USRE37503EExpiredUtilityPatentIndex 62

Floppy disk drive device

Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPPriority: Sep 5, 1988Filed: Mar 23, 1998Granted: Jan 8, 2002

Est. expirySep 5, 2008(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority

Inventors:ARUGA TOMOE YOKOUCHI HIDEYA FUJIMORI KAZUYOSHI

G11B 17/0434G11B 17/028H02K 1/2726G11B 33/121G11B 17/0282H02K 7/081H02K 29/14H02K 37/14H02K 21/22G11B 19/2009G11B 17/03G11B 25/043H02K 1/2788

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Claims

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.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified

What is claimed is:

1. A computer having 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 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 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 by a caulking lever.

4. An electronic appliance having 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;
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 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 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 5 , wherein said drive pin is formed to said chucking by a caulking lever.

7. A floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk encased within a disk jacket, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, the floppy disk drive comprising:

a board;

a motor including a stator fixed to the board and a rotor mounted on the board, the rotor including a rotor magnet disposed in a common plane with the stator;

a chucking magnet disposed on the rotor;

a rotatable spindle fixed to the rotor so as to engage with the central hole of the disk; and

a drive pin movably attached to the rotor and being engageable with the drive hole of the hub.

8. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , wherein, within a plane parallel to the common plane, the drive pin primarily moves in directions radially towards and radially away from an axis of the spindle.

9. The floppy disk drive of claim 8 , wherein the drive pin is movable in a direction substantially parallel to said axis of said spindle and perpendicular to an upper surface of the rotor.

10. The floppy disk drive of claim 9 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

11. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , wherein an imaginary line connects an axis of said spindle and an axis of said drive pin, said drive pin moving along an arc- shaped path comprised of tangential and radial components, said drive pin primarily moving along said radial component of said arc - shaped path substantially parallel to said imaginary line.

12. The floppy disk drive of claim 11 , wherein the drive pin is movable in a direction substantially parallel to said axis of said spindle and perpendicular to an upper surface of the rotor.

13. The floppy disk drive of claim 12 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

14. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , wherein the drive pin does not move below an upper surface of the rotor.

15. The floppy disk drive of claim 14 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

16. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , wherein the drive pin is movable in a direction substantially parallel to an axis of said spindle and perpendicular to an upper surface of the rotor.

17. The floppy disk drive of claim 16 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

18. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , further comprising a lever that moves parallel to a surface of the rotor, said drive pin being attached to the lever near an end of the lever.

19. The floppy disk drive of claim 18 , wherein the lever is pivotably attached to the rotor.

20. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , further comprising a holder that positions the disk jacket into and out of communication with the drive pin.

21. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , further comprising:

a carriage relatively movable with respect to the disk jacket;

at least one reading/writing head supported on the carriage, the reading/writing head communicating with the disk within the disk jacket; and

a speed detecting magnet extending radially away from a circumference of the rotor, only the speed detecting magnet overlapping with at least one of said reading/writing head and said carriage in a plane perpendicular to the common plane.

22. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , further comprising:

a speed detecting magnet extending radially away from a circumference of the rotor; and

a frame having an opening, the direct drive motor being aligned with the opening, and the speed detecting magnet having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the opening to prevent removal of the direct drive motor through the opening.

23. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , wherein the drive pin moves primarily in directions radially towards and away from an axis of the spindle but not below an upper surface of the rotor.

24. The floppy disk drive of claim 7 , wherein an engagement quantity l 1 of the drive pin with the hub is set to 0 . 78 mm or less.

25. An electronic appliance including a floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk encased within a disk jacket, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, the floppy disk drive comprising:

a board;

a motor including a stator fixed to the board and a rotor mounted on the board, the rotor including a rotor magnet disposed in a common plane with the stator;

a chucking magnet disposed on the rotor;

a rotatable spindle fixed to the rotor so as to engage with the central hole of the disk; and

a drive pin movably attached to the rotor and being engageable with the drive hole of the hub.

26. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , wherein, within a plane parallel to the common plane, the drive pin primarily moves in directions radially towards and radially away from an axis of the spindle.

27. The electronic appliance of claim 26 , wherein the drive pin is movable in a direction substantially parallel to said axis of said spindle and perpendicular to an upper surface of the rotor.

28. The electronic appliance of claim 27 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

29. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , wherein an imaginary line connects an axis of said spindle and an axis of said drive pin, said drive pin moving along an arc- shaped path comprised of tangential and radial components, said drive pin primarily moving along the radial component of said arc - shaped path substantially parallel to said imaginary line.

30. The electronic appliance of claim 29 , wherein the drive pin is movable in a direction substantially parallel to said axis of said spindle and perpendicular to an upper surface of the rotor.

31. The electronic appliance of claim 30 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

32. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , wherein the drive pin does not move below an upper surface of the rotor.

33. The electronic appliance of claim 38 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

34. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , wherein the drive pin is movable in a direction substantially parallel to an axis of said spindle and perpendicular to an upper surface of the rotor.

35. The electronic appliance of claim 34 , further comprising a lever pivotably attached to the rotor, said drive pin being attached to said lever.

36. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , further comprising a lever that moves parallel to a surface of the rotor, said drive pin being attached to the lever near an end of the lever.

37. The electronic appliance of claim 36 , wherein the lever is pivotably attached to the rotor.

38. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , further comprising a holder that positions the disk jacket into and out of communication with the drive pin.

39. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , further comprising:

a carriage relatively movable with respect to the disk jacket;

at least one reading/writing head supported on the carriage, the reading/writing head communicating with the disk within the disk jacket; and

40. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , further comprising:

a speed detecting magnet extending radially away from a circumference of the rotor; and

41. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , wherein the electronic appliance is a computer.

42. The electronic appliance of claim 25 , wherein an engagement quantity l 1 of the drive pin with the hub is set to 0 . 78 mm or less.

43. A floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk encased within a disk jacket, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, the floppy disk drive comprising:

a rotatable spindle for insertion through the central hole of the metal disk hub;

a rotary member fixed to the spindle;

a drive pin provided to said rotary member and extending beyond a portion of a surface of the rotary member that contacts the disk hub, said drive pin being attached to said rotary member for movement parallel to but not below said surface of said rotary member that contacts the disk hub; and

a chucking magnet directly attached to the rotary member,

wherein the rotary member is a rotor of a motor.

44. The floppy disk drive of claim 43 , further comprising a lever that moves parallel to said surface of the rotary member, said drive pin being attached to the lever near an end of the lever.

45. The floppy disk drive of claim 42 , wherein the lever is pivotably attached to the rotary member.

46. The floppy disk drive of claim 43 , further comprising a holder that positions the disk jacket into and out of communication with the drive pin.

47. The floppy disk drive of claim 43 , further comprising:

a carriage relatively movable with respect to the disk jacket;

at least one reading/writing head supported on the carriage, the reading/writing head communicating with the disk within the disk jacket; and

a speed detecting magnet extending radially away from a circumference of the rotary member, only the speed detecting magnet overlapping with at least one of said reading/writing head and said carriage in a plane perpendicular to the surface of the rotary member.

48. The floppy disk drive of claim 43 , further comprising:

a speed detecting magnet extending radially away from a circumference of the rotary member; and

a frame having an opening, the rotary member being aligned with the opening, and the speed detecting magnet having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the opening to prevent removal of the rotary member through the opening.

49. The floppy disk drive of claim 43 , wherein an engagement quantity l 1 of the drive pin with the hub is set to 0 . 78 mm or less.

50. An electronic appliance including a floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk encased within a disk jacket, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, the floppy disk drive comprising:

a rotatable spindle for insertion through the central hole of the metal disk hub;

a rotary member fixed to the spindle;

a chucking magnet directly attached to the rotary member,

wherein the rotary member is a rotor of a motor.

51. The electronic appliance of claim 50 , further comprising a lever that moves parallel to said surface of the rotary member, said drive pin being attached to the lever near an end of the lever.

52. The electronic appliance of claim 51 , wherein the lever is pivotably attached to the rotary member.

53. The electronic appliance of claim 50 , further comprising a holder that positions the disk jacket into and out of communication with the drive pin.

54. The electronic appliance of claim 50 , further comprising:

a carriage relatively movable with respect to the disk jacket;

at least one reading/writing head supported on the carriage, the reading/writing head communicating with the disk within the disk jacket; and

55. The electronic appliance of claim 50 , further comprising:

a speed detecting magnet extending radially away from a circumference of the rotary member; and

a frame having an opening, the rotary member being aligned with the opening and, the speed detecting magnet having a diameter that is greater than a diameter of the opening to prevent removal of the rotary member through the opening.

56. The electronic appliance of claim 50 , wherein an engagement quantity l 1 of the drive pin with the hub is set to 0 . 78 mm or less.

57. A floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk encased within a disk jacket, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, the floppy disk drive comprising:

a rotatable spindle for insertion through the central hole of the metal disk hub;

a rotary member fixed to the spindle;

a drive pin provided to said rotary member and extending beyond a portion of a surface of the rotary member that contacts the disk hub, said drive pin being attached to said rotary member for movement parallel to said surface of said rotary member that contacts the disk hub; and

a chucking magnet directly attached to the rotary member,

wherein an engagement quantity l 1 of the drive pin with the disk hub is set to 0 . 78 mm or less.

58. The floppy disk drive of claim 57 , further comprising a lever that moves parallel to said surface of the rotary member, said drive pin being attached to the lever near an end of the lever.

59. The floppy disk drive of claim 58 , wherein the lever is pivotably attached to the rotary member.

60. The floppy disk drive of claim 57 , further comprising a holder that positions the disk jacket into and out of communication with the drive pin.

61. An electronic appliance including a floppy disk drive for recording and reproducing information on a disk encased within a disk jacket, the disk having a metal disk hub with a central hole and a drive hole partially offset from the central hole, the floppy disk drive comprising:

a rotatable spindle for insertion through the central hole of the metal disk hub;

a rotary member fixed to the spindle;

a drive pin provided to said rotary member and extending beyond a portion of a surface of the rotary member that contacts the disk hub, said drive pin being attached to said rotary member for movement parallel to said surface of said rotary member that contacts the disk hub; and

a chucking magnet directly attached to the rotary member,

wherein an engagement quantity l 1 of the drive pin with the disk hub is set to 0 . 78 mm or less.

62. The electronic appliance of claim 61 , further comprising a lever that moves parallel to said surface of the rotary member, said drive pin being attached to the lever near an end of the lever.

63. The electronic appliance of claim 62 , wherein the lever is pivotably attached to the rotary member.

64. The electronic appliance of claim 61 , further comprising a holder that positions the disk jacket into and out of communication with the drive pin.

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