JPH04143989A - Flexible disk device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent malfunction from occurring and to improve reliability by informing standby for use by deciding the feasibility of environment in use based on detected ambient temperature and humidity, and stopping a prescribed function. CONSTITUTION:The working ambient temperature/humidity of each part are detected by temperature/humidity detecting parts 8a-8n, and the feasibility of the environment in use is decided by a working environment decision part 10, and a decision output signal is applied to a floppy disk drive(FDD) function control part 13. When the infeasibility of the environment in use is recognized, the standby for use is displayed on a working environment display function part 12 by the control part 13, or the NAND gates 23-25 of a control circuit 15 are controlled, and functions by a disk rotation function part 3, a head driving part 6, a read/write function part 7 are stopped, and the standby for them are performed. As a result, the malfunction due to an environmental state can be prevented from occurring, and the reliability for a flexible disk device can be heightened.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a flexible disk device (FDD) used for writing and reading data using a flexible disk as a recording medium.

Conventional technology In order to achieve compatibility with flexible disks and prevent deterioration of magnetic properties, it is important to use flexible disk devices within temperature and humidity specifications, which are stipulated by domestic and international flexible disk standards. It is being Nevertheless, in conventional flexible disk devices, once a flexible disk is set, writing and reading operations are performed regardless of the surrounding environment such as temperature and humidity.

Problems to be solved by the invention The compatibility standard for flexible disks is ISO
(International Organization
on for 5 standardization), and in accordance with this, in Japan, JIS (Japan Standardization)
nese Industrial 5 standards
), in the United States A N S I (Ar*erican
National 5 standards In5ti
tute), and the European manufacturers' association is ECM A (
European CoIIputer Manufa
creators Ass.

cation).

8-inch and 5.25-inch flexible discs use a soft jacket, and the material is usually vinyl chloride-based, so the jacket surface temperature is about 53°C.
If the temperature exceeds ℃, permanent deformation may occur. 3.5-inch flexible disks use hard cases such as ABS, so the temperature conditions are relatively high. E
T (Polyethylene telephtha
If the temperature (late) exceeds 60°C, there is a risk of softening.

On the other hand, the magnetic sheet of a flexible disk is approximately 75 mm thick.
A magnetic layer of several micrometers is encased on both sides of a micrometer base material, and the rate of expansion and contraction due to changes in temperature and humidity is determined by the coefficient of the base material.

ISO specifies the expansion coefficient and humidity expansion coefficient of a flexible disk as the following equations (1) and (2), respectively.

(JT = (17±8) x 10-”cm/rm/
°C-(1)αH-(0~15)X10-Bm+/
w+/%H- (2) The magnetic sheet of a flexible disk expands and contracts significantly due to temperature and humidity, causing malfunctions due to off-track. According to ISO, the upper limit of wet bulb temperature is 29° C. (and 26.5° C.), and the relationship between allowable temperature and humidity for flexible disks is shown in FIG. The shaded area in FIG. 4 is the environment in which the flexible disk can be used.

Therefore, it is difficult to achieve data compatibility outside the permissible environment.

However, in the conventional flexible disk device described above, when used in a region with low temperature such as a cold region, or conversely when used in a high temperature midsummer, the allowable operating temperature or humidity of the flexible disk is Because these devices are often operated in inappropriate environments, they can cause abnormal operation of the device or deterioration of the magnetic properties of the magnetic sheet of the flexible disk. Further, there is a problem in that it is difficult for the user to check whether the flexible disk device and the flexible disk are in an environment with temperature and humidity that allows use of the flexible disk.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and when the surrounding environment in which it is used is an inappropriate environment with temperature or humidity outside the permissible range specified in Japan and abroad, In addition to notifying the user to standby, the disk rotation, head drive, and continuous writing functions can be stopped to prevent malfunctions and improve reliability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible disk device that can protect data on a flexible disk and prevent deterioration of magnetic properties.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a detection means for detecting at least one of the temperature and humidity of the usage environment, such as inside the device, the surface of the mounted flexible disk, and the vicinity of the magnetic head. a determining means for determining whether or not the operating environment is suitable based on the detection output of the detecting means; a means for controlling the functions of disk rotation, head drive, and continuous writing based on the determining output of the determining means; and notification means for notifying whether or not it is possible.

