Disk drive

Claim 2

A disk drive comprising: a base including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon; a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor, a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, and wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions; and an outer casing that includes: a first space in which the base is stored; a notched portion that is adjacent to the first space and that extends in the directions in which the first and second sliders reciprocate; and a second space that is provided over the first space and the notched portion and that allows the disk to rotate therein, wherein the first rocker is rotated in the second space located over the notched position.

Claim 3

The disk drive of claim 1 , wherein the spindle motor comprises a hub that engages with a center hole of the disk, and wherein the outer casing includes a convex portion, which forms a space that will receive a portion of the hub when the base is raised.

Claim 4

A disk drive comprising: a base including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon; a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, and wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions; and a reversible spring that applies a force to the second rocker to rotate the second rocker bidirectionally on the axis thereof, wherein when at least the second rocker is disengaged from the second slider, the reversible spring applies the force to the second rocker to rotate the second rocker to a direction in which the disk is unloaded.

Claim 5

A disk drive comprising: a base including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon; a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, and wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions; and a reversible spring that applies a force to the second rocker to rotate the second rocker bidirectionally on the axis thereof, wherein when at least the second rocker is disengaged from the second slider, the reversible spring applies the force to the second rocker to rotate the second rocker to a direction in which the disk is unloaded.

Claim 6

A disk drive comprising: a base having a side face including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon, the side face including a protrusion; and a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions; wherein at least one of the first and second sliders includes a cam groove for guiding the protrusion in such a manner as to raise and lower the side face by reciprocating in the two directions; a driver for moving at least one of the first and second sliders; and a driver support for supporting the driver near the base, wherein the driver support includes a leaf spring for applying a force to the base in such a direction that the protrusion on the side face of the base comes into contact with the cam groove of the first or second slider.

Claim 7

A disk drive comprising: a base having a side face including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon, the side face including a protrusion; and a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions; wherein at least one of the first and second sliders includes a cam groove for guiding the protrusion in such a manner as to raise and lower the side face by reciprocating in the two directions; a driver for moving at least one of the first and second sliders; and a driver support for supporting the driver near the base, wherein the driver support includes a leaf spring for applying a force to the base in such a direction that the protrusion on the side face of the base comes into contact with the cam groove of the first or second slider.

Claim 8

A disk drive comprising: a base including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon; a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions, wherein the second rocker is engaged with, and driven by, the second slider until the disk being unloaded reaches the point where the disk is exposed at least partially, wherein in loading the disk, the disk drive slides, for a distance A, the first slider in a first direction and the second slider in a second direction opposite to the first direction, respectively, makes the first rocker pull in the disk to the internal position while the first and second sliders are being slid, and raises the base, thereby mounting the disk on the turntable, wherein in unloading the disk, the disk drive slides, for a distance A+α, the first and second sliders in the second and first directions, respectively, and lowers the base while the first and second sliders are being slid, thereby dismounting the disk from the turntable and getting the disk ejected by the second rocker, and wherein after the disk has been ejected, the disk drive slides, for a distance α, the first and second sliders in the first and second directions, respectively, without moving the second rocker, thereby recovering its initial state.

Claim 9

A disk drive comprising: a base including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon; a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions, wherein the second rocker is engaged with, and driven by, the second slider until the disk being unloaded reaches the point where the disk is exposed at least partially, wherein in loading the disk, the disk drive slides, for a distance A, the first slider in a first direction and the second slider in a second direction opposite to the first direction, respectively, makes the first rocker pull in the disk to the internal position while the first and second sliders are being slid, and raises the base, thereby mounting the disk on the turntable, wherein in unloading the disk, the disk drive slides, for a distance A+α, the first and second sliders in the second and first directions, respectively, and lowers the base while the first and second sliders are being slid, thereby dismounting the disk from the turntable and getting the disk ejected by the second rocker, and wherein after the disk has been ejected, the disk drive slides, for a distance α, the first and second sliders in the first and second directions, respectively, without moving the second rocker, thereby recovering its initial state.

Claim 10

The disk drive of claim 5 , wherein the second rocker is disposed at such a position as pushing back a second disk that has been inserted into the disk drive by mistake, the second disk having a diameter two-thirds as long as a regular diameter of the disk.

Claim 11

The disk drive of claim 6 , further comprising a first sensor for sensing whether the disk has been pulled in and whether the disk has been mounted on the turntable, wherein the first sensor further senses whether the disk has been ejected or whether the disk drive has recovered its initial state.

Claim 12

A disk drive comprising: a base including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon; a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions, a disk guide, which is disposed so as to face the first rocker with the disk interposed between the disk guide and the first rocker and to regulate the directions in which the disk is transported; and a third rocker for pressing the outer periphery of the disk against the first rocker and the disk guide, wherein the disk is positioned on the spindle motor by bringing the disk into contact with the disk guide and the first rocker.

Claim 13

A disk drive comprising: a base including a spindle motor, the spindle motor having a turntable to mount a disk thereon; a first rocker, which rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which pulls in the disk, inserted externally, to an internal position where the center of the disk is aligned with that of the spindle motor; a second rocker, which also rocks substantially parallelly to the turntable and which unloads the disk from the internal position to a point where the disk is exposed at least partially; first and second sliders, which are engaged with the first and second rockers to make the first and second rockers pull in and unload the disk, respectively, and which reciprocate in two directions substantially parallel to the turntable, wherein the first and second rockers and the first and second sliders are all located under the turntable, wherein at least one of the first and second sliders supports a side face of the base and raises and lowers the side face by reciprocating in the two directions, a disk guide, which is disposed so as to face the first rocker with the disk interposed between the disk guide and the first rocker and to regulate the directions in which the disk is transported; and a third rocker for pressing the outer periphery of the disk against the first rocker and the disk guide, wherein the disk is positioned on the spindle motor by bringing the disk into contact with the disk guide and the first rocker.

Claim 14

The disk drive of claim 8 , wherein the disk guide is disposed so as to avoid contact with the disk being inserted and interlocked with the second slider in such a manner as to come into contact with the disk, and position the disk on the spindle motor, while the disk is being pulled in, and to separate from the disk after the disk has been mounted on the spindle motor.

Claim 15

The disk drive of claim 9 , wherein even if the disk drive is disposed so that the disk guide is located under the disk being inserted, the disk guide is still interlocked with the second slider in such a manner as to hold the disk thereon and position the disk on the spindle motor.

Claim 16

The disk drive of claim 8 , wherein even if the disk drive is disposed so that the third rocker is located under the disk being inserted, the third rocker still applies a force to the disk in such a direction as to press the disk against the first rocker and the disk guide.

Claim 17

The disk drive of claim 8 , wherein the third rocker is interlocked with the slider coupling and separated from the disk after the disk has been mounted on the turntable.

Claim 18

The disk drive of claim 8 , further comprising a disk insertion sensor for detecting the operation of the third rocker, being rotated by the disk being inserted, when the disk reaches a predetermined position, wherein in response to a detection signal supplied from the disk insertion sensor, the first and second sliders start to pull in the disk.

Claim 19

The disk drive of claim 13 , wherein the third rocker is interlocked with the slider coupling, and wherein the disk drive moves the third rocker back to its home position by moving the slider coupling while the disk is being unloaded.