Patent US4791508A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4791508A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Magnetic disc memory unit
Assignee: Kaman Aerospace Corp
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Filing: 1987-09-14
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Granted: 1988-12-13
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Expires: 2007-09-14
Abstract
Abstract A magnetic disc memory unit is presented wherein a pair of read/write heads are attached to and driven by a continuous belt driven by a stepper motor. The read/write heads move linearly, and they retract to a landing position fully off the disc when the unit is shut down. The heads carriage structure is counterbalanced by a counterbalance assembly to allow operation at all altitudes and minimize vibration and shock problems.
Inventors
- 👤 James A. Augeri
- 👤 Carl Bolz
- 👤 Bruce Bickford
- 👤 Paul Young
- 👤 David Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 10:07
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B19/00; G11B19/20; G11B19/2009; G11B33/00; G11B33/02; G11B33/08; G11B33/14; G11B33/1406; G11B5/00; G11B5/48; G11B5/54; G11B5/55; G11B5/5521; G11B33/1493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
381 words
A magnetic disc memory unit comprising: housing means having an inside and an outside; means for rotatably driving said disc supporting means; read/write head means; head carriage means supporting said read/write head means; first means for moving said head carriage means and said read/write head means back and forth in a first linear direction between a retracted position and a preselected position relative to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means wherein said first linear direction is radial or parallel to a radial line with respect to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means; stepper motor means connected to said first moving means for driving said head carriage means and said read/write head means in said linear direction between said retracted position and said preselected position; counter balance assembly means for counter balancing the weight of said head carriage means and said read/write head means; second means for moving said counter balance assembly means in a second linear direction, said second linear direction being equal and opposite to said first linear direction wherein said first means for moving is coordinated with said second means for moving; said counter balance assembly means having a weight about equal to the weight of said head carriage means and said read/write head means; wherein said first means for moving said head carriage means comprises; first and second parallel guide rods; first and second block means for supporting opposed ends of said first and second parallel guide rods in said housing means; second bearing means mounted on said first and second parallel guide rods; and said head carriage means being attached to said second bearing means whereby said carriage means is movable in said first linear direction along and between said first and second guide rods; and wherein said second means for moving said counter balance assembly means comprises; a third guide rod parallel to said first and second guide rods; said third guide rod having opposed ends supported in said first and second block means; third bearing means mounted on said second and third parallel guide rods; and said counter balance assembly means being attached to said third bearing means whereby said counter balance assembly means is movable in said second linear direction along and between said second and third parallel guide rods.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
381 words
A magnetic disc memory unit comprising: housing means having an inside and an outside; means for rotatably driving said disc supporting means; read/write head means; head carriage means supporting said read/write head means; first means for moving said head carriage means and said read/write head means back and forth in a first linear direction between a retracted position and a preselected position relative to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means wherein said first linear direction is radial or parallel to a radial line with respect to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means; stepper motor means connected to said first moving means for driving said head carriage means and said read/write head means in said linear direction between said retracted position and said preselected position; counter balance assembly means for counter balancing the weight of said head carriage means and said read/write head means; second means for moving said counter balance assembly means in a second linear direction, said second linear direction being equal and opposite to said first linear direction wherein said first means for moving is coordinated with said second means for moving; said counter balance assembly means having a weight about equal to the weight of said head carriage means and said read/write head means; wherein said first means for moving said head carriage means comprises; first and second parallel guide rods; first and second block means for supporting opposed ends of said first and second parallel guide rods in said housing means; second bearing means mounted on said first and second parallel guide rods; and said head carriage means being attached to said second bearing means whereby said carriage means is movable in said first linear direction along and between said first and second guide rods; and wherein said second means for moving said counter balance assembly means comprises; a third guide rod parallel to said first and second guide rods; said third guide rod having opposed ends supported in said first and second block means; third bearing means mounted on said second and third parallel guide rods; and said counter balance assembly means being attached to said third bearing means whereby said counter balance assembly means is movable in said second linear direction along and between said second and third parallel guide rods.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein said disc supporting means comprises: a rotary plate having a rotary spindle extending therefrom, said rotary spindle being mounted in and supported in first bearing means; and a top plate, said top plate being releasably fastened to said rotary plate whereby a disc is supported and secured between said rotary plate and said top plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The unit of claim 2 wherein said disc driving means comprises: a motor, said motor including a stator and rotor, said stator being mounted on said housing and said rotor being mounted to a skirt on said rotary plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
88 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein said first means for moving said head carriage means comprises: first and second parallel guide rods; first and second block means for supporting opposed ends of said first and second parallel guide rods in said housing means; second bearing means mounted on said first and second parallel guide rods; and said head carriage means being attached to said second bearing means whereby said carriage means is movable in said first linear direction along and between said first and second parallel guide rods.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The unit of claim 1 including: a continuous drive belt connecting said head carriage means and said counter balance assembly means with said stepper motor means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein said read/write head means comprises: at least one magnetic pick-up head; a flexure beam having said magnetic pick-up head attached to a first end thereof; and a support plate, said support plate being attached to a second end of said flexure beam, said support plate also being attached to said head carriage means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The unit of claim 6 including: means for supporting said magnetic head when said read/write head means is in a retracted position; and means for raising and lowering said flexure beam as said read/write head means moves back and forth between said retracted position and said preselected position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The unit of claim 7 wherein said means for raising and lowering said flexure beam includes: cam follower means on said flexure beam; and a step on said means for supporting said magnetic head wherein said cam follower contacts said step and raises said flexure beam in a first direction and lowers said flexure beam in a second opposite direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The unit of claim 8 wherein: said cam follower means has a spherical or semi-spherical shape.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein: said housing means is hermetically sealed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The unit of claim 10 including: an inert gas in said hermetically sealed housing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The unit of claim 11 including: filter means in said housing means for filtering said inert gas.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
