JP3639454B2 - Storage disk unit - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a storage disk device that stores information on a disk and reads / writes information such as a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, and a large-capacity floppy disk, and in particular, high-speed rotation of a storage disk or high-density recording of information. The present invention relates to a storage disk device capable of realizing
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional storage disk device will be described with reference to FIG. 3 as an example of a storage disk device using a hard disk as a storage disk.
[0003]
The storage disk device of FIG. 3 includes a storage disk 50 that stores information, a motor 52 that mounts the storage disk 50 so that the storage disk 50 rotates, and a magnetic head 54 that reads and writes information from and to the storage disk 50. At one end, a bearing 58 that swingably supports the arm 56 so that the magnetic head 54 moves on the storage disk 50, and the other end of the arm 56 so that the arm 56 swings. And a circuit portion 62 that controls the motor 52, the magnetic head 54, and the swing actuator 60. These main components are arranged on a base 64 constituting the casing. In this apparatus, the magnetic head 54 approaches the storage disk 50 that rotates when reading and writing information in a non-contact manner. As the arm 56 swings about the central axis of the bearing 58, the magnetic head 54 moves in a circular arc on the storage disk 50. The timing of movement of the magnetic head 54 is arbitrary because it is based on reading and writing of information. The base 64 forms a casing with a cover (not shown), and the inside of the casing is a sealed space that maintains cleanliness. The housing has a breathing hole (not shown) for adjusting the air pressure outside the housing so that fluctuations in atmospheric pressure caused by temperature changes or the like do not cause trouble in reading and writing information. The breathing hole is sealed with a filter in order to prevent dust and moisture from entering the casing and to adjust the atmospheric pressure.
[0004]
In order to cope with the increase in information storage capacity in recent years, such a storage disk device has a high-speed rotation of the motor 52 (for example, 10,000 rotations per minute) or a rotation characteristic (for example, a non-synchronous component shake value (non Repeatable run out)) has been improved to achieve high-density recording.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Incidentally, as the storage disk 54 rotates at a higher speed, the air on the disk surface becomes a resistance and obstructs the rotation of the motor 52. In other words, in the conventional storage disk device, the rotational torque required to rotate the motor 52 is large, and the power consumption required for the operation of the device is increased to such an extent that the windage loss cannot be ignored. The increase in power consumption causes the amount of heat generated by the motor 52 and the circuit portion 62, and there is a problem that the rotational characteristics deteriorate due to the thermal expansion of the members.
[0006]
As another problem, the more the storage disk 50 rotates, the greater the disturbance of the airflow on the disk surface, and the greater the vibration of the storage disk 50. The vibration of the storage disk 50 may cause a positional deviation with respect to the magnetic head 54 and may cause an error in reading and writing information, which is an obstacle in realizing high-density recording.
[0007]
As one of means for solving the problems associated with such a rotating body such as the storage disk 50 rotating at high speed, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-222960 discloses a space in which the optical disk 3 serving as a rotating body exists (the same publication). The airtight chamber 8) is hermetically sealed and the space is decompressed by a vacuum pump, so that the air resistance acting on the rotating optical disk 3 is reduced, and the power consumption of the motor on which the optical disk 3 is mounted is reduced. It is described. However, when the means of the publication is applied to the above-described storage disk device, the vacuum pump becomes an indispensable component, which leads to an increase in size and complexity of the device, and lacks feasibility in consideration of manufacturing costs.
[0008]
In addition to the above hard disks, the rotational speed of optical disks such as CDs and DVDs, magneto-optical disks, and large-capacity floppy disks tends to increase with the recent increase in storage capacity. The problem is occurring.
[0009]
The present invention provides a storage disk device that solves the above-described problems of the prior art and suppresses windage loss associated with high-speed rotation and realizes high-density recording of information with a simple configuration without causing an increase in manufacturing cost. Is an issue.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, a storage disk device of the present invention includes a housing, a read / write head that reads and writes information on a storage disk that stores information, and a read / write head that moves on the surface of the storage disk. A storage disk device having a read / write head disposed at the tip and movably supported, and a storage disk device having airtightness inside the housing, and having a pump means that operates when the arm is movable. The inside of the housing is decompressed.
