Flexible information storing disk apparatus having laminar air flow

Abstract

A magnetic or optical disk apparatus having a flexible disk rotated at high speed and head sliders for reading and writing information on the disk, floating from both sides of the disk. The disk apparatus is also provided with straightening plates for keeping air flow in the radial direction of the disk as a laminar flow to surely prevent the disk from being vibrated at the time when the disk is rotated at high speed. As the result, positions of the head sliders relative to the disk can be surely and accurately maintained to provide heads with excellent recording and reproducing characteristics. Mass storage and high speed access can be thus achieved without damaging the flexible disk and the disk apparatus can be smaller-sized with lighter weight and lower cost.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An information storing disk apparatus comprising: a flexible disk for storing reproducing information;   a means for rotating said disk to cause centrifugal force to act on said disk in a radial direction thereof, for keeping said disk flat, and for creating air flow on both sides of said disk in a circumferential direction thereof wherein air flow is created in the radial direction of said disk when said disk is rotated;   a pair of head sliders located to face both sides of said disk, respectively, at least one of the head sliders having means for reading and writing information . .on and from.!. .Iadd.from and on .Iaddend.said disk and each of said head sliders having air surface on which air force caused by a circumferential air flow acts to float said head slider from said disk;   supporting means for supporting said pair of head sliders, said supporting means serving to apply elastic force of said supporting means to each of said head sliders against the air force, and keeping said head sliders floating from said disk by a predetermined distance when the elastic force is balanced with the air force applied;   a straightening means for straightening the air flow in the radial direction of said disk, and for reducing the occurrence of turbulent flow in the air flow, said straightening means being located to face both sides of said disk with a predetermined distance interposed between each of said straightening means and a corresponding side of said disk, and having a pair of stationary straightening surfaces each serving to straighten the air flow in the radial direction of said disk to prevent an occurrence of turbulent flow between each of stationary straightening surfaces and said disk, said straightening means having a pair of first stationary plates arranged to face both sides of said disk and said straightening surface being formed on that face of each of said first stationary plate which faces said disk, each of said first stationary plates being shaped like a circle having such a side that covers said disk, and having a cut-away portion for defining a space in which each of said head sliders can move on said disk in a radial direction thereof. .Iadd.   
     
     
       2.  An information storing disk apparatus, comprising: a flexible disk for storing reproducing information;   rotator means for rotating said disk to cause centrifugal force to act on said disk in a radial direction thereof so that said disk remains flat, and for creating air flow on both sides of said disk in a circumferential direction thereof wherein air flow is created in the radial direction of said disk when said disk rotates;   a pair of head sliders located to face the both sides of said disk, respectively, at least one of the head sliders having means for writing and reading information on and from said disk, each of said head sliders having air surface on which air force caused by a circumferential air flow acts to float said head slider from said disk;   support means for supporting said pair of head sliders, said support means serving to apply elastic force of said support means to each of said head sliders against the air force, and for keeping said head sliders floating from said disk by a predetermined distance when the elastic force is balanced with the air force applied;   straightening plate means located to face the both sides of said disk, for straightening the air flow in the radial direction of said disk, and for reducing the occurrence of turbulent flow in the air flow;   package means having a closed space therein, and for packing said flexible disk, said pair of head sliders, said support means and said straightening means in the closed space of said package means; and   said straightening plate means including a pair of stationary plates having a pair of stationary straightening surfaces arranged to face the both sides of said disk, each of said stationary straightening surfaces serving to straighten the air flow in the radial direction of said disk to prevent an occurrence of turbulent flow between each of said stationary straightening surfaces and said disk, each of said straightening surfaces being defined on a face of each of said stationary plates which faces said disk, each of said stationary plates covering said disk and having a cut-away portion for defining a space in which each of said head sliders can move on said disk in a radial direction thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd.3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said disk includes a magnetic recording medium. .Iaddend..Iadd.4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the straightening plate means functions without contacting the flexible disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said straightening plates is stationary relative to the rotation of the flexible disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.6. An information storing apparatus, comprising:   a housing;   a flexible disk disposed within said housing, wherein when said flexible disk is rotated, an airflow is created on both sides of said disk in a circumferential direction thereof and airflow is also created in a radial direction of the disk, and a centrifugal force acts on the flexible disk;   a pair of head sliders disposed on opposite sides of said flexible disk and facing said flexible disk, each of said head sliders including a head and being floated from said disk by the circumferential airflow;   a support for supporting said head sliders;   straightening plates disposed on each side of said flexible disk, each of said straightening plates straightening the airflow along the radial direction of the disk to keep the flexible disk flat without contacting   
     
