CA1219071A - Flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus - Google Patents
Flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA1219071A CA1219071A CA000432765A CA432765A CA1219071A CA 1219071 A CA1219071 A CA 1219071A CA 000432765 A CA000432765 A CA 000432765A CA 432765 A CA432765 A CA 432765A CA 1219071 A CA1219071 A CA 1219071A
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- disc
- flexible disc
- guiding surface
- flexible
- recording
- Prior art date
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Abstract
FLEXIBLE DISC RECORDING
AND/OR REPRODUCING APPARATUS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing signals on a flexible disc which is freely rotatable between opposed walls of a substantially flat cartridge, a holding device is movable in respect to a base member from a cartridge receiving position to a loaded position at which a cartridge in the holding device is operatively disposed for engagement of the disc by a drive extending from the base members through first openings in the cartridge walls centered in respect to the disc for rotating the latter and for a head mounted on the base member to extend through second openings in the cartridge walls to record or reproduce signals on a surface of the disc, a guide plate and/or a positioning plate are mounted on the base member and holding device, respectively, to define at least one disc guiding surface which, when the cartridge is disposed in its operative position, extends into a respective one of the second openings in the cartridge walls and confronts a respective surface of the disc adjacent the head for positioning the rotated flexible disc in the region of the head, and a soft fibrous covering, for example, constituted by plush-like filaments or by a non-woven fabric, is provided on each disc guiding surface for protecting the flexible disc from damage due to contact therewith.
AND/OR REPRODUCING APPARATUS
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
In an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing signals on a flexible disc which is freely rotatable between opposed walls of a substantially flat cartridge, a holding device is movable in respect to a base member from a cartridge receiving position to a loaded position at which a cartridge in the holding device is operatively disposed for engagement of the disc by a drive extending from the base members through first openings in the cartridge walls centered in respect to the disc for rotating the latter and for a head mounted on the base member to extend through second openings in the cartridge walls to record or reproduce signals on a surface of the disc, a guide plate and/or a positioning plate are mounted on the base member and holding device, respectively, to define at least one disc guiding surface which, when the cartridge is disposed in its operative position, extends into a respective one of the second openings in the cartridge walls and confronts a respective surface of the disc adjacent the head for positioning the rotated flexible disc in the region of the head, and a soft fibrous covering, for example, constituted by plush-like filaments or by a non-woven fabric, is provided on each disc guiding surface for protecting the flexible disc from damage due to contact therewith.
Description
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and more particularly is directed to an arrangement for accurately positioning a flexible rotated disc while an information signal, such as, a video or still picture signal, is being recorded or reproduced on a surface of the disc by a magnetic head or heads.
Description of the Prior Art Apparatus has been provided in which a ~ideo or other information signal is recorded and/or reproduced ~y a magnetic head in a substantially circular record track on a flexible magnetic disc while the latter is rotated at a relatively high speed, for example, a speed of 1800 or 3600 RPM. The flexible magnetic disc used for such recording and/or reproducing may be extremely thin and, therefore, such a flexible magnetic disc is usually contained in a jacket or cartridge casing for preventing crumpling, folding or other damage to the relatively fragile disc, particularly when not in use. The jacket or cartridge casing has central openings in its opposite walls at which the center of the disc can be engaged by a suitable drive for effecting the high speed rotation of the disc while contained in the jacket or cartridge casing which is further provided with a window or windows through which a magnetic head or heads may contact the disc surface for recording and/or reproducing information signals thereon. In those existing flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatuses which employ a , _~
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disc of relatively large diameter, for example, of the order of 30 cm., rotation of the disc at a relatively high speed within the jacket or cartridge casing produces relatively large centrifugal forces which are ~ufficient to urge the flexible disc to maintain a flat configuration in a plane normal to the rotational axi6. Further, the high speed rotation of the flexible disc of relatively large diameter causes the generation of air flows or films moving radially outward from the center of the rotated disc toward ~he periphery between the disc surfaces and the adjacent walls of the jacket or cartridge casing. As a result of the foregoing, a magnetic head may be pressed against -t~e surface of the rotated flexible disc of large diameter without substantial movement of the disc away from the head so that the attainment of stable and reliable contact of the magnetic head with the disc surface does not present a serious problem.
However, if the diameter of the flexible disc is substantially reduced 50 as to ~imilarly reduce the size of the jacket or cartridge casing containing the same a~d thereby facilitate its handling, storage or mailing, it is difficult to attain adequate air flows and centrifugal forces acting on the flexible rotated disc for ensuring the reliable and ~table contact of the magnetic head with the disc surface during the recording or reproducing of signals thereon.
- In consequence of the foregoing, it has been proposed, for example, in U.S. Patent 4,466,032, issued August 14, 1984, and having an ?
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assignee in common herewith, for use with a relatively small diameter flexible disc contained in a substantially flat cartridge having opposed walls with first aligned openings substantially centered in respect to the disc therebetween for engagement therethrough of a drive with the disc and second aligned openings in the opposed walls extending, in the radial direction of the disc, at least between inner and outer effective limits of the recording surface of the disc, to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus with a base member from which its drive and head or heads extend for engagement with the disc through the first and second openings, respectively of the cartridge when the latter is in an operative position in respect to the base member, a cartridge holding member movable in respect to the base member between a cartridge receiving position and a loaded position for disposing a cartridge in the holding member in the operative position thereof, a guide plate also mounted on the base member and defining a first di w guiding surface at least adjacent to the head or heads, for example, in surrounding relation to the latter, and a posi~ioning plate mounted on the holding member and defining a second disc guiding surface, the guide and positioning plates extending into the second openings in the walls of the cartridge when the latter is disposed in its operative position so that the first and second disc guiding surfaces confront recpective surfaces of the rotated flexible disc for positioning the : : :
:: rotated flexible disc therebetween in the region of the magnetic head or heads. However, such arrangement for positioning the rotated flexible disc in the region of the 12~
head or heads is not wholly satisfactory in that the disc guiding surfaces on the guide and positioning plates are hard, for example, are of metal, and have a tendency to scar or score the surface of the flexible magnetic disc due to contact with the latter during its high-speed rotation. The likelihood of such damaging contact of the disc guiding ~urface or surfaces with the flexible magnetic disc is increased if the positioning of sùch surfaces relative to the disc is not maintained precisely with a high degree of accuracy~ However, the maintenance of such accuracy substantially increases the cost of the apparatus.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus which avoids the foregoing problems associated with the prior art.
More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a flexible disc recording andtor reproducing apparatus for use with a flexible disc of relatively small diameter, and which maintains stable and reliable contact of a magnetic head or heads with the disc surface while economically avoiding scarring or scoring of the disc surface by the structures provided for maintaining such contact.
