Patent ID: 6567361
Filing Date: 2003-05-20
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A disk drive apparatus having a main body including a front panel, comprising:a tray movably mounted for movement between a drawn-out position and an accommodation position relative to the main body through an entry and exit portion of the front panel, said tray having an engagement fringe portion on a front end face thereof and a front wall portion; said enter and exit portion of the front panel having a stepped convex portion facing an upper end surface of the front wall portion of the tray with a clearance therebetween; a moving mechanism for loading a disk held on the tray onto a disk drive mechanism unit within the main body of the disk drive apparatus; and an escutcheon plate having an engagement nail portion for cooperating with said engagement fringe portion and attaching said escutcheon plate to a front end face of said tray, wherein said front wall portion is positioned parallel to and with an outer surface spaced apart from an inner surface of said escutcheon plate to create an inner barrier for preventing an invasion of dust into the main body of the disk drive apparatus and thereby forming a groove portion bounded by the inner surface of said escutcheon plate, an upper surface of said engagement nail portion, and the outer surface of said front wall portion of said tray, and further bounded by said stepped convex portion of said entry and exit portion of the front panel when said tray is in said accommodation position, and wherein said escutcheon plate has a height greater than a height of said front wall portion of said tray and greater than a height of said entry and exit portion of the front panel at a location of said stepped convex portion thereof through which said tray passes, whereby said groove portion collects dust prevented from entering said entry and exit portion by said front wall portion when said tray is in said accommodation portion.