     
        the flexible disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.7.  An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said flexible disk is a magnetic disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.8. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said straightening plates includes a cut-away portion for defining a space in which each of the head 
     
     
        sliders can move in the radial direction of the disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.9. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of said straightening plates is stationary relative to the rotation of the flexible disk. 
     
     
        .Iaddend..Iadd.10.  An information storing disk apparatus using a flexible disk for storing and reproducing information, the apparatus comprising: rotator means for rotating said disk to cause centrifugal force to act on said disk in a radial direction thereof so that said disk remains flat, and for creating air flow on both sides of said disk in a circumferential direction thereof wherein air flow is created in the radial direction of said disk when said disk rotates;   a pair of head sliders located to face the both sides of said disk, respectively, at least one of the head sliders having means for writing and reading information on and from said disk, each of said head sliders having air surface on which air force caused by a circumferential air flow acts to float said head slider from said disk;   support means for supporting said pair of head sliders, said support means serving to apply elastic force of said support means to each of said head sliders against the air force, and for keeping said head sliders floating from said disk by a predetermined distance when the elastic force is balanced with the air force applied, said support means including a pair of load springs, corresponding to said pair of head sliders, for applying said elastic force, and a pair of gimbal springs, corresponding to said pair of head sliders and said pair of load springs, connected between the corresponding load spring and corresponding head slider;   straightening plate means located to face the both sides of said disk, for straightening the air flow in the radial direction of said disk, and for reducing the occurrence of turbulent flow in the air flow; and   said straightening plate means including a pair of stationary plates having a pair of stationary straightening surfaces arranged to face the both sides of said disk, each of said stationary straightening surfaces serving to straighten the air flow in the radial direction of said disk to prevent an occurrence of turbulent flow between each of said stationary straightening surfaces and said disk, each of said straightening surfaces being defined on a face of each of said stationary plates which faces said disk, each of said stationary plates covering said disk and having a cut-away portion for defining a space in which each of said head sliders   
     
     
        can move on said disk in a radial direction thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said disk includes a magnetic recording medium. .Iaddend..Iadd.12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the straighten plate means functions without contacting the flexible disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.13. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein each of said straightening plates is stationary relative to the rotation of the flexible disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.14. An information storing apparatus using a flexible disk, wherein when said flexible disk is rotated, an airflow is created on both sides of said disk in a circumferential direction thereof and airflow is also created in a radial direction of the disk, and a centrifugal force acts on the flexible disk, the apparatus comprising: a pair of head sliders disposed on opposite sides of said flexible disk and facing said flexible disk, each of said head sliders including a head and floating from said disk by the circumferential airflow;   a support for supporting said head sliders, said support including a pair of load springs, corresponding to said pair of head sliders, for applying said elastic force, and a pair of gimbal springs, corresponding to said pair of head sliders and said pair of load springs, connected between the corresponding load spring and corresponding head slider;   straightening plates disposed on each side of said flexible disk, each of said straightening plates straightening the airflow along the radial direction of the disk to keep the flexible disk flat without contacting the flexible disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said flexible disk is a magnetic disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of said straightening plates includes a cut-away portion for defining a space in which each of the head sliders can move in the radial direction of the disk. .Iaddend..Iadd.17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of said straightening plates is stationary relative to the rotation of the flexible disk. .Iaddend.