JPH04345977A - Recording medium loading method for disk recording/ reproducing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain a loading sequence that can work in a non-contact state by floating a floating heed at the outermost circumferential position of a mobile radius range in a non-contact state secured to a recording medium in order to release the restriction of the head end to actuate it within the mobile radius range. CONSTITUTION:A floating head 4 is restricted at a saving position where no contact is secured to a recording medium 2, and the medium 2 is put into a disk recording/reproducing device and then attached to a revolution drive means 11 kept in a halt state. Then the head 4 is moved to the outermost circumferential position of a mobile radius range set on the medium 2 which is steadily revolved by the means 11 and then restricted there. Then the head 4 is floated over the medium 2 in a non-contact state kept to the medium 2. Then the restriction of the heed 4 is released and actuated within the mobile radius range. Thus the head 4 can be loaded into and unloaded out of a disk with no contact kept to the disk.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk loading method for loading a portable disk-shaped recording medium into a disk recording/reproducing apparatus equipped with a flying head.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of magnetic disk drives, which are already widely used, flying heads using magnetic materials with higher coercive force have been adopted in order to improve recording density. In addition, in the field of magneto-optical disk drives, which have been actively developed in recent years and have entered the commercialization stage, a magnetic field modulation method that similarly uses a floating head is seen as a promising method for realizing direct overwrite. ing.

In a typical floating head, a magnetic head and a slider are integrally formed, and are supported by a suspension made of a leaf spring or the like.
An operation method called "Start and Stop" is adopted. According to the CSS method, the floating head is
The slider flies up due to the lift force provided by the airflow only when the disk rotates, and lands on the disk surface when the disk is stationary. The flying height of the flying head is adjusted by changing the elastic force with which the suspension tries to press the slider against the disk surface relative to the lift force obtained by the slider. When a resin such as polycarbonate is used for the disk substrate, there is a drawback that the surface runout during rotation is larger due to molding distortion etc. than a glass substrate. However, floating heads can follow such surface runout to a certain extent and have sufficient performance. It has the advantage of being able to maintain a nearly constant microfloating height that allows the magnetic field strength to be obtained.

However, in the conventional floating head, C.
There are problems such as abrasion or damage to the disk and head due to repeated SS operations, and the problem of the floating head adhering to the disk, which becomes more likely to occur as the smoothness of the disk surface improves.

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned adsorption problem, attempts have been made to apply special texture processing to the disk surface or apply lubricant, but recently, floating heads have been Research has begun to be carried out on operating devices in a non-contact manner (for example, (1)
An experiment on landing-on/off floating head sliders: Yasuda, Kaneko 1989 Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers Spring National Conference, (2) Landing-on/off characteristics of spherically machined floating head sliders: Yasuda, Kaneko 1
990 Spring National Conference of the Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers).

[0006]

[Problem to be solved by the invention] However, research on non-contact operation of floating heads has only just begun.
In particular, there are many problems that need to be solved for practical use in disc recording and reproducing devices that can load and eject discs.

[0007] The inventors of the present invention have proposed that in a current disk recording/reproducing device that can load and eject a disk, the floating head is held in a non-contact position when the disk is stopped, and the floating head is rotated after the disk starts rotating. We are working diligently to develop technology that allows the device to float close to the surface of the disk inside without contacting it.

An object of the present invention is to realize a disk recording/reproducing apparatus equipped with a floating head that operates without contacting a portable disk mounted thereon each time recording, reproduction, or rewriting is performed. It is an object of the present invention to provide techniques for loading and unloading sequences for how to load a disk into a device and how to eject a disk from the device.

[0009]

A method for loading a recording medium in a disk recording and reproducing apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention is characterized in that it includes at least the following steps in order to solve the above problems. That is, (
1) The first step is to restrain the floating head in a retracted position where it does not come into contact with the disk-shaped recording medium inserted into the disk recording/playback device; (2) the above-mentioned recording medium is inserted into the disk recording/playback device and placed in a stopped state; a second step of mounting the recording medium on the rotational drive means; (3) a third step of moving and restraining the floating head to a predetermined radial position on the recording medium that is driven and steadily rotated by the rotational drive means; 4) a fourth step of floating the floating head above the recording medium without contacting the recording medium at the predetermined radial position; (5) releasing the restraint of the floating head and adjusting the movable radius of the recording medium; The fifth step is to operate the floating head within the range.

However, the predetermined radial position is set at the outermost position of the movable radial range. Further, the floating head may be a movable integrated head in which a floating magnetic head and an optical head are integrated.

