JPH0368469B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a disk drive device used in a computer system and for storing information.
More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for loading/unloading magnetic transducers with respect to a storage medium and further locking a head carriage mechanism in a selected position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the increasing use of computers, particularly microprocessors constructed of integrated circuits, there is an increasing need for devices for use with microprocessors to permanently store information. In the past, magnetic media, which are flexible magnetic disks commonly called floppy disks, have been widely used. However,
In recent years, rigid disk media (hereinafter referred to as hard disks) that rotate at high speed have been developed, which have significantly increased storage capacity and shortened access time compared to the flexible magnetic disks. This hard disk storage device consists, for example, of one or more hard disks coated with a magnetic material having suitable magnetic properties and permanently contained within a sealed enclosure. In addition to a hard disk, this sealed enclosure includes a magnetic transducer for writing and reading information to and from the hard disk surface. During normal operation, such magnetic transducers "ride" or "fly" on the surface of the hard disk through a thin air layer formed by the rotation of the hard disk, that is, they are in a floating state. As a result, the magnetic transducer is
When the hard disk is not rotating at the desired operating speed, that is, when the hard disk is stopped, or from the time it is started until its speed reaches the desired operating speed, or during deceleration after stopping. Only make contact with the hard disk surface. As hard disk devices and related technologies advance, hard disk storage devices are becoming cheaper and smaller, while their storage capacity and reliability are improving. As a result, there is a tendency for hard disk drives to be used more and more, especially as devices used to permanently store information in combination with microprocessors.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, although hard disk storage devices are excellent as a means for permanently storing large amounts of information, many problems regarding their use have remained unsolved for a long time. In particular, when the device is started, the magnetic transducer comes into contact with the surface of the hard disk, creating a large resistance to rotation of the hard disk. This resistance continues until the hard disk reaches a rotational speed that creates the air layer. In hard disk drives using multiple hard disks, a magnetic transducer is disposed on each side of the disks in use, but this arrangement causes a number of disadvantages. When magnetic transducers are placed on both sides of a plurality of hard disk media, a very large force is required to rotate the hard disk media. Of course, moving the magnetic transducer away from the surface of the hard disk significantly reduces the force required to rotate the hard disk, but the higher starting torque required necessarily limits the rotational speed of the hard disk to the desired speed. This means that more force is required to reach operating speed.

In particular, one of the important requirements for a type of portable device equipped with a hard disk storage device that operates even with power supplied from a battery power source is to reduce the required starting power. However, a more important consideration is the undesired frictional contact that occurs between each surface of the hard disk and the magnetic transducer during startup or shutdown. This frictional contact not only damages the surface of the hard disk and erases stored information, but also wears out the magnetic transducer.

Although an example of undesirable contact on the hard disk surface has been described above, there is still another problem in the mechanical relationship between the magnetic transducer and the hard disk.

In hard disk storage devices, magnetic transducers are
Typically attached to one end of a cantilevered positioning arm, the magnetic transducer is positioned at a selected location on the hard disk surface by radial movement of the arm. Although such a configuration allows for the necessary radial positioning of the magnetic transducer relative to the hard disk, the magnetic transducer may not be perpendicular to the surface of the hard disk due to unexpected physical movement of the hard disk enclosure. Also move in the direction. When the magnetic transducer moves in the vertical direction, the transducer hits the surface of the hard disk, resulting in damage to the magnetic transducer or the surface of the hard disk.

