Read/write head retract mechanism

Abstract

A retract mechanism for a magnetic head which can read from and/or write to a disk, the mechanism includes a spring arm which supports the head and urges the head toward the disk. The spring arm includes a cam follower which rides along the surface of the cam, which has two parallel horizontal surfaces and two incline surfaces. The spring arm is moved by an actuator in a radial direction along the disk. When the spring arm is moved radially away from the center of the disk, the cam urges the spring arm upwardly, thereby lifting the head up and away from the disk. As the spring arm continues to move radially away from the center of the disk, the cam guides the spring arm such that the head rests safely on a landing platform.

What is claimed is: .[. 
     
       1.  A read/write head retract apparatus for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising: a read and/or write head;   a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;   an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;   a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and   a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading..]..[.   
     
     
       2.  A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said recording disk has magnetic recording surfaces disposed on both sides thereof..]..[.3. A read/write retract apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said read and/or write head is a magnetic head having a slider which rises according to rotation of said recording disk..]..[.4. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cam is provided along the radial direction of said recording disk, and has two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which connects the two tapered 
     
     
        surfaces..]..[.5.  A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cam includes a cam surface disposed at an outer periphery of said disk and extending in a radial direction along said 
     
     
        recording disk..].6. A read/write head retract apparatus .[.as set forth in claim 5,.]. .Iadd.for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising: a read and/or write head;   a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;   an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;   a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator, said cam including a cam surface disclosed at an outer periphery of said disk and extending in a radial direction along said recording disk; and   a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading,.Iaddend.   wherein said cam surface comprises two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which interconnects the two tapered surfaces.Iadd., and   wherein one of said tapered surfaces leads to said platform.Iaddend.. .[.7. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein one of said tapered surfaces leads to said platform..]..[.8. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said cam comprises a pair of cam surfaces each extending in a radial direction of said recording disk and disposed at respective magnetic recording surfaces on   
     
     
        opposed sides of said disk..].9. A read/write head retract apparatus .[.as set forth in claim 5,.]. .Iadd.for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising: a read and/or write head;   a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;   an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;   a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator, said cam comprising a pair of cam surfaces each extending in a radial direction of said recording disk and disposed at respective magnetic recording surfaces on opposed sides of said disk; and   a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading,.Iaddend.   wherein each cam surface comprises two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which interconnects the two tapered surfaces.Iadd., and   wherein one of said tapered surfaces leads to said platform.Iaddend.. .[.10. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein one of said tapered surfaces leads to said platform means..]..[.11. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said spring has a cam follower thereon which rests directly on said cam..]..[.12. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said cam follower is located at an outward end of said spring and wherein said head is located inwardly from said outward   
     
     
        end..]..[.13.  A read/write head retract apparatus for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising: a read and/or write head;   a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;   an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;   a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and   a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading, wherein said platform surface includes a flat board-like landing plate upon which said read and/or write head directly rests..]..[.14. A read/write head retract apparatus for use with a recording disk, the apparatus comprising:   a read and/or write head;   a spring for supporting said read and/or write head and for urging said read and/or write head toward said recording disk;   an actuator to move said spring and in turn said read and/or write head in a substantially radial direction of said recording disk during unloading or loading of said head;   a cam guiding said spring and said read and/or write head away from said recording disk during unloading of said read and/or write head by said actuator; and   a platform having a surface upon which said read and/or write head directly rests after having moved away from said recording disk during unloading, wherein said platform surface includes a brush-like landing plate upon which said read and/or write head directly rests..].