[0011] In order to solve the above problem, a method for loading a recording medium in a disk recording/reproducing apparatus according to a second aspect of the invention includes a method for loading a recording medium in the floating head in the fourth step according to the first aspect. A surface facing the surface is substantially parallel to the surface of the recording medium,
The present invention is characterized in that the floating head is made to float above the recording medium while maintaining its parallel attitude.

0012

According to the structure of claim 1, in the first step, the floating head is restrained at a retracted position where it does not come into contact with a disk-shaped recording medium inserted into a disk recording/reproducing apparatus. Next, in a second step, the recording medium is inserted into the disk recording/reproducing device and mounted on the rotation drive means in a stopped state.

In the third step, the floating head is moved to a predetermined radial position on the steadily rotating recording medium while being driven by the rotary drive means, and then is restrained. However, the predetermined radial position is set at the outermost circumferential position in the movable radial range of the floating head that performs recording/reproducing/rewriting operations on the recording medium. This is because the flow velocity (velocity of airflow) at the outermost position within the movable radial range reaches its maximum as the linear velocity of the recording medium rotates steadily, allowing the floating head to obtain the greatest lift from the airflow. It is from.

Further, in the fourth step, the floating head is made to float above the recording medium without contacting the recording medium, and in the fifth step, after the floating head is released from the restraint, it moves within the movable radius range. operate within.

[0015] Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording medium loading method for a disc recording/reproducing apparatus which is equipped with a floating head that does not contact the recording medium and is capable of recording/reproducing/rewriting on a portable recording medium. Can be done. Note that by using a movable integrated head in which the floating magnetic head and the optical head are integrated as the floating head, the drive system for aligning the floating magnetic head and the optical head is simplified. Ru.

Furthermore, according to the structure of claim 2, in the fourth step of claim 1, the surface of the flying head facing the recording medium surface is substantially parallel to the recording medium surface. While holding the recording medium, the floating head is floated above the recording medium. This further reduces the possibility of contact between the flying head and the recording medium.

[0017]

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention FIGS. 1 to 10
The explanation based on this is as follows.

FIG. 4 schematically shows a spindle motor 11 to which a disk cartridge 3 is mounted and a movable integrated head 10 as essential parts of a 3.5-inch magneto-optical disk recording and reproducing apparatus. The movable integrated head 10 performs various operations such as recording/reproducing/direct overwriting on the 3.5-inch magneto-optical disk 2.

First, the structure of the movable integrated head 10 will be explained. At the upper end of the U-shaped arm-shaped fixed part 6, a suspension 5 has a floating magnetic head 4 attached to its tip.
is permanently installed. At the lower end of the fixed part 6, an optical head 8 having an objective lens 9 provided on its upper surface is fixed. By integrating the floating magnetic head 4 and the optical head 8 via the fixing part 6, the drive system for positioning the floating magnetic head 4 and the optical head 8 becomes one, thereby simplifying the mechanism. Can be done.

The suspension 5 described above is made of a leaf spring or the like, and biases the floating magnetic head 4 so as to push it down toward the optical head 8. Further, in the vicinity of the fixed portion of the suspension 5 in the fixed portion 6, an elevating mechanism 7 is provided for elevating and lowering the suspension 5 within its elastic range. The drive unit for the lifting mechanism 7 is the movable integrated head 1
In order to make the 0 lightweight, it is provided not on the fixed part 6 but on the main body of the recording/reproducing apparatus. The floating magnetic head 4 and the objective lens 9 are provided at positions facing each other, and when accessing the operating position, the movable integrated head 10 is driven by a linear motor (not shown) and mounted on a spindle motor 11. It can reciprocate in the radial direction of the magneto-optical disk 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the initial state before the magneto-optical disk 2 is mounted, the movable integrated head 10 is retracted to a position where it does not come into contact with the disk cartridge 3 to be inserted. When performing operations such as recording/reproducing/rewriting, as shown in FIG.
The movable integrated head 10 enters and is restrained at a predetermined radial position of the magneto-optical disk 2 which is sufficiently accelerated and steadily rotating (the predetermined radial position at this time is referred to as a loading position). After that, the floating magnetic head 4
is gently lowered toward the magneto-optical disk 2 and becomes a floating state.

The loading position described above is set at the outermost position where the movable integrated head 10 obtains the largest lift from the air flow within the operating range of the movable integrated head 10 with respect to the magneto-optical disk 2. At this loading position, the floating state of the floating magnetic head 4 is most stable. Further, the drive system that drives the movable integrated head 10 between the initial retracted position and the loading position has a separate configuration from the above-mentioned linear motor that moves the movable integrated head 10 to the access position.

