International Business Machines Corporation

David G Norton

Donald E Griffiths

Joseph H Koestner

Gary Thorup Wright

A Bernoulli disk storage apparatus includes an elongated slot or groove having a substantial radial elongated portion for movably receiving a transducer. On either side of the groove are air bearing means which induce a pull down force on the record storage disk as it passes over the groove. By varying selected parameters, the medium-to-transducer spacing is held substantially constant throughout the radial extent of a desired recording area. Further, flutter usually associated with a Bernoulli disk at its outer radial portion is eliminated.

Flexible disk storage apparatus

Selectively altering air flow generates an access opening for a record surface on one of a large plurality of flexible record storage disks coaxially supported on a common spindle for rotation. Air flow through the interstices between the disks usually is sufficient to stabilize rotation of the disks. To generate a transducer access opening the air flow on one axial side of a record disk to be accessed, which includes a record surface, is altered in a manner that disks axially adjacent and facing the record surface tend to axially move together at their periphery, resulting in a peripheral transducer access opening adjacent a stabilized record disk. In a preferred form of the invention, the axial extent of the altered air flow is limited to a predetermined portion of the stack of disks for minimizing the volume of air flow change. For dual sided recording, the air flow is altered at either side of the record disk to be accessed.

Fluidic transducer access opening in a stack of flexible record disks

Semi-rigid washers are coaxially disposed to form an air-permeable spindle for coaxially supporting flexible record disks. A plurality of such washers and disks is coaxially stacked to construct a flexible disk file. Washers preferably have an annular shoulder with a depth slightly different than the thickness of the record disks for firmly supporting and aligning same in the coaxial stack. Alternatively, disks may be adhesively secured to a radial outward portion of each washer. Additionally, each washer has a plurality of radially extending air passageways for facilitating radial air movement which controls the stack of flexible record disks. A radial inward portion of each washer abuts each adjacent washer for forming a firm axial stack of disks. A rigid stabilizing plate at each axial end completes the assembly.

Spacer supports for flexible disk structures

A signal storage apparatus employs a stack of circular record disks accessible by axially separating segments of selected disks in the stack. One disk in a stack of coaxial rotatable circular compliant record disks is accessed with a minimum energy imparted to such disks by a chord roll disk separator. In a preferred form, the chord roll disk separator induces a primary bending mode to some of the disks being axially separated. In another aspect of the disclosure, a signal transducer is mounted integrally with the disk separator. With such mounting, primary, secondary, or higher order bending modes may be successfully employed. Full chordal and partial chordal axial disk separations are described. Arcuate and radially directed separation techniques may be employed. A unique axial stacking arrangement for compliant record disks is also described.

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Boulder, CO, United States of America

David G Norton