Magneto-optical disk apparatus

A magneto-optical disk apparatus comprising:

• a holder which holds a magneto-optical disc cartridge containing a magneto-optical disc and which is movable between a loaded position, in which said holder is close to an optical head, and an unloaded position, in which said holder is apart from said optical head;
• a magnetic head which is movable between a stand-by position, in which said magnetic head is spaced apart from said magneto-optical disc by a predetermined distance measured in a direction perpendicular to a plane of rotation of said magneto-optical disc in said magneto-optical disc cartridge in said loaded position, and an operative position, in which said magnetic head is positioned close to said magneto-optical disc, wherein said close position is at a distance from the said optical head which is less than said predetermined distance, said distance at said close position being measured in a direction perpendicular to the plane of rotation of said magneto-optical disc in said magneto-optical disk cartridge in said loaded position, wherein said magnetic head is movable between said stand-by position and said operative position while said holder remains in said loaded position;
• and
• detecting means for detecting whether the magneto-optical disc loaded in said magneto-optical disc cartridge is a double-sided recording disc or a single-sided recording disc;
• wherein in response to a double-sided recording disc being detected by said detecting means, said magnetic head is positioned at said stand-by position simultaneously with the positioning of said holder in said loaded position, wherein said magnetic head is disabled from recording data, and in response to a single sided recording disc being detected by said detecting means, said magnetic head is positioned at said operative position.

A magneto-optical disk apparatus comprising:

• an optical head for reading a magneto-optical disk;
• a magnetic head for writing to said magneto-optical disk;
• a magnetic head moving mechanism having a stand-by position in which said magnetic head is inoperative and a loaded position in which said magnetic head may write to said magneto-optical disk;
• a disk holder for holding said magneto-optical disk;
• a disk holder moving mechanism having a loaded position in which said disk is readable by said optical head, and an unloaded position in which said magneto-optical disk may be removed from said disk apparatus;
• a disk detector that detects whether said magneto-optical disk is a double-sided recording disk or a single-sided recording disk;
• and
• a controller that includes a movement controller that controls said magnetic head moving mechanism and said disk holder moving mechanism to move said magnetic head to said standby position and said disk holder to said loaded position when said magneto-optical disk is a double-sided magneto-optical disk, whereby said double-sided disk may be read by said optical head said movement controller controlling said magnetic head moving mechanism and said disk holder moving mechanism to move said magnetic head and said disk holder to said respective loaded positions when said magneto-optical disk is a single-sided magneto-optical disk, whereby said single-sided disk may be read by said optical head and written to by said magnetic head.

A magneto-optical disk apparatus comprising:

• an optical head for reading a magneto-optical disk;
• a magnetic head for writing to said magneto-optical disk;
• a magnetic head moving mechanism having a stand-by position in which said magnetic head is inoperative and a loaded position in which said magnetic head may write to said magneto-optical disk;
• a disk holder for holding said magneto-optical disk;
• a disk holder moving mechanism having a loaded position in which said disk is readable by said optical head, and an unloaded position in which said magneto-optical disk may be removed from said disk apparatus;
• a disk detector that detects whether said magneto-optical disk is a double-sided recording disk or a single-sided recording disk;
• and
• a controller that includes a movement controller that controls said magnetic head moving mechanism and said disk holder moving mechanism to move said magnetic head to said standby position and said disk holder to said loaded position when said magneto-optical disk is a double-sided magneto-optical disk, whereby said magnetic head is inoperative but said double-sided disk may be read by said optical head.

A magneto-optical disk apparatus comprising:

• an optical head for reading a magneto-optical disk;
• a magnetic head for writing to said magneto-optical disk;
• a magnetic head moving mechanism having an initial position in which said magnetic head is inoperative, a loaded position in which said magnetic head may write to said magneto-optical disk, and an intermediate position, between said initial position and said loaded position, in which said magnetic head is inoperative;
• a disk holder for holding said magneto-optical disk in a loaded position in which said disk is readable by said optical head;
• a control system that includes:
• a movement controller that controls said magnetic head moving mechanism to move said magnetic head from said initial position to stop at said loaded position, whereby a single-sided magneto-optical disk is writable by said magnetic head said movement controller controlling said magnetic head moving mechanism to move said magnetic head from said initial position to stop at said intermediate position, whereby a double-sided magneto-optical disk is not writable by said magnetic head.