APPARATUS FOR LOADING A FLEXIBLE RECORDING DISK INPOSITION IN A STORAGE FILE FOR DATA TRANSFER

Abstract: A storage file (30) for data transfer with a flexible mag­ netic disk enclosed in an apertured envelope to make up a disk cartridge (10) which drops into an entrance slot (36) in a file housing (32). The inserted disk cartridge (10) has its disk engaged between a motor driven hub (42) and a rotat­ able centering cone (48), with the cone engaged in a de­ pression (44) in the hub through a central aperture in the disk, so that the disk is rotated within the envelope with the drive hub (42) and centering cone (48) for data transfer with a transducer head or heads. In order for the disk to be placed in exact concentric relation with the hub (42) and cone (48) for proper engagement therebetween, the hub (42) is rotated during the movement of the cone (48) into engage­ ment in the hub depression (44) through the disk aperture. Revolving with the hub (42), the disk aligns itself with the centering cone (48) moving through its central aperture, and therefore with the drive hub (42). The insertion of the disk cartridge (10) in the file housing (32) is sensed optoelectroci­ ally, and the hub drive motor (40) is automatically set into rotation.

Description: METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOADING A FLEXIBLE RECORDING DISK IN POSITION IN A STORAGE FILE FOR DATA TRANSFER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Our invention relates to a disk storage file or to a data transfer apparatus for use with flexible recording disks such as, typically, flexible.magnetic disks now commonly referred to as floppy disks. More specifically our invention pertains to a method of, and means for, loading a flexible recording disk in position in a storage file for subsequent data transfer. Flexible magnetic disks have found widespread acceptance in information processing and allied industries as compact data storage media. Being thin and limply flexible, the disks are usually enclosed in more rigid, apertured envelopes to make up disk assemblies or cartridges that are self supporting. There have also been suggested and used a variety of direct access data storage files or drives for use with such interchangeable disk cartridges. Examples include Dalziel et al. U.S. Patent 3,678,481 and Castrodale et al. U.S. Patent 4,089,029. A problem has arisen in the use of such disk storage files as the magnetic disk is somewhat loosely enclosed in the envelope for rotation relative to the same. The disk storage file in general has a centering cone or collet movable, through the central aperture in the disk that has been inserted in the device, into and out of engagement in a socket in a drive hub coupled to a drive motor. Thus captured between cone and hub, the magnetic disk rotates therewith for data transfer with a transducer head or heads. The flexible magnetic disk does not, however, necessarily come to a position of exact axial alignment with the motor driven hub upon insertion of the disk cartridge into the storage file. Should the disk lie too much out of alignment with the hub, the centering cone becomes unable to center the disk, pushing its inner edge portion into the hub socket and so ruining the disk. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION We have succeeded in providing a novel method of 1 and means for, loading a flexible magnetic disk or like recording media in position in a storage file therefor without the likelihood of being ruined on being clamped for rotation. According to our invention, stated in brief, there is provided a disk storage file having a rotary drive hub having a depression formed centrally therein, and a rotatable, flanged centering cone movable into and out of engagement in the central depression in the drive hub through the central aperture in the recording disk, so that the recording disk can be engaged between drive hub and centering cone for joint rotation therewith. The method of our invention dictates, following the insertion of the recording disk in the storage file, the rotation of the drive hub at least while the centering cone is being moved into engagement in the drive hub depression through the disk aperture. The apparatus of our invention further comprises drive control means for causing, upon insertion of the recording disk in the storage file, to rotate the drive hub at least while the centering cone is moved into engagement in the drive hub depression through the disk aperture. In a preferred embodiment, in which our invention is adapted for a flexible magnetic disk storage file, the drive hub is automatically set into rotation upon full insertion of a disk cartridge in the file. For sensing the insertion of the disk cartridge we suggest the use of the photosensing means heretofore