Disk drive

Claim 2

Apparatus for moving a data storage device between a retrievable position at which the data storage device is stored and an operative position at which the data storage device is used, comprising: (a) a pick head having a pair of openable and closeable jaws; (b) carriage means for carrying said pick head between the retrievable position and the operative position; (c) first pick cam means for opening said jaws during movement of said pick head towards the retrievable position and for then closing said jaws about the data storage device at the retrievable position, said pick head being movable with said jaws closed from the retrievable position towards the operative position; (d) second release cam means for opening said jaws during movement of said pick head at the operative position and for then closing said jaws beyond the operative position, said pick head being movable with said jaws closed from beyond the operative position towards the retrievable position; and (e) means for driving said carriage means between the operative position and the retrievable position.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first pick cam means comprises: (a) a pivotal member; (b) a cam member connected at a slant to said pivotal member and having an upper cam surface and an underside; and (c) a cam follower, connected to said pick head, for opening and closing said jaws, said cam follower riding along said upper cam surface during movement of said pick head towards the retrievable position and contacting said underside to pivot said pivotal member during movement of said pick head from the retrievable position towards the operative position.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second release cam means comprises: (a) a pivotal member; (b) a cam member connected at a slant to said pivotal member and having an upper cam surface and an underside; and (c) a cam follower, connected to said pick head, for opening and closing said jaws, said cam follower riding along said upper cam surface during movement of said pick head towards the operative position and contacting said underside to pivot said pivotal member during movement of said pick head from the operative position towards the retrievable position.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for driving comprises: (a) a drive motor; and (b) programmable processor means for controlling said drive motor.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said programmable processor means controls said drive motor to drive said pick head into the retrievable position beyond said first pick cam means to pick the data storage device and to drive said pick head no further than said first pick cam means to return the data storage device to the retrievable position.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carriage means further comprises means for controllably securing the data storage device in the operative position.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for stripping the data storage device from said jaws as said jaws are opened at the operative position.

Claim 9

Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein the data storage device has a slot, and wherein said jaws close through the slot at the retrievable position and during movement of the data storage device from the retrievable position towards the operative position.

Claim 10

Apparatus for providing servo information, comprising: (a) a data storage medium having a reference track having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, said reference track storing a signal having an amplitude waveform across said reference track for providing a generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and a linearly sloping amplitude portion having a reference position R RP and leading from said generally level central portion of constant amplitude to said inner diameter of said reference track; (b) means, movable across said reference track, for detecting said signal to output said generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and said linearly sloping amplitude portion; (c) means, coupled to said detecting means, for generating first data representing said constant amplitude F and second data representing the amplitude of said signal at a point on said linearly sloping amplitude portion; and (d) means, coupled to said generating means, for determining the ratio of said second data to said first data and for determining an offset of said detecting means from said reference position R RP in response to said ratio.

Claim 11

Apparatus for providing servo information, comprising: (a) a data storage medium having a reference track having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, said reference track storing a signal having an amplitude waveform across said reference track for providing a generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and a linearly sloping amplitude portion having a reference position R RP and leading from said generally level central portion of constant amplitude to said inner diameter of said reference track; (b) means, movable across said reference track, for detecting said signal to output said generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and said linearly sloping amplitude portion; (c) means, coupled to said detecting means, for generating first data representing said constant amplitude F and second data representing the amplitude of said signal at a point on said linearly sloping amplitude portion; and (d) means, coupled to said generating means, for determining the ratio of said second data to said first data and for determining an offset of said detecting means from said reference position R RP in response to said ratio.

Claim 12

Apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said reference position R RP is at a predetermined ratio of an amplitude of said linearly sloping amplitude portion to said constant amplitude F.

Claim 13

Apparatus, according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined ratio is 0.5F.

Claim 14

Apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said means for detecting comprises: (a) a signal detector; (b) stepper motor means for moving said signal detector across said reference track; and (c) means for controlling said stepper motor means to move said signal detector in full steps to output said generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and in microsteps to output said linearly sloping amplitude portion.