The above-mentioned detection means is a detector that outputs changes in the temperature and humidity at the set point, for example, as changes in voltage or current, and also outputs an on/off output signal when the temperature and humidity exceed the set temperature and humidity. can be used. Moreover, a display means by lighting can be used as the above-mentioned notification means.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when the device is used, the determination means determines that at least one of the temperature and humidity inside the device, the surface of the mounted flexible disk, the vicinity of the magnetic head, etc. is an inappropriate environment outside the allowable range for use. Based on the detection output from the detection means, it is determined that the environment is inappropriate for use, and based on this determination output, the notification means notifies the user that the environment is inappropriate and to wait for use, and also stops the disk rotation and head. It is possible to stop each drive, write/read function, and control the flexible disk controller so that even if a write/read command is transmitted, it will not be executed.

Further, when the determination means determines that the environment is permissible for use based on the detection output of the detection means, the notification means is controlled based on this determination output to notify that the environment is permissible, and
Each function of disk rotation, head drive, and writing/reading can be enabled and executed by sending a writing/reading command from the flexible disk controller.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show a flexible disk device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a schematic configuration diagram and FIG.
The figure is a schematic block diagram.

1 and 2, 1 is a flexible disk device (hereinafter referred to as FDD), 2 is a flexible disk controller (hereinafter referred to as FDD) that controls the drive of FDDI.
(referred to as DC). In the FDDI, numeral 3 denotes a disk rotation function section, which mounts and rotates a flexible disk (hereinafter referred to as FD) 5, which is a recording medium inserted through an insertion slot 4. 6 is a head drive unit that moves the head to a write/read position for the FD 5; 7 is a write/read function unit having a head; 8 a, 8 b
, 8c, =-8n are temperature and humidity detectors placed at desired locations within the FDDI; for example, the temperature and humidity detector 8a is placed close to the surface of the FD5, and the temperature and humidity detector 8b is placed close to the surface of the FD5. are placed near the head, and a temperature/humidity detector 8C is placed in the center of the FDDI and generates detection output signals 9a, 9b, 9c, . . . , 9n, respectively. 10 is a usage environment determination unit, and each temperature and humidity detector 8a
s 8bs 80%...Detection output signal 9a from 8n
FDDI and FD by s 9b, 9C%...9n
5 is in a use permissible environment or in an inappropriate use environment and generates a judgment output signal 11. 12
13 is an FDD function control unit which has an LED (light emitting diode) and displays the usage environment; 13 is an FDD function control unit which controls lighting of the usage environment display function unit 12 via an amplifier 14 based on the judgment output signal 11; The disk rotation function unit 3, head drive unit 6, write/read function unit 7, etc. are controlled via the control circuit 15, and the FD is controlled via the control circuits 15 and 16.
Controls the interface of the input/output signal 17 with C2.

The above configuration will be described below with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG.

When using FDDI, temperature and humidity detector 8as 8b,
8c, . . . , 8n detect the temperature, humidity, and environmental conditions at various locations such as the surface of the FD 5 mounted in the disk rotation function section 3, the vicinity of the head, and the center inside the FDDI. Based on these detection output signals 9aq, 9b, 9C%...9n, the allowable use environment determining section 10 aggregates them, determines whether the FDDI is in an allowable use environment or an inappropriate use environment, and outputs the judgment result. The signal 11 is output to the FDD function control section 13. At this time, each temperature and humidity detector 8a, 8b
, 8c, -gn, if any one of them is detected to be an inappropriate environment for use, the use environment determination unit 10 determines that the environment is inappropriate for use, and the FDD function control unit 13 uses the determination output signal 11 to By turning off the usable signal 18 and lighting the LED of the usage environment display function section 12, it is possible to notify the user that the environment is inappropriate for use and to wait for use.

