Burroughs, Inc.

Unisys Corporation

Dean L DeMoss

Herbert U Ragle

Harvey J Richardson

Ko Ko Gyi

Norman S Blessum

Norman S Blessom

Tom Narasaki

Disclosed is a novel flying head supported on a stationary, rigid arm to present a 'hydrodynamic' head-face to a passing flexible record segment, the segment being induced by this face to automatically assume a prescribed, relatively controlled configuration and spacing relative to the head-face.

Method for transducing with a flying head with foil support

A flexible disk pack having a pair of floppy end plates. The end plates are adapted to assume a Delta or tapered shape when they are rotated with the record pack. Each of the end plates is formed of at least two stacks of contiguous flexible disks separated by wedge spacers. The thickness and mass of the outer stack of each end plate is determined by the stiffness desired while the thickness and mass of the inner stack is selected to cause it to bend smoothly toward the outer stack allowing for pneumatic stability during partitioning.

Flexible disk pack module with improved Delta-pak stiffeners

Improved transducing techniques and arrangements; the embodiments particularly adapted for co-action with disk drive apparatus for handling flexible disk packs, and including a partitioning shield, flexure-bar mounted transducer head under the shield, along with disk-cleaner/stabilizer means--especially where these are arrayed in the form of a double-opposed transducer assembly adapted to be so manipulated into the pack as to double-partition the pack away from a selected disk on which opposed dual-transducing operations may be carried out. Such arrangements eliminate the need for separate pressure-pads, incorporating them on opposed-heads adapted to transduce on both sides of a record mounted on the ends of respective pivotable flexure-bars. Such cleaner/stabilizers can be opposed, engaged an intermediate record, squeezingly.

Means and methods for improved transducing of flexible disk packs

Improved disk pack media for data storage is illustrated as comprising a pack of flexible magnetic recording disks which may be partitioned 'end-wise'. In one embodiment the disks are perforated for partitioning and also stacked in a different respective rotational orientation to facilitate end-wise partitioning. The disks are hole-encoded and either cut in different hole patterns, or else cut in a common hole pattern and stacked to dispose each in a unique rotational 'misregistration' relative to all others--the result being to generate sets of 'partition bores' permitting associated automatic apparatus to selectively partition the pack and expose any desired disk-side for operation thereon. In another embodiment the disks are stacked between apertured spacers about a hollow spindle, the spacers and disks being partition-apertured and stacked to generate a set of partition bores. These bores cooperate with selectably rotatable gas jet means co-rotated on the spindle and adjustably rotated relative the pack to register with a selected one of these bores.

Partitionable record pack

Improved flexible disk pack magnetic storage systems and associated elements are illustrated as adapted for pneumatic partitioning and indicate, among other features, the use of spacer segments in the gap between adjacent flexible disks these being pre-attached to each disk to isolate the axial pressurized air streams from non-selected gaps and also to provide a reference surface for registration of the disks in the course of compressing the stack together.

Segmented spacer means for floppy disk packs

Improved disk drive equipment is illustrated, being characterized by improved partitioning means for partitioning a stack of flexible magnetic recording disks axially (end-wise).

Axial partitioning of disk pack

Improved disk pack media for data storage is illustrated as comprising a pack of flexible magnetic recording disks which may be partitioned 'end-wise'. The disk pack is flanked top and bottom by respective 'dummy packs' and end-plates, the end-plates being formed simply from a stack of contiguous flexible disks.

Partitionable pack with end plates

Improved disk drive equipment is illustrated, being characterized by improved end-wise pneumatic partitioning means for deflecting selected flexible magnetic recording disks and featuring improved 'external' pneumatic partition means for directing partitioning air to be injected end-wise and axially up the pack as a jet stream through bores in the disks and spacers into a gap between any two disks--these bores terminating at respective gaps where the spacer means is radially cut-out to divert the axial air stream to its associated inter-disk gap.

Spacers for end-wise pneumatic partitioned disk pack

Improved disk drive equipment is illustrated, being characterized by improved partitioning apparatus for partitioning flexible magnetic recording disks and featuring improved 'external' distributor apparatus for distributing partitioning air to be injected as a jet stream from the pack-hub region into a gap between any two disks--this apparatus constituting external, rotationally-stabilized jet-select apparatus which avoids the problems and inconvenience of alternate techniques, such as axially positioning a distributor piston within the pack-hub or rotationally positioning (phasing) a rotating jet nozzle relative to the rotating pack.

Jet distributor for end-wise pneumatic partitioning of disk pack

An improved 'floppy cartridge' is described comprising a jacket especially adapted for containing a pack of flexible disks, this jacket accommodating convenient insertion and withdrawal of the disk pack, while also permitting rotation and associated partitioning of the pack, as well as head-insertion and transducing on a selected disk--all with the pack kept contained within the jacket.

Jacket for floppy pack

Flying head with foil support

Described is a pair of 'compound pz-flexures' mounting, and driving, a magnetic recording transducer for controlled reciprocation, with the flexures under suitable driving voltage, executing 'S-bends' during flexure so as to keep transducer reciprocation relatively rectilinear.

Piezoelectric transducer mounting structure and associated techniques

Improved flexible disk pack magnetic storage systems and associated elements are illustrated as adapted for end-wise pneumatic partitioning and indicate, among other features, the use of 'rim means' in the gap between adjacent flexible disks to better isolate the axial pressurized air streams from non-selected gaps and also to provide a reference surface for registration of the disks in the course of compressing the stack together.

Floppy pack with improved spacer means

Improved flexible disk pack magnetic storage systems and associated elements are illustrated as adapted for end-wise pneumatic partitioning of a pack of flexible record disks and indicate, among other features, the use of 'isolation packs' flanking the record pack to better isolate it, and especially the outer record-disks, from an outer pair of end-plates between which the isolation packs are disposed, the size and composition of each isolation pack being optimized and the gaps between isolation disks preferably coupled, pneumatically, to prescribed record-gaps and varied in height, with 'large' isolation gaps coupled to 'record-gaps' that are more difficult to partition.

Floppy pack with variably-spaced isolation means

Disclosed is a novel rigid flying head supported on a prescribed foil to present a 'compound-foil' face to a passing flexible record segment, the segment being thus induced to automatically assume a prescribed, relatively controlled 'approach zone' and associated constant spacing relative to the head face.

Growing community of inventors

Camarillo, CA, United States of America

Dean L DeMoss