Abstract:
An information recording and/or reading apparatus has a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by the output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining the rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a linear movement guide extending parallel to the rotary alignment axis, and a support mechanism for supporting the rotary alignment control device to be reciprocally movable along the linear movement guide. An information recording and/or reading apparatus allows very easy exchange of a recording/reading head and disk, and can avoid troubles such as damage to the recording/reading head and disk during exchange.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an information recording and/or reading apparatus suitably used in a magnetic/electrical characteristic inspection device for a servo track writer of a hard disk drive, especially, a master servo writer for simultaneously servo-writing a plurality of hard disks, a preservo writer for servo-writing outside a drive, a head, a head gimbal assembly, and a head stack assembly, and a magnetic/electrical characteristic inspection device for a hard disk itself, and is also suitably used in inspection and manufacturing apparatuses of an optical or magnetooptical recording head and an optical or magnetooptical recording disk.  
           [0003]    2. Related Background Art  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 13 shows the arrangement of a conventional information recording/reading apparatus. A spindle motor  102  for rotating a disk  103  is fixed on a base  101 . A recording/reading head  110  is attached to the distal end of a rotation shaft (not shown) of a rotary alignment control device  107  via a head fixing jig. The rotary alignment control device  107  is disposed on an X-stage including a stationary portion  104  and a movable stage  105  arranged on the base  101 , and can be driven in the X-direction (the directions of an arrow in FIG. 13).  
           [0005]    In this prior art, two rotary alignment control devices  107  are provided to a single spindle motor  102 .  
           [0006]    By moving the movable stage  105 , the distance between the center of the disk and the center of rotation of the head can be adjusted to an arbitrary spacing. Upon exchanging a disk, the two rotary alignment control devices  107  move in a direction away from the disk  103  and spindle motor  102 .  
           [0007]    However, in the conventional information recording/reading apparatus, it is difficult to exchange the recording/reading head.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention has been made in consideration of the unsolved problems of the prior art, and has as its object to provide an information recording/reading apparatus which allows very easy exchange of a recording/reading head and disk, and can avoid troubles such as damage to the recording/reading head and disk during exchange.  
           [0009]    In order to achieve the above object, an information recording/reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a linear movement guide extending parallel to the rotary alignment axis, and a support mechanism for supporting the rotary alignment control device to be reciprocally movable along the linear movement guide.  
           [0010]    In further aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, and a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis.  
           [0011]    An information recording and/or reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a horizontal pivot shaft extending perpendicular to a predetermined plane including the rotary alignment axis, and a support mechanism for supporting the rotary alignment control device to be pivotal about the horizontal pivot shaft.  
           [0012]    In further aspect of the invention, the apparatus further includes a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, and a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis.  
           [0013]    An information recording and/or reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a vertical pivot shaft extending parallel to the rotary alignment axis, and a support mechanism for supporting the rotary alignment control device to be pivotal about the vertical pivot shaft.  
           [0014]    In futher aspect of the invention, the apparatus further includes a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, and a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis.  
           [0015]    An information recording and/or reading apparatus according to the present invention comprises a base plate, a spindle motor for rotating a disk by an output shaft perpendicular to the base plate, a rotary alignment control device for determining a rotation position of a recording/reading head of a head unit about a rotary alignment axis parallel to the output shaft of the spindle motor, a moving stage which mounts the spindle motor, a stage driving mechanism for driving the moving stage toward or away from the rotary alignment axis, and a stopper for fixing the moving stage at an arbitrary position on a guide mechanism.  
           [0016]    Upon recording/reading by the recording/reading head, the moving stage is driven to bring the spindle motor close to the head unit together with the disk, and is fixed at a position defined by a movable stopper. In this state, the rotary alignment control device determines the rotation position of the recording/reading head, and the spindle motor is then driven to record/reproduce information on/from the disk.  
           [0017]    Upon exchanging the recording/reading head or disk, the moving stage is moved backward by the stage driving means to move the spindle motor and disk in a direction away from the head unit.  