Next, the structure of the 3.5-inch magneto-optical disk cartridge 3 will be explained. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, in the disk cartridge 3, the magneto-optical disk 2 is housed in a case 1. As shown in FIG. Openings 1a and 1a are formed at the same location on the upper and lower surfaces of the case 1. If the disk cartridge 3 is inserted into the recording/reproducing apparatus along the direction A indicated by the arrow in the figure, the openings 1a are formed on the entrance end surface side of the case 1. The movable integrated head 10, which was initially in the retracted position, opens the opening 1a, 1 in order to perform operations such as recording/reproducing/rewriting.
Enter a. Thereby, each of the floating magnetic head 4 and the objective lens 9 directly faces the magneto-optical disk 2.

The bridge portions 1c are provided at the openings 1a for the purpose of reinforcing the strength of the case 1. Also,
A groove 1d is formed in the entrance end face of the case 1 near the openings 1a. By sliding the slide member 13 along this groove 1d, the shutter 12 integrated with the slide member 13 is opened and closed. Slide member 1
3 is a fitting part 13c that slides in the inner chamber of the groove 1d, and an engaging part 1 that slides so as to sandwich the wall part of the groove 1d with the fitting part 13c.
3a, and a connecting portion 13b that connects the engaging portion 13a and the insertion portion 13c to the shutter 12 are integrally molded. The thickness h1 of the bridge portion 1c and the thickness h2 of the connecting portion 13b are each set to, for example, about 2 mm.

FIG. 10 shows a cartridge holder in the loading mechanism that has the role of pulling the disc cartridge 3 into a fixed position within the recording/reproducing apparatus. The cartridge holder 14 includes a holder frame 15 into which the disk cartridge 3 is inserted. A guide pin 17 is attached to the side surface 15d of the holder frame 15 for positioning the disk cartridge 3 to be inserted. Furthermore, an opening 15b is formed in the holder frame 15 in alignment with the openings 1a and 1a of the disk cartridge 3 inserted in the direction of arrow A in the figure, and near the opening 15b there is a disk The slide member 13 is moved perpendicularly to the movement of the cartridge 3 into the cartridge 3.
A guide slit 15c for moving is formed. The arm 16 is pivotally supported near the center of the upper surface of the holder frame 15, and has a pin 16a protruding into the guide slit 15c at its rotation end.

When the disk cartridge 3 is inserted into the cartridge holder 14 along the direction of arrow A, the above-mentioned pin 16a engages the engaging portion 13 of the slide member 13 into which it has entered.
a, and as the disk cartridge 3 further advances, the pin 16a is guided to the guide slit 15c,
Arm 16 rotates. As a result, the engaging portion 13a is pushed by the pin 16a in a direction perpendicular to the A direction, so that the slide member 13 slides along the groove 1d,
Shutter 12 is opened. When the disc cartridge 3 is stopped by the guide pin 17, the shutter 12 is fully opened.

In this manner, after the shutter 12 is completely opened, the disk cartridge 3 is placed in the cartridge holder 14.
and are pulled into the device together. Then, the cartridge holder 14 descends so that the magneto-optical disk 2 is chucked by the spindle motor 11.

Next, FIG. 1 and FIGS. This will be explained in detail below based on FIG. However, in FIGS. 3 to 7, it is assumed that the disk cartridge 3 is housed in the cartridge holder 14, and the illustration of the cartridge holder 14 is omitted.

[0029] First, from the start of loading, recording/playback/
The period until the start of operations such as rewriting is roughly divided into five periods corresponding to FIGS. 3 to 7. That is, time t
The period from 0 to t4 is defined as the cartridge mounting period corresponding to FIG. Time t4 to t7 and time t7 to t
Let each period of 8 be a spindle motor acceleration period and a head entry period corresponding to FIG. 4, respectively. Also, time t
The period from 8 to t10 is defined as the magnetic head lowering period corresponding to FIG. 5, and the period after time t10 is defined as the magnetic head floating period.

In the initial state at time t0, the shutter 12 of the disk cartridge 3 is closed and the spindle motor 11 is stopped. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the movable integrated head 10 is restrained at a retracted position where the center of the objective lens 9 and the center of the spindle motor 11 are separated by a distance of, for example, 55 mm. is lifted by the lifting mechanism 7 (hereinafter,
The distance from the center of the spindle motor 11 to the center of the objective lens 9 is expressed as R55).

