US 5,969,907 A · Magnetic disk drive

Abstract

A magnetic disk drive comprises a plurality of disks that have a laminated arrangement with equally fixed spaces respectively and are rotatably mounted a disk driving unit that forces the disks to rotate, a plurality of positioners mounted and movable in the direction of the tracks of the disks respectively, a positioner driving unit that drives the positioners so that their respective ends can traverse the tracks, and a plurality of reproducing/recording elements e.g., unitary magnetic heads that are fixed on the respective ends of the positioners and perform read/write operations for the surfaces of recording media of the disks, respectively. Each of the unitary magnetic heads is constructed such that each of said heads has a predetermined inclination is to the respectively corresponding surface of recording media of the disks, preferably by forming a sloping surface on one end of each positioner. Preferably, circuits for controlling the disk driving unit and the magnetic head, etc., of a disk drive are composed of a flexible printed circuit board to be contained in the disk enclosure having a base and cover.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims7

Dependent claims

A magnetic disk drive comprising:

two disks having a diameter of less than 1.8 inch;
a disk driving means that forces said disks to rotate;
four magnetic heads which perform read/write operations for the corresponding surfaces of said disks respectively;
arms that support said magnetic heads;
positioners that support said arms rotatably;
bearings that are arranged to allow said positioners to rotate;
a positioner driving means that forces said positioners to rotate and makes each of said magnetic heads move to a predetermined position on the surface of each of said disks;
a base and cover forming a disk enclosure in combination with each other, said disk enclosure enclosing said disks, said disk driving means, said magnetic heads, said arms, said positioners, said bearings and said positioner driving means in a first space, said disk enclosure further having a second space not including said disks, said disk driving means, said magnetic heads, said arms, said positioners, said bearings and said positioner driving means;
and
a flexible printed circuit board secured to an inner surface of at least one of said base and said cover in at least said second space;
said flexible printed circuit board including, in said second space, circuits for controlling said disk driving means, read/write operations of said magnetic heads and said positioner driving means,
said printed circuit board being arranged in portion of said second space which is opposite to at least one said disk, said space including the inner surfaces of said base and said cover and excluding an area occupied by an actuator and a positioner, whereby the entire space in said disk enclosure can be used effectively to reduce the height of said disk enclosure to less than about 10.5 mm.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description8,981 words

Summary2,021 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates to a magnetic disk drive that can be utilized as an external memory of a computer. More specifically, it relates to an electromagnetic read/write structure of a magnetic disk drive including at least one magnetic disk, the corresponding magnetic head, and the like. Further, it relates to the arrangement of various components of a magnetic disk drive within a disk enclosure.

#2. Description of the Related Art

Brief description of the drawings39 figures

#The above object and features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

#FIG. 1 is a top view of a magnetic head supporting structure for a disk drive according to a prior art;

#FIG. 2 is a front view of the magnetic head supporting structure of FIG. 1;

Detailed description6,138 words

#Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, the related disadvantages will be described with reference to-the related figures.

#FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are views showing a disk drive having a magnetic head supporting structure according to a prior art. To be more specific, FIG. 1 is a top view showing the magnetic head supporting structure and FIG. 2 is a front view showing the magnetic head supporting structure and FIG. 3 is a front view showing the main part of the magnetic disk drive including the magnetic head supporting structure. In this case, positioners that support arms are omitted to simplify the explanation.

#In these figures, an arm 1, which is fixed on each of the positioners and driven by each positioner so that the arm 1 can traverse the track of the corresponding disk 7, is provided for each disk. Further, a base end portion of each suspension element 3 is fastened to the tip portion of each arm 1, via a spacer 2, with screws 4. In this case, the above suspension element is formed by bending an extremely thin stainless steel sheet to form the main part of a supporting member. Here, the spacer 2 is utilized as reinforcing material for the suspension element 3. Further, on both sides of the suspension element 3, bent portions 3a are formed respectively to ensure the stiffness of the above suspension element. Further, each reproducing/recording element, e.g., magnetic head 6 is attached to the tip end portion of each suspension element 3, via gimbal 5 functioning as a part of the supporting members. Further, as shown particularly in FIG. 3, a number of disks 7 are arranged rotatably with high speed in a laminated manner with equally divided spaces respectively. Each magnetic head 6 is fixed in close proximity to the surface of the corresponding disk 7, so that the former can perform data read/write operations for the track of each disk.

Facts

Application

08/549,033Filed 27 Oct 1995 · continuation

Priority

JP 3-13788410 Jun 1991

Granted

19 Oct 1999

Term ended

8 Jun 2012

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination. Patent term adjustment is unavailable; no adjustment was added.

Classification5 codes

G11B 33/121
Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules: the apparatus comprising a single recording/reproducing device
G11B 5/4813
Specially adapted for disk drive assemblies, e.g. assembly prior to operation, hard or flexible disk drives: mounting or aligning of arm…
G11B 19/2009
Driving; Starting; Stopping; Control thereof: turntables, hubs and motors for disk drives; Mounting of motors in the drive
G11B 25/043
Using flat record carriers, e.g. disc, card: using rotating discs

Magnetic disk drive

Life of this patent

Magnetic disk drive

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims7

Description8,981 words

Classification5 codes

Life of this patent

Drawings

Description8,981 words