Isolation apparatus for use in disc drive system to mitigate effects of undesired mechanical forces and disc drive system including same

An optical drive system, comprising:

• an optical assembly including a light source capable of transmitting light through said optical assembly, and light detection means disposed in a path of returning light reflected from a respective information storage medium, said light detection means for measuring return light received from the respective medium;
• an objective lens subassembly for directing light from said light source between said optical assembly and said respective information storage medium;
• an objective lens disposed in said objective lens subassembly, said objective lens defining an optical axis;
• an actuator assembly which suspends said objective lens subassembly for relative motion thereof with respect to said actuator assembly;
• a carriage having said actuator assembly mounted thereon, said objective lens subassembly thereby being movable relative to said carriage, said carriage further having a center of mass lying on said optical axis;
• a base plate having said optical assembly secured thereto, said carriage being slidably engaged with said base plate so that said transmitting and returning light may be processed through said objective lens subassembly while said carriage moves said objective lens subassembly relative to said base plate;
• a first servomotor for moving said objective lens subassembly in a tracking direction relative to the respective medium;
• first electronic means for controlling said first servomotor;
• a motor for moving the respective medium relative to said objective lens subassembly, said motor being secured to said base plate and having a support assembly for supporting the respective medium;
• second electronic means responsive to an output signal of said light detection means, said second electronic means for decoding information carried in said return light returned from the respective medium;
• third electronic means for enabling said light source to emit light at a first intensity to encode information on the respective medium and at a second intensity to read information encoded thereon;
• data receiving means for accepting data that is storable on the respective medium;
• data encoding means being responsive to said data receiving means for representing said data to be stored in a predetermined format, said data encoding means also for directing data to said third electronic means;
• write means, coacting with said third electronic means, for writing information on the respective medium;
• a cartridge loading assembly for removably positioning the respective medium on said support assembly of said motor;
• and
• a mechanical isolator interposed between said first servomotor and said base plate to reduce vibration transfer from said base plate to said actuator so that said transmitting and returning light may be accurately maintained relative said objective lens and said photodetector to thereby operate said data receiving means, said data encoding means, said write means, and said servo error detecting means with enhanced precision said mechanical isolator further including means for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces upon a movable disc drive component.

An optical drive system, comprising:

• an optical assembly including a light source capable of transmitting light through said optical assembly, and light detection means disposed in a path of returning light received from a respective information storage medium for measuring return light reflected from the respective medium, a total of said return light having a peak value associated therewith;
• an objective lens subassembly for directing light from said light source between said optical assembly and said respective information storage medium;
• an objective lens disposed in said objective lens subassembly, said objective lens defining an optical axis;
• an actuator assembly suspending said objective lens subassembly for relative motion thereof with respect to said actuator assembly;
• a carriage assembly having said actuator assembly mounted thereon, said objective lens subassembly thereby being movable relative to said carriage assembly, said carriage assembly further having a center of mass lying on said optical axis;
• a base plate having said optical assembly secured thereto, said carriage assembly being slidably engaged with said base plate so that said transmitting and returning light may be processed through said objective lens subassembly while said carriage assembly moves said objective lens subassembly relative to said base plate;
• a first servomotor for moving said objective lens subassembly in a tracking direction relative to said actuator assembly;
• a second servomotor for moving said objective lens subassembly in a focusing direction relative to said actuator assembly;
• a third servomotor for moving said actuator assembly in said tracking direction relative to the respective medium;
• first electronic means for controlling said first, second, and third servomotors;
• a motor for moving the respective medium relative to said objective lens subassembly, said motor being secured to said base plate and having a surface for supporting the respective medium;
• second electronic means responsive to an output signal of said light detection means for decoding information carried in said return light returning from the respective medium;
• third electronic means for enabling said light source to emit light at a first intensity to encode information on the respective medium and at a second intensity to read information encoded thereon;
• data receiving means for accepting data that is storable on the respective medium;
• data encoding means being responsive to said data receiving means for representing said data to be stored in a predetermined format, said data encoding means also for directing data to said third electronic means;
• write means, coacting with said third electronic means, for writing information on the respective medium;
• a cartridge loading assembly for removably positioning the respective medium on said surface of said motor;
• and
• a mechanical isolator interposed between said first servomotor and said base plate to reduce vibration transfer from said base plate to said actuator so that said transmitting and returning light may be accurately maintained relative said objective lens and said photodetectorto thereby operate said first and second servomotors, said data receiving means, said data encoding means, said write means, and said servo error detecting means with enhanced precision said mechanical isolator further in cluding means for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces upon a movable disc drive component.