used for detecting a cutout in a marginal edge of the disk envelope, the cutout being shielded against the passage of light if the disk has already information recorded thereon which is not to be erased. The drive hub may be either temporarily set out of rotation upon proper clamping of the disk between drive hub and centering cone, or maintained in rotation for subsequent data transfer. As has been mentioned, the flexible magnetic disk may not be placed concentric with the drive hub upon insertion of the cartridge in the storage file. However, as the drive hub is rotated during the movement of the centering cone into engagement therewith, so is the disk in frictional contact with the hub. Our experiment has proved that the rotating disk aligns itself more easily with the drive hub than when the latter is held out of rotation as has been the case heretofore. The above and other features and advantages of our invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will best be understood, from a study of the following description and appended claims, with reference had to the attached drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a plan view of a flexible magnetic disk cartridge which may be used with the method and means of our invention; FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical section through an example of disk storage file to which the inventive concepts find application, the storage file being intended for use with the disk cartridge of FIG. 1 and being shown with its centering cone out of engagement with the drive hub; FIG. 3 is a slightly enlarged, partial vertical section through the disk storage file of FIG. 2, the view showing the centering cone engaged with the drive hub to clamp the flexible magnetic disk therebetween; FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the electronic drive control system incorporated in the disk stroage file of FIG. 2 for controlling its operation in accordance with our invention; ; FIG. 5 is a diagram of examples of waveforms appearing in various parts of the FIG. 4 system, which are useful in explaining its operation; FIG. 6 is a diagram of different examples of waveforms appearing in the various parts of the FIG. 4 system, which also are useful in explaining its operation in another aspect thereof; and FIG. 7 is a schematic electrical diagram, partly in block diagrammatic form, showing the stop circuit of the FIG. 4 system in detail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Magnetic Disk Cartridge We have illustrated in FIG. 1 a double sided magnetic disk cartridge 10 suitable for use with our invention. The disk cartrdige has a flexible magnetic disk 12 housed in a square envelope or jacket 14. The disk 12 has formed therein a central aperture 16 and a smaller, eccentric index hole 18. The envelope 14 has central apertures 20 formed in both sides thereof. The envelope apertures 20 are larger than the concentric disk aperture 16, thus exposing an annular portion 22 of the disk around the disk aperture. Fur- ther the evelope 14 has aligned radial slots 24 and aligned holes 26 formed in both sides thereof. The radial slots 24 are intended to allow direct head accessing to the opposite surfaces of the disk 12 for data transfer. The holes 26 are adapted to align with the disk index hole 18 as the disk rotates within the envelope 14. In addition the envelope 14 has a cutout 28 in a marginal edge thereof. As is well known, the marginal cutout 28 is intended for the protection of important recorded matter; if the disk already bears information that is not to be erased, the cutout 28 is to be shielded against the passage of light to prevent some different information from being inadvertently recorded on the disk. Disk Storage File Reference is directed to.FIGS. 2 and 3 for the mechanical configuration of the apparatus for use with the disk cartridge 10. We have shown the apparatus insofar as we consider necessary for a full understanding of the present invention. Generally designated 30, the illustrated disk storage file has a housing 32 having a front panel 34. Formed in this front panel is an entrance slot 36 through which the disk cartridge 10 is to be inserted horizontally into, and withdrawn from, the device. The housing 32 has a stop 38 firmly mounted therein for stopping the inserted disk cartridge 10 in its working position depicted by the phantom outline in FIG. 2. Provided within the file housing 32 is a disk drive motor 40 coupled directly to a rotary drive hub 42. This drive hub has a central depression or socket 44, leaving an annular rim 46 for direct contact with the exposed annular portion 22 of the flexible magnetic disk 12. Over the drive hub 42 there is provided a centering cone 48, complete with a flange 50, rotatably mounted to the distal end