[0011]
The relationship of the pump means with respect to the arm can be directly connected to transmit power, or power can be transmitted via the power transmission means. In any case, the drive source of the pump means is based on the movement of the arm. . There are various types of storage disks, such as those recorded magnetically, those recorded optically, and combinations thereof, and various read / write heads exist according to these recording methods.
[0012]
With such a configuration, a rotating disk such as a storage disk placed under a low pressure or a motor that rotates the disk reduces the air resistance during rotation, and the required rotational torque decreases accordingly. The power consumed to operate the storage disk device is reduced. That is, windage loss can be suppressed even if the storage disk rotates at high speed. Low power consumption not only reduces the running cost of the device, but also reduces the amount of heat generated, resulting in thermal problems in the components that make up the device (for example, rotational characteristics caused by member deformation accompanying thermal expansion of the motor that rotates the storage disk) Can be resolved.
[0013]
In addition, since the air resistance is reduced, the turbulence of the airflow on the storage disk surface is reduced, so that the vibration of the disk itself is reduced. That is, since the positional deviation between the read / write head and the storage disk becomes small accordingly, high-density recording of information can be realized.
[0014]
In the above configuration, the arm may be a storage disk device supported to be swingable. To support the arm in a swingable manner, for example, a rod-shaped arm is supported by a bearing with respect to a support shaft orthogonal to the arm. The arm arranges an actuator on the opposite side of the read / write head around the support shaft, and the read / write head moves on the surface of the storage disk. At this time, the arm swings around the support shaft.
[0015]
In the above configuration, the arm may be a storage disk device supported so as to be reciprocally movable on a straight line. To support the arm in a reciprocating manner, for example, a pickup unit (corresponding to a read / write head) reciprocates in the radial direction on the storage disk surface by an actuator that linearly moves.
[0016]
Further, the pump means configured as described above has a retractable bag shape and has a valve-equipped suction port for sucking air into the pump body and a valve-equipped exhaust port for exhausting the pump body out of the pump body. And a mechanism for sucking air in the housing through the suction port and a mechanism for exhausting air in the pump body to the outside of the housing through the exhaust port.
[0017]
Regardless of whether the arm is swingable or reciprocating on a straight line, the arm repeatedly moves within a predetermined range according to the stored information. Is depressurized.
[0018]
In the storage disk device, it is preferable to perform control to move the arm only to operate the pump means regardless of reading / writing information of the magnetic head.
[0019]
In this way, for example, when the control circuit of the storage disk device causes the arm 56 to swing to achieve a low pressure state at the time of activation, and then the pressure is increased by the atmospheric pressure sensor, the arm is independent of reading and writing of information. It is possible to incorporate a control for swinging 56, so that the low pressure state can be achieved or maintained more reliably.
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(First embodiment)
A first embodiment of a storage disk device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a storage disk device using a hard disk as a storage disk, with a cover constituting the housing omitted. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of one of the components of the storage disk device. 1 has the same basic configuration as the conventional storage disk device described with reference to FIG. 3, and will be described below with a focus on the differences. The same reference numerals in both drawings indicate the same members and parts.
[0021]
As shown in FIG. 1, a motor 52 on which a storage disk 50 is mounted is disposed on a base 64 that constitutes a housing. The U-shaped arm 56 is swingably supported by a support shaft 64a standing on the base 64 via a bearing 58 provided orthogonal thereto. At the tip of the arm 56, the magnetic head 54 is arranged with a minute gap on the surface of the storage disk 50. The other end of the arm 56 is provided with a swing actuator 60 that swings the arm 56. The swing actuator 60 includes a voice coil 60a on the arm 56 side and a magnet 60b disposed on the base 64 side so as to be close to the voice coil 60a. The arm 56 controls the energization of the voice coil 60a so that the arm 56 has a support shaft 64a. A predetermined range (a range in which the magnetic head 54 can move at least the disk radius) D is moved horizontally. On the other end side of the arm 56, a pair of pump means 62 and 63 are arranged with the arm 56 interposed therebetween. The base 64 forms a housing with a cover (not shown). The inside of the housing is a sealed space that is kept clean so as not to interfere with reading and writing of information, but there is a breathing hole (not shown) in the housing so that the pressure difference between inside and outside the space does not become excessive.