Additionally, when a hard disk drive is powered down, magnetic transducers that move radially along the surface of the hard disk may move off course. This is because the head positioning motor that positions the magnetic transducer with respect to the surface of the hard disk is permanently connected to the magnetic transducer via the cantilever positioning arm, so that the operating characteristics of the motor in the power-down state are This is due to factors that partially affect the movement characteristics of the head (magnetic transducer) relative to the hard disk surface. Conventionally, a step motor has generally been used as a motor for positioning a magnetic transducer. Normally, when a step motor is in a power down state, a so-called jerking torque remains that resists the rotation of the motor shaft. This residual cogging torque limits the movement of the magnetic transducer over the hard disk surface to some extent, but is not sufficient to completely prevent unwanted radial movement. Furthermore, as the storage density of hard disks increases, the tracks on the surface become closer together, making it difficult for step motors to provide accurate positioning. For this reason, positioning motors such as voice coils or DC motors are currently used. However, these types of motors have the disadvantage that there is no residual torque in the powered down state, which increases the potential for undesired radial movement of the magnetic transducer.

Many attempts have been made to reduce the risk of damage due to said factors. As for the hard disk media itself, the materials of manufacture have improved so that the hard disk surface is less susceptible to damage due to undesirable direct or frictional contact with magnetic transducers. Similarly, magnetic transducers have been improved to increase durability and reduce the risk of damage to hard disks. however,
These improvements have not completely eliminated the risk of hard disk damage.

Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of hard disk damage, before stopping the power supply to the hard disk device, first connect the magnetic transducer to a part of the hard disk where no information is stored, for example, to the inner circumference of the hard disk. Attempts have also been made to locate the Thereby, the contact area between the magnetic transducer and the hard disk surface can be limited to one area on the disk surface where no information is stored. However, although this approach can prevent damage to the information stored on the hard disk to some extent, it is inevitably accompanied by a number of undesirable problems. Specifically, the surface available for storing information is reduced and the magnetic transducers are still at risk of damage. Additionally, during power down, the radial movement of the magnetic transducer on the surface of the hard disk is not restricted, so there is a risk that the magnetic transducer may move to the surface area of the hard disk where information is stored due to undesired shocks or vibrations. There is sex.

Further, attempts have been made in the past to hold the magnetic transducer in a state separated from the hard disk surface after the magnetic transducer is lifted from the hard disk surface. This operation is called "unloading" of the magnetic transducer. After the unloading operation, the magnetic transducer is then lowered or "loaded" onto the surface of the hard disk again. Loading and unloading of magnetic transducers is generally performed by a mechanism that includes the magnetic transducers.

Conventionally, the loading and unloading of magnetic transducers is carried out according to the movement characteristics of a cantilevered arm cooperating with a stationary separator element and to which a magnetic head is attached. This movement characteristic is determined by the shape and dimensions of the arm.
When the magnetic transducer passes a predetermined outer peripheral position of the hard disk and moves radially outward, it is unloaded with respect to the hard disk. On the other hand, when it moves radially inward from the outer peripheral position, it is loaded onto the hard disk surface. With such a configuration, the magnetic transducer can be loaded and unloaded, but since the distance that the carriage that supports the head has to travel becomes long, it is necessary to provide a separate mechanism to prevent the carriage from moving in the radial direction. .

As the portability of microprocessor devices and the utility value of hard disks as storage devices used in microprocessor devices become more important, the above-mentioned conditions have become extremely important.

Further, as the technology of storage media advances, it is predicted that a non-contact relationship between the storage medium and the converter or a contact relationship under precise control will be required.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and includes appropriately loading/unloading one or more magnetic transducers with respect to a storage medium. In addition, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that prevents undesired radial movement of a magnetic transducer along the surface of a storage medium.

A magnetic transducer loading/unloading device for a storage medium according to the invention includes a separator element that operates in the vicinity of a cantilevered arm on which a magnetic transducer is mounted. When the separator element is in the first position, the head carriage assembly operates normally. That is, the magnetic transducer is located in the loading cylinder and its radial movement is not restricted. On the other hand, when in the second position, the magnetic transducer is unloaded from the hard disk and the head carriage assembly is locked in the selected position, thereby preventing radial movement of the magnetic transducer. Movement of the separator element between the first and second positions results in loading/unloading of the magnetic transducer with respect to the hard disk.