of a cantilevered support arm 52 which is proximally pivoted at 54 to the file housing 32. With the pivotal motion of the support arm 52 the centering cone 48 is movable into and out of engagement in the depression 44 in the drive hub 42 through the central aperture 16 in the magnetic disk 12. The drive hub depression 44 is approximately equal in diameter to the disk aperture 16. Thus, if the magnetic disk 12 is placed in more or less correct alignment with the drive hub 42, the centering cone 48 on its downward or counterclockwise movement will pass the disk aperture 16 and be seated in the drive hub depression 44 even if the drive hub is held stationary as in the prior art. The magnetic disk 12 will then have its exposed annular portion 22 engaged between centering cone flange 50 and drive hub rim 46 as shown in FIG. 3. However, should the magnetic disk 12 be placed too much out of alignment with the drive hub 42, the centering cone 48 might force the inner edge portion of the disk into the drive hub depression 44 if the drive hub were held stationary. Our invention eliminates this possiblity. At 56 and 58 in FIG. 3 are shown a pair of transducer heads arranged for data transfer contact with the opposite surfaces of the clamped magnetic disk 12 through the radial slots 24 in the disk envelope 14. The transducer heads 56 and 58 are of course movable radially of the magnetic disk 12 in predetermined relation with its rotation. Reference may be had to the aforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 434,400 for further details in the mechanical construction of the exemplified disk storage file 30. FIG. 2 further indicates first 60 and second 62 disk sensors forming parts of the drive control system in accordance with our invention. Disposed on the path of the top edge, as seen in FIG. 1, of the disk cartridge 10 within the file housing 32, the first disk sensor 60 detects the cutout 28 in the disk envelope 14 upon full insertion of the disk cartridge into the file housing. The second disk sensor 62 is arranged to sense the passage of the index hole 18 in the magnetic disk 12 through the aligned holes 26 in the disk envelope 26. Although FIG. 2 shows both first 60 and second 62 disk sensors highly diagrammatically, it will be understood that each of them takes the form of a photocoupIer, known per se, comprising a source of radiation and a photosensor, the latter being irradiated in a controlled manner by the radiation emitted by the former. Drive Control System We will now discuss the drive control system 64 of FIG. 4 in relation to the waveform diagram of FIG. 5. The latter figure represents at A through H the signal waveforms appearing in the various parts of the drive control system 64. Thus in FIG. 4 we have indicated by the letters A through H the lines on which the corresponding signal waveforms of FIG. 5 appear. The drive control system 64 includes an OR type NAND gate 66 having a first input connected to an external disk control circuit, not shown, via a line 68 to receive therefrom a motor control signal indicated at A in FIG. 5. The NAND gate 66 has a second input connected to a line 70 to receive an internally generated motor control signal D. The output of the NAND gate 66 is connected to an AND gate 72 and thence to a motor drive circuit 74 which is coupled to the disk drive motor 40 for the on off control of its operation. The output from the AND gate 72 constitutes a motor drive signal H causing the motor drive circuit 74 to set the disk drive motor 40 into and out of rotation in accordance with the novel concepts of our invention. As has been stated, the first disk sensor 60 senses the presence or absence of the cutout 28 in the disk envelope 14 when the disk cartridge 10 is inserted in the entrance slot 36 of the storage file 30 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1. Since the cutout 28 is assumed to be covered with light shielding material if the magnetic disk 12 already bears information that is not to be erased by recording, the output B from the first disk sensor 60 remains high upon full insertion of the disk cartridge 10, as indicated by the dot and dash line in FIG. 5. In the presence of the cutout 28, on the other hand, the output B from the first disk sensor 60 goes low upon full insertion of the disk cartridge 10 to allow information to be recorded on the magnetic disk 12. We use the first disk sensor 60 not only for cutout detection but also for sensing the loading and unloading of the disk cartridge 10 into and out of the storage file 30. The upper marginal edge portion, as seen in FIG. 1, of the disk envelope 14 shields the radiation during the insertion of the disk cartridge 10 in the storage file 30, causing the first disk sensor 60 to produce a high output as from moment Ml to moment