Read/write head retract mechanism

Abstract

A retract mechanism for a magnet 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 ,  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 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 ,  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  
       
       
         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 cam includes a cam surface disposed at an outer periphery of said disk and extending in a radial direction along said recording disk, and 
       
       wherein said cam surface comprises two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which interconnects the two tapered surfaces.  
     
     
       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 ,  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 loading, 
       
       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 8 , wherein each cam surface comprises two tapered surfaces and a flat surface which interconnects the two tapered surfaces. 
     
     
       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 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.  
     
     
       15. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said flat surface and a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said flat surface. 
     
     
       16. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein said second tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform. 
     
     
       17. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said second tapered surface directly contacts said platform. 
     
     
       18. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein said second tapered surface does not directly contact said platform. 
     
     
       19. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed directly over said platform. 
     
     
       20. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein a plane of said second tapered surface intersects said platform. 
     
     
       21. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said flat surface and a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said flat surface. 
     
     
       22. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein said second tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform. 
     
     
       23. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said second tapered surface directly contacts said platform. 
     
     
       24. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 22 , wherein said second tapered surface does not directly contact said platform. 
     
     
       25. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed directly over said platform. 
     
     
       26. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein a plane of said second tapered surface intersects said platform. 
     
     
       27. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 8 , wherein an upper cam surface of said pair of cam surfaces comprises a first upper tapered surface, a second upper tapered surface, and an upper flat surface connecting said first upper tapered surface and said second upper tapered surface, 
       
         wherein said first upper tapered surface is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said upper flat surface and said second upper tapered surface is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said upper flat surface,  
       
       
         wherein a lower cam surface of said pair of cam surfaces comprises a first lower tapered surface, a second lower tapered surface, and a lower flat surface connecting said first lower tapered surface and said second lower tapered surface, and  
       
       
         wherein said first lower tapered surface is located closer to said center of said recording disk than said lower flat surface and said second lower tapered surface is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said lower flat surface. 
       
     
     
       28. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 27 , wherein said second upper tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform, and 
       
         wherein said second lower tapered surface leads a second read and/or write head towards said platform. 
       
     
     
       29. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said second upper tapered surface and said second lower tapered surface directly contact said platform. 
     
     
       30. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 28 , wherein said second upper tapered surface and said second lower tapered surface do not directly contact said platform. 
     
     
       31. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein a lowermost edge of said second upper tapered surface is disposed directly over said platform and an uppermost edge of said second lower tapered surface is disposed directly under said platform. 
     
     
       32. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein a plane of said second upper tapered surface intersects said platform and a plane of said second lower tapered surface intersects said platform. 
     
     
       33. 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 spring has a cam follower thereon which rests directly on said cam,  
       
       
         wherein said cam follower is located at an outward end of said spring and wherein said head is located inwardly from said outward end,  
       
       
         wherein said cam comprises a cam surface for guiding said cam follower, and  
       
       
         wherein said cam surface comprises a first tapered surface, a second tapered surface, and a flat surface connecting said first tapered surface and said second tapered surface. 
       
     
     
       34. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 33 , wherein said first tapered surface is located closer to a center of said recording disk than said flat surface and said second tapered surface is located farther from said center of said recording disk than said flat surface, and 
       
         wherein said second tapered surface leads said read and/or write head towards said platform. 
       
     
     
       35. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located outside an outer circumference of said recording disk. 
     
     
       36. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located inside an outer circumference of said recording disk. 
     
     
       37. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located outside an outer circumference of said recording disk. 
     
     
       38. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein at least one of a first tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, a second tapered surface of said two tapered surfaces, and said flat surface is located inside an outer circumference of said recording disk. 
     
     
       39. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed above said platform such that a plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said lowermost edge. 
     
     
       40. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein a lowermost edge of said second tapered surface is disposed above said platform such that a plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said lowermost edge. 
     
     
       41. A read/write head retract apparatus as set forth in  claim 30 , wherein a lowermost edge of said second upper tapered surface is disposed above said platform such that a plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said lowermost edge, and 
       
         wherein an uppermost edge of said second lower tapered surface is disposed below said platform such that said plane extending perpendicularly from said platform intersects said uppermost edge.