JPH01201856A - Loadable/unloadable storage device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a cassette from being ejected erroneously in operating a storage device and to provide versatility by performing the disconnection of a power source for a cassette part and a driver circuit and the ejection of the cassette at the time of designating a memory block decided in advance by a positioning signal from the outside. CONSTITUTION:The cassette part 1 houses a disk and a head for recording and reproduction, and a spindle motor or a stepping motor to drive those disk and head, etc., in a case. In case of ejecting the cassette by an instruction from the outside, the positioning signal is sent so as to designate a virtual memory block set in a control circuit 2 in advance. When the circuit 2 judges the virtual block via a connector 7 and an I/F circuit 5, a cassette ejection signal is sent to a solenoid 4, then, the cassette 1 is ejected. The cassette can be also ejected manually by depressing a switch 6 via the circuit 5. Therefore, a loadable/ unloadable storage device with high versatility can be obtained without applying change on a host computer.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a removable medium storage device among computer auxiliary storage devices, and particularly to a method for ejecting the medium.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of auxiliary storage device, when ejecting a cassette, the read/write mechanism is positioned at a predetermined position by inputting a positioning signal from the host computer, and then the operator turns off the power to the storage device. This was done either directly or by indirect means such as a discharge mechanism.

Furthermore, when attempting to eject a cassette using an electrical signal, it was common to provide a new cassette ejection signal.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, the method by which an operator takes out a cassette from the storage device described above has the drawback that if the cassette is accidentally ejected while the storage device is in operation, the recorded information will be destroyed.

Also, if you try to discharge using an electrical signal, the I/F
This method has the disadvantage that new signal lines are added to the signal line, a controller dedicated to the storage device is required, and there is no general versatility.

An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, reliably protect recorded information, and provide versatility to the storage device itself.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention has a control circuit that turns off the power to the cassette unit and the driver circuit and controls the ejection of the cassette when a positioning signal input from the outside of the storage device specifies a predetermined storage block. It is characterized by having functions.

[Effect]

The above technical means works as follows.

The positioning mechanism can be used on the storage medium in the same manner as before.

If you want to eject the cassette by an external command,
In advance! This is done by sending a positioning signal to specify a fictitious memory block set in the control circuit. The control circuit counts the positioning signals, and when determining that a fictitious storage block has been designated, instructs the power circuit to turn off the power and the ejection mechanism to eject the cassette, thereby ejecting the cassette.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the removable storage device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the flow of signals for operating the storage device of FIG. 1. In Fig. 1, inside the h set of the cassette section 1 is a
It consists of one or more disks and a head, a spindle motor for rotating the disk at a constant speed, a stepping motor for positioning the head on the disk, and a case for storing them.

The control circuit 2 is connected to the cassette part 1 by a connector (not shown), and is connected to each motor of the cassette part 1 and R
/W circuit.

The solenoid 4 is used when ejecting the cassette part 1.

In FIG. 2, the I/F circuit 5 sends a cassette ejection signal to the solenoid 4 when the hard disk 1/F circuit (not shown) receives the head positioning signal a sent from the host computer and specifies the storage block. This version has an added function to send out .

The switch 6 is used when manually ejecting the cassette section 1 and is electrically connected to the I/F circuit 5. The connector section 7 is for connecting a host computer and a 1/F cable. The door 8 operates in conjunction with the solenoid 4, remains closed while the hard disk drive is in operation, and is structured so that the cassette cannot be easily touched.

Case 3 has a control circuit 2, a discharge solenoid 4.
It has the function of fixing the 1/F circuit 5, switch 6, and door 8 as well as fixing the entire hard disk to the host computer.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, the present invention can realize a highly versatile removable storage device without changing the hardware of the host combination, and prevents information from being destroyed due to operator's erroneous operation. can be reliably prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an embodiment of the removable storage device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the flow of signals that operate the storage device of FIG. 1. 1... Cassette section, 2... Control circuit, 3
...Case, 4...Solenoid, 5...-1
/F circuit, 6... switch, 7... connector section,
8...door.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A cassette unit having a storage medium having a plurality of storage blocks, a read/write mechanism for recording and reproducing information on the storage medium, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the read/write mechanism to a required storage block; An ejection mechanism for ejecting the cassette section, a driver circuit for operating the read/write mechanism and the positioning mechanism, a control circuit for controlling the driver circuit and the ejection mechanism, and a case section that houses these. In a removable storage device, when a positioning signal input from outside the storage device specifies a predetermined storage block, the control circuit turns off the power to the cassette unit and driver circuit and ejects the cassette. A removable storage device characterized by having functions.