Claim 15

Apparatus, according to claim 9, wherein said signal is a single frequency signal.

Claim 16

A disk drive for accessing data, comprising: (a) a disk-type data storage medium having a plurality of concentric data tracks having centerlines and a single concentric servo track having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, said servo track storing a frequency signal having an amplitude waveform across said servo track for providing a generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and a linearly sloping amplitude portion having a reference position R RP leading from said generally level central portion of constant amplitude F to said inner diameter of said servo track; (b) first means, movable across said servo track and said data tracks, for detecting said frequency signal to output said generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and said linearly sloping amplitude portion, said first detecting means including a scale having scale lines representing the distance between said centerlines of said data tracks and the distance between said servo track and one of said data tracks adjacent said servo track, said reference position R RP being a certain distance from said one adjacent data track; (c) second means for detecting said scale lines in response to movement of said first detecting means across said servo track and said data tracks and for storing counts corresponding to the positions of said servo track and said data tracks; (d) means, coupled to said first and second detecting means, for determining a ratio of the amplitude of said frequency signal at a point on said linearly sloping amplitude portion to said constant amplitude portion F and for determining an offset of said first detecting means from said reference position R RP in response to said ratio and for determining a number representing the distance from said offset to said adjacent one data track; and (e) means for moving said first detecting means to any one of said data tracks in dependence on said number and said counts.

Claim 17

A disk drive for accessing data, comprising: (a) a disk-type data storage medium having a plurality of concentric data tracks having centerlines and a single concentric servo track having an outer diameter and an inner diameter, said servo track storing a frequency signal having an amplitude waveform across said servo track for providing a generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and a linearly sloping amplitude portion having a reference position R RP leading from said generally level central portion of constant amplitude F to said inner diameter of said servo track; (b) first means, movable across said servo track and said data tracks, for detecting said frequency signal to output said generally level central portion of constant amplitude F and said linearly sloping amplitude portion, said first detecting means including a scale having scale lines representing the distance between said centerlines of said data tracks and the distance between said servo track and one of said data tracks adjacent said servo track, said reference position R RP being a certain distance from said one adjacent data track; (c) second means for detecting said scale lines in response to movement of said first detecting means across said servo track and said data tracks and for storing counts corresponding to the positions of said servo track and said data tracks; (d) means, coupled to said first and second detecting means, for determining a ratio of the amplitude of said frequency signal at a point on said linearly sloping amplitude portion to said constant amplitude portion F and for determining an offset of said first detecting means from said reference position R RP in response to said ratio and for determining a number representing the distance from said offset to said adjacent one data track; and (e) means for moving said first detecting means to any one of said data tracks in dependence on said number and said counts.

Claim 18

A disk drive according to claim 14, wherein said disk-type data storage medium is expandable and contractable and said scale is expandable and contractable in proportion to said disk-type data storage medium.

Claim 19

Apparatus for storing and retrieving a data storage device, comprising: (a) means for providing an operative position for the data storage device; (b) means for storing the data storage device at a retreivable position; (c) pivotal means for clamping the data storage device at the operative position; and (d) means for moving the data storage device from the retrievable position to the operative position, including (i) means for pivoting said pivotal means to clamp the data storage device; (ii) a movable carriage carrying said pivoting means; (iii) a motor for moving said movable carriage; and (iv) programmable microprocessor means for controlling said motor to move said movable carriage to clamp and reclamp the data storage device in response to misclamping of the data storage device at the operative position.

Claim 20

Apparatus for storing and retrieving a data storage device, comprising: (a) means for providing an operative position for the data storage device; (b) means for storing the data storage device at a retreivable position; (c) pivotal means for clamping the data storage device at the operative position; and (d) means for moving the data storage device from the retrievable position to the operative position, including (i) means for pivoting said pivotal means to clamp the data storage device; (ii) a movable carriage carrying said pivoting means; (iii) a motor for moving said movable carriage; and (iv) programmable microprocessor means for controlling said motor to move said movable carriage to clamp and reclamp the data storage device in response to misclamping of the data storage device at the operative position.