Another object is to provide a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, as aforesaid, in which the economical maintenance of stable contact of a head or heads with the disc surface for recording and/or _5_ 12~7~
reproducing signals on the flexible disc can be effected with the disc within its protective~acket or cartridge.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises drive means for rotating a flexible disc record medium, head means for recording and/or reproducing signals on a surface of the flexible disc record medium while the latter is rotated by the drive means, plate means defining a disc guiding surface at least at one side of the rotated flexible disc record medium adjacent to the head means and confronting a respective surface of the rotated flexible disc record medium for conforming the latter to the disc guiding surface, and shock absorbing means on the disc guiding surface for protecting the flexible disc record medium from damage by contact therewith.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the shock absorbing means includes a soft fibrous covering on the respective disc guiding ~urface, with ~uch soft fibrous covering being constituted, for example, by plush-like filaments extending from the disc guiding ~urface or by .a non-woven fabric.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, w~l~l be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments ~, ~: thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are :~ used to identify the same or corresponding part~ in the :
~;~ several views of the drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
-Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away and in section, showing a known substantially flat cartridge containing a flexible magnetic disc of a type suited for use in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to this invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention, and which is shown with a cartridge holding device thereof in its receiving position for the insertion or removal of a cartridge containing a flexible disc, as shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of those parts in the apparatus of Fig. 2 which are provided for guiding the flexible disc in the region of a magnetic head during the recording and/or reproducing of information signals thereon; and Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing other respective embodiments of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a cartridge 1 intended for use in a flexible disc recording and,~or reproducing apparatus according to this invention may comprise a substantially flat rectangular jacket or casing 2 which may be molded of a suitable plastic and has opposed walls 2a and 2b spaced apart by a small distance, for example, of about 1.2 mm., and between which there is disposed a freely rotatable disc 3 of thin magnetic material lZ~ 7~
so as to be substantially flexible. The disc 3 is desirably of a relatively small diameter, for example, no more than about 50 mm., 80 that jacket 2 can be of correspondingly small size, for example, measuring 60 mm. x 54 mm. x 3 mm., for convenience of handling, storage and transmission, as by mail, and for use in a very compact recording and/or reproducing apparatus which may, for example, be part of a still picture camera which is not substantially larger than a conventional 35 mm. single-lens reflex camera. The opposed walls ~a and 2b of jacket 2 have aligned central openings 4 for access to a hub 5 of disc 3 having a hole 6 extending therethrough for receiving a drive shaft (not shown on Fig. 1). Walls 2a and 2b further have aligned openings or windows 7 which extend, in the radial direction of disc 3, at least to the inner and outer effective limits of a recording surface 3a on the disz. A door member or shutter 8 straddles disc 3 and is slidable along an edge portion of jacket 2 in the direction of the double-headed arrow 9 between the illustrated closed position and an opened position in which shutter 8 clears windows 7 for exposing the corresponding portion of recording surface 3a.
A projection 10 may extend from shutter 8 through an elongated slot (not shown) in jacket 2 and may be acted upon, as hereinafter described, for opening shutter 8 upon the insertion of cartridge 1 into a recording and/or reproducing apparatus. When shutter 8 is opened, one or more magnetic heads (not shown on Fig. 1) can extend through one of the windows 7 for magnetically recording or reproducing an information signal, for example, representing .
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a ~till imAge or picture, in a selected one of concentric circular record tracks on surface 3a of the disc. In the wall 2a of jacket 2 which faces upwardly in use, cartridge 1 is provided with ~ circularly arranged scale 11 cooperating with a rotatable index device 12 for indicating or displaying the number of the circular record track on disc ~urface 3a in which an information signal is being recorded or reproduced. Further, cartridge 1 may be provided with a spring ~not shown) or other means for urging shutter 8 to its closed position upon the removal of cartridge 1 from a recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the present invention may be desirably embodied in a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus 20 which is generally of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,466,032, and which is particularly suitsble for use with the previously described cartridge 1. More particularly, apparatus 20 comprises a cartridge holding assembly 21 which is movable relative to a base member 22 between a receiving position~
shown on Fig. 2, and a loaded position close to base member 22 and in which a cartridge 1 held in assembly 21 is operatively disposed for the recording and/or reproducing of magnetic signal information on ~urface 3a of its disc 3.
Base member 22 is shown to be in the form of a base plate 22a having flanges 22b and 22c directed upwardly along major portions of its opposite side edges, and lugs 22d also directed upwardly from the opposite sides of plate 22a 121~7~
adjacent the back end of the latter for supporting a laterally directed pivot shaft 23 for holding assembly 21.
Holding assembly 21 is shown to include a substantially rectangular cover member 24 in the form of a plate 24a from which flanges 24b, 24c and 24d depend along the opposite sides and the front, respectively, and a receptacle frame member 25 which is dimensioned to fit within cover member 24. Frame member 25 includes side portions in the form of channels 25a and 25b opening at their forward ends and laterally toward each other, a connecting portion 2Sc extending laterally between the forward portions of channels 25a and 25b at the top of the latter, and a cross piece 25d extending between the back portions of channels 25a and 25b. Cover member 24 and receptacle frame member 25 are mounted, at their back ends, for pivotal movements about shaft 23 relative to each other, and also relative to base member 22. A torsion spring 26 is provided around ~haft 23 for urging frame member 25 upwardly relative to base member 22 to a cartridge recieving position of holding a~sembly 21 shown on Fig. 2. Cover member 24 is yieldably urged upwardly relative to frame member 25, for example, by a suitable ~pring (not shown). The upward movement of cover member 24 relative to frame member 25 is limited to the extended position ~hown on Fig. 2, for example, by a pin 27 extending inwardly from flange 24b of cover member 24 and engageable with the upper closed end of a groove 25e formed in the outer Qurface of the adjacent channel 25b of frame member 25. When holding as~embly 21 is moved downwardIy to its loaded position relative to base : :
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member 22, a keeper or cutout 24e in the forward flange 24d of cover member 24 is engageable by a latch 28 on base member 22. In such loaded position, the engagement of receptacle frame member 25 against ba~e member 22 causes frame member 25 to be fully nested or retracted within cover member 24.
When holding assembly is in its illustrated receiving position, at which frame member 25 is extended downwardly, at its front end, relative to cover member 24, cartridge 1 can be slidably inserted in, or withdrawn from receptacle frame mémber 25 with the opposed longitudinal sides of the cartridge, indicated at la and lb on Fig. 1, being slidably received in channels 25a and 25b, re~pectively. A door-opening abutment or lug 29 may project into channel 25a so as to be engageable with projection 10 on shutter B of cartridge 1 for moving the shutter to its opened position in response to the ~lidable insertion of the cartridge into receptacle frame member 25. The slidable in~ertion of cartridge 1 into frame member 25 i5 limited by engagement of the back end of cartridge 1 with cross piece 25d and, at that time, the forward end of cartridge 1 clears flange 24d o f cover member 24 50 that frame member 25 with the cartridge 1 held therein can then nest within cover member 24 upon movement of holding assembly 21 to its loaded position for operatively positioning the cartridge.
; ; The apparatus 20 to which the invention is shown applied ~further includes a turntable 30, which also functiong as a fly wheel, and which is rotatable on a shaft 31. An electric motor 32 depends from base member 22 and ~,~
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has its motor shaft 32a extended above base member 22 and provided with a drive pulley 33 for driving a belt 34 which extends around turntable 30 for driving the latter. Also mounted on base member 22 is a head actuating device 34 which forms no part of the present invention so that such device will not be described in detail other than to note that it includes a head driving arm 35 pivoted, at 35a on base member 22 and on which a magnetic recording and/or reproducing head H is mounted. Angular displacements of arm 35 are effective to displace head H in the radial direction of di~c 3 in the operatively positioned cartridge. Such displacements of head H in the radial direction of disc 3 are, of course, effective to change the circular track on sur~ace 3a of the disc in which head H is operative to -record or reproduce an information signal while disc 3 is rotated at high speed in response to the rotation of turntable 30. When cartridge 1 is operatively positioned in response to movement of holding assembly 21 to its loaded position, the head of shaft 31 enters hole 6 of hub 5 for locating the latter precisely in respect to turntable 30 with which the hub is suitably coupled.
The apparatus 20 is further shown to be provided with a guide member 36 mounted on base member 22 and associated with magnetic recording and/or reproducing head or heads H so as to be adapted, when holding assembly 21 is in its loaded position, to cooperate with a positioning member 37 depending from cover member 24 for stabilizing the contact of head or heads H with the surface 3a of rotated flexible disc 3.