M2 in FIG. 5. If the disk envelope 14 has the cutout 28, the output from the first disk sensor 60 goes low at the moment M2 when the loading of the disk cartridge 10 is completed. The first disk sensor output also goes high during the unloading of the disk cartridge 1Q, as from moment M9 to moment M10 in FIG. 5, as the disk envelope 14 shuts off the radiation. If the disk cartridge 10 has its cutout 28 covered with light shielding material, on the other hand, then the first disk sensor output remains high throughout the period, from moment Ml to moment M10, during which the disk cartridge 10 is loaded in the storage file 30. Connected to the output of the first disk sensor 60 is an edge sensing circuit 76 which puts out a pulse at each moment the incoming first disk sensor output goes high. The output pulses from the edge sensing circuit 76 are given at C in FIG. 5. It will be seen that the edge sensing circuit 76 functions to sense the moment Ml when the loading of the disk cartridge 10 is initiated, and the moment M9 when the unloading of the disk cartridge is commenced. At 78 is shown an RS flip flop for providing the internal motor control signal D for application to the NAND gate 66. The flip flop 78 has a set input S connected to the edge sensing circuit 76, a reset input R connected to a READY circuit 80, and a Q output connected to the line 70 leading to the NAND gate 66. Thus the Q output from the flip flop 78 goes low when it is set by each output pulse of the edge sensing circuit 76, and goes high when it is reset by the READY pulse from the READY circuit 80 shown at F in FIG. 5. We will refer to the READY circuit 80 later in connection with the second disk sensor 62. The second disk sensor 62 produces pulses, as depicted at E in FIG. 5, as the index hole 18 in the magnetic disk 12 aligns with the holes 26 in the disk envelope 14 with the rotation of the disk relative to the envelope. The pulses are utilized for sensing the speed of rotation of the magnetic disk from their spacings and for sensing the relative positions of the disk and the transducer heads from their positions. The. light emitted by the light source of the second disk sensor 62 impinges on its photosensor not only when the disk index hole 18 alignes with the envelope holes 26 but also upon withdrawal of the disk cartridge 10 from the storage file 30. Thus the output from the second disk sensor 62, going high at the moment M10 in FIG. 5, serves the additional purpose of indicating the withdrawal of the disk cartridge 10 from the storage file 30. The output of the second disk sensor 62 is connected to the READY circuit 80. This circuit 80 puts out the READY pulse upon receipt of at least two index pulses following the moment when the rotative speed of the magnetic disk 10 becomes 50 per cent or more of the predetermined normal speed. If the index pulse distances during normal disk rotation are 200 milliseconds, the READY circuit 80 responds to at least two index pulses following the moment when the index pulse distances become not more than 300 milliseconds. The rotative speed of the magnetic disk 12 becomes approximately normal upon production of two index pulses after the speed has become more than 50 percent of the normal value. The READY pulse put out by the READY circuit 80 at the moment MS in FIG. 5 is impressed to the flip flop 78 for resetting the same. Further included in the drive control system 64 is a STOP circuit 82 which puts out a STOP signal given at G in FIG. 5. It will be noted that the STOP signal goes low at the moment M11 after the output E from the second disk sensor 62 has remained high for a preassigned length of time, which is 10 seconds in this particular embodiment. FIG. 7 is a more detailed representation of the STOP circuit 82. It comprises a timer 84 and an RS flip flop 86. The timer 84 comprises an integrator 88 for integrating the high output from the second disk sensor 62, and a voltage comparator 90 responsive to the integrator output for putting out a pulse when the second disk sensor output remains high for 10 seconds. This output pulse of the comparator 90 is impressed to the set input S of the flip flop 86, causing its Q output (STOP signal) to go low at the moment Mull. This STOP signal is applied to the AND gate 72 for causing the motor drive circuit 74 to set the disk drive motor 40 out of rotation at the moment Mull. The flip flop 86 has its reset input R connected to the NAND gate 66, FIG. 4, so that the flip flop is reset when the NAND gate output goes high. Operation We will describe the operation of the disk storage file 30 with its motor control circuit 64 on the assumption of two different cases. One is that the external motor control signal is held low only during the period when the magnetic disk 12 is to be held in