the separator element has one or more inclined surfaces;
The inclined surface abuts a portion of the cantilevered arm carrying the magnetic transducer, causing the magnetic transducer to move up and down as the separator element rotates between the first and second positions. Specifically, when the separator element moves from the first position to the second position, the surface of the separator element having a predetermined inclination angle comes into contact with the cantilever arm, and the separator element moves toward the second position. As it rotates, the cantilevered arm is vertically displaced, thereby vertically moving the magnetic transducer toward or away from the hard disk. Similarly, when the separator element moves from the second position to the first position, the cantilevered arm is also vertically displaced, resulting in
The magnetic transducer also moves vertically toward or away from the hard disk. That is, movement of the separator element between the first and second positions causes the magnetic transducer to move in a direction perpendicular to the hard disk. Furthermore, when the separator element is in the second position, movement of the head carriage assembly is prevented, thereby also preventing radial movement of the magnetic transducer.

Another feature of the invention is that the separator element can be effectively locked in both the first and second positions.

The energy required to move the separator element from the first position to the second position is stored in a spring device. Therefore, unloading of the magnetic transducer to the hard disk and locking of the head carriage assembly to the selected position requires only movement of the trigger element. According to the device of the invention, the spring connection point of the separator element is offset in the desired direction of rotation from the axis of rotation of the separator element, so that a torque is created that acts about the axis of rotation of the separator element. The other end of the spring is
The trigger member is connected to the separator element, and when the trigger member is pulled toward the separator element, it abuts the separator element and prevents movement of the element. In this way, the energy stored in the spring holds the separator element in the first position. Then, when the trigger member is moved in a direction to release the contact relationship between the separator element and the trigger member, the restraining force is released and the separator element is moved to the second position by the energy stored in the spring. That is,
When the separator element moves from the first position to the second position, the magnetic transducer is unloaded from the hard disk. When the separator element is in the second position, a restraining force is created that prevents movement of the head carriage assembly, thereby preventing radial movement of the magnetic transducer.

When the separator element reaches the second position and the trigger member returns to its original position, the geometric contact of the trigger member with the surface of the separator element locks the separator element in the second position.

Generally speaking, moving the trigger member in a direction to release said geometrical contact returns the separator element to the first position. Movement of the head carriage assembly then causes the separator element to move toward the first position, and then, upon release of the trigger member, the separator element is fully returned to the first position.

Then, when the separator element returns to the first position,
The trigger member continuously applies a torque to the separator element to maintain the separator element in the first position.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, movement of the head carriage assembly is combined with actuation of a trigger member to appropriately control the magnetic transducer for unloading from the hard disk.

Another feature of the invention resides in the operating requirements of the separator element. Specifically, the magnetic head can be unloaded and the head carriage assembly can be locked by simply temporarily breaking contact between the trigger member and the separator element. Similarly, temporarily breaking contact between the trigger member and the separator element and then moving the head carriage assembly loads the magnetic head, unlocks the head carriage assembly, and moves the separator element to the first position. Return is possible. According to the invention, energy is only required when moving the separator element between the first and second positions, but not when holding it there.

(Embodiment) The apparatus according to the present invention not only loads and unloads a magnetic transducer with respect to a storage medium, but also prevents movement of a head carriage mechanism to avoid undesirable movement of the magnetic transducer along the surface of the storage medium. Prevent radial movement.

Hereinafter, the operation of the present invention will be explained using a storage medium consisting of a hard disk as an example. However, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to hard disk type storage media. Therefore, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be applied to storage media other than hard disks.

FIG. 1 schematically shows the elements constituting the most common hard disk storage device 10.
The hard disk 12 is connected to a motor 14,
It is rotationally driven by the motor. a magnetic transducer 16 attached to one end of a cantilevered arm 18;
transfers information to and from the hard disk 12. On the other hand, the cantilever arm 18 is connected to a carriage 20, and the carriage 20 is moved one-dimensionally, that is, linearly, by a moving means (not shown). The magnetic transducer 16 moves radially along the surface of the hard disk 12 as the carriage 20 moves. Below, magnetic transducer 1
6. Cantilever arm 18 and carriage 2
0 are collectively referred to as the head carriage assembly. Although the basic elements constituting the hard disk storage device have been described above, it will be understood that there are many other possible ways to perform the functions of these elements. For example, instead of providing a magnetic transducer positioning device to move the magnetic transducer radially along the surface of the hard disk,
It can also move in an arc. Therefore, the following description of the concept of the present invention is not limited to application to hard disk drives comprising components that perform the functions described above.

