Flexible disk drive with an apparatus to load and unload a flexible disk

Claim 2

In a flexible disk drive (11) having a frame, a drive spindle (20), and a collet (19) to clamp a flexible disk to the drive spindle, apparatus for moving the collet toward and away from the spindle to thereby load and unload the disk drive, said apparatus being characterized in that it includes : a torsion beam (48); a preload arm (52) attached to said torsion beam and engaging said frame to preload said torsion beam with a predetermined amount of torsion; an actuating arm (56) attached to said torsion beam and engageable with said collet (19) for causing movement of said collet toward and away from said spindle; a loading cam (36) moveable between a load position and an unload position with said loading cam applying a force to said actuating arm when in said load position; said actuating arm moving said collet away from said spindle in response to said torsion force in said torsion beam due to said preload arm when loading cam is in said unload position; and said actuating arm moving said collet onto said spindle with a predetermined load force in response to the load force from said loading cam when said loading cam is in said load position.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a recording arm having a recording head thereon and a second actuating arm connected to said torsion beam and engageable with said recording arm for enabling said recording head to be moved away from said flexible disk in response to say torsion force in said torsion beam due to said preload arm when said loading cam is in said unload position and for enabling said recording head to be moved toward said flexible disk upon application of the load force from said loading cam when said loading cam is in said load position.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said apparatus includes a pressure pad and a third actuating arm connected to said torsion beam and engageable with said pressure pad for enabling said pressure pad to be moved away from said flexible disk in response to said torsion force in said torsion beam due to said preload arm when said loading cam is in said unload position, and for enabling said pressure pad to be moved toward said flexible disk upon application of the load force from said loading cam when said loading cam is in said load position.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said torsion beam, said preload arm, said first actuating arm, said second actuating arm and said third actuating arm are flexible and integrally formed from a single flat spring.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said preload arm and said first, second and third actuating arms extend in substantially the same direction from said torsion beam are contoured as necessary to achieve selective loading of a flexible disk when said loading cam is moved from said unload position to said position.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first, second and third actuating arms are contoured so that said collet is caused to be clamped to said spindle prior to engagement of said recording head with the surface of said flexible disk.

Claim 8

In a flexible disk drive having a frame and an element moveable in first and second different directions one of which directions is toward a flexible disk within said frame and the other of which directions is away from said flexible disk for thereby loading and unloading said flexible disk, apparatus for determined movement of said element in said different directions, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises : a beam member engaging said frame ; a biasing arm having one portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engaging said frame to provide a predetermined bias to said beam member in the first of said different directions ; an actuating arm having a first portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engageable with said element whereby movement of said second portion of said actuating arm in at least one of said different directions causes movement of said element in that same direction, and whereby movement of said second portion of said actuating arm in the other of said different directions at least enables movement of said element in that same direction ; and force exerting means mounted on said frame and moveable between a first position in which a force is applied to said actuating arm by said force exerting means to cause said second portion of said actuating arm to be moved in the second of said different directions and a second position in which a force is applied to said actuating arm by said biasing arm to cause said second portion of said actuating arm to be moved in the first of said different directions.

Claim 9

In a flexible disk drive having a frame and an element moveable in first and second different directions one of which directions is toward a flexible disk within said frame and the other of which directions is away from said flexible disk for thereby loading and unloading said flexible disk, apparatus for determined movement of said element in said different directions, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises : a beam member engaging said frame ; a biasing arm having one portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engaging said frame to provide a predetermined bias to said beam member in the first of said different directions ; an actuating arm having a first portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engageable with said element whereby movement of said second portion of said actuating arm in at least one of said different directions causes movement of said element in that same direction, and whereby movement of said second portion of said actuating arm in the other of said different directions at least enables movement of said element in that same direction ; and force exerting means mounted on said frame and moveable between a first position in which a force is applied to said actuating arm by said force exerting means to cause said second portion of said actuating arm to be moved in the second of said different directions and a second position in which a force is applied to said actuating arm by said biasing arm to cause said second portion of said actuating arm to be moved in the first of said different directions.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said beam member, said biasing arm, and said actuating arm are flexible and integrally formed from a flat spring.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said beam member is a torsion beam member, and wherein said biasing arm and actuating arm extend in substantially the same direction from said beam member.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said actuating arm has a notch at the free end for engaging said element.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10 said notch is formed from a of legs with one leg being larger than the other so that the notch is off center.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said first force exerting means is a cam engageable with said actuating arm.

Claim 15

In a flexible disk drive having a frame and at least first and second elements moveable in first and second different directions one of which directions is toward a flexible disk within said frame and the other of said directions is away from said disk for thereby loading and unloading said flexible disk, apparatus for enabling movement of said elements in said different directions, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises : a beam member ; a first actuating arm having one portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engageable with said first element for enabling movement of said first element in said different directions ; a second actuating arm having one portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engageable with said second element for enabling movement of said second element in said different directions, said first and second actuating means being constrained to common movement with said beam member ; and force exerting means mounted on said frame and moveable " between a first position in which a force is applied to said first and second actuating arms to cause movement of said second portion of both of said arms to enable said elements to be moved in the first of said different directions, and a second position in which a force is applied to said first and second actuating arms to cause movement of said second portion of both of said arms to enable said elements to be moved in the second of said different directions.

Claim 16

In a flexible disk drive having a frame and at least first and second elements moveable in first and second different directions one of which directions is toward a flexible disk within said frame and the other of said directions is away from said disk for thereby loading and unloading said flexible disk, apparatus for enabling movement of said elements in said different directions, said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises : a beam member ; a first actuating arm having one portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engageable with said first element for enabling movement of said first element in said different directions ; a second actuating arm having one portion connected with said beam member and a second portion engageable with said second element for enabling movement of said second element in said different directions, said first and second actuating means being constrained to common movement with said beam member ; and force exerting means mounted on said frame and moveable " between a first position in which a force is applied to said first and second actuating arms to cause movement of said second portion of both of said arms to enable said elements to be moved in the first of said different directions, and a second position in which a force is applied to said first and second actuating arms to cause movement of said second portion of both of said arms to enable said elements to be moved in the second of said different directions.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said first element is a collet, wherein said second portion of said first actuating arm is engageable with said collet to cause movement of said collet in both of said different directions, wherein said second element is a recording head arm having a recording head thereon, and wherein said second portion of said second actuating arm is engageable with said recording head arm to cause movement of said recording head in at least one of said different directions.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said force exerting means is a cam engageable with said first actuating arm.