The unit of claim 1 including: electro-optic sensor means in said housing means for generating an optical path; flag means on said head carriage means for interrupting said optical path of said electro-optic sensor means when said head carriage means and said read/write head means are in a retracted position whereby said electro-optic sensor means generates an output signal to terminate operation of said stepper motor means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The unit of claim 1 wherein: said disc supporting means includes a skirt, said skirt being comprised of a magnetic material, said skirt having a preselected gap therein defining an index notch; and wherein said unit further includes: zero index magnetic sensor means which interacts with said skirt to sense the change in magnetic path at said index notch.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
The unit of claim 1 including: latch means on the outside of said housing means for locking and unlocking said housing means from a cardle which receives said housing means; and switch means cooperating with said latch means whereby power to said unit is shut down when said latch means is actuated.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
The unit of claim 1 including: means for transforming said disc supporting means driving means to a power generator for producing electrical power to power said stepper motor means whereby said head carriage means and said read/write head means are moved into said retracted position during power interruption to said unit.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
221 words
A magnetic disc memory unit comprising: housing means having an inside and an outside; means for supporting a disc inside said housing means; means for rotatably driving said disc supporting means; read/write head means; first carriage means supporting said read/write head means; first means for moving said head carriage means and said read/write head means back and forth in a first linear direction between a fully retracted position and a preselected position relative to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means wherein said first linear direction is radial or parallel to a radial line with respect to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means; stepper motor means connected to said moving means for driving said head carriage means and said read/write head means in said linear direction between said fully retracted position and said preselected position; means for transforming said disc supporting means driving means to a power generator for producing electrical power to power said stepper motor means whereby said head carriage means and said read/write head means are moved into said fully retracted position during power interruption to said unit; and storing and protecting means for storing and protecting said read/write head means, said read/write head means being supported by said storing and protecting means when said read/write head means is moved into said fully retracted position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
221 words
A magnetic disc memory unit comprising: housing means having an inside and an outside; means for supporting a disc inside said housing means; means for rotatably driving said disc supporting means; read/write head means; first carriage means supporting said read/write head means; first means for moving said head carriage means and said read/write head means back and forth in a first linear direction between a fully retracted position and a preselected position relative to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means wherein said first linear direction is radial or parallel to a radial line with respect to a disc mounted on said disc supporting means; stepper motor means connected to said moving means for driving said head carriage means and said read/write head means in said linear direction between said fully retracted position and said preselected position; means for transforming said disc supporting means driving means to a power generator for producing electrical power to power said stepper motor means whereby said head carriage means and said read/write head means are moved into said fully retracted position during power interruption to said unit; and storing and protecting means for storing and protecting said read/write head means, said read/write head means being supported by said storing and protecting means when said read/write head means is moved into said fully retracted position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
61 words
The unit of claim 17 wherein said disc supporting means comprises: a rotary plate having a rotary spindle extending therefrom, said rotary spindle being mounted in and supported in first bearing means; and a top plate, said top plate being releasably fastened to said rotary plate whereby a disc is supported and secured between said rotary plate and said top plate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
39 words
The unit of claim 18 wherein said disc driving means comprises: a motor, said motor including a stator and rotor, said stator being mounted on said housing and said rotor being mounted to a skirt on said rotary plate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
88 words
The unit of claim 17 wherein said first means for moving said head carriage means comprises: first and second parallel guide rods; first and second block means for supporting opposed ends of said first and second parallel guide rods in said housing means; second bearing means mounted on said first and second parallel guide rods; and said head carriage means being attached to said second bearing means whereby said carriage means is movable in said first linear direction along and between said first and second parallel guide rods.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
90 words
The unit of claim 17 including: counter balance assembly means for counter balancing the weight of said head carriage means and said read/write head means; second means for moving said counter balance assembly means in a second linear direction, said second linear direction being equal and opposite to said first linear direction wherein said first means for moving is coordinated with said second means for moving; and said counter balance assembly means having a weight about equal to the weight of said head carriage means and said read/write head means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
88 words
The unit of claim 21 wherein said first means for moving said head carriage means comprises: first and second parallel guide rods; first and second block means for supporting opposed ends of said first and second parallel guide rods in said housing means; second bearing means mounted on said first and second parallel guide rods; and said head carriage means being attached to said second bearing means whereby said carriage means is movable in said first linear direction along and between said first and second parallel guide rods.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
92 words
The unit of claim 22 wherein said second means for moving said counter balance assembly means comprises: a third guide rod parallel to said first and second guide rods; said third guide rod having opposed ends supported in said first and second block means; third bearing means mounted on said second and third parallel guide rods; and said counter balance assembly means being attached to said third bearing means whereby said counter balance assembly means is movable in said second linear direction along and between said second and third parallel guide rods
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The unit of claim 21 including: a continuous drive belt connecting said head carriage means and said counter balance assembly means with said stepper motor means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-12-13 | 1992-06-13 | 1992-12-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-12-13 | 1996-06-13 | 1996-12-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-12-13 | 2000-06-13 | 2000-12-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |