Double-head configuration for magnetic disk for maximum density recording

Claim 2

In a magnetic disk drive havinG at least one magnetic record disk mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and an accessing mechanism including an access arm means moveable linearly to different radial positions relative to said disk, the combination comprising: a pair of read-write transducers; said access arm means being shaped so as to position said transducers in diametrical alignment on opposite sides of said axis of rotation in alignment with the direction of linear movement of said access arm whereby, in each of said radial positions, said transducers are aligned with two physical tracks on said disk each of a different radial distance from the axis of rotation, the combined length of said tracks being constant.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein data is recorded on said disk in a plurality of logical tracks, each logical track being associated with a different position of said arm and comprising the two physical tracks aligned with the position of said transducers.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein data in each logical track comprises a series of successive bytes and the same data is recorded in the corresponding physical tracks in proportion to the radial distances thereof.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 including buffering means operative to combine data read from said physical tracks into said series of successive bytes and to break up said series for writing data on said tracks.

Claim 6

In a magnetic disk drive having magnetic record disk means mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and an accessing mechanism including access arm means movable linearly to different radial positions relative to said disk means, the combination comprising: a pair of read/write transducers mounted on said access arm means, wherein said access arm means is movable linearly so that as one transducer is moved between tracks of increasing radii, the other is moved between tracks of decreasing radii; said access arm means being shaped so as to position said transducers relative to said magnetic record disk means so as to be in alignment, at each of said radial positions, with two physical tracks located on said disk means at different radial distances from the axis of rotation, information being recorded in said tracks at a constant bit density whereby the total number of bits recordable on said two tracks at each of said radial positions is constant.

Claim 7

In a magnetic disk drive having magnetic record disk means mounted for rotation about an axis of rotation and an accessing mechanism including access arm means movable linearly to different radial positions relative to said disk means, the combination comprising: a pair of read/write transducers mounted on said access arm means, wherein said access arm means is movable linearly so that as one transducer is moved between tracks of increasing radii, the other is moved between tracks of decreasing radii; said access arm means being shaped so as to position said transducers relative to said magnetic record disk means so as to be in alignment, at each of said radial positions, with two physical tracks located on said disk means at different radial distances from the axis of rotation, information being recorded in said tracks at a constant bit density whereby the total number of bits recordable on said two tracks at each of said radial positions is constant.