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As particularly shown on Fig. 3, guide member 36 includes a plate-like raised portion 38 dimensioned to extend into window 7 of wall 2b of the operatively positioned cartridge 1 and being integral with a base portion 39 which is suitable secured on base member 22.
Under raised portion 38, base portion 39 has a cavity 40 extending across guide member 36, and such cavity 40 communicates upwardly with an opening 41 which extends through raised portion 38. The head H projects upwardly through opening 41 above ~he surface 38a of raised portion 38 for engagement with surface 3a of disc 3 in the operatively positioned cartridge 1. As shown on Fig. 2, opening 41 is elongated generally in the radial direction extending from the axis of turntable 30 so that head H can be moved therealong when head actuating device 34 is operated to change the circular track on disc 3 in which an information signal is being recorded or reproduced by head H.
Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that head H
may desirably project upwardly from a slider element 4,2 which extends under raised portion 38 and which has an upwardly facing surface 43 slidably engageable against a slider guiding surface 44 formed at the roof of cavity 40 and being parallel to the upper surface 38a of raised portion 38. The pivoted arm 35 of head actuating device 34 extends through cavity 40 and, within the latter, has a pair of upwardly directed pins 45a and 45b at spaced apart locations along arm 35. The pins 45a and 45b respectively engage in a hole 46 and an elongated slot 47 provided in .
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opposite end portions of slider element 42 for permitting vertical movements of slider element 42 relative to arm 35 while constraining element 42 and head H thereon to move with arm 35 in the direction parallel to base member 22. A
leaf or bowed spring 48 has slots 49a and 49b at its opposite end portions loosely receiving pins 45a and 45b, respectively, and is thereby located between arm 35 and slider element 42 for urging the latter upwardly and thereby ensuring slidable engagement of surface 43 on element 42 with the slider guiding surface 44 on guiding element 36.
Posts 50 extend upwardly from guide member 36 at spaced apart locations just outside raised portion 38 Thus, when a cartridge 1 is operatively posi~ioned in apparatus 20, posts 50 extend upwardly through windows 7 radially outside the outer periphery of flexible disc 3.
Posts 50 and the upper end surface of shaft 31 may function, as hereinafter described in detail, as parts of spacing means by which positioning member 37 is located in respect to guide member 36 when holding assembly 21 is in its loaded position.
Still referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that positioning member 37 may be generally in the $orm of a plate 51 which depends from plate 24a of cover member 24 and is dimensioned to extend through the opening defined in frame member 25 between channels 25a and 25b, connecting ,.
portion 25c and cross piece 25d. The suspension of positioning member 37 from cover member 24 desirably permits limited movements of positioning member 37 toward and away from the cover member when holding assembly 21 is in its :
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loaded position. For the foregoing purpose, plate 51 is shown to have four holes 52 extending threrethrough adjacent its corners to slidably receive the shanks of headed pins 53, which shanks are longer than the thIckness of plate 51.
Screws 54 extend downwardly through respective holes 55 in plate 24a and are threaded into tapped bores provided in the shanks of the respective headed pins 53 (Fig. 3). Thus, pins 53 are secured by screws 54 to the undersIde of plate 24a while plate 51 can move to a limited extent toward and away from plate 24a on the shanks of pins 53. A helical compression spring 56 is interposed between plate 24a of cover member 24 and plate 51 for yieldably urging positioning member 37 downwardly relative to cover member 24 to the extent permitted by the engagement of plate 51 with the heads of pins 53.
Positioning member 37 is further shown to have a depending portion 57 (,Fig. 3) integral with the underside of plate 51 and being dimensioned to extend into the window 4 of wall 2a of cartridge 1 when the latter is operatively po,sitioned. The undersurface 57a of depending portion 57 is shown to have a groove 58 of arcuate cross section extending thereacross so as to substantiaily correspond with the path of movement of head H upon angular movement of arm 35.
Apparatus 20 is further shown to be provided with spacing means assoc~ated with the guide and positioning members 36 and 37 for adjustably determining the spacing therebetween when holding assembly 21 is in its loaded position. More spec~fically, such adjustable spacing means includes a first screw 59 and a pair of second screws 60 121~7~
adjustably threaded through plate 51 from above (Fig. 2) and respectively located so that, with holding assembly 21 in its loaded position screw 59 is aligned with the top surface of shaft 31 and screws 60 are aligned with posts 50 on guide member 36. With holding assembly 21 in its loaded position, a screwdriver or ~imilar tool can gain access to screws 59 and 60 through suitable openings (not shown) in cover 24, whereby to adjust such screws in engagement with the upper surface of shaft 31 and the upper surfaces of posts 50, respectively. It will be apparent that such adjustments of screws 59 and 60 can raise plate 51 from the heads of pins 53 and thereby make it possible to adjust the parallelism of the confronting surfaces 38a and 57a between raised portion 38 of guide member 36 and depending portion 57 of positioning member 37 and the size of the qap therebetween independently of the position of cover member 24 relative to base member 22 in the loaded position of holding assembly 21.
Finally, 8S shown on Fig. 2, apparatus 20 may have an index actuator 61 on base member 22 which is engageable with the index device 12 of the operatively positionéd cartridge 1. Such index actuator 61, which forms no part of the~ present invention, may be suitably operated at the completion of each revolution of the operatively positioned disc 3 to step or actuate the index device 12 so that the latter will indicate the next track number on ccale 11.
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~ : In accordance with the present invention, a shock ,. , absorbing member 62, desirably. in the form of a soft fibrous covering, extends over the upper surface 38a of raised .
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portion 38 of guide member 36 so as to be in surrounding relation to the opening 41 through which head H projects upwardly. Thus, when a cartridge 1 is operatively positioned by holding assembly 21, the head H projecting upwardly through opening 46 is engageable with surface 3a of disc 3 in the operatively positioned cartridqe while the soft fibrous covering constituting shock absorbing me~er 62 defines a disc guiding surface 62a which lies in a plane corresponding t~ the desired plane of rotation of flexible disc 3 and can be effective to regulate the position of the flexible disc in the region surrounding the contact of the head or heads H therewith. By reason of its soft fibrous character, shock absorbing member 62 can contact disc 3 while the latter is rotated at high speed without damage to the surface of the disc. Similarly, in the embodiment of the present invention being here described, a shock absorbing member 63 desirably in the form of a soft fibrous covering is provided on at least those portions of the undersurface 57a of the depending portion 57 of positioning member 37 which are at opposite sides of the arcuate groove 58. It will be appreciated that the soft fibrous covering constituting shock absorbing member 63 defines a second disc guiding surface 63a on positioning member 37 which may be operatively disposed in parallel, spaced confronting relation to the disc guiding surface 62a defined by shock absorbing member 62 on guide member 36 for positioning the rotated flexible disc 3 therebetween in the region of the head or heads H. The soft fibrous coverings constituting shock absorbing members 62 and 63 may be formed of plush-$~
like filaments extending from surfaces 38a and 57a of guideand positioning members 36 and 37. For example, nylon or rayon fibers of 0.2 to 0.8 mm. lengths and 0.5 to 2.5 denier may be adhered or implanted in acrylic resin adhesive on surfaces 38a and 57a with 60 to 200 fibers or filaments per square mm.
In another embodiment of the invention, the soft fibrous coverings constituting shock absorbing members 62 and 63 may be formed of a non-woven, porous, low-friction, anti-static fabric. For example, as disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 3,534,213, such non-woven fabric may be made of a mixture of 70~ rayon fibers and 30~ polypropylene fibers having a softening temperature substantially lower than that of the rayon fibers. A loose mixture of the rayon and polypropylene fibers having a diameter of about 15 microns is bound into a cohesive non-woven fabric or layer by heating the same to a temperature at which the polypropylene fibers soften to adhere to each other and to the rayon fibers.
