EP0146656A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A disk cartridge having a flexible disk storage medium and a disk file including such a cartridge
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1983-12-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-12-21
Abstract
Abstract A disk cartridge file employs a cartridge (1) which is a rigid enclosure containing a flexible information storage disk (2) mounted on a drive hub (3). One wall (11) of the cartridge comprises a central hub drive aperture (13) and an arcuate radially extending access slot (15) for a read/write transducer. In operation, the disk flies over the inner surface of the apertured wall or an air bearing. This surface is planar over a major portion including the access slot (15) but has a smoothly contoured raised land (29) bordering the slot on the downstream side thereof. When employed in combination with a transducer (47) of the ring stabilised type which projects through the slot (15) and penetrates into the normal path of the medium, the transducer is coupled with the medium in a stable closely spaced air bearing relationship. The raised land (29) extends the range of penetration over which the transducer is coupled, particularly at the outer diameter of the disk.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul David Carey
- 👤 Stanley John Cutts
- 👤 John Stewart Heath
- 👤 David Eric White
- 👤 David Anthony Evans
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 17:16
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/03; G11B23/033; G11B23/0332; G11B17/00; G11B17/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
209 words
A disk cartridge (1) for information storage having a flexible disk storage medium (2) within a cartridge enclosure, the cartridge enclosure having a central aperture (13) in one wall (11) to permit external drive means (48) to rotate the disk (2) within the enclosure and to permit ingress of air so that the disk develops an air bearing, when rotated by the external drive means (48), which supports it clear of the enclosure walls (10,11), the cartridge enclosure also having an access slot (15) in one wall which spans the information storage area of the disk (2) and which permits access to the disk (2) by an external air bearing transducer (47) for recording and/or detecting information thereon, the inner wall (11) of the cartridge (1) which includes the access slot (15) being planar over a major portion of its surface and having an out-of-plane feature over a minor portion of its surface, the cartridge being characterised in that the planar portion of said cartridge inner wall (11) includes the periphery of the access slot (15) and at least the two quadrants to one side of the access slot, and that the out-of-plane feature consists of a smoothly contoured raised land (29,30) bordering the other side of the slot.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
A disk cartridge (1) for information storage having a flexible disk storage medium (2) within a cartridge enclosure, the cartridge enclosure having a central aperture (13) in one wall (11) to permit external drive means (48) to rotate the disk (2) within the enclosure and to permit ingress of air so that the disk develops an air bearing, when rotated by the external drive means (48), which supports it clear of the enclosure walls (10,11), the cartridge enclosure also having an access slot (15) in one wall which spans the information storage area of the disk (2) and which permits access to the disk (2) by an external air bearing transducer (47) for recording and/or detecting information thereon, the inner wall (11) of the cartridge (1) which includes the access slot (15) being planar over a major portion of its surface and having an out-of-plane feature over a minor portion of its surface, the cartridge being characterised in that the planar portion of said cartridge inner wall (11) includes the periphery of the access slot (15) and at least the two quadrants to one side of the access slot, and that the out-of-plane feature consists of a smoothly contoured raised land (29,30) bordering the other side of the slot.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 1 in which the planar portion of the cartridge inner wall (11) includes at least the three quadrants to said one side of the access slot (15), the land (29,30) being confined to the remaining quadrant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the land (29,30) extends towards the cartridge centre no further than the innermost extent of the slot (15).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in any preceding claim in which the maximum height of the land (29,30) above the plane lies in the range 0.1 to 1.0 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in any preceding claim in which the edge (60) of the land (29,30) bordering the access slot (15) rises relatively sharply to its full height over a distance greater than the width of the access slot (15) to constitute a leading edge.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in any preceding claim in which the land is in the form of a plateau (29) extending circumferentially at full height over at least 60°.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 6 in which the inner edge (62) of the plateau (29) follows a line which is not concentric with the axis of the disk.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 7 as dependent on claim 5 in which the leading edge (60) of the plateau at its outmost point (63) curls round the outer tip of the access slot.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 6 to 8 as dependent on claim 5 in which the trailing edge (30) of the plateau (29) is relatively less steep than the leading edge (60).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
A disk cartridge as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the land is in the form of a spur (70) extending circumferentially over no more than 20° of the inner wall of the cartridge.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
101 words
A disk file including a disk cartridge (1) as claimed in any preceding claim, a receiver (41,42,43) for receiving said cartridge, drive means (48) for engaging and rotating the disk via the central aperture (13) of the cartridge, a ring-stabilised air bearing transducer (47), loading means (44,45) for producing a relative loading motion between the transducer (47) and cartridge (1) so that the transducer (47) enters the access slot (15) and penetrates within the inner wall (11) of the cartridge, the height of the land (29,30) on said inner wall being less than the depth of penetration of the transducer (47).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1119186A
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FR2363163A1
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FR2366662A1
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FR2396381A1
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US4159494A
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EP0042062A1
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EP0055390A1
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