[0022]
In this storage disk device, the storage disk 50 is made of aluminum, has a diameter of 3.5 inches, and rotates approximately 10,000 rpm. The magnetic head 54 is in a position where it is retracted from the disk surface as indicated by a solid line when information is not read or written or when the power is turned off, and is located on the disk surface as indicated by a virtual line when information is read or written. Reading and writing of information is performed by a command from a connected personal computer. The magnetic head 54 moves on the disk surface in a predetermined range D on the arc according to the content of the information. However, since the reading and writing of information is arbitrarily performed, the magnetic head 54 moves irregularly and repeatedly. At this time, the arm 56 swings.
[0023]
By the way, the pump means 62 (63) has a bellows-like cylindrical shape made of a resin thin film as shown in FIG. 2, and has a valved inlet 62a (63a) and a valved exhaust 62b (63b) at both ends in the longitudinal direction. It has and is extensible. This expansion / contraction characteristic is such that the arm 56 can sufficiently expand and contract by swinging. The valved suction port 62a (63a) operates so as to open when the volume of the pump means main body is in an extended state in which the volume of the pump means main body increases and close in a contracted state in which the volume of the pump means body decreases. The valved exhaust port 62b (63b) operates so as to be closed when the volume of the pump means main body is in an extended state in which the volume of the pump means body is increasing, and to open in a contracted state in which the volume is decreased. The valve prevents backflow during intake and exhaust and leakage at rest. The valved suction port 62a of the pump means 62 opens into the housing, and the valved exhaust port 62b communicates with the valved suction port 63a of the pump means 63 via a pipe (not shown). The valve-equipped exhaust port 63b of the pump means 63 communicates with a through-hole (not shown) communicating with the outside of the housing provided in the base 64 via a pipe (not shown). That is, the valved suction port 62a forms a mechanism for sucking the air in the housing into the pump means, and the valved exhaust port 63b forms a mechanism for exhausting the air in the pump means body outside the housing. Since the pump means 62 and 63 are directly connected with the arm 56 interposed therebetween, the pump means 62 and 63 are in a stretched state and a contracted state which are mutually opposite each time the arm 56 moves.
[0024]
In this way, every time the arm 56 moves, that is, when the apparatus is in use, the pump means 62 and 63 always operate, so that the air in the casing is exhausted outside the casing. And the atmospheric | air pressure in a housing | casing is pressure-reduced and a low pressure state is achieved. The exhaust operation is performed up to the limit of the pumping ability inherent to the pump means 62 and 63 with respect to the pressure difference between inside and outside the casing. Thereafter, the pump means 62 and 63 continue to operate, but the air pressure inside and outside the housing is balanced, and the exhaust operation is substantially terminated, and the low pressure state is maintained.
[0025]
When the inside of the housing is in a low pressure state, the air resistance acting on the rotating body is reduced as described above. The rotating body of this example is the storage disk 54 and the motor 52. Since the motor 52 can achieve the same rotational speed as before with less torque, the power consumption can be reduced and the windage loss can be suppressed.
[0026]
The reduction in power consumption not only reduces the running cost of the apparatus, but also reduces the amount of heat generated, resulting in a thermal problem of the components that constitute the apparatus (for example, poor rotation characteristics caused by deformation of the member accompanying the thermal expansion of the motor 52). (Bottom) can be resolved.
[0027]
In addition, the reduction in air resistance reduces the disturbance of the airflow on the surface of the storage disk 50, thereby reducing the vibration of the disk itself. Even if the rotational speed is the same as the conventional speed, the vibration is small and the rotational characteristics (for example, non-repeatable run out of the asynchronous component) do not deteriorate. That is, since the positional deviation between the magnetic head 54 and the storage disk 50 becomes small accordingly, high-density recording of information can be realized and the capacity can be increased.
[0028]
Since these effects do not make a significant change to the conventional configuration as described above, they can be realized at low cost not only when the design is changed with the conventional configuration but also when a new design is made, and the manufacturing cost increases. Not invited.
[0029]
In this example, the pump means 62 and 63 are arranged on both sides of the arm 56, but this is done so that the load on the arm 56 acts evenly and the swinging of the arm 56 is not hindered. ing. However, even if the pump means is arranged only on one side, the above-mentioned expansion and contraction can be realized and the same effect can be obtained. In this case, a weight body is arranged on the other side so as not to hinder the swinging of the arm 56. It is good to adjust in this way. The pump means is free to change the expansion / contraction characteristics based on the material and volume and the arrangement method (in this example, two are connected in series) in consideration of the required atmospheric pressure value and timing. Further, although the pump means 62 and 63 are directly connected to the arm 56, the power may be transmitted via a known power transmission means.