Claim 21

Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said pivotal means has a pivotal clamp arm and a cam being pivotal with said clamp arm, and said pivoting means comprises a cam follower being movable along said cam.

Claim 22

Apparatus for storing and retrieving a plurality of data storage devices, comprising: (a) means for providing an operative position for one of the data storage devices; (b) means for storing the plurality of data storage devices and being pivotal in relation to said providing means; (c) means for selectively pivoting said storing means to move a selected one of the data storage devices into a retrievable position, including controllable means for driving said storing means, and programmable processor means for controlling said controllable driving means; and (d) means for moving the selected one of the data storage devices between the retrievable position and the operative position.

Claim 23

Apparatus for storing and retrieving a plurality of data storage devices, comprising: (a) means for providing an operative position for one of the data storage devices; (b) means for storing the plurality of data storage devices and being pivotal in relation to said providing means; (c) means for selectively pivoting said storing means to move a selected one of the data storage devices into a retrievable position, including controllable means for driving said storing means, and programmable processor means for controlling said controllable driving means; and (d) means for moving the selected one of the data storage devices between the retrievable position and the operative position.

Claim 24

Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said controllable driving means comprises: (a) an index cam coupled to said storing means; (b) a cam follower coupled to said index cam; and (c) stepper motor means for moving said cam follower along said index cam.

Claim 25

Apparatus for storing and retrieving a plurality of data storage devices, comprising: (a) means for providing an operative position for one of the data storage devices; (b) means for storing the plurality of data storage devices and being pivotal in relation to said providing means; (c) means for selectively pivoting said storing means to move a selected one of the data storage devices into a retrievable position; and (d) means for moving the selected one of the data storage devices between the retrievable position and the operative position, including picker means for releasably clamping the selected one of the data storage devices in the retrievable position and for releasably unclamping the selected one of the data storage devices in the operative position.

Claim 26

Apparatus for storing and retrieving a plurality of data storage devices, comprising: (a) means for providing an operative position for one of the data storage devices; (b) means for storing the plurality of data storage devices and being pivotal in relation to said providing means; (c) means for selectively pivoting said storing means to move a selected one of the data storage devices into a retrievable position; and (d) means for moving the selected one of the data storage devices between the retrievable position and the operative position, including picker means for releasably clamping the selected one of the data storage devices in the retrievable position and for releasably unclamping the selected one of the data storage devices in the operative position.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said picker means for releasably clamping and unclamping comprises: (a) a pick head having a pair of openable and closeable jaws for picking the selected one of the data storage devices, and having a cam follower; (b) carriage means for carrying said pick head between the retrievable position and the operative position; (c) a first pick cam having a pick cam surface for opening and closing said jaws, said cam follower following said pick cam surface near the retrievable position to open said jaws about the selected one of the data storage devices and then to close said jaws and pick the selected one of the data storage devices in the retrievable position, said cam follower bypassing said pick cam surface after picking the selected one of the data storage devices and while moving towards the operative position; (d) a second release cam having a release cam surface for opening and closing said jaws, said cam follower following said release cam surface near the operative position to open said jaws and release the selected one of the data storage devices in the operative position and then to close said jaws, said cam follower bypassing said release cam surface to push the selected one of the data storage devices with said jaws closed from the operative position towards the retrievable position; and (e) means for driving said carriage means.

Claim 28

Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said picker means for releasably clamping and unclamping further comprises a stripping device for stripping the selected one of the data storage devices from said jaws in the operative position as said jaws are opened.

Claim 29

Apparatus according to claim 21 wherein said carriage means comprises means for releasably securing the selected one of the data storage devices in the operative position.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said means for storing comprises a pack having a groove and a detent biased into said groove to hold the plurality of data storage devices in said pack and to force the selected one of the data storage devices into the retrievable position in response to said picker means for releasably clamping and unclamping being near the retrievable position.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said means for storing comprises a pack having a cut-out, said picker means for releasably clamping and unclamping being movable into said cut-out to pick and retrieve the selected one of the data storage devices.