According to the invention, as shown in FIG. 2, separator element 30 is hinged at one end 32 thereof for rotation. In the preferred embodiment, the function of the hinge structure is via pins 34 and 36. These pins not only serve as a means of attaching separator element 30 to the desired structure 38, but also allow rotation of separator element 30. Here, in the preferred embodiment, the separator element 30 is
Although pin means have been used to rotate about 2, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many variations are possible. Therefore, the present invention does not limit the manner in which the desired rotation of separator element 30 may be achieved to the use of pins.

The separator element 30 also has a surface 40 that is inclined with respect to its direction of rotation.

FIG. 3 shows the separator element 30, head carriage assembly and hard disk 12 of FIG.
FIG. 2 is a plan view schematically showing the positional relationship of FIG. In the same figure, separator element 30
rotates between a first position 42 shown in dotted lines and a second position 44 shown in solid lines. At the first position 42,
Separator element 30 adjoins a support wall 43 located outside the trajectory of movement of the head carriage assembly and parallel to its surface. Thus, as the carriage 20 moves, the magnetic transducer 16 moves radially along the surface of the hard disk 12.
However, the movement of the carriage 20 positions the magnetic transducer 16 over the outer periphery of the hard disk 12, and then the separator element 30 is moved to the second position 4.
4, a portion of the separator element 30 is located within the range of movement of the head carriage assembly, and radial movement of the magnetic transducer 16 along the surface of the hard disk 12 is restricted. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the device shown in FIG. 3, with corresponding elements similarly provided with the same reference numerals. In the figure, when the separator element 30 moves from the first position 42 to the second position 44, the separator element 30
The inclined surface 40 abuts the cantilevered arm 18 . More specifically, as the separator element 30 moves into the range of motion of the head carriage assembly, the ramp 40 moves along the surface of the cantilevered arm 18, thereby causing the magnetic transducer 16 to move along the surface of the cantilevered arm 18.
is separated from the surface of the hard disk 12, that is, unloaded. Then, when the separator element 30 returns from the second position 44 to the first position 42, the magnetic transducer 16 is loaded onto the surface of the hard disk 12. The speed at which the magnetic transducer 16 is loaded onto the surface of the hard disk 12 can be directly controlled by controlling the speed at which the carriage 20 moves toward the hard disk 12. Also, when separator element 30 moves from second position 44 to first position 42, separator element 30 moves toward carriage 2.
0 is located outside the movement range. In this state,
The magnetic transducer 16 moves in the radial direction on the surface of the hard disk 12 as the carriage 20 moves.

In a preferred embodiment, surface 4 of separator element 30
0 is inclined at approximately 75 degrees to the side of the separator element 30.