[0030]
In this example, since the conventional configuration is utilized, the pump means 62 and 63 depend on the reading and writing of information, and thus can be arbitrarily evacuated. In some cases, the necessary low pressure state cannot be achieved or maintained. There is. In such a case, for example, the control circuit of the storage disk device swings the arm 56 in order to achieve a low pressure state at the time of startup, and thereafter, when the pressure is increased by the atmospheric pressure sensor, it is irrelevant to reading and writing of information. It is preferable to incorporate a control for swinging the arm 56.
[0031]
(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment of the storage disk device according to the present invention will be described for a storage disk device using an optical disk such as a CD-ROM or DVD, a magneto-optical disk, or a large-capacity floppy disk as a storage disk. Optical discs are roughly classified into read-only types and read / write types. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-215386 describes a CD-ROM storage disk device. These devices have different detailed mechanisms depending on the storage capacity, recording method, etc., but the portion corresponding to the read / write head is linear on the disk surface in the radial direction as described in the same publication. Common in that it reciprocates.
[0032]
In any apparatus, the pump means described in the first embodiment is directly connected to the read / write head. For example, the pump means is arranged at one end of a sliding carriage provided with an objective lens (corresponding to a read / write head) described in the publication. The intake port and the exhaust port are arranged in the same manner as described above.
[0033]
In any case, the airtightness of the space in which the storage disk is arranged has a loose structure compared to the hard disk described in the first embodiment because the storage disk is used after being attached and detached. Therefore, in this example, it is preferable to increase the pumping capacity to set a larger exhaust amount, or to close the space in which the storage disk is arranged to improve the sealing performance. In any case, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained, and the description thereof is omitted.
[0034]
As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, unless it deviates from the meaning, a change other than the above is possible, and this invention is not limited to this. For example, in the storage disk device of the first embodiment, there is a type in which the read / write head (magnetic head 54) reciprocates on a straight line as described in the second embodiment. In this case, in the second embodiment, Similar effects can be obtained by arranging the pump means as described.
[0035]
【The invention's effect】
According to the configuration of the first aspect, since the pump means is operated by using the driving force of the arm, the inside of the casing is decompressed by a simple configuration without adding a drive source for the pump means, and the low pressure state is obtained. can do. Thereby, high-speed rotation of the storage disk and high-density recording of information due to high rotation characteristics can be realized while reducing power consumption and heat generation in the storage disk device with a simple configuration.
[0036]
According to the configuration of the second or third aspect, application to an existing storage disk device can be realized with a simpler configuration.
[0037]
According to the configuration of the fourth aspect, the pump means can be operated efficiently using the driving force generated by the swing of the arm or the reciprocating motion on the straight line as a driving source.
[0038]
According to the configuration of the fifth aspect, the low pressure state can be achieved or maintained more reliably.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a storage disk device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view showing components of the storage disk device of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a conventional technique.
[Explanation of symbols]
50 storage disk 54 magnetic head (read / write head)
56 Arm 62, 63 Pump means 62a, 63a Suction port 62b, 63b Exhaust port with valve

Claims (5)

A read / write head for reading / writing information from / to a storage disk in which information is stored, and an arm that is movably supported by the read / write head so that the read / write head moves on the surface of the storage disk. In a storage disk device that has airtightness inside the housing,
A storage disk device comprising: pump means that operates by moving the arm, and the inside of the housing is decompressed by the pump means. 2. The storage disk device according to claim 1, wherein the arm is swingably supported. 2. The storage disk device according to claim 1, wherein the arm is supported so as to reciprocate on a straight line. The pump means has a retractable bag shape and has a valved suction port for sucking air into the pump body and a valved exhaust port for exhausting the pump body to the outside of the pump body. 4. The storage disk device according to claim 1, further comprising: a mechanism that sucks air in the housing through the port; and a mechanism that exhausts air in the pump body to the outside of the housing through the exhaust port. 5. The storage disk device according to claim 1, wherein control is performed to move the arm only to operate the pump means irrespective of reading and writing of information of the magnetic head.

Images