rotation for data transfer, as indicated at A in FIG. 5. The other case is that the external motor control signal is constantly held low as at A in FIG. 6. In the first case, as the operator starts inserting the disk cartridge 10 into the entrance slot 36 of the storage file 30, the output from the first disk sensor 60 goes high at the moment MS, as at B in FIG. 5, since the disk cartridge blocks the radiation that has been impinging on its photosensor. The edge sensing circuit 76 responds to this high output from the first disk sensor 60, producing a pulse at the moment Ml as at C in FIG. 5. Impressed to the set input S of the flip flop 78, the output pulse from the edge sensing circuit 76 sets the flip flop as at D in FIG. 5. The corresponding Q output from the flip flop 78 is applied as the internal motor control signal to one input of the NAND gate 66. The external motor control signal being applied to the other input of the NAND gate 66 is now assumed to be high, so that the output from the N AND gate resets the flip flop 86, FIG. 7, included in the STOP circuit 82. Consequently the output G from the STOP circuit 82 goes high, causing the AND gate 72 to pass the high output from the NAND gate 24. The resulting high motor drive signal H from the AND gate 72 causes the motor drive circuit 74 to set the disk drive motor 40 into rotation at the moment Ml. It is thus seen that the drive control system 64 initiates the rotation of the disk drive motor 40 immediately upon insertion of the disk cartridge 10 into the storage file 30. It is of course understood that the centering cone 48 is now out of engagement with the drive hub 42, as indicated at I in FIG. 5. The insertion of the disk cartridge 10 is completed at the moment M2. Thereupon, as will be noted from B in FIG. 5, the output from the first disk sensor 60 will go low if the loaded disk cartridge has the cutout 28 in its envelope 14, and will remain high if the cutout has been covered with light shielding material. The support arm 52 carrying the rotatable centering cone 48 is pivoted counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, to move the cone into engagement in the depression 44 in the drive hub 42 through the central aperture 16 in the magnetic disk 12 at the moment M3 immediately following the moment M2 when the loading of the disk cartridge 10 is completed. The magnetic disk 12 is loosely enclosed in the envelope 14 for rotation relative to the same. Accordingly, even if the disk cartridge 10 is fully inserted in the storage file 30 into abutment against the stop 38, the magnetic disk 12 does not necessarily come into alignment with the drive hub 42. The magnetic disk might therefore be engaged eccentrically between drive hub 42 and centering cone 48. It is to eliminate that possibility that the drive hub 42 is set into rotation immediately upon full insertion of the disk cartridge 10 into the storage file 30. As the descending cone 48 enters the central aperture 16 in the misaligned magnetic disk 12, the latter will rotate with the drive hub 42, with its inner edge in sliding contact with the cone, and so will align itself with the drive hub and, when the cone is fully engaged in the hub depression, with the cone. Thus the clamping of the magnetic disk 12 at the moment M3 when the disk is already in rotation makes it possible to center the disk far more exactly than if the disk is held stationary. As the rotative speed of the clamped magnetic disk 12 subsequently increases to the predetermined range at the moment MS, the READY circuit 80 puts out the READY pulse as at F in FIG. 5 in response to the output pulses of the second disk sensor 62. The READY pulse resets the flip flop 78 as at D in FIG. 5, with the result that the disk drive motor 40 comes to a temporary stop as the external motor control signal A is still high at the moment MS. It is at the next moment M6 that the external motor control signal A goes low. Thereupon the disk drive motor 40 recommences rotation for data transfer between magnetic disk 12 and transducer heads 56 and 58 in the write or read mode. As the external motor control signal A goes high at the moment M7, the motor drive signal H from the AND gate 72 goes low, causing the motor drive circuit 74 to set the disk drive motor 40 out of rotation. Then, at the moment M8, the centering cone 48 is moved out of engagement with the drive hub 42 to release the magnetic disk 12. The ope rator may start withdrawing the disk cartridge 10 at the subsequent moment M9. If the cartridge 10 has the cutout 28 in its disk envelope 14, and if, consequently, the output from the first disk sensor 60 has been low, it goes high at the moment M9 as at B in FIG. 5. The corresponding output pulse C from the edge sensing circuit 76 sets the flip flop 78 as at D in FIG. 