The above described apparatus 20 embodying this invention operates as follows:
With holding assembly 21 initially in its receiving position shown on Fig. 2, a cartridge 1 is manually inserted into channels 25a and 25b of frame member 25 through the exposed open front ends of such channels. As the insertion of cartridge 1 into frame member 25 continues, lug 29 engages projection 10 for moving shutter 8 to its opened position until finally the leading end of the cartridge comes into contact with cross piece 25d, at which !
12~ 7~, time the cartridge is fully contained within the boundaries of frame member 25. Cover member 24 can then be pushed downwardly relative to frame member 25 for enveloping the cartridge within cover member 24 and for extending depending portion 57 of positioning member 37 into window 7 of the upper wall 2a of the cartridge. Thereafter, further downward movement of cover member 24 is accompanied by corresponding downward movement of frame member 25 against the force of torsion spring 26, whereupon, holding assembly 21 moves as a unit to its loaded position for operatively positioning cartridge l relative to base member 22 with the head of shaft 31 entering hole 6 in hub 5 of disc 3.
Simultaneously, the lower ends of spacing ~crews 59 and 60 come into engagement with the upper surface of the head of shaft 31 and the upper ends of posts 50 for accurately disposing positioning member 37 relative to guide member 36 at three points, that is, at the post 50 and the shaft 31 Upon the completion of the movement of holding assembly 21 to its loaded position, latch 28 engages in keeper 24e in cover member 24 for securing the holding assembly in its loaded position. In such loaded po~ition, raised portion 38 of guide member 36 extends into window 7 in wall 2b of the operatively positioned cartridge so that the portion of disc 3 exposed at windows 7 is disposed between the soft fibrous shock absorbing coverings 62 and 63 on the surfaces 38a and 57a, respectively, which thereby precisely determine the positioning of disc surface 3a at the area of its contact by head H.
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When turntable 30 is rotated in response to operation of motor 32, the coupling of hub 5 to turntable 30 causes similar rotation of disc 3 during which head H
records a still image or other information signal in a respective circular track on surface 3a. When arm 35 is angularly displaced for moving head H radially in respect to disc 3 for recording successive still image signals in different circular tracks on disc 3, slider element 42 carrying head H is guided by the engagement of its surface 43 with slider guiding surface 44 which is formed parallel to the surface 38a of raised portion 3B. Thus, during displacement of head H in the radial direction of disc 3, its contact pressure against surface 3a of disc 3 remains unchanged.
The adjustment of the gap between the disc guiding surfaces 62a and 63a defined by the soft fibrous coverings 62 and 63 may be effected simply by a screwdriver engaged with adjusting screws 59 and 60. Such adjustments may be conveniently effected with holding assembly 21 in its loaded position and with an operatively positioned cartridge ,~
therein either during rotation o magnetic disc 3, or when the latter is at rest.
In the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to Fig~. 2 snd 3, both guide member 36 and positioning member 37 are provided with projecting portions, that is, the raised portion 38 and the depending portion 57, dimensioned to extend into windows 7 in the lower and upper walls 2b and 2a of the operatively positioned cartridge 1.
However, when either one of the shock absorbing members 62 -- lZ~$~17~:
and 63 is provided in accordance with this invention, either the depending portion 57 and its respective shock absorbing member 63, or the raised portion 38 and the respective shock absorbinq member 62 may be omitted, as shown on Figs. 4 and 5, respectively. More specifically, in the embodiment of the invention shown on Fig. 4, the guide member 36 is the same as previously described, whereas the positioning member 37' is similar to the previously described positioning member 37 with the exception that the plate 51' of positioning member 37' has a planar bottom surface 51'a which merely bears against the outer surface of wall 2a ~f the operativély positioned cartridge 1 and does not extend into the window 7 ~n such wall 2a. Similarly, in the embodiment of the invention shown on Fig. 5, positioning member 37 iB the same as that described with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3, and the guide member 36' differs from the previously described guide member 36 only in that the raised portion 3B of guide member 36 and the shock absorbing covering 62 on such raised portion are omitted. Thus, guide member 36' merely bears against the bottom wall 2b of the operatively positioned cartridge 1 and does not extend into the window 7 of wall 2b in surrounding relation to magnetic bead H.
In each of the embodiments shown on Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, only a single disc guiding surface 62a or 63a , ~ ., is: provided by shock absorbing member or covering 62 or 63, respectively, and such disc guiding surface may touch the surface of the disc 3 for establishing the plane of rotation of the latter at the region of the head H without the danger :
; ~2;1~7i that contact of the disc guiding ~urface 62a or 63a with the disc surface will result in damage to the latter. The foregoing is to be contrasted with the conditions required for guiding the flexible disc 3 when the hard or rigid surfaces 38a and 57a are used for that purpose. In the latter case, the guiding surfaces at opposite sides of the disc need to be precisely parallel to each other and accurately close to the confronting surfaces of the disc when the latter is in the desï~ed plane of rotation so as to avoid damaging contacts with the disc surfaces.
Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and more particularly is directed to an arrangement for accurately positioning a flexible rotated disc while an information signal, such as, a video or still picture signal, is being recorded or reproduced on a surface of the disc by a magnetic head or heads.
Description of the Prior Art Apparatus has been provided in which a ~ideo or other information signal is recorded and/or reproduced ~y a magnetic head in a substantially circular record track on a flexible magnetic disc while the latter is rotated at a relatively high speed, for example, a speed of 1800 or 3600 RPM. The flexible magnetic disc used for such recording and/or reproducing may be extremely thin and, therefore, such a flexible magnetic disc is usually contained in a jacket or cartridge casing for preventing crumpling, folding or other damage to the relatively fragile disc, particularly when not in use. The jacket or cartridge casing has central openings in its opposite walls at which the center of the disc can be engaged by a suitable drive for effecting the high speed rotation of the disc while contained in the jacket or cartridge casing which is further provided with a window or windows through which a magnetic head or heads may contact the disc surface for recording and/or reproducing information signals thereon. In those existing flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatuses which employ a , _~
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disc of relatively large diameter, for example, of the order of 30 cm., rotation of the disc at a relatively high speed within the jacket or cartridge casing produces relatively large centrifugal forces which are ~ufficient to urge the flexible disc to maintain a flat configuration in a plane normal to the rotational axi6. Further, the high speed rotation of the flexible disc of relatively large diameter causes the generation of air flows or films moving radially outward from the center of the rotated disc toward ~he periphery between the disc surfaces and the adjacent walls of the jacket or cartridge casing. As a result of the foregoing, a magnetic head may be pressed against -t~e surface of the rotated flexible disc of large diameter without substantial movement of the disc away from the head so that the attainment of stable and reliable contact of the magnetic head with the disc surface does not present a serious problem.
However, if the diameter of the flexible disc is substantially reduced 50 as to ~imilarly reduce the size of the jacket or cartridge casing containing the same a~d thereby facilitate its handling, storage or mailing, it is difficult to attain adequate air flows and centrifugal forces acting on the flexible rotated disc for ensuring the reliable and ~table contact of the magnetic head with the disc surface during the recording or reproducing of signals thereon.
- In consequence of the foregoing, it has been proposed, for example, in U.S. Patent 4,466,032, issued August 14, 1984, and having an ?