At time t0, the disc cartridge 3 is inserted into the cartridge holder 14 installed inside the recording/reproducing apparatus. disk cartridge 3 at time t1
When the case 1 is fully inserted, the engaging portion 13a of the slide member 13 provided on the case 1 comes into contact with the pin 16a of the arm 16 attached to the holder frame 15, as described above (see FIG. 10). Furthermore, the disk cartridge 3 is inserted until time t2, and the shutter 1
2 is opened, and the openings 1a are fully opened.

At time t2, the cartridge holder 14 containing the disk cartridge 3 is drawn into the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 4, the cartridge holder 14 has reached the mounting position on the spindle motor 11 at time t3.
falls slowly. As a result, at time t4, chucking of the magneto-optical disk 2 to the spindle motor 11 is completed, and a signal indicating that the magneto-optical disk 2 is mounted at a predetermined position is output from a sensor or the like. Based on this signal, the spindle motor 11 starts rotating at time t5, which is approximately the same time as time t4, and accelerates until time t7. Note that the magneto-optical disk 2 is attached to the spindle motor 11 after time t4.

On the other hand, in the movable integrated head 10, the spindle motor 11 rotates steadily at time t7 (eg, 3600 rpm).
At time t6, slightly before reaching the rotational speed (rpm), the vehicle starts moving toward the loading position (for example, R40), which is the outermost position of the operating range. Note that the movable integrated head 10 is
The approach may be started at time t5 when the spindle motor 11 starts rotating. Further, at this time, the floating magnetic head 4 is in a lifted state. At time t8, when the floating magnetic head 4 and objective lens 9 reach the loading position, the movable integrated head 10 is stopped and restrained, and a signal indicating that the movable integrated head 10 has reached the loading position is output. be done.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 5, at time t9, which is approximately the same time as time t8, the lifting mechanism 7 gently releases the suspension 5 from being held. The suspension 5 is restored by elastic force, and the floating magnetic head 4 quietly approaches the rotating magneto-optical disk 2 while maintaining its posture so that the bottom surface of the slider is approximately parallel to the rotating surface of the magneto-optical disk 2. do. The floating magnetic head 4 receives lift from the air flow caused by the rotation of the magneto-optical disk 2 without contacting it.

As a result, as shown in FIG.
Then, the floating magnetic head 4 becomes in a floating state. Further, the elevating mechanism 7 stops at a position where it does not contact the suspension 5. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 7, the restraint of the movable integrated head 10 is released, and operations such as recording/reproducing/rewriting start from time t11 while moving in the radial direction of the magneto-optical disk 2 by the linear motor. be done. For example, 3
．． The operating range of the movable integrated head 10 for the 5-inch magneto-optical disk 2 is set to R21 to R40. R4
The area outside 0 is excluded in order to avoid warping that may occur on the outermost circumference of the magneto-optical disk 2.

Next, the unloading sequence of the disk cartridge 3 will be explained in detail below with reference to FIG. 2 and FIGS. 3 to 7.

First, the period from the operating state of recording/reproducing/rewriting etc. to the ejection of the disk cartridge 3 is roughly divided into five periods corresponding to FIGS. 3 to 7. That is, the period from time t0' to t2' is defined as the magnetic head flying period corresponding to FIGS. 7 and 6. Time t2'-t3'
Let the period be the magnetic head rising period corresponding to FIG. Each period of time t3' to t4' and time t4' to t6' is defined as a head retraction period and a spindle motor stop period corresponding to FIG. 4, respectively. In addition, Fig. 3 shows the time after time t6'.
The cartridge ejection period corresponds to

At time t0', the magneto-optical disk 2 is mounted on the spindle motor 11, and the shutter 12 is also fully open. The spindle motor 11 is in the above-mentioned steady rotation state (for example, 3600 rpm), and the movable integrated head 10 is in an operating state within the movable range R21 to R40. Further, the floating magnetic head 4 is floating above the magneto-optical disk 2 .

At time t1', when an instruction is given to eject the disk cartridge 3, the movable integrated head 10 is returned to the above-mentioned loading position R40. At time t2' when the movable integrated head 10 returns to the loading position, the movable integrated head 10 is stopped and restrained, and at the same time, the lifting mechanism 7 gently lifts the floating magnetic head 4.

At time t3', the floating magnetic head 4 reaches a predetermined lift-up state and is held therein, and at the same time, the movable integrated head 10 starts retracting, and at time t4' returns to the initial retracted position R55. , be restrained. At this time, a signal indicating that the movable integrated head 10 has returned to the retracted position is output. Based on this signal, at time t5', which is approximately the same time as time t4', the spindle motor 11, which had been rotating steadily until then, starts decelerating and stops at time t6'.

