Disk drive having a thickness equal to an IC memory card

A disk drive for insertion into a slot formed in an external apparatus, said slot having a size for receiving an IC memory card therein, said disk drive comprising:

• a housing;
• and
• at least one connector fixed outside said housing, said at least one connector being specified by a specification of PCMCIA-ATA,
• wherein an inside of said housing includes
• a) a disk that stores information;
• b) a disk driving means that forces said disk to rotate;
• c) a head assembly that performs read/write operation on said disk;
• and
• d) electronic circuitry that includes at least one interface circuit,
• wherein said at least one connector is connected to said electronic circuitry, and
• wherein a whole outer dimensions including said housing and connector are a same in size as those of the IC memory card standardized by a specification of type II of PCMCIA having a thickness of 5 mm,
• wherein said housing comprises a base at the lower side and a cover at the upper side, and wherein a printed circuit board includes at least electronic components that constitute said electronic circuitry, said printed circuit board being located along either one inner wall surface or both respective inner wall surfaces of said base and said cover, wherein said electronic components are separated into one group processing at least analog signals and another group processing only digital signals, and wherein the former group is mounted on either one of upper and lower sides of said printed circuit board, while the latter group is mounted on the other of the upper side and lower side thereof, separately to each other.

A disk drive for insertion into a slot formed in an external apparatus, said slot having a size for receiving an IC memory card therein, said disk drive comprising:

• a housing;
• and
• at least one connector fixed outside said housing;
• wherein an inside of said housing includes
• a) at least one disk that stores information;
• b) a disk driving means that forces said at least one disk to rotate;
• c) a head assembly that performs read/write operations on said at least one disk;
• and
• d) electronic circuitry that includes at least one interface circuit, and
• wherein said at least one connector is connected to said electronic circuitry,
• wherein said housing has
• a base element located at a bottom portion of said housing;
• a cover element located at a top portion of said housing;
• and
• a frame element that is located at a side portion of said housing and has a predetermined thickness, and
• wherein a whole outer dimensions including said housing and said at least one connector having a thickness of 5 mm which is compatible in size with a size of the IC memory card specified by a specification of type II of PCMCIA,
• wherein a printed circuit board includes at least electronic components that constitute said electronic circuitry, said printed circuit board being located along either one inner wall surface or both respective inner wall surfaces of said base element and said cover element, wherein said electronic components are separated into one group processing at least analog signals and another group processing only digital signals, and wherein the former group is mounted on either one of upper and lower sides of said printed circuit board, while the latter group is mounted on the other of the upper side and lower side thereof, separately to each other.

A disk drive for insertion into a slot formed in an external apparatus, said slot having a size for receiving an IC memory card therein, said disk drive comprising:

• a housing, an inside of said housing includes
• a disk that stores information;
• a disk driving means that forces said disk to rotate and that includes a motor having a stator in a position inside an outer diameter of said disk;
• a head assembly that performs read/write operations on said disk;
• and
• electronic circuitry that includes at least one interface circuit which allows communication with an external host computer formed in said external apparatus;
• and
• at least one connector, that is connected to said electronic circuitry, is fixed outside said housing,
• wherein said interface circuit is coupled to another connector of said external host computer via said at least one connector which is connected to said electronic circuitry, so as to receive information from said interface circuit and send information to said interface circuit, and
• wherein a whole outer dimensions including said housing and said at least one connector having a thickness of 5 mm which is compatible in size with a size of the IC memory card specified by a specification of type II of PCMCIA,
• wherein said housing comprises a base at the lower side and a cover at the upper side, and wherein a printed circuit board includes at least electronic components that constitute said electronic circuitry, said printed circuit board being located along either one inner wall surface or both respective inner wall surfaces of said base and said cover, wherein said electronic components are separated into one group processing at least analog signals and another group processing only digital signals, and wherein the former group is mounted on either one of upper and lower sides of said printed circuit board, while the latter group is mounted on the other of the upper side and lower side thereof, separately to each other.

A disk drive for insertion into a slot formed in an external apparatus, said slot having a size for receiving an IC memory card therein, said disk drive comprising:

• a housing, an inside of the housing including
• a disk that stores information;
• a disk driving means that forces said disk to rotate and that includes a motor having a stator in a position inside an outer diameter of said disk;
• a head assembly that performs read/write operations on said disk;
• and
• electronic circuitry that includes at least one interface circuit which is specified by a specification of PCMCIA-ATA;
• and
• at least one connector, that is connected to said electronic circuitry, is fixed outside said housing,
• wherein a whole outer dimensions including said housing and said at least one connector are a same as a specification of type II of PCMCIA having a thickness of 5 mm which is compatible in size with a size of the IC memory card,
• wherein said housing comprises a base at the lower side and a cover at the upper side, and wherein a printed circuit board includes at least electronic components that constitute said electronic circuitry, said printed circuit board being located along either one inner wall surface or both respective inner wall surfaces of said base and said cover, wherein said electronic components are separated into one group processing at least analog signals and another group processing only digital signals, and wherein the former group is mounted on either one of upper and lower sides of said printed circuit board, while the latter group is mounted on the other of the upper side and lower side thereof, separately to each other.

A disk drive comprising:

• a housing for an IC memory card which is specified by a specification of type II of PCMCIA, an inside of said housing including
• a disk that stores information,
• a disk driving means that forces said disk to rotate,
• a head assembly that perform read/write operation on said disk, and
• electronic circuitry that includes at least one interface circuit which is specified by the specification of PCMCIA-ATA;
• and
• at least one connector, that is connected to said electronic circuitry, is fixed outside said housing,
• wherein said housing comprises a base at the lower side and a cover at the upper side, and wherein a printed circuit board includes at least electronic components that constitute said electronic circuitry, said printed circuit board being located along either one inner wall surface or both respective inner wall surfaces of said base and said cover, wherein said electronic components are separated into one group processing at least analog signals and another group processing only digital signals, and wherein the former group is mounted on either one of upper and lower sides of said printed circuit board, while the latter group is mounted on the other of the upper side and lower side thereof, separately to each other.

A disk drive comprising:

• a housing for an IC memory card which is specified by a specification of type II of PCMCIA, said housing including a cover and a base which are made of iron and formed by a press forming process, an inside of said housing including
• a disk that stores information,
• a disk driving means that forces said disk to rotate,
• a head assembly that perform read/write operations on said disk, and
• electronic circuitry that includes at least one interface circuit which is specified by the specification of PCMCIA-ATA;
• and
• at least one connector, that is connected to said electronic circuitry, is fixed outside said housing,
• wherein said housing comprises a base at the lower side and a cover at the upper side, and wherein a printed circuit board includes at least electronic components that constitute said electronic circuitry, said printed circuit board being located along either one inner wall surface or both respective inner wall surfaces of said base and said cover, wherein said electronic components are separated into one group processing at least analog signals and another group processing only digital signals, and wherein the former group is mounted on either one of upper and lower sides of said printed circuit board, while the latter group is mounted on the other of the upper side and lower side thereof, separately to each other.