1 21$~ ~
assignee in common herewith, for use with a relatively small diameter flexible disc contained in a substantially flat cartridge having opposed walls with first aligned openings substantially centered in respect to the disc therebetween for engagement therethrough of a drive with the disc and second aligned openings in the opposed walls extending, in the radial direction of the disc, at least between inner and outer effective limits of the recording surface of the disc, to provide a recording and/or reproducing apparatus with a base member from which its drive and head or heads extend for engagement with the disc through the first and second openings, respectively of the cartridge when the latter is in an operative position in respect to the base member, a cartridge holding member movable in respect to the base member between a cartridge receiving position and a loaded position for disposing a cartridge in the holding member in the operative position thereof, a guide plate also mounted on the base member and defining a first di w guiding surface at least adjacent to the head or heads, for example, in surrounding relation to the latter, and a posi~ioning plate mounted on the holding member and defining a second disc guiding surface, the guide and positioning plates extending into the second openings in the walls of the cartridge when the latter is disposed in its operative position so that the first and second disc guiding surfaces confront recpective surfaces of the rotated flexible disc for positioning the : : :
:: rotated flexible disc therebetween in the region of the magnetic head or heads. However, such arrangement for positioning the rotated flexible disc in the region of the 12~
head or heads is not wholly satisfactory in that the disc guiding surfaces on the guide and positioning plates are hard, for example, are of metal, and have a tendency to scar or score the surface of the flexible magnetic disc due to contact with the latter during its high-speed rotation. The likelihood of such damaging contact of the disc guiding ~urface or surfaces with the flexible magnetic disc is increased if the positioning of sùch surfaces relative to the disc is not maintained precisely with a high degree of accuracy~ However, the maintenance of such accuracy substantially increases the cost of the apparatus.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus which avoids the foregoing problems associated with the prior art.
More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a flexible disc recording andtor reproducing apparatus for use with a flexible disc of relatively small diameter, and which maintains stable and reliable contact of a magnetic head or heads with the disc surface while economically avoiding scarring or scoring of the disc surface by the structures provided for maintaining such contact.
Another object is to provide a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, as aforesaid, in which the economical maintenance of stable contact of a head or heads with the disc surface for recording and/or _5_ 12~7~
reproducing signals on the flexible disc can be effected with the disc within its protective~acket or cartridge.
In accordance with an aspect of this invention, a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprises drive means for rotating a flexible disc record medium, head means for recording and/or reproducing signals on a surface of the flexible disc record medium while the latter is rotated by the drive means, plate means defining a disc guiding surface at least at one side of the rotated flexible disc record medium adjacent to the head means and confronting a respective surface of the rotated flexible disc record medium for conforming the latter to the disc guiding surface, and shock absorbing means on the disc guiding surface for protecting the flexible disc record medium from damage by contact therewith.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the shock absorbing means includes a soft fibrous covering on the respective disc guiding ~urface, with ~uch soft fibrous covering being constituted, for example, by plush-like filaments extending from the disc guiding ~urface or by .a non-woven fabric.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the invention, w~l~l be apparent in the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments ~, ~: thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals are :~ used to identify the same or corresponding part~ in the :
~;~ several views of the drawings.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
-Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly broken away and in section, showing a known substantially flat cartridge containing a flexible magnetic disc of a type suited for use in a recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to this invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to an embodiment of this invention, and which is shown with a cartridge holding device thereof in its receiving position for the insertion or removal of a cartridge containing a flexible disc, as shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of those parts in the apparatus of Fig. 2 which are provided for guiding the flexible disc in the region of a magnetic head during the recording and/or reproducing of information signals thereon; and Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views similar to that of Fig. 3, but showing other respective embodiments of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be seen that a cartridge 1 intended for use in a flexible disc recording and,~or reproducing apparatus according to this invention may comprise a substantially flat rectangular jacket or casing 2 which may be molded of a suitable plastic and has opposed walls 2a and 2b spaced apart by a small distance, for example, of about 1.2 mm., and between which there is disposed a freely rotatable disc 3 of thin magnetic material lZ~ 7~
so as to be substantially flexible. The disc 3 is desirably of a relatively small diameter, for example, no more than about 50 mm., 80 that jacket 2 can be of correspondingly small size, for example, measuring 60 mm. x 54 mm. x 3 mm., for convenience of handling, storage and transmission, as by mail, and for use in a very compact recording and/or reproducing apparatus which may, for example, be part of a still picture camera which is not substantially larger than a conventional 35 mm. single-lens reflex camera. The opposed walls ~a and 2b of jacket 2 have aligned central openings 4 for access to a hub 5 of disc 3 having a hole 6 extending therethrough for receiving a drive shaft (not shown on Fig. 1). Walls 2a and 2b further have aligned openings or windows 7 which extend, in the radial direction of disc 3, at least to the inner and outer effective limits of a recording surface 3a on the disz. A door member or shutter 8 straddles disc 3 and is slidable along an edge portion of jacket 2 in the direction of the double-headed arrow 9 between the illustrated closed position and an opened position in which shutter 8 clears windows 7 for exposing the corresponding portion of recording surface 3a.
A projection 10 may extend from shutter 8 through an elongated slot (not shown) in jacket 2 and may be acted upon, as hereinafter described, for opening shutter 8 upon the insertion of cartridge 1 into a recording and/or reproducing apparatus. When shutter 8 is opened, one or more magnetic heads (not shown on Fig. 1) can extend through one of the windows 7 for magnetically recording or reproducing an information signal, for example, representing .
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a ~till imAge or picture, in a selected one of concentric circular record tracks on surface 3a of the disc. In the wall 2a of jacket 2 which faces upwardly in use, cartridge 1 is provided with ~ circularly arranged scale 11 cooperating with a rotatable index device 12 for indicating or displaying the number of the circular record track on disc ~urface 3a in which an information signal is being recorded or reproduced. Further, cartridge 1 may be provided with a spring ~not shown) or other means for urging shutter 8 to its closed position upon the removal of cartridge 1 from a recording and/or reproducing apparatus.
Referring now to Fig. 2, it will be seen that the present invention may be desirably embodied in a flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus 20 which is generally of the type disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,466,032, and which is particularly suitsble for use with the previously described cartridge 1. More particularly, apparatus 20 comprises a cartridge holding assembly 21 which is movable relative to a base member 22 between a receiving position~
shown on Fig. 2, and a loaded position close to base member 22 and in which a cartridge 1 held in assembly 21 is operatively disposed for the recording and/or reproducing of magnetic signal information on ~urface 3a of its disc 3.
Base member 22 is shown to be in the form of a base plate 22a having flanges 22b and 22c directed upwardly along major portions of its opposite side edges, and lugs 22d also directed upwardly from the opposite sides of plate 22a 121~7~
adjacent the back end of the latter for supporting a laterally directed pivot shaft 23 for holding assembly 21.
Holding assembly 21 is shown to include a substantially rectangular cover member 24 in the form of a plate 24a from which flanges 24b, 24c and 24d depend along the opposite sides and the front, respectively, and a receptacle frame member 25 which is dimensioned to fit within cover member 24. Frame member 25 includes side portions in the form of channels 25a and 25b opening at their forward ends and laterally toward each other, a connecting portion 2Sc extending laterally between the forward portions of channels 25a and 25b at the top of the latter, and a cross piece 25d extending between the back portions of channels 25a and 25b. Cover member 24 and receptacle frame member 25 are mounted, at their back ends, for pivotal movements about shaft 23 relative to each other, and also relative to base member 22. A torsion spring 26 is provided around ~haft 23 for urging frame member 25 upwardly relative to base member 22 to a cartridge recieving position of holding a~sembly 21 shown on Fig. 2. Cover member 24 is yieldably urged upwardly relative to frame member 25, for example, by a suitable ~pring (not shown). The upward movement of cover member 24 relative to frame member 25 is limited to the extended position ~hown on Fig. 2, for example, by a pin 27 extending inwardly from flange 24b of cover member 24 and engageable with the upper closed end of a groove 25e formed in the outer Qurface of the adjacent channel 25b of frame member 25. When holding as~embly 21 is moved downwardIy to its loaded position relative to base : :
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member 22, a keeper or cutout 24e in the forward flange 24d of cover member 24 is engageable by a latch 28 on base member 22. In such loaded position, the engagement of receptacle frame member 25 against ba~e member 22 causes frame member 25 to be fully nested or retracted within cover member 24.
