Disc interface location

Claim 2

In a rotating disc storage file comprising multiple spaced flexible discs and access position sensing apparatus movable relative to edges of said discs for detecting spaces between said discs and for providing signals which can be used to accurately count said spaces, improved sensing apparatus comprising: a source of light for illuminating said spaces; a pair of photocells; and a pair of offset fiber optic shaping arrays movably positioned between said discs and said photocells for conveying light from said spaces to respective said photocells in a form congruent to the shape of said photocells; said arrays having line-shaped light receiving ends arranged in parallel lines offset from each other in the direction of the axis of rotation of the discs by an offset spacing distance less than the width of a disc space.

Claim 3

Sensing apparatus according to claim 1 including: logic circuit means responsive to signals developed by said photocells for developing count increment and count decrement signal functions capable of being used to accurately count said disc spaces even when edges of said discs are in transitory motion relative to said fiber optic arrays.

Claim 4

Sensing apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said logic circuit means includes: plural voltage comparator circuits coupled to said photocells for developing signals useful to indicate the instantaneous direction of movement of said light receiving ends of said fiber array relative to said disc spaces and the displacement of the center of said light receiving ends relative to the closest said disc space; and logic circuits coupled to said comparator circuits for utilizing said directional and displacement signals to develop said count increment and count decrement signals; said signals being useful to control accurate counting of said spaces when the disc edges are in transitory motion relative to said light receiving ends of said fiber array.

Claim 5

In a rotating disc storage file having multiple coaxially mounted flexible discs in an ordered axial sequence, sensing apparatus movable relative to said discs for detecting accessible storage spaces between said discs and bidirectional counting circuitry for providing cumulative electrical count indications corresponding to the instantaneous position of said sensing apparatus relative to said disc spaces, improved counting apparatus comprising: first logic circuit means for utilizing signals provided by said sensing apparatus to provide directional signal indications representative of the instantaneous direction of movement of said sensing apparatus relative to said discs; a cumulatively conditionable bidirectional counter; and second logic circuit means coupled between said first logic circuit means and said counter for utilizing said directional signals to develop increment and decrement inputs to said counter having one-to-one correspondence to the said disc spaces traversed by said sensing apparatus with allowance for transitory motion of said disc edges relative to said sensing apparatus.

Claim 6

In a rotating disc storage file having multiple coaxially mounted flexible discs in an ordered axial sequence, sensing apparatus movable relative to said discs for detecting accessible storage spaces between said discs and bidirectional counting circuitry for providing cumulative electrical count indications corresponding to the instantaneous position of said sensing apparatus relative to said disc spaces, improved counting apparatus comprising: first logic circuit means for utilizing signals provided by said sensing apparatus to provide directional signal indications representative of the instantaneous direction of movement of said sensing apparatus relative to said discs; a cumulatively conditionable bidirectional counter; and second logic circuit means coupled between said first logic circuit means and said counter for utilizing said directional signals to develop increment and decrement inputs to said counter having one-to-one correspondence to the said disc spaces traversed by said sensing apparatus with allowance for transitory motion of said disc edges relative to said sensing apparatus.

Claim 7

In combination with a rotating storage file, of floppy type storage disks separated by smaller diameter spacer disks which form ring-shaped open spaces between successive storage disks insufficient for transducing access --wherein said disks have transitory components of motion relative to said spaces and are required to be separated at a selected said space for transducing acess-- space locating apparatus comprising: means for emitting radiant energy into said open spaces; and apparatus electrically responsive to said energy separated from said means by said file and movable relative to edges of said disks and spaces in order to alternately receive and not receive radiant energy from said emitting means depending respectively upon whether a space or disk intervenes between said means and said apparatus; said apparatus including: a radiant energy transducing element having a surface shape incongruent to the cross-sectional shape of a single said space; and a radiant energy guide structure for congruence matching, positioned between said file and said element and having first and second ends respectively adjacent said element and the periphery of said file; said first end being shaped congruent to the shape of said element and said second end being shaped congruent to said cross-sectional shape of a single said space.

Claim 8

In combination with a rotating storage file, of floppy type storage disks separated by smaller diameter spacer disks which form ring-shaped open spaces between successive storage disks insufficient for transducing access --wherein said disks have transitory components of motion relative to said spaces and are required to be separated at a selected said space for transducing acess-- space locating apparatus comprising: means for emitting radiant energy into said open spaces; and apparatus electrically responsive to said energy separated from said means by said file and movable relative to edges of said disks and spaces in order to alternately receive and not receive radiant energy from said emitting means depending respectively upon whether a space or disk intervenes between said means and said apparatus; said apparatus including: a radiant energy transducing element having a surface shape incongruent to the cross-sectional shape of a single said space; and a radiant energy guide structure for congruence matching, positioned between said file and said element and having first and second ends respectively adjacent said element and the periphery of said file; said first end being shaped congruent to the shape of said element and said second end being shaped congruent to said cross-sectional shape of a single said space.

Claim 9

Space locating apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein: said radiant energy is light energy; said transducing element is a photodetector having a generally circular shaped sensing surface considerably wider in diameter than the width of a space to be sensed; and said guide structure includes a fiberoptic array shaped congruent to the shape of said photocell at said first end and shaped in a linear array, congruent to the cross-sectional shape of a single said space at said second end.

Claim 10

Space locating apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including a shroud member positioned between said discs and said fiber optic array; said shroud member having an enclosed light confining passageway for congruently coupling light from an adjacent one of said disc spaces to said line-shaped end of said fiber array with minimal loss of light due to the curvature of the discs and minimal increment of stray light from sources other than said one disc space.

Claim 11

Space locating apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said shroud comprises an arcuately shaped light receiving end conforming closely to the path of revolution of the discs for coupling light from said one space between said discs and minimizing escape of light from said one space to the space external to said shroud passageway.

Claim 12

Space locating apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said shroud and at least the line-shaped end of said fiber optic array are mounted for movement as a unit parallel to the axis of rotation of said discs.