An optical d rive system, comprising:

• an optical assembly including a light source for transmitting light through said optical assembly, and a photodetector disposed in a path of returning light returned from a respective information storage medium, said photodetector for measuring return light received from the respective medium;
• an objective lens subassembly for directing light from said light source between said optical assembly and s aid respective information storage medium;
• an objective lens disposed in said objective lens subassembly, said objective lens defining an optical axis;
• an actuator assembly suspending said objective lens subassembly for relative motion thereof with respect to said actuator assembly;
• a carriage assembly having said actuator assembly mounted thereon, said objective lens subassembly thereby being movable relative to said carriage assembly, said carriage assembly further having a center of mass lying on said optical axis,
• a base plate having said optical assembly secured thereto, said carriage assembly being slidably engaged with said base plate so that said transmitting and returning light may be processed through said objective lens subassembly while said carriage assembly moves said objective lens subassembly relative to said base plate;
• a first servomotor for moving said actuator assembly in said tracking direction relative to the respective medium;
• first electronic means for controlling said first servomotor;
• a motor for moving the respective medium relative to said objective lens subassembly, said motor being secured to said base plate and having a support assembly for supporting the respective medium;
• second electronic means responsive to an output signal of said photodetector for decoding information carried in said light returning from the respective medium;
• third electronic means for enabling said light source to emit light at a first intensity to encode information on the respective medium and at a second intensity to read information encoded thereon;
• data receiving means for accepting data that is storable on the respective medium;
• data encoding means being responsive to said data receiving means for representing said data to be stored in a predetermined format, said data encoding means also for directing data to said third electronic means;
• a magnetic field generator for producing a magnetic field on a portion of the respective medium and for coacting with said third electronic means and said light source to write and erase information on the respective medium;
• a cartridge loading assembly for removably positioning the respective medium on said support assembly of said motor;
• and
• a mechanical isolator interposed between said first servomotor and said base plate to reduce vibration transfer from said base plate to said actuator so that said transmitting and returning light may be accurately maintained relative said objective lens and said photodetector to thereby operate said servo error detecting means with greater precision wherein said mechanical isolator includes first means for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces upon a movable disc drive component, and second means for supporting said first means between said actuator and a source of said undesired mechanical forces whereby mechanical isolation of said component is provided.

An improved optical drive system having an isolation apparatus for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces, said optical system comprising:

• an optical assembly including a light source for transmitting light through said optical assembly, and a photodetector disposed in a path of returning light returned from a respective information storage medium, said photodetectorfor measuring return light received from the respective medium;
• an objective lens subassembly for directing light from said light source between said optical assembly and said respective information storage medium;
• an objective lens disposed in said objective lens subassembly, said objective lens defining an optical axis;
• an actuator assembly which suspends said objective lens subassembly for relative motion thereof with respect to said actuator assembly;
• a carriage assembly having said actuator assembly mounted thereon, said objective lens subassembly thereby being movable relative to said carriage assembly, said carriage assembly further having a center of mass lying on said optical axis;
• a base plate having said optical assembly secured thereto, said carriage assembly being slidably engaged with said base plate so that said transmitting and returning light may be processed through said objective lens subassembly while said carriage assembly moves said objective lens subassembly relative to said base plate;
• a first servomotor for moving said objective lens subassembly in a tracking direction relative to the respective medium;
• a first electronic circuit employed to control said first servomotor;
• a motor for moving the respective medium relative to said objective lens subassembly, said motor being secured to said base plate and having a support assembly for supporting the respective medium;
• a second electronic circuit responsive to an output signal of said photodetector to decode information carried in said light returning from the respective medium;
• a third electronic circuit implemented to enable said light source to emit light at a first intensity to encode information on the respective storage medium and at a second intensity to read information encoded thereon;
• a data receiver positioned to accept data that is storable on the respective medium;
• a data encoder linked to said data receiver to represent said data to be stored in a predetermined format, said data encoder also positioned to direct data to said third electronic circuit;
• a magnetic field generator located to produce a magnetic field on a portion of the respective medium and to coact with said third electronic circuit and said light source to write and erase information on the respective medium;
• a cartridge loading assembly to removably position the respective medium on said support assembly of said motor;
• a mechanical isolator interposed between said first servomotor and said base plate to reduce vibration transfer from said base plate to said actuator so that said transmitting and returning light may be accurately maintained relative said objective lens and said photodetector to thereby operate said servo error circuit with greater precision said mechanical isolator further including means for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces upon a movable disc drive component.