When holding assembly is in its illustrated receiving position, at which frame member 25 is extended downwardly, at its front end, relative to cover member 24, cartridge 1 can be slidably inserted in, or withdrawn from receptacle frame mémber 25 with the opposed longitudinal sides of the cartridge, indicated at la and lb on Fig. 1, being slidably received in channels 25a and 25b, re~pectively. A door-opening abutment or lug 29 may project into channel 25a so as to be engageable with projection 10 on shutter B of cartridge 1 for moving the shutter to its opened position in response to the ~lidable insertion of the cartridge into receptacle frame member 25. The slidable in~ertion of cartridge 1 into frame member 25 i5 limited by engagement of the back end of cartridge 1 with cross piece 25d and, at that time, the forward end of cartridge 1 clears flange 24d o f cover member 24 50 that frame member 25 with the cartridge 1 held therein can then nest within cover member 24 upon movement of holding assembly 21 to its loaded position for operatively positioning the cartridge.
; ; The apparatus 20 to which the invention is shown applied ~further includes a turntable 30, which also functiong as a fly wheel, and which is rotatable on a shaft 31. An electric motor 32 depends from base member 22 and ~,~
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has its motor shaft 32a extended above base member 22 and provided with a drive pulley 33 for driving a belt 34 which extends around turntable 30 for driving the latter. Also mounted on base member 22 is a head actuating device 34 which forms no part of the present invention so that such device will not be described in detail other than to note that it includes a head driving arm 35 pivoted, at 35a on base member 22 and on which a magnetic recording and/or reproducing head H is mounted. Angular displacements of arm 35 are effective to displace head H in the radial direction of di~c 3 in the operatively positioned cartridge. Such displacements of head H in the radial direction of disc 3 are, of course, effective to change the circular track on sur~ace 3a of the disc in which head H is operative to -record or reproduce an information signal while disc 3 is rotated at high speed in response to the rotation of turntable 30. When cartridge 1 is operatively positioned in response to movement of holding assembly 21 to its loaded position, the head of shaft 31 enters hole 6 of hub 5 for locating the latter precisely in respect to turntable 30 with which the hub is suitably coupled.
The apparatus 20 is further shown to be provided with a guide member 36 mounted on base member 22 and associated with magnetic recording and/or reproducing head or heads H so as to be adapted, when holding assembly 21 is in its loaded position, to cooperate with a positioning member 37 depending from cover member 24 for stabilizing the contact of head or heads H with the surface 3a of rotated flexible disc 3.
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As particularly shown on Fig. 3, guide member 36 includes a plate-like raised portion 38 dimensioned to extend into window 7 of wall 2b of the operatively positioned cartridge 1 and being integral with a base portion 39 which is suitable secured on base member 22.
Under raised portion 38, base portion 39 has a cavity 40 extending across guide member 36, and such cavity 40 communicates upwardly with an opening 41 which extends through raised portion 38. The head H projects upwardly through opening 41 above ~he surface 38a of raised portion 38 for engagement with surface 3a of disc 3 in the operatively positioned cartridge 1. As shown on Fig. 2, opening 41 is elongated generally in the radial direction extending from the axis of turntable 30 so that head H can be moved therealong when head actuating device 34 is operated to change the circular track on disc 3 in which an information signal is being recorded or reproduced by head H.
Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that head H
may desirably project upwardly from a slider element 4,2 which extends under raised portion 38 and which has an upwardly facing surface 43 slidably engageable against a slider guiding surface 44 formed at the roof of cavity 40 and being parallel to the upper surface 38a of raised portion 38. The pivoted arm 35 of head actuating device 34 extends through cavity 40 and, within the latter, has a pair of upwardly directed pins 45a and 45b at spaced apart locations along arm 35. The pins 45a and 45b respectively engage in a hole 46 and an elongated slot 47 provided in .
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opposite end portions of slider element 42 for permitting vertical movements of slider element 42 relative to arm 35 while constraining element 42 and head H thereon to move with arm 35 in the direction parallel to base member 22. A
leaf or bowed spring 48 has slots 49a and 49b at its opposite end portions loosely receiving pins 45a and 45b, respectively, and is thereby located between arm 35 and slider element 42 for urging the latter upwardly and thereby ensuring slidable engagement of surface 43 on element 42 with the slider guiding surface 44 on guiding element 36.
Posts 50 extend upwardly from guide member 36 at spaced apart locations just outside raised portion 38 Thus, when a cartridge 1 is operatively posi~ioned in apparatus 20, posts 50 extend upwardly through windows 7 radially outside the outer periphery of flexible disc 3.
Posts 50 and the upper end surface of shaft 31 may function, as hereinafter described in detail, as parts of spacing means by which positioning member 37 is located in respect to guide member 36 when holding assembly 21 is in its loaded position.
Still referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that positioning member 37 may be generally in the $orm of a plate 51 which depends from plate 24a of cover member 24 and is dimensioned to extend through the opening defined in frame member 25 between channels 25a and 25b, connecting ,.
portion 25c and cross piece 25d. The suspension of positioning member 37 from cover member 24 desirably permits limited movements of positioning member 37 toward and away from the cover member when holding assembly 21 is in its :
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loaded position. For the foregoing purpose, plate 51 is shown to have four holes 52 extending threrethrough adjacent its corners to slidably receive the shanks of headed pins 53, which shanks are longer than the thIckness of plate 51.
Screws 54 extend downwardly through respective holes 55 in plate 24a and are threaded into tapped bores provided in the shanks of the respective headed pins 53 (Fig. 3). Thus, pins 53 are secured by screws 54 to the undersIde of plate 24a while plate 51 can move to a limited extent toward and away from plate 24a on the shanks of pins 53. A helical compression spring 56 is interposed between plate 24a of cover member 24 and plate 51 for yieldably urging positioning member 37 downwardly relative to cover member 24 to the extent permitted by the engagement of plate 51 with the heads of pins 53.
Positioning member 37 is further shown to have a depending portion 57 (,Fig. 3) integral with the underside of plate 51 and being dimensioned to extend into the window 4 of wall 2a of cartridge 1 when the latter is operatively po,sitioned. The undersurface 57a of depending portion 57 is shown to have a groove 58 of arcuate cross section extending thereacross so as to substantiaily correspond with the path of movement of head H upon angular movement of arm 35.
Apparatus 20 is further shown to be provided with spacing means assoc~ated with the guide and positioning members 36 and 37 for adjustably determining the spacing therebetween when holding assembly 21 is in its loaded position. More spec~fically, such adjustable spacing means includes a first screw 59 and a pair of second screws 60 121~7~
adjustably threaded through plate 51 from above (Fig. 2) and respectively located so that, with holding assembly 21 in its loaded position screw 59 is aligned with the top surface of shaft 31 and screws 60 are aligned with posts 50 on guide member 36. With holding assembly 21 in its loaded position, a screwdriver or ~imilar tool can gain access to screws 59 and 60 through suitable openings (not shown) in cover 24, whereby to adjust such screws in engagement with the upper surface of shaft 31 and the upper surfaces of posts 50, respectively. It will be apparent that such adjustments of screws 59 and 60 can raise plate 51 from the heads of pins 53 and thereby make it possible to adjust the parallelism of the confronting surfaces 38a and 57a between raised portion 38 of guide member 36 and depending portion 57 of positioning member 37 and the size of the qap therebetween independently of the position of cover member 24 relative to base member 22 in the loaded position of holding assembly 21.
