Floppy disk dive device

Abstract

There are disclosed recording/reproducing devices for use with computers and particularly for recording or reproducing desired information on or from recording mediums like floppy disks, the devices being miniaturized and reduced in thickness for adapting themselves to the miniaturized computers of nowadays. The reduction in device thickness involves the use of a small-sized rare earth group magnet and neodymium ferrous boron which have good magnetic properties as rotor magnets of disk and carriage driving motors; or alternatively planar superpositions are avoided when placing the disk driving motor and the carriage or a carriage guide shaft and a circuit board. The thinned recording/reproducing devices contribute to diminishment of a space for accommodating the computer to meet a demand for miniaturization thereof. A plurality of miniaturized recording/reproducing devices of the invention can be set in the existing space for placement.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A computer having a floppy disk drive device for recording and reproducing information on a disk in a disk cartridge, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, said floppy disk drive comprising: 
       a spindle mounted so as to engage the central hole of the disk;  
       a spindle motor operatively coupled to said spindle, said spindle being rotatable by said spindle motor;  
       a rotary member fixed to said spindle and rotatable therewith;  
       a chucking magnet positioned to attract the metal disk hub of the disk toward said rotary member;  
       a chucking lever having first and second ends pivotally attached to said rotary member at essentially said first end; and  
       a drive pin mounted at essentially said second end of said chucking lever and positioned for engagement by the drive hole of the disk when aligned therewith, wherein said chucking lever is movable radially towards and away from the spindle and does not include a radial biasing member independent from the chucking lever, said chucking lever being formed of an elastic material so that said chucking lever may swing within a predetermined angle by the force of said chucking magnet attracting the metal disk hub of the disk to bear bearing against said drive pin when disk chucking is not accomplished.  
     
     
       2. The computer of claim  1 , wherein said rotary member is the rotor of said spindle motor. 
     
     
       3. The computer of claim  2 , wherein said drive pin is formed to said chucking lever by a caulking lever . 
     
     
       4. An electronic appliance having a floppy disk drive device for recording and reproducing information on a disk in a disk cartridge, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, said floppy disk drive comprising: 
       a spindle mounted so as to engage the central hole of the disk;  
       a spindle motor operatively coupled to said spindle, said spindle being rotatable thereof by the spindle motor;  
       a rotary member fixed to said spindle and rotatable therewith;  
       a chucking magnet positioned to attract the metal disk hub of the disk toward said rotary member;  
       a chucking lever having first and second ends pivotally attached to said rotary member at essentially said first end; and  
       a drive pin mounted at essentially said second end of said chucking lever and positioned for engagement by the drive hole of the disk when aligned therewith, wherein said chucking lever is movable radially towards and away from the spindle and does not include a radial biasing member independent from the chucking lever, said chucking lever being formed of an elastic material so that said chucking lever may swing within a predetermined angle by the force of said chucking magnet attracting the metal disk hub of the disk to bear bearing against said drive pin when disk chucking is not accomplished.  
     
     
       5. The electronic appliance of claim  4 , wherein said rotary member is the rotor of said spindle motor. 
     
     
       6. The electronic appliance of claim  4 , wherein said drive pin is formed to said chucking lever by a caulking lever . 
     
     
       7. A computer having a floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk in a disk cartridge, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, said floppy disk drive comprising: 
       
         a spindle mounted so as to engage the central hole of the disk;  
       
       
         a spindle motor operatively coupled to said spindle, said spindle being rotatable by said spindle motor;  
       
       
         a rotary member fixed to said spindle and rotatable therewith;  
       
       
         a chucking magnet positioned to attract the metal disk hub of the disk toward said rotary member;  
       
       
         a chucking lever having at least a portion being movable radially towards and away from the spindle and not including a radial biasing member independent from the chucking lever, said chucking lever being resiliently bendable to enable the chucking lever to swing away from the rotary member within a predetermined angle; and  
       
       
         a drive pin mounted near an end of said chucking lever and positioned for engagement by the drive hole of the disk when aligned therewith, wherein said chucking lever may swing within a predetermined angle by the metal disk hub bearing against said drive pin when disk chucking is not accomplished.  
       
     
     
       8. The computer of claim  7 , wherein said chucking lever comprises an elastic portion that enables the chucking lever to swing within said predetermined angle.  
     
     
       9. The computer of claim  7 , wherein said chucking lever is a unitary member.  
     
     
       10. An electronic appliance having a floppy disk drive device for recording and reproducing information on a disk in a disk cartridge, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, said floppy disk drive comprising: 
       
         a spindle mounted so as to engage the central hole of the disk;  
       
       
         a spindle motor operatively coupled to said spindle, said spindle being rotatable by said spindle motor;  
       
       
         a rotary member fixed to said spindle and rotatable therewith;  
       
       
         a chucking magnet positioned to attract the metal disk hub of the disk toward said rotary member;  
       
       
         a chucking lever having at least a portion being movable radially towards and away from the spindle and not including a radial biasing member independent from the chucking lever, said chucking lever being resiliently bendable to enable the chucking lever to swing within a predetermined angle; and  
       
       
         a drive pin mounted near an end of said chucking lever and positioned for engagement by the drive hole of the disk when aligned therewith, wherein said chucking lever may swing within a predetermined angle by the metal disk hub bearing against said drive pin when disk chucking is not accomplished.  
       
     
     
       11. The electronic appliance of claim  10 , wherein said chucking lever comprises an elastic portion that enables the chucking lever to swing within said predetermined angle.  
     
     
       12. The electronic appliance of claim  10 , wherein said chucking lever is a unitary member.  
     
     
       13. A floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk in a disk cartridge, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, said floppy disk drive comprising: 
       
         a spindle mounted so as to engage the central hole of the disk;  
       
       
         a spindle motor operatively coupled to said spindle, said spindle being rotatable by said spindle motor;  
       
       
         a rotary member fixed to said spindle and rotatable therewith;  
       
       
         a chucking magnet positioned to attract the metal disk hub of the disk toward said rotary member;  
       
       
         a chucking lever having at least a portion being movable movable radially towards and away from the spindle and not including a radial biasing member independent from the chucking lever, said chucking lever being resiliently bendable to enable the chucking lever to swing within a predetermined angle; and  
       
       
         a drive pin mounted near an end of said chucking lever and positioned for engagement by the drive hole of the disk when aligned therewith, wherein said chucking lever may swing within said predetermined angle by the metal disk hub bearing against said drive pin when disk chucking is not accomplished.  
       
     
     
       14. The floppy disk drive of claim  13 , wherein said chucking lever comprises an elastic portion that enables the chucking lever to swing within said predetermined angle.