On the other hand, from the FDC2, among the input/output signals 17, Drive
e 5electSl [otor On (MO disk rotation function), 5tep (SP: head drive function)
, Write Gate (WG: continuous write function) operation command signals 19, 20, 21, 22 are received, but since the enable signal 18 is off, the control circuit 15 operates the disk rotation function unit 3. , head drive unit 6,
Each MO1SPSWG mentioned above for the write/read function unit 7
The signals 23, 24, and 25 of the
FDD by turning off the READY signal 26 for DC2
Sends a message that I is in an environment that is inappropriate for use. In this way, the use of FDDI under environmental conditions where its use is inappropriate can be avoided in advance. Then, the signal 26 for the FDC2 is used to control a desired device, and the FDDI, FD5
It is possible to change the surrounding environment of the device into an acceptable environment.

In other words, when the temperature is high, it drives the cooling equipment,
When the temperature is low, the above signal 26 can be fed back so that the environment conditions allow use of FDDI and FD5 more quickly, such as by driving heating or blowing equipment. It can also be controlled to allowable environmental conditions.

On the other hand, temperature and humidity detectors 8as 8b, 8c'-...8
As a result of the detection by n, if the usage environment determination unit 10 determines that the temperature and humidity environment is within the usable temperature and humidity environment range from the beginning or halfway, the FDD function control unit 13 turns on the usable signal 18 and changes the usage environment. It is also possible to turn off the LED of the display function section 12 to inform the user that the environment is permissible for use, or to notify the user by lighting a color different from the color that lights up when the environment is inappropriate. ), since the enable signal 18 is on, the control circuit 15 controls each MO,
By turning on the S P and WG signals 23, 24, and 25 to enable the functions of each part to be driven, and by turning on the READY signal 26 to the FDC 2 to transmit that the FDDI is in a use permissible environment, FDDI can be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, at least one of the temperature and humidity of the surface of the flexible disk, etc., is detected by the detection means, and based on this detection output, the determination means determines whether the environment is permissible for use or not. It is determined whether the environment is inappropriate for use, and if it is determined that the environment is inappropriate for use, the notification means is used to notify that fact, and the disk rotation function, head drive function, and write/read function are stopped. can. In this way, even if an operation command is issued from the flexible disk controller under environmental conditions inappropriate for use, the above function will not be executed based on internal determination, so use can be avoided in advance. Therefore, it is possible to prevent malfunctions and improve reliability and durability, and it is also possible to prevent expansion and contraction of the flexible disk, protect the data, and prevent deterioration of magnetic properties.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 and 2 show a flexible disk device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with FIG. 1 being a schematic configuration diagram and FIG.
The figure is a schematic block diagram, FIG. 3 is a timing chart for explaining the operation of the above embodiment, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the wet bulb temperature (WBT) environment of the ISO standard regarding flexible disks. 1...Flexible disk device (FDD), 2...
・Flexible disk controller (FDC), 3・
...Disk rotation function unit, 5...Flexible disk (FD), 6...Head drive unit, 7...Writing/reading function unit, 8as sb, 8CN...8n...Temperature/humidity detector, 10... Usage environment determination section, 11...
Judgment output signal, 13...FDD function control unit, 12...
・Usage environment display function section, 15.16...control circuit, 1
7...I/O signal, 18...Usable signal. Name of agent: Patent attorney Akira Koiso and two others

Claims (1)

[Claims] A detection means for detecting at least one of the temperature and humidity of the usage environment, a determination means for determining whether the usage environment is suitable based on the detection output of the detection means, and a determination output of the determination means for rotating the disk, driving the head, A flexible disk device comprising a means for controlling each writing/reading function and a notifying means for notifying whether or not the usage environment is suitable.