Although in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4, the separator element 30 acts only on one magnetic transducer 16 and a single side of the hard disk 12, the above inventive concept can be applied to multiple magnetic transducers as shown in FIG. It can also be easily expanded by applying it to each side of a hard disk storage device. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a plurality of hard disks, a magnetic transducer, a cantilevered arm, a carriage, and a separator element corresponding to the plurality of cantilevered arms. In the figure, the magnetic transducer and cantilever arm are shown in a loaded state with dotted lines and in an unloaded state with solid lines. Hard disk 12A is
Cooperative magnetic transducers 16A and 16B are attached to cantilevered arms 18A and 18B, respectively. On the other hand, hard disk 12B cooperates with magnetic transducers 16C and 16D attached to cantilevered arms 18C and 18D, respectively. Cantilever arms 18A, 18B, 18C and 18
D is connected to the carriage 20. Therefore, magnetic transducers 16A, 16B, 16C and 16
D moves in the radial direction along the upper and lower surfaces of the magnetic transducers 12A and 12B, respectively, as the carriage 20 moves. Separator element 31 is similar to separator element 30 shown in FIGS. 2-4, and corresponding parts are similarly numbered. However, while separator element 30 has only a single inclined surface 40, separator element 31 has multiple inclined surfaces 40A, 40B, 40C and 40D, i.e. on each side of the hard disk, magnetic transducer and cantilevered arm. The structure has an inclined surface corresponding to . Like separator element 30, separator element 31 also moves between a first position 42, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, and a second position 44, shown in solid lines in FIG. In the first position 42 , the separator element 31 is located at a support wall 43 that is not within the range of movement of the carriage 20 and is parallel to the sides of the separator element 30 .
(not shown in FIG. 5). on the other hand,
In the second position 44, the separator element 31 is within the range of movement of the carriage 20 and the carriage cannot be moved. As with the single cantilevered arm shown in FIG.
Moving from position 42 towards second position 44,
Inclined surfaces 40A, 40B, 4 of separator element 31
0C and 40D are cantilever arm 18A,
18B, 18C and 18D, respectively. Then, when the separator element 31 further moves toward the second position 44, the magnetic transducers 16A, 16B, 16C
and 16D are separated from the hard disks 12A and 12B, respectively. Also, like the separator element 30, when the separator element 31 reaches the second position 44, it is within the range of movement of the carriage 20, so that the magnetic transducers 16A, 16B along the surfaces of the hard disks 12A and 12B are , 16C and 16D are prevented from moving in the radial direction. That is,
When the separator element 31 is in the second position 44, the magnetic transducers are spaced from the surfaces of each hard disk and prevented from moving radially along those surfaces.

As described in FIG. 4, when separator element 31 moves from second position 44 to first position 42, magnetic transducers 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D are positioned on the surfaces of hard disks 12A and 12B, respectively. In this state, separator element 3
1 moves out of the range of movement of the carriage 20, the magnetic transducers 16A, 16B, 16C and 16 along the surfaces of the hard disks 12A and 12B
Radial movement of D is again possible.

The separator elements 30 and 31 have a single inclined surface inclined with respect to the moving direction, but in order to achieve the function of the separator elements, other structures, such as the hard disk 12, may be used. Of course, it is also possible to use a rotating cylinder or the like having a surface inclined relative to the surface. The preferred embodiments are illustrative of the operation of the apparatus and method according to the invention, and various modifications may be made to achieve the same or similar functionality within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Next, the rotational characteristics of the separator element will be explained. FIG. 6 shows the separator element 31 shown in FIG.
FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating the same, corresponding elements being given the same reference numerals. As shown in the figure, the device of the invention further comprises a trigger element as a latching means for partially abutting the separator element 31 and latching or fixing it. This trigger element, when the separator element 1 is in the first or second position,
It abuts the surface of the separator element. According to a preferred embodiment, the function of the trigger member is performed using a pivot member or trigger member 50. Trigger member 50 moves between a first position 54 shown in solid lines in FIG. 6 and a second position 56 shown in dotted lines in FIG. In the first position 54, the trigger member 5
The edge 58 of 0 is the edge 60 of the separator element 31
comes into contact with. On the other hand, in the second position, the edge 58 of the trigger member 50 is aligned with the edge 6 of the separator element 31.
Does not touch 0. Edge 58 of trigger member 50 and edge 60 of separator element 31 will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. Separator element 31
is connected to the trigger member 50 via a spring 61 as a biasing means that the device of the present invention further includes. This spring 61 is arranged between a spring connection point 62 provided on the separator element 31 and a spring connection point 64 provided on the trigger member 50. Then, due to the action of this spring 61, the trigger member 5
0 and separator element 31 are maintained in contact. As described above, the trigger member 50 includes a spring 60.
The trigger member 50 is maintained in contact with the separator element 31 by the force , but the trigger member 50 moves to the second position 56 upon application of a trigger force to be described below.
In the following description, the axis of rotation axis 68 is the axis of rotation when separator element 31 rotates between the aforementioned first position and second position.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the separator element 31 and trigger member 50 shown in FIG. The figure also shows the positional relationship between the spring connection point 62 and the rotating shaft 62, as well as the separator element 31 and the trigger member 5.
The contact relationship with 0 is shown in more detail. The surface of the separator element 30 on which the spring force acts via the spring connection point 62 is displaced from the axis of rotation 68 by a distance D1 in a direction perpendicular to that surface. Therefore,
The spring 60 rotates the separator element 31 at its rotation axis 6
A rotational torque proportional to said distance D1 is produced in the separator element 31 causing it to rotate about 8.

