Two stages colleting in a flexible disk drive

Claim 2

In a flexible disk drive (11) having a frame for receiving a cartridge with a flexible disk therein, with said cartridge and said flexible disk each having a central aperture, therein, apparatus for precisely centering and clamping the flexible disk to the spindle (20) of the disk drive, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises : a collet shaft extending from said frame, said shaft having a first portion (24) adjacent to said frame and having a second portion (25) outwardly from said first portion with the diameter of said second portion being less than that of said first portion ; a collet (19) slidably mounted on said collet shaft, said collet being substantially constrained from lateral movement while adjacent to said first portion of said collet shaft ; and actuating means for causing said collet to be moved from a first position adjacent to the first portion of said collet shaft to a second position adjacent to the second portion of said collet shaft, said collet penetrating the central aperture of said flexible disk and engaging said spindle for centering and clamping said flexible disk to the spindle during said movement or said collet from said first position to said second position, and said collet being moveable laterally with respect to the axis of said spindle while adjacent to said second portion of said collet shaft to thereby precisely center said disk with respect to said spindle axis.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said collet shaft extends downwardly from said frame, and wherein said actuating means causes said collet to be moved downwardly to load said disk drive by centering and clamping said disk to said spindle.

Claim 4

In a flexible disk drive that reads and writes signals on a flexible disk inside a cartridge with the flexible disk and a cartridge each having a central aperture, and with each cartridge being interchangeable with other cartridges for use in the drive, apparatus for centering and clamping the disk to a spindle that rotates the disk during read and write operations, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises : means for guiding each cartridge into the drive during insertion of said cartridge into the drive ; a collet shaft, the axis of which is in a predetermined position relative to said guiding means ; a collet slidably mounted on a collet shaft ; means for sliding said collet with respect to said collet shaft so that said collet is moved toward said spindle with said collet penetrating the central aperture in said flexible disk within said cartridge to thereby engage said spindle to center and clamp of said flexible disk to said spindle ; said collet shaft having a first diameter to constrain lateral movement of said collet during the first portion of its travel towards said spindle whereby said collet is precisely positioned relative to said cartridge as said collet penetrates the central aperture of said flexible disk within said cartridge ; and said collet shaft having a second diameter less than that of said first diameter to allow lateral movement of said collet relative to said spindle axis during the last portion of collet travel toward said spindle whereby said collet and said flexible disk penetrated by said collet are precisely positioned to the axis of said spindle as said collet engages said spindle.

Claim 5

In a flexible disk drive that reads and writes signals on a flexible disk inside a cartridge with the flexible disk and a cartridge each having a central aperture, and with each cartridge being interchangeable with other cartridges for use in the drive, apparatus for centering and clamping the disk to a spindle that rotates the disk during read and write operations, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises : means for guiding each cartridge into the drive during insertion of said cartridge into the drive ; a collet shaft, the axis of which is in a predetermined position relative to said guiding means ; a collet slidably mounted on a collet shaft ; means for sliding said collet with respect to said collet shaft so that said collet is moved toward said spindle with said collet penetrating the central aperture in said flexible disk within said cartridge to thereby engage said spindle to center and clamp of said flexible disk to said spindle ; said collet shaft having a first diameter to constrain lateral movement of said collet during the first portion of its travel towards said spindle whereby said collet is precisely positioned relative to said cartridge as said collet penetrates the central aperture of said flexible disk within said cartridge ; and said collet shaft having a second diameter less than that of said first diameter to allow lateral movement of said collet relative to said spindle axis during the last portion of collet travel toward said spindle whereby said collet and said flexible disk penetrated by said collet are precisely positioned to the axis of said spindle as said collet engages said spindle.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said guide means includes a pair of guide rails and rear stops for determining the positioning of said cartridge within said drive.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 3 or 4 wherein said drive includes a frame, and wherein said first diameter of said collet shaft is adjacent to said frame.

Claim 9

A process for centering and clamping a flexible disk having a central aperture between a collet and spindle of a flexible disk drive with said flexible disk centered relative to the axis of said spindle, process being characterized in that it comprises : providing a shaft for said collet with the shaft having first and second portions of different diameters with said second portion having a diameter less than that of said first portion ; slidably mounting the collet on said collet shaft with said collet being substantially constrained from lateral movement while adjacent to the first portion of said collet shaft ; causing said collet to be moved from a first position adjacent to the first portion of said collet shaft to a second position adjacent to the second portion of said collet shaft with said collet penetrating the central aperture of said flexible disk and engaging the spindle for centering and clamping said flexible disk to said spindle during movement of said collet from said first position to said second position, with said collet being movable laterally with respect to the axis of said spindle while adjacent to said second portion of said collet shaft to thereby precisely center said flexible disk with respect to the axis of said spindle.

Claim 10

A process for centering and clamping a flexible disk having a central aperture between a collet and spindle of a flexible disk drive with said flexible disk centered relative to the axis of said spindle, process being characterized in that it comprises : providing a shaft for said collet with the shaft having first and second portions of different diameters with said second portion having a diameter less than that of said first portion ; slidably mounting the collet on said collet shaft with said collet being substantially constrained from lateral movement while adjacent to the first portion of said collet shaft ; causing said collet to be moved from a first position adjacent to the first portion of said collet shaft to a second position adjacent to the second portion of said collet shaft with said collet penetrating the central aperture of said flexible disk and engaging the spindle for centering and clamping said flexible disk to said spindle during movement of said collet from said first position to said second position, with said collet being movable laterally with respect to the axis of said spindle while adjacent to said second portion of said collet shaft to thereby precisely center said flexible disk with respect to the axis of said spindle.

Claim 11

The process of claim 7 wherein said collet is vertically positioned, and wherein said collet is moved downwardly on said collet shaft when moved from said first position to said second position, and wherein said flexible disk is movable horizontally to center said flexible disk relative to said spindle axis.

Claim 12

A process for centering and clamping interchangeable flexible disks having central apertures between a collet and spindle in a flexible disk drive so that each disk clamped by the collet to the spindle is centered relative to the spindle axis, said process being characterized in that it comprises : guiding the flexible disk during its insertion into the disk drive so that said flexible disk is positioned relative to said collet ; moving said collet is in a path constrained relative to the position of said flexible disk until after said collet has penetrated the central aperture of said flexible disk ; shifting the path of said collet laterally relative to the axis of said spindle as said collet engages said spindle until the axis of rotation of said collet and said flexible disk are aligned with the axis of rotation of said spindle ; and clamping said flexible disk to said spindle with said collet.

Claim 13

A process for centering and clamping interchangeable flexible disks having central apertures between a collet and spindle in a flexible disk drive so that each disk clamped by the collet to the spindle is centered relative to the spindle axis, said process being characterized in that it comprises : guiding the flexible disk during its insertion into the disk drive so that said flexible disk is positioned relative to said collet ; moving said collet is in a path constrained relative to the position of said flexible disk until after said collet has penetrated the central aperture of said flexible disk ; shifting the path of said collet laterally relative to the axis of said spindle as said collet engages said spindle until the axis of rotation of said collet and said flexible disk are aligned with the axis of rotation of said spindle ; and clamping said flexible disk to said spindle with said collet.

Claim 14

The process of claim 9 wherein said cartridge is precisely positioned relative to said collet prior to said flexible disk being precisely positioned with respect to said spindle axis.

Claim 15

The process of claim 9 or 10 wherein said flexible disk drive includes a frame member, wherein said cartridge is initially adjacent to said frame member, and wherein said cartridge is moved downwardly from said frame member to center and clamp said flexible disk by said collet.