Finally, 8S shown on Fig. 2, apparatus 20 may have an index actuator 61 on base member 22 which is engageable with the index device 12 of the operatively positionéd cartridge 1. Such index actuator 61, which forms no part of the~ present invention, may be suitably operated at the completion of each revolution of the operatively positioned disc 3 to step or actuate the index device 12 so that the latter will indicate the next track number on ccale 11.
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~ : In accordance with the present invention, a shock ,. , absorbing member 62, desirably. in the form of a soft fibrous covering, extends over the upper surface 38a of raised .
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portion 38 of guide member 36 so as to be in surrounding relation to the opening 41 through which head H projects upwardly. Thus, when a cartridge 1 is operatively positioned by holding assembly 21, the head H projecting upwardly through opening 46 is engageable with surface 3a of disc 3 in the operatively positioned cartridqe while the soft fibrous covering constituting shock absorbing me~er 62 defines a disc guiding surface 62a which lies in a plane corresponding t~ the desired plane of rotation of flexible disc 3 and can be effective to regulate the position of the flexible disc in the region surrounding the contact of the head or heads H therewith. By reason of its soft fibrous character, shock absorbing member 62 can contact disc 3 while the latter is rotated at high speed without damage to the surface of the disc. Similarly, in the embodiment of the present invention being here described, a shock absorbing member 63 desirably in the form of a soft fibrous covering is provided on at least those portions of the undersurface 57a of the depending portion 57 of positioning member 37 which are at opposite sides of the arcuate groove 58. It will be appreciated that the soft fibrous covering constituting shock absorbing member 63 defines a second disc guiding surface 63a on positioning member 37 which may be operatively disposed in parallel, spaced confronting relation to the disc guiding surface 62a defined by shock absorbing member 62 on guide member 36 for positioning the rotated flexible disc 3 therebetween in the region of the head or heads H. The soft fibrous coverings constituting shock absorbing members 62 and 63 may be formed of plush-$~
like filaments extending from surfaces 38a and 57a of guideand positioning members 36 and 37. For example, nylon or rayon fibers of 0.2 to 0.8 mm. lengths and 0.5 to 2.5 denier may be adhered or implanted in acrylic resin adhesive on surfaces 38a and 57a with 60 to 200 fibers or filaments per square mm.
In another embodiment of the invention, the soft fibrous coverings constituting shock absorbing members 62 and 63 may be formed of a non-woven, porous, low-friction, anti-static fabric. For example, as disclosed in U.S.
Patent No. 3,534,213, such non-woven fabric may be made of a mixture of 70~ rayon fibers and 30~ polypropylene fibers having a softening temperature substantially lower than that of the rayon fibers. A loose mixture of the rayon and polypropylene fibers having a diameter of about 15 microns is bound into a cohesive non-woven fabric or layer by heating the same to a temperature at which the polypropylene fibers soften to adhere to each other and to the rayon fibers.
The above described apparatus 20 embodying this invention operates as follows:
With holding assembly 21 initially in its receiving position shown on Fig. 2, a cartridge 1 is manually inserted into channels 25a and 25b of frame member 25 through the exposed open front ends of such channels. As the insertion of cartridge 1 into frame member 25 continues, lug 29 engages projection 10 for moving shutter 8 to its opened position until finally the leading end of the cartridge comes into contact with cross piece 25d, at which !
12~ 7~, time the cartridge is fully contained within the boundaries of frame member 25. Cover member 24 can then be pushed downwardly relative to frame member 25 for enveloping the cartridge within cover member 24 and for extending depending portion 57 of positioning member 37 into window 7 of the upper wall 2a of the cartridge. Thereafter, further downward movement of cover member 24 is accompanied by corresponding downward movement of frame member 25 against the force of torsion spring 26, whereupon, holding assembly 21 moves as a unit to its loaded position for operatively positioning cartridge l relative to base member 22 with the head of shaft 31 entering hole 6 in hub 5 of disc 3.
Simultaneously, the lower ends of spacing ~crews 59 and 60 come into engagement with the upper surface of the head of shaft 31 and the upper ends of posts 50 for accurately disposing positioning member 37 relative to guide member 36 at three points, that is, at the post 50 and the shaft 31 Upon the completion of the movement of holding assembly 21 to its loaded position, latch 28 engages in keeper 24e in cover member 24 for securing the holding assembly in its loaded position. In such loaded po~ition, raised portion 38 of guide member 36 extends into window 7 in wall 2b of the operatively positioned cartridge so that the portion of disc 3 exposed at windows 7 is disposed between the soft fibrous shock absorbing coverings 62 and 63 on the surfaces 38a and 57a, respectively, which thereby precisely determine the positioning of disc surface 3a at the area of its contact by head H.
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When turntable 30 is rotated in response to operation of motor 32, the coupling of hub 5 to turntable 30 causes similar rotation of disc 3 during which head H
records a still image or other information signal in a respective circular track on surface 3a. When arm 35 is angularly displaced for moving head H radially in respect to disc 3 for recording successive still image signals in different circular tracks on disc 3, slider element 42 carrying head H is guided by the engagement of its surface 43 with slider guiding surface 44 which is formed parallel to the surface 38a of raised portion 3B. Thus, during displacement of head H in the radial direction of disc 3, its contact pressure against surface 3a of disc 3 remains unchanged.
The adjustment of the gap between the disc guiding surfaces 62a and 63a defined by the soft fibrous coverings 62 and 63 may be effected simply by a screwdriver engaged with adjusting screws 59 and 60. Such adjustments may be conveniently effected with holding assembly 21 in its loaded position and with an operatively positioned cartridge ,~
therein either during rotation o magnetic disc 3, or when the latter is at rest.
In the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to Fig~. 2 snd 3, both guide member 36 and positioning member 37 are provided with projecting portions, that is, the raised portion 38 and the depending portion 57, dimensioned to extend into windows 7 in the lower and upper walls 2b and 2a of the operatively positioned cartridge 1.
However, when either one of the shock absorbing members 62 -- lZ~$~17~:
and 63 is provided in accordance with this invention, either the depending portion 57 and its respective shock absorbing member 63, or the raised portion 38 and the respective shock absorbinq member 62 may be omitted, as shown on Figs. 4 and 5, respectively. More specifically, in the embodiment of the invention shown on Fig. 4, the guide member 36 is the same as previously described, whereas the positioning member 37' is similar to the previously described positioning member 37 with the exception that the plate 51' of positioning member 37' has a planar bottom surface 51'a which merely bears against the outer surface of wall 2a ~f the operativély positioned cartridge 1 and does not extend into the window 7 ~n such wall 2a. Similarly, in the embodiment of the invention shown on Fig. 5, positioning member 37 iB the same as that described with reference to the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3, and the guide member 36' differs from the previously described guide member 36 only in that the raised portion 3B of guide member 36 and the shock absorbing covering 62 on such raised portion are omitted. Thus, guide member 36' merely bears against the bottom wall 2b of the operatively positioned cartridge 1 and does not extend into the window 7 of wall 2b in surrounding relation to magnetic bead H.
In each of the embodiments shown on Figs. 4 and 5, respectively, only a single disc guiding surface 62a or 63a , ~ ., is: provided by shock absorbing member or covering 62 or 63, respectively, and such disc guiding surface may touch the surface of the disc 3 for establishing the plane of rotation of the latter at the region of the head H without the danger :
; ~2;1~7i that contact of the disc guiding ~urface 62a or 63a with the disc surface will result in damage to the latter. The foregoing is to be contrasted with the conditions required for guiding the flexible disc 3 when the hard or rigid surfaces 38a and 57a are used for that purpose. In the latter case, the guiding surfaces at opposite sides of the disc need to be precisely parallel to each other and accurately close to the confronting surfaces of the disc when the latter is in the desï~ed plane of rotation so as to avoid damaging contacts with the disc surfaces.