Next, the relationship between the edge 60 of the separator element 31 and the edge 58 of the trigger member 50 will be explained. The edge 60 of the separator element 31 is parallel to the axis of rotation 68 , inclined to the side surface of the separator element 31 and adjacent to the support wall 43 . In the illustrated embodiment,
Edge 60 is inclined at an angle of approximately 50 degrees to the side of separator element 31. Similarly, the edge 58 of the trigger member 50 is also parallel to the rotation axis 68, and
It is inclined with respect to the side surface of the separator element 31.
The angle of inclination of edge 58 is different from the angle of inclination of separator element 31, and the angle of inclination of edge 58 is greater than the angle of inclination of separator element 31, as described below. Edge 58 of trigger member 50 abuts edge 60 of separator element 31 at point 59 . As mentioned above, the spring 61 is connected to the trigger member 50 at a spring connection point 64 such that the edge 58 of the trigger member 50 meets the edge 60 of the separator element 31 at a point 59.
, a torque about the axis of rotation 68 of the separator element 31 is generated in the opposite direction to the torque described in connection with the distance D1. Here, if the vertical distance between the rotation axis 68 and the plane containing the vector of the force generated by the contact at 59 is D2, then the spring 60 produces a torque on the separator element 31 that is proportional to this distance D2. In the preferred embodiment, distance D2 is greater than distance D1, so that a net torque about axis of rotation 68 of separator element 31 causes separator element 3
1 is maintained in a first position adjacent to the support wall 43. Note that the point 59 is positioned so that the distance D2 is as large as possible and the net torque is maximized. Furthermore, in order to minimize the amount of displacement of the trigger member 50 moving between the two positions, the edge 5
The angle of inclination 8 is set larger than the angle of inclination of the edge 60 .

The function of the support wall 43 is to prevent rotation of the separator element 31 due to said net torque and to maintain the separator element 31 in the first position 42 .

The invention is not limited to the particular configurations of the preferred embodiments described above. Accordingly, those skilled in the art will be able to make many other configurations other than those described above that perform the same or similar functions as described above and are within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Furthermore, a separator element 31 and a trigger member 5
0 is the inclined surface 63, 65, as described in detail below.
67 and 69.