At time t7', which is approximately the same time as time t6',
Based on the signal indicating that the spindle motor 11 has stopped, the cartridge holder 14 slowly rises, and the magneto-optical disk 2 is separated from the spindle motor 11. Then, during the period from time t8' to t9', the cartridge holder 14 is sent back to the predetermined position, and further, at time t9.
At ', the housed disk cartridge 3 begins to be ejected from the cartridge holder 14, and the shutter 12 is closed. After the shutter 12 is completely closed at time t10', the disk cartridge 3 is ejected from the apparatus.

Although this embodiment has been described with reference to the case where the floating head is a magnetic head, the present invention is not limited to this, and the floating head may be an optical head or the like.

[0043]

Effects of the Invention As described above, the method for loading a recording medium in a disc recording/reproducing apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 is such that the loading method for a recording medium in a disc recording/reproducing apparatus is such that the loading method is such that the loading method for loading a recording medium in a disc recording/reproducing apparatus is carried out at a retracted position that does not come into contact with a disc-shaped recording medium inserted into the disc recording/reproducing apparatus. A first step of restraining the mold head, a second step of inserting the recording medium into a disk recording/reproducing device and mounting the recording medium on the rotational driving means in a stopped state, and a recording medium that is driven by the rotational driving means and rotates steadily. a third step of moving and restraining the floating head to a predetermined radial position on the medium; and a third step of floating the floating head above the recording medium at the predetermined radial position without contacting the recording medium. and a fifth step of releasing the restraint of the floating head and operating the floating head within the movable radial range of the recording medium, the predetermined radial position being at the outermost position of the movable radial range. This is the configured configuration.

Therefore, it is possible to realize a disk recording and reproducing apparatus equipped with a floating head that operates without contacting a portable disk-shaped recording medium that is loaded and ejected each time recording, reproduction, rewriting, etc. Therefore, it is possible to provide a loading sequence for how to load a disk into the device.

Furthermore, in the method of loading a recording medium in the disk recording/reproducing apparatus according to the second aspect of the invention, in the fourth step according to the first aspect, the surface of the recording medium in the floating head and The facing surface is substantially parallel to the surface of the recording medium, and the floating head is floated above the recording medium while maintaining the parallel attitude.

Therefore, the possibility of contact between the flying head and the recording medium can be further reduced, and a more stable loading sequence can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a process diagram showing a loading sequence of the present invention when a recording medium is loaded into a disc recording/reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a process diagram showing an unloading sequence when a recording medium is ejected from a disc recording/reproducing apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the main parts of the disc recording/reproducing apparatus, showing a cartridge mounting step in the loading sequence of FIG. 1;

4 is a side view of a main part of the disk recording/reproducing apparatus showing a spindle motor acceleration step and a head entry step in the loading sequence of FIG. 1; FIG.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the main parts of the disk recording/reproducing apparatus, showing the magnetic head lowering step in the loading sequence of FIG. 1;

6 is a side view of a main part of the disk recording/reproducing apparatus showing a magnetic head floating step in the loading sequence of FIG. 1; FIG.

7 is a side view of a main part of the disk recording/reproducing apparatus showing a magnetic head floating step in the loading sequence of FIG. 1; FIG.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a disc cartridge installed in a disc recording/reproducing device.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the external appearance of a disc cartridge installed in a disc recording/reproducing device.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the cartridge holder showing the relationship between insertion of a disk cartridge and opening and closing of the shutter.

[Explanation of symbols]

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A first step of restraining a floating head at a retracted position where it does not come into contact with a disc-shaped recording medium inserted into a disc recording/reproducing apparatus; and a step of restraining a floating head in a stopped position after inserting the recording medium into the disc recording/reproducing apparatus. a second step of mounting the recording medium on the rotational driving means; a third step of moving and restraining the floating head to a predetermined radial position on the recording medium that is driven by the rotational driving means and rotates steadily; a fourth step of floating the floating head above the recording medium without contacting the recording medium at a predetermined radial position; and releasing the restraint of the floating head and moving the floating head within the movable radius range of the recording medium. A method for loading a recording medium in a disc recording/reproducing apparatus, comprising a fifth step of operating a head, and the predetermined radial position is set at the outermost circumferential position of the movable radial range. 2. In the fourth step, a surface of the floating head facing the recording medium surface is made substantially parallel to the recording medium surface, and while maintaining the parallel attitude, the floating head is moved to the 2. The method of loading a recording medium in a disc recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the recording medium is levitated above the recording medium.