Although illustrative embodiments of this invention have been described in detail herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Claims (19)
1. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising drive means for effecting high-speed rotation of a flexible disc record medium, head means for recording and/or reproducing signals on a surface of the flexible disc record medium while the latter is rotated by said drive means, plate means defining a disc guiding surface at least at the side of the rotated flexible disc record medium facing away from said head means, said disc guiding surface haying a substantial area confronting a respective surface of the rotated flexible disc record medium for conforming the latter to said disc guiding surface, said disc guiding surface extending both in the upstream and downstream directions, considering said rotation, in respect to said head means so as to establish a smoothly flowing air film between said record medium and said disc guiding surface, and a shock absorbing, soft fibrous covering on said disc guiding surface for protecting said flexible disc record medium from damage by contact therewith.
2. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 1; in which said soft fibrous covering is constituted by plush-like filaments extending from said disc guiding surface.
3. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 1; in which said soft fibrous covering is constituted by a non-woven fabric.
4. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 1; in which said plate means includes a guide plate and a positioning plate operatively disposed at opposite sides of said rotated flexible disc record medium and defining the first mentioned disc guiding surface and a second disc guiding surface; and in which said shock absorbing soft fibrous covering is on each of said first and second disc guiding surfaces.
5. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 4; further comprising spacing means associated with said guide and positioning plates for determining the spacing between said first and second disc guiding surfaces when said guide and positioning plates are operatively disposed relative to each other.
6. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 5; in which said spacing means includes at least one pin extending from one of said guide and positioning plates normal to said guiding surfaces adjacent the outer periphery of said disc, and an abutment on the other of said plates for each said pin and engageable with an end surface of the respective pin when said guide and positioning plates are operatively disposed relative to each other.
7. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 6; in which said abutment is constituted by a screw adjustable relative to said other plate for adjusting said spacing between said guiding surfaces.
8. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 5; in which the flexible disc record medium has a central hub with an aperture therethrough, said drive means includes a shaft adapted to extend through said aperture of the hub for centering the disc record medium in respect to its axis of rotation, said shaft having an end surface facing in the same direction as said first disc guiding surface, and said spacing means includes a spacing element carried by said positioning plate and engaging axially against said end surface of the shaft when said positioning plate is operatively disposed relative to said guide plate.
9. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 8; in which said spacing element is constituted by a screw adjustable relative to said positioning plate for adjusting said determined spacing between said guiding surfaces.
10. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 9; in which said spacing means further includes a pair of additional screws adjustable relative to said positioning plate at spaced locations along the outer periphery of the flexible disc record medium and extending normal to said guiding surfaces, and seat means for said additional screws on said guide plate so that said additional screws provide for the further adjustment of said determined spacing between said guiding surfaces.
11. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 4; in which said guide plate has an opening extending therethrough and being surrounded by said first disc guiding surface, and said head means projects through said opening for recording and/or reproducing signals on said surface of the flexible disc record medium.
12. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 11; in which said guide plate has a slider guiding surface facing in a direction opposite to said first disc guiding surface and being parallel with the latter; and further comprising a slider element having said head means mounted thereon and being movable substantially in a radial direction in respect to the flexible disc record medium, said slider element being in guiding engagement with said slider guiding surface.
13. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 1; in which said plate means defines said disc guiding surface only at said one side of the rotated flexible disc record medium which is opposite to said surface on which said head means records and/or reproduces signals.
14. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising:
a substantially flat cartridge including opposed walls between which a flexible disc constituting a record medium is freely rotatable, said opposed walls having first aligned openings therein substantially centered in respect to said disc and aligned second openings extending, in the radial direction of said disc, between inner and outer effective limits for recording on said disc;
a base member;
drive means extending from said base member and engageable with said disc through said first openings in said walls of the cartridge when the latter is in an operative position in respect to said base member for high-speed rotating of said disc;
head means mounted on said base member for recording and/or reproducing signals on a surface of the disc while the latter is rotated by said drive means;
a cartridge holding member movable in respect to said base member between a cartridge receiving position and a loaded position for disposing a cartridge in said holding member in said operative position;
plate means mounted on at least said holding member and defining at least one disc guiding surface which, when said cartridge is disposed in said operative position, extends into a respective one of said second openings and confronts a respective surface of said disc at the side of the latter opposite to said head means for positioning the rotated flexible disc in the region of said head means, said disc guiding surface having a substantial area extending both in the upstream and downstream directions, considering said rotation, from said head means so as to establish a smoothly flowing air film between said flexible disc and said disc guiding surface; and a shock absorbing, soft fibrous covering on said disc guiding surface for protecting said flexible disc from damage due to contact therewith.
a substantially flat cartridge including opposed walls between which a flexible disc constituting a record medium is freely rotatable, said opposed walls having first aligned openings therein substantially centered in respect to said disc and aligned second openings extending, in the radial direction of said disc, between inner and outer effective limits for recording on said disc;
a base member;
drive means extending from said base member and engageable with said disc through said first openings in said walls of the cartridge when the latter is in an operative position in respect to said base member for high-speed rotating of said disc;
head means mounted on said base member for recording and/or reproducing signals on a surface of the disc while the latter is rotated by said drive means;
a cartridge holding member movable in respect to said base member between a cartridge receiving position and a loaded position for disposing a cartridge in said holding member in said operative position;
plate means mounted on at least said holding member and defining at least one disc guiding surface which, when said cartridge is disposed in said operative position, extends into a respective one of said second openings and confronts a respective surface of said disc at the side of the latter opposite to said head means for positioning the rotated flexible disc in the region of said head means, said disc guiding surface having a substantial area extending both in the upstream and downstream directions, considering said rotation, from said head means so as to establish a smoothly flowing air film between said flexible disc and said disc guiding surface; and a shock absorbing, soft fibrous covering on said disc guiding surface for protecting said flexible disc from damage due to contact therewith.
15. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 14; in which said soft fibrous covering is constituted by plush-like filaments extending from said disc guiding surface.
16. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 14; in which said soft fibrous covering is constituted by a non-woven fabric.
17. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 14; in which said plate means includes a guide plate mounted on said base member and defining a first disc guiding surface at least adjacent to said head means, and a positioning plate mounted on said holding means and defining a second disc guiding surface which, in said loading position of the holding means, is in parallel, spaced confronting relation to said first disc guiding surface, said guide and positioning plates extending into said second openings of the opposed walls of the cartridge when the latter is disposed in said operative position thereof by said holding means with said first disc guiding surface confronting said surface of the rotated flexible disc and cooperating with said second disc guiding surface for positioning the rotated flexible disc therebetween in the region of said head means; and in which said shock absorbing soft fibrous covering is on each of said first and second disc guiding surfaces.
18. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 17; further comprising means mounting said positioning plate for movements in respect to said holding means in direction generally normal to said second disc guiding surface, and spring means interposed between said holding means and said positioning plate for urging the latter in the direction toward said guide plate in said loaded position of the holding means.
19. A flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus as in claim 18; further comprising spacing means associated with said guide and positioning plates for precisely determining the spacing between said first and second disc guiding surface when said holding means is in said loaded position.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000432765A CA1219071A (en) | 1983-07-19 | 1983-07-19 | Flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000432765A CA1219071A (en) | 1983-07-19 | 1983-07-19 | Flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1219071A true CA1219071A (en) | 1987-03-10 |
Family
ID=4125708
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000432765A Expired CA1219071A (en) | 1983-07-19 | 1983-07-19 | Flexible disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1219071A (en) |
-
1983
- 1983-07-19 CA CA000432765A patent/CA1219071A/en not_active Expired
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |