Syquest Technology, Inc.

Other

Iomega Corporation

Hans K Tannert

William Friederich Witt

Frank Ivan Morris

Ronald D Lesti

Joseph E Davis

Ray Sarraf

A method of inserting a removable data cartridge into a disk drive utilizes a cartridge having a registration contour adapted for alignment with a registration member of the disk drive. The registration contour slides along the registration member during insertion. The cartridge has an interlocking recess adapted to interface with an ejector pin of the disk drive, and a door biased to a closed position, where the door has a tab engaging the disk drive and holding the housing door open while the cartridge is in the inserted position. The cartridge is ejected by releasing the ejector pin from the interlocking recess and pushing the cartridge with the ejector pin.

Method for inserting a removable disk cartridge into a disk drive

An anti-rattle mechanism for a disk cartridge addressing the problems of particulate generation which occur in disk cartridges when a disk assembly moves around inside the cartridge contacting the cartridge walls. The anti-rattle mechanism includes an anti-rattle ring which is movable by a cam surface between a clamping position and a released position. When the disk cartridge is outside of a disk drive, the anti-rattle mechanism is in a clamping position to completely or partially captivate the disk assembly within the cartridge. As the disk cartridge is inserted into the disk drive, the anti-rattle mechanism moves to a released configuration where a disk is freely rotatable within the cartridge. The anti-rattle mechanism is moved between the clamping position and the released position by rotation of a movable door.

Disk cartridge with anti-rattle mechanism

A disk cartridge for data storage includes a door assembly which is opened as the disk cartridge is inserted in the disk drive. A rotatable cartridge door rotates between a open position and a closed position by moving a flexible band attached to the cartridge door. An end of the flexible band extends through a slot in the side wall of the disk cartridge such that the end of the flexible band can be caught by a leaf spring hook of the disk drive. The leaf spring hook within the disk drive grasps the end of the flexible band and holds the flexible band stationary in the disk drive as the disk cartridge is inserted. The cartridge door is opened by drawing the flexible band along the side wall of the disk cartridge. The rotatable disk cartridge door according to the present invention requires less vertical space and creates less particulate contamination than known disk cartridge door assemblies.

Disk cartridge with rotatable cartridge door

A cartridge 52 adapted for being inserted into a disk drive 50 includes a housing 70 which contains a disk 256 mounted for rotation and an interlocking device 90 defined in the housing 70 and adapted for automatically lockingly positioning the cartridge 52 in the disk drive 50 as the cartridge 52 comes to a final position relative to the disk drive 50. The interlocking device 90 includes an element 90 which is defined in the cartridge housing 70 in the direction which is substantially across the direction of insertion of the cartridge 82 into the drive 50. The interlocking device 90 includes a recess 90 for lockingly positioning the cartridge 52 which recess 90 includes an opening 360 disposed through the front edge 98 of the cartridge 52 and which is directed therefrom in a direction which is substantially across the direction of insertion of the cartridge 52 into the drive 50.

Removable cartridge disk drive utilizing a registration contour in

A disk drive 50 for receiving a removable cartridge 52 containing a disk 256 for storing data. The disk drive 50 includes a spindle motor 102 for engaging and causing the disk 256 of the cartridge 52 to spin at an appropriate speed and a mechanism 168 for mounting the spindle motor 102 to the disk drive 50 so that the spindle 102 motor is movable from a first position out of engagement with the disk 256 to a second position operably engaged with the disk 256. The spindle motor 102 can thus move in a plane which is not coplaner with the cartridge receiving plane. The disk drive further includes an ejecting mechanism 106 for engaging and lockingly holding the cartridge 52 in place in the cartridge receiver 60 and for ejecting the cartridge from the cartridge receiver 60. Further interlocking device 100 is provided for ensuring that the cartridge 52 cannot be removed from the receiver 60 when the spindle motor 102 is engaged with the disk 256 and for ensuring that the drive 50 cannot be enabled if the cartridge 52 is not received in the receiver 60. The disk drive 50 so configured can be contained in a desired form factor wherein the disk can be 2.5 inches in diameter or less, the height of the drive can be 17.5 millimeters or less and the memory capacity of the disk can be 40 megabytes or more.

Removable cartridge disk drive with cartridge interlocking and spindle

Removable cartridge disk drive with a 2.5 inch form factor utilizing a

A disk drive 50 for receiving a removable cartridge 52 containing a disk 256 for storing data. The disk drive 50 includes a spindle motor 102 for engaging and causing the disk 256 of the cartridge 52 to spin at an appropriate speed and a mechanism 168 for mounting the spindle motor 102 to the disk drive 50 so that the spindle 102 motor is movable from a first position out of engagement with the disk 256 to a second position operably engaged with the disk 256. The spindle motor 102 can thus move in a plane which is not coplaner with the cartridge receiving plane. The disk drive further includes an ejecting mechanism 106 for engaging and lockingly holding the cartridge 52 in place in the cartridge receiver 60 and for ejecting the cartridge from the cartridge receiver 60. Further interlocking device 100 is provided for ensuring that the cartridge 52 cannot be removed from the receiver 60 when the spindle motor 102 is engaged with the disk 256 and for ensuring that the drive 50 cannot be enabled if the cartridge 52 is not received in the receiver 60.

A cartridge 52 adapted for being inserted into a disk drive 50 includes a housing 70 which contains a disk 256 mounted for rotation and an interlocking device 90 defined in the housing 70 and adapted for automatically lockingly positioning the cartridge 52 in the disk drive 50 as the cartridge 52 comes to a final position relative to the disk drive 50. The interlocking device 90 includes an element 90 which is defined in the cartridge housing 70 in the direction which is substantially across the direction of insertion of the cartridge 82 into the drive 50. The interlocking device 90 includes a recess 90 for lookingly positioning the cartridge 52 which recess 90 includes an opening 360 disposed through the front edge 98 of the cartridge 52 and which is directed therefrom in a direction which is substantially across the direction of insertion of the cartridge 52 into the drive 50.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Hans K Tannert