An improved optical drive system having an isolation apparatus for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces, said optical drive system comprising:

• an optical assembly including a light source capable of transmitting light through said optical assembly, and a photodetector disposed in a path of returning light reflected from a respective information storage medium, said photodetectorfor measuring return light received from the respective medium;
• an objective lens subassembly for directing light from said light source between said optical assembly and said respective information storage medium;
• an objective lens disposed in said objective lens subassembly, said objective lens defining an optical axis;
• an actuator assembly which suspends said objective lens subassembly for relative motion thereof with respect to said actuator assembly;
• a carriage having said actuator assembly mounted thereon, said objective lens subassembly thereby being movable relative to said carriage, said carriage further having a center of mass lying on said optical axis;
• a base plate having said optical assembly secured thereto, said carriage being slidably engaged with said base plate so that said transmitting and returning light may be processed through said objective lens subassembly while said carriage moves said objective lens subassembly relative to said base plate;
• a first servomotor for moving said objective lens subassembly in a tracking direction relative to the respective medium;
• a first electronic circuit employed to control said first servomotor;
• a motor for moving the respective medium relative to said objective lens subassembly, said motor being secured to said base plate and having a support assembly for supporting the respective medium;
• a second electronic circuit responsive to an output signal of said photodetector, said second electronic circuit employed to decode information carried in said light returning from the respective medium;
• a third electronic circuit implemented to enable said light source to emit light at a first intensity to encode information on the respective storage medium and at a second intensity to read information encoded thereon;
• a data receiver positioned to accept data that is storable on the respective medium;
• a data encoder linked to said data receiver to represent said data to be stored in a predetermined format, said data encoder also positioned to direct data to said third electronic circuit;
• a write member connected to said third electronic circuit, said write member thereby enabled to write information onto the respective medium;
• a cartridge loading assembly to removably position the respective medium on said support assembly of said motor;
• and
• a mechanical isolator interposed between said first servomotor and said base plate to reduce vibration transfer from said base plate to said actuator so that said transmitting and returning light may be accurately maintained relative said objective lens and said photodetector to thereby operate said data receiver, said data encoder, said write member, and said servo error circuit with enhanced precision said mechanical isolator further including means for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces upon a movable disc drive component.

An improved optical drive system having an isolation apparatus for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces, said optical drive system comprising:

• an optical assembly a light source for transmitting light through said optical assembly, and a photodetector disposed in a path of returning light received from a respective information storage medium for measuring return light reflected from the respective medium, a total of said return light having a peak value associated therewith;
• an objective lens subassembly for directing light from said light source between said optical assembly and said respective information storage medium;
• an objective lens disposed in said objective lens subassembly, said objective lens defining an optical axis;
• an actuator assembly which suspends said objective lens subassembly for relative motion thereof with respect to said actuator assembly;
• a carriage having said actuator assembly mounted thereon, said objective lens subassembly thereby being movable relative to said carriage, said carriage further having a center of mass lying on said optical axis;
• a base plate having said optical assembly secured thereto, said carriage being slidably engaged with said base plate so that said transmitting and returning light may be processed through said objective lens subassembly while said carriage moves said objective lens subassembly relative to said base plate;
• a first servomotor for moving said objective lens subassembly in a tracking direction relative to said actuator assembly;
• a second servomotor for moving said objective lens subassembly in a focusing direction relative to said actuator assembly;
• a third servomotor for moving said actuator assembly in said tracking direction relative to the respective medium;
• a first electronic circuit employed to control said first, second, and third servomotors;
• a motor for moving the respective medium relative to said objective lens subassembly, said motor being secured to said base plate and having a surface for supporting the respective medium;
• a second electronic circuit responsive to an output signal of said photodetector employed to decode information carried in said return light returning from the respective medium;
• a third electronic circuit implemented to enable said light source to emit light at a first intensity to encode information on the respective storage medium and at a second intensity to read information encoded thereon;
• a data receiver positioned to accept data that is storable on the respective medium;
• a data encoder linked to said data receiver to represent said data to be stored in a predetermined format, said data encoder also positioned to direct data to said third electronic circuit;
• a write member connected to said third electronic means, said write member thereby enabled to write information onto the respective medium;
• a cartridge loading assembly to removably position the respective medium on said surface of said motor;
• and
• a mechanical isolator interposed between said first servomotor and said base plate to reduce vibration transfer from said base plate to said actuator so that said transmitting and returning light may be accurately maintained relative said objective lens and said photodetectorto thereby operate said first and second servomotors, said data receiver, said data encoder, said write member, and said servo error circuit with enhanced precision said mechanical isolator further including means for mitigating the effects of undesired mechanical forces upon a movable disc drive component.