device having vibratory head

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a reciprocating mechanism provided on said substrate including a supporting member and an end of an arm member fixed thereon, a second end of said arm member being located over said magnetic storage medium and said head unit being mounted on said second end of said arm member;
• and
• a driving mechanism driving said supporting member so that said head unit mounted on said arm member is made to reciprocate in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium;
• wherein said driving mechanism has a first piezoelectric element and a second piezoelectric element, said first and second piezoelectric elements being respectively mounted on opposite side surfaces of said arm member, and wherein said first and second piezoelectric elements are respectively being contracted and expanded alternatingly, whereby said arm member is made to vibrate in the plane parallel to the surface of said magnetic storage medium so that said head unit is made to reciprocate.

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a vibration mechanism provided on said substrate, said vibration mechanism causing said head unit to vibrate with a predetermined stroke width in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being made to vibrate by said vibration mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• and
• a locating mechanism provided on said substrate having a first mechanism moving said head unit and said vibration mechanism in a first direction parallel to the surface of said magnetic storage medium and a second mechanism moving said magnetic storage medium in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction and parallel to said surface of said magnetic storage medium, said locating mechanism locating said head unit at a position on said magnetic storage medium.

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a vibration mechanism provided on said substrate, said vibration mechanism causing said head unit to vibrate with a predetermined stroke width in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being made to vibrate by said vibration mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• and
• a locating mechanism provided on said substrate having a first mechanism moving said head unit and said vibration mechanism in a first direction parallel to the surface of said magnetic storage mechanism and a second mechanism moving said magnetic storage medium in a second direction and parallel to said surface of said magnetic storage medium, said locating mechanism locating said head unit at a position on said magnetic storage medium;
• wherein said vibration mechanism has a supporting member on which said head unit is mounted and a driving mechanism driving said supporting member so that said head unit mounted thereon is made to vibrate and wherein said first mechanism has a first electrostatic actuator having a fixed comb electrode provided on said substrate and a moving comb electrode provided on said supporting member so that said moving comb electrode faces said fixed comb electrode.

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a vibration mechanism provided on said substrate, said vibration mechanism causing said head unit to vibrate with a predetermined stroke width in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being made to vibrate by said vibration mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• and
• a locating mechanism provided on said substrate having a first mechanism moving said head unit and said vibration mechanism in a first direction parallel to the surface of said magnetic storage medium and a second mechanism moving said head unit and said vibration mechanism in a second direction parallel to the surface of said magnetic storage medium, said locating mechanism locating said head unit at a position on said magnetic storage mechanism.

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a vibration mechanism provided on said substrate, said vibration mechanism causing said head unit to vibrate with a predetermined stroke width in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being made to vibrate by said vibration mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• and
• a locating mechanism provided on said substrate having a first mechanism moving said magnetic storage medium in a first direction parallel to the surface of said magnetic storage medium and a second mechanism moving said magnetic storage medium in a second direction parallel to said surface of said magnetic storage medium.

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a vibration mechanism provided on said substrate, said vibration mechanism causing said head unit to vibrate with a predetermined stroke width in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being made to vibrate by said vibration mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• and
• a medium-vibrating mechanism vibrating said magnetic storage medium in a simple harmonic motion in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which said head unit vibrates, vibrations of said magnetic storage medium and said head unit being synchronized.

A storage device comprising a case and a storage unit encapsulated in said case, said storage unit comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• and
• a reciprocating mechanism provided on said substrate, said reciprocating mechanism causing said head unit to reciprocate in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein while said head unit is being moved by said reciprocating mechanism information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• said storage device further comprising a circuit unit activating said storage unit, said circuit unit being formed on said substrate of said storage unit and being encapsulated in said case with said storage unit.

A storage device comprising a case and a storage unit encapsulated in said case, said storage unit comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• and
• a reciprocating mechanism provided on said substrate, said reciprocating mechanism causing said head unit to reciprocate in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein while said head unit is being moved by said reciprocating mechanism information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• said storage device further comprising a circuit unit activating said storage unit, said circuit unit being formed on said substrate of said storage unit and being encapsulated in said case with said storage unit;
• wherein said case has a plurality of pins each projecting therefrom, said pins being electrically connected to said circuit unit, and wherein said pins are arranged to be inserted into holes in an external printed circuit board.

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a vibration mechanism provided on said substrate, said vibration mechanism causing said head unit to vibrate with a predetermined stroke width in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being made to vibrate by said vibration mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• and
• a locating mechanism provided on said substrate, said locating mechanism locating said head unit at a position on said magnetic storage medium;
• wherein a plurality of data cells are formed on said magnetic storage medium, each of said data cells being an area in which information is to be stored, and wherein said locating mechanism locates said head unit at a desired position on each of said data cells.

A storage device comprising:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• and
• a vibration mechanism provided on said substrate, said vibration mechanism causing said head unit to vibrate with a predetermined uniform stroke width in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being made to vibrate by said vibration mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit.

A storage device comprising a storage unit for magnetically storing information, said storage unit having:

• a substrate;
• a magnetic storage medium provided on said substrate, information being magnetically stored in said magnetic storage medium;
• a head unit;
• a reciprocating mechanism provided on said substrate, said reciprocating mechanism reciprocating said head unit in a plane parallel to a surface of said magnetic storage medium, wherein, while said head unit is being moved by said reciprocating mechanism, information is recorded in or reproduced from said magnetic storage medium via said head unit;
• a locating mechanism provided on said substrate, said locating mechanism locating said head unit at a desired position on said magnetic storage medium;
• and
• a circuit unit activating said storage unit wherein said circuit unit includes a first circuit driving said reciprocating mechanism and a second circuit driving said locating mechanism.