When a force is applied to the trigger member 50, the trigger member 50 rotates about the pivot point 52. Thus, the trigger member 50 is connected to the separator element 31.
The torque that would have caused the separator element 31 to rotate about the axis of rotation 68 due to contact with the separator element 31 is removed. Then, due to the torque generated by the spring 61 and acting on the separator element 31 via the spring connection point 62, the separator element 3
1 rotates from the first position to the second position. When the separator element 31 moves toward the second position 44,
The inclined surfaces 40A, 40B, 40C and 40D form the cantilever arm 1 described with reference to FIG.
8A, 18B, 18C and 18D, resulting in magnetic transducers 16A, 16B, 16C and 1
6D is separated from hard disks 12A and 12B. The separator element 31 then continues to rotate until it reaches the second position, and when it reaches the second position,
The stop surface 31 of the separator element 31 is
0 and its rotation is prevented. Here, the separator element 31 moves from the first position 42 to the second position 4.
4, the torque acting through the spring connection point 62 increases. The separator element 31 is the second
Once the position 44 is reached, the torque exerted by the spring 61 and acting on the separator element 31 acts on the carriage 20 via the spring connection point 62, so that the separator element 31 is held firmly against the carriage 20. . As a result, the separator element 31 is firmly held in the second position 44, and the magnetic heads 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D are separated from the hard disk, that is, in an unloaded state, and within the movement range of the carriage 20. The movement of separator element 31 prevents radial movement of magnetic transducers 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D along the surfaces of hard disks 12A and 12B. FIG. 8 illustrates the positional relationship between separator element 31 and trigger member 50 with separator element 31 in second position 44 and force 66 removed from trigger member 50. As shown in the figure, when separator element 31 is in the second position and force 66 is removed from trigger member 50, surfaces 63 and 65 of separator element 31 align with surface 67 of trigger member 50.
and 69, respectively. That is, the trigger member 50 is activated by the spring force of the spring 60 disposed between the spring connection point 62 on the separator element 31 and the connection point 64 on the trigger member 50.
It abuts the separator element 31 again. However, rotation of separator element 31 in a direction opposite to the torque applied to separator element 31 is prevented because surface 63 of separator element 31 and surface 67 of trigger member 50 are in parallel and abutting relationship. As a result, magnetic transducers 16A, 16B, 16C and 1 along the surfaces of hard disks 12A and 12B
6D (FIG. 5) causes surfaces 63 and 65 of separator element 31 and corresponding surfaces 67 and 69 of trigger member 50, respectively.
This is prevented since the separator element 31 is held against the carriage 20 by said relationship.

Briefly, magnetic heads 16A, 16B, 1 for hard disks 12A and 12B
Reloading of 6C and 16D involves first applying a force 66 to trigger member 50 (FIG. 6) and then moving separator element 30 to first position 4 by moving carriage 20 relative to stop surface 70.
2 and then releasing the force 66. More specifically, by applying a force 66, surfaces 63 and 6 of separator element 31
5 and a trigger member 50 corresponding to these surfaces.
The stop surface 70 of the separator element 31 is released from parallel abutment with surfaces 67 and 69 (FIG. 8).
Movement of the carriage 20 relative to the separator element 31 rotationally moves the separator element 31 to the first position;
Magnetic heads 16A, 16B, 16C and 16D are reloaded onto hard disks 12A and 12B. Here, the carriage 20 moves relative to the separator element 31 as described above, but
This movement is not to return the separator element 31 to the first position, but to move the separator element 31 toward the first position 42 . Then, following the above-mentioned movement of the carriage 20, when the trigger force is released from the trigger member 50, the abutting relationship between the trigger member 50 and the separator element 31 (i.e., the contact between the surfaces 58 and 60) is re-established (the second 6 and 7), so that the net rotational torque about the axis of rotation 68 of the separator element 31 is opposite to the torque produced by the spring 61 and acting through the spring connection point 62. occurs in the direction. The separator element 31 is returned to the first position 42 by this net torque.

In the illustrated embodiment, the pivot member, ie, the trigger member 50, is used as the trigger element, but various modifications other than this configuration may be used as long as they perform the same or similar function. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that For example, a solenoid-driven pin having the same or similar function as the pin described above may be used to easily engage the surfaces of the separator element and trigger element. Therefore, as with the separator elements, such modifications of solenoid-driven pins and the like are considered to be within the scope and spirit of this invention.

(Effects of the Invention) With the above configuration, the present invention can load and unload the magnetic transducer with respect to the hard disk and prevent the magnetic transducer from moving in the radial direction. Furthermore, a more controlled loading and unloading of the magnetic transducer can be achieved by manipulating the trigger element taking into account the speed of carriage movement. That is,
The carriage is first moved to a selected position in which the separator element is moved into abutment with the carriage in response to actuation of the trigger member. However, prior to abutment, the inclined surface of the separator element abuts a cantilevered arm comprising a magnetic transducer. Thereafter, by controlling the speed at which the carriage is pulled back, the speed at which the magnetic transducer is unloaded from the surface of the hard disk can be directly controlled. Similarly, loading control of the magnetic transducer to the hard disk can be achieved by actuating the trigger element and controlling the advancement speed of the carriage 20 while the magnetic transducer is unloaded to the hard disk.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments,
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications can be made to achieve similar or identical effects to the above structure without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a hard disk, magnetic transducer, cantilevered arm and head carriage assembly; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a hinged separator element in use according to an embodiment of the invention;
3 is a plan view of the hinged separator element shown in FIG. 2 and the hard disk, magnetic transducer and head carriage assembly used in connection with the element; FIG. 4 is a plan view of the hinged separator element shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the formula separator element, hard disk, magnetic transducer and head carriage assembly.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hinged separator element and a hard disk, magnetic transducer, and head carriage assembly used in conjunction with the hinged separator element according to another embodiment of the invention; FIG. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6 showing the hinged separator element in the first position; FIG. 8 shows the hinged separator element in the second position. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6; 10... Hard disk storage device, 12... Hard disk, 16... Magnetic transducer, 18... Cantilever arm, 20... Carriage, 3
0, 31... Separator element, 40... Inclined surface of separator element, 50... Trigger member, 61...
…Spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A device for loading/unloading a magnetic transducer onto/from a surface of a storage medium, comprising: a carriage means for moving the magnetic transducer along the surface of the storage medium; and a carriage means for moving the magnetic transducer along the surface of the storage medium; a cantilevered member pivotally connected to and having the magnetic transducer mounted distally thereon, the apparatus comprising: a cantilevered member pivotally connected to the magnetic transducer distally disposed thereon; and a first position in which the separator means engages and pivots the cantilevered member, thereby moving the magnetic transducer into an unloading condition away from the storage medium surface. separator means movable between a second position that engages the carriage means and prevents movement thereof; and biasing means that biases the separator means from the first position to the second position. latching means for latching or unlatching the separator means in one of the first and second positions, wherein when the latching means unlatches the separator means in the first position, the separator means moving to a second position and moving said carriage means to a retracted position with respect to said storage medium, said latching means unlatching said separator means in said second position and said carriage means being driven from said retracted position. . A device for loading/unloading a magnetic transducer for a storage medium, wherein the carriage means is capable of moving the separator means to the first position. 2. The latching means includes a movable trigger member, the trigger member having a latching position for engaging and latching the separator means in the first position or the second position, and an engagement position with the separator means. release the separator means and remove the separator means from the first separator means.
Loading/unloading of the magnetic transducer for a storage medium according to claim 1, characterized in that the magnetic transducer is movable between the unlatched position and the second position. Device. 3. said biasing means is a spring connecting said separator means to said trigger member, said spring biasing said trigger member to said latched position and biasing said separator means to said second position; A device for loading/unloading a magnetic transducer for a storage medium according to claim 1 or 2. 4. The device for loading/unloading a magnetic transducer for a recording medium according to claim 3, wherein the trigger member is movable from the latched position to the unlatched position by an external force. 5 said separator means engages and pivots said cantilevered member in a direction perpendicular to said storage medium surface as said separator means moves between said first and second positions; 5. A loading/unloading device for a magnetic transducer for a storage medium according to claim 1, further comprising a cantilever type moving means. 6. Any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the separator means includes a surface that is inclined with respect to the direction of movement of the separator means between the first position and the second position. A device for loading/unloading a magnetic transducer for a storage medium according to item 1. 7. The separator means comprises a plate member having a predetermined width and pivotable between the first and second positions about an associated hinge member. A loading/unloading device for a magnetic transducer for a storage medium according to .