5, with the result that the disk drive motor 40 is again set into rotation as at H in FIG. 5. Upon complete withdrawal of the disk cartridge 10 from the storage file 30 at the subsequent moment M10, the photosensor of the second disk sensor 62 becomes irradiated by the associated radiation source. Thus the output from the second disk sensor 62 goes high as at E in FIG. 5. This high output is impressed to the timer 84 of the STOP circuit 82. As has been set forth in connection with FIG. 7, the timer 84 determines whether the high input lasts 10 seconds or not. At the moment Mull, 10 seconds after the complete withdrawal of the disk cartridge 10 at the moment M10, the output from the timer 84 sets the flip flop 86 included in the STOP circuit 82. The resulting low Q output from the flip flop 86 makes the output from the AND gate 72 go low, so that the rotation of the disk drive motor 40 terminates as at H in FIG. 5. The second disk sensor 62 produces pulses as at the moments M4 and MS as the index hole 16 in the magnetic disk 12 alignes with the envelope holes 26. These second disk sensor output pulses during disk rotationare of such short durations, however, that the timer 84 of the STOP circuit 82 does not set the flip flop 86. There is accordingly no possibility of the disk drive motor 40 being set out of rotation by the second disk sensor output during data transfer. We will now proceed to the operational description in the second case; that is, the external motor control signal is constantly held low as at A in FIG. 6. Before the moment Ml in FIG. 6, when the operator starts loading the disk cartridge 10, the disk drive motor 40 is held out of rotation despite the low state of the external motor control signal A if then the STOP signal is low as at G in FIG. 6. As the output B from the first disk sensor 60 goes high on sensing the loading of the disk cartridge 10 at the moment Ml, the disk drive motor 40 starts rotation through the same procedure as in the case of FIG. 5. The magnetic disk 12 of the loaded cartridge 10 is clamped at the moment M3 while the drive hub 42 is in rotation. The disk will be clamped in exact concentric relation with the drive hub 42 and centering cone 48, as has been explained above. The flip flop 29 is set at the moment Ml by the output from the edge sensing circuit 76 and is reset at the moment MS by the output from the READY circuit 80, also just as in the case of FIG. 5. In the present case, however, the disk drive motor 40 does not come to a temporary stop but remains in rotation because the external motor control signal A is low. Upon complete withdrawal of the disk cartridge 10 at the moment M10, the output G from the STOP circuit 82 goes low at the subsequent moment fix11, which is 10 seconds after the moment M10. The disk drive motor 10 is thus set out of rotation as at H in FIG. 6 despite the sustained low state of the external motor control signal A. The motor will automatically starts rotation upon reloading of the same or another disk cartridge. ¯ The primary advantage of our invention set forth in detail hereinabove is, of course, that the magnetic disk 12 within the envelope 12 can be infallibly caught concentrically between hub 42 and cone 48 in spite of the initial possible displacement of the disk within the envelope. Additional advantages are: 1. The insertion of a disk cartridge automatically sets the disk drive motor into rotation. 2. The above automatic rotation of the disk drive motor is effectuated by utilizing the output from the first disk sensor which detects the data protection cutout in the disk cartridge, thus making possible the provision of a highly simplified system. 3. The disk drive motor comes to a temporary stop after the clamping of the loaded disk cartridge if the external motor control system is then held high, thereby saving power. 4. A saving of power is also realized in the case where the external motor control signal is constantly held low, as the disk drive motor is automatically set out of rotation upon withdrawal of the disk cartridge in response to the output from the second disk sensor which in fact is an index sensor. Possible Modifications Although we have shown and described our invention in terms of but one embodiment thereof, we do not wish our invention to be limited to the exact details thereof. A variety of modifications or alterations will occur to one skilled in the electronics art. For example: 1. The timer of the STOP circuit may comprise a digital counter or monostable multivibrator. 2. The disk drive motor may not necessarily be set into rotation immediately upon insertion of the disk cartridge in the storage file but at a later moment before the clamping of the disk. How the start of motor rotation can be delayed will be apparent to the specialists.

Claims: WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of loading a flexible recording disk in position in a storage file for data transfer therewith, the disk having an aperture formed centrally therein, which comprises: (a) providing within the storage file a rotary drive hub having a central depression, and a rotatable, flanged centering cone movable into and out of engagement in the central de pression in the drive hub through the central aperture in the recording disk, whereby the recording disk can be caught between the drive hub and the centering cone for joint rotation therewith; (b) inserting the recording disk into the storage file into approximately concentric relation with at least the drive hub; (c) rotating the drive hub; and (d) moving the centering cone into engagement in the central depression in the drive hub through the central aperture in the recording disk while the drive hub is in rotation; (d) whereby the recording disk is brought into precise concentric relation with the drive hub and the centering cone on being caught therebetween. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the drive hub is automatically set into rotation upon insertion of the recording disk into the storage file. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the drive hub is temporarily set out of rotation upon proper engagement of the inserted recording disk between the drive hub and the centering cone. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the drive hub is maintained in rotation upon proper engagement of the inserted recording disk between the drive hub and the centering cone, for subsequent data transfer. 5. A storage file for data transfer with a flexible recording disk, the recording disk having an aperture formed centrally therein, comprising: (a) a rotary drive hub having a central depres sion; (b) a rotatable, flanged centering cone movable into and out of engagement in the depression in the drive hub through the aperture in the recording disk, whereby the recording disk can be caught between the drive hub and the centering cone; (c) drive means coupled to the drive hub for ro tating the same together with the centering cone engaged therein, whereby the recording disk is rotated therewith; and (d) drive control means for causing, upon inser tion of the recording disk in the storage file, the drive means to rotate the drive hub at least while the centering cone is being moved into engagement in the central depres sion in the drive hub through the central aperture in the recording disk; (e) whereby the recording disk inserted in the storage file is automatically positioned in proper concentric relation with the drive hub and the centering cone on being caught there between. 6. The storage file of claim 5 wherein the drive control means comprises: (a) means for sensing the insertion of the record ing disk in the storage file; and (b) means responsive to an output from the sensing means for causing the drive means to rotate the drive hub. 7. The storage file of claim 5 wherein the drive control means further comprises: (a) means for sensing the speed of rotation of the recording disk engaged between the drive hub and the centering cone; and (b) means responsive to an output from the second named sensing means for causing the drive means to set the drive hub out of rotation when the speed of rotation of the recording disk rises to a predetermined degree. 8. A storage file for data transfer with a flexible magnetic disk cartridge having a flexible magnetic disk enclosed in an envelope, with the envelope having a central aperture larger than a concentric central aperture in the disk, thereby exposing an annular portion of the disk around the central aperture in the disk, comprising: : (a) a housing having an entrance opening for the insertion of the disk cartridge; (b) stop means within the housing for stopping the inserted disk cartridge; (c) a rotary drive hub having a central depres sion; (d) a rotatable centering cone movable into and out of engagement in the depression in the drive hub through the central aperture in the disk, the centering cone having a flange for engaging the exposed annular portion of the disk between itself and the drive hub; (e) drive means coupled to the drive hub for ro tating the same together with the centering cone engaged therewith, whereby the disk is rotated within the envelope; (f) means for sensing the insertion of the disk cartridge in the housing; and (g) means responsive to an output from the sensing means for causing the drive means to rotate the drive hub at least while the centering cone is being moved into the depression in the drive hub through the central aperture in the disk; (h) whereby the disk of the disk cartridge insert ed in the housing into abutment against the stop means is automatically positioned in proper concentric relation with the drive hub and the centering cone on being caught there between. 9. The storage file of claim 8 wherein the envelope of the disk cartridge has formed in a marginal edge thereof a cutout which is to be covered with light shielding material if the disk already bears information which is not to be erased, and wherein the sensing means is also effective to detect the cutout in the envelope of the inserted disk cartridge.

Inventors: SAKAI, YOSHIAKI, SHOJI, MAKOTO
Applicants: TEAC CORPORATION
Application year: 1984
Main classification: G11B17
IPC codes: G11B19, G11B25, G11B17