           [0018]    The disk is changed after the moving stage is moved to a position convenient for disk exchange.  
           [0019]    On the other hand, the recording/reading head is exchanged in a state wherein the head unit is moved upward or backward by pivoting the support means that supports the rotary alignment control device about a horizontal or vertical pivot shaft, or moving it upward along the linear movement guide, after the disk and spindle motor are sufficiently separated from the head.  
           [0020]    In this way, since the recording/reading head is exchanged while the head unit disposed below the rotary alignment control device is moved upward or to a position behind the device, the recording/reading head can be exchanged very easily, and can be prevented from being damaged by interference with surrounding members during exchange.  
           [0021]    Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0022]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an information recording/reading apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a front view showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 4A and 4B show the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, i.e., are side views respectively showing the head exchange state and information recording/reading state by solid lines;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an information recording/reading apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 5;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 7 is a front view showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 5;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 8 is a front view showing the head exchange state of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an information recording/reading apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 9;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 11 is a front view showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 9;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 12 is a side view showing the apparatus shown in FIG. 9; and  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing one prior art. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0036]    Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an information recording and/or reading apparatus according to the first embodiment. A column  1   a  stands upright on a base  1  as a base plate made up of stone, metal, or the like, and a plate  3  as a support means which is pivotal about a horizontal pivot shaft by a bearing unit  2  is placed on the column  1   a.    
         [0038]    The plate  3  supports a rotary alignment control device  4 , and supports via that device a head stack unit  5 , which includes a head stack of heads H as a plurality of recording/reading heads, and a carriage for holding the head stack. The rotary alignment control device  4  comprises a motor  4   a , an optical encoder  4   b  as a sensor, and the like, and determines the rotation position of the head stack unit  5  about a rotary alignment axis perpendicular to the base  1  under the control of a controller (not shown).  
         [0039]    A vacuum suction hole is formed on the plate  3 , which is fixed since it sticks by vacuum suction to the upper surface of the column  1   a . Upon exchanging a head, when vacuum suction is stopped, and a handle  3   a  is pulled upward, the head stack unit  5  moves upward via an elongated hole (not shown) formed on the upper wall of the column  1   a  to expose the heads H, thus facilitating the exchange work.  
         [0040]    A pair of stationary guides  6  as guide means extending in the X-direction are fixed to the base  1 , and a movable guide  8  located under a moving stage  7  fits in the stationary guides  6 , thus allowing reciprocal movements of the moving stage  7  in the X-direction. A vacuum suction hole is formed on the back surface of the movable guide  8 , which is fixed to the base  1  after completion of movement. Upon moving the moving stage  7 , a negative pressure is switched to a positive pressure to make the moving stage  7  slightly float.  
         [0041]    A spindle motor  9  having an output shaft perpendicular to the base  1  is mounted on the moving stage  7 , and moves in the X-direction together with the moving stage  7 . The output shaft of the spindle motor  9  holds a stack of a plurality of disks D and rotates the disks D. The disks D are fixed to the output shaft by a hub  10 .  
         [0042]    [0042]FIGS. 2 and 3 are respectively a plan view and front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. The moving stage  7  is driven in the X-direction by an air cylinder  11  as a stage driving means, and can be fixed at an arbitrary position on the stationary guides  6  by adjusting in advance the position of a movable stopper  12  (see FIGS. 4A and 4B) that can be manually adjusted. In this way, the spacing between the spindle motor  9  on the moving stage  7  and rotary alignment control device  4  is determined.  
         [0043]    Note that approaching/going-away movements of the moving stage  7  with respect to the rotary alignment control device  4  and head stack unit  5 , i.e., its reciprocal movements in a predetermined axial direction (X-direction) can be controlled by a combination of a lead screw and stepping motor or servo motor in place of the air cylinder  11 .  
         [0044]    [0044]FIGS. 4A and 4B are side views of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4A shows a state upon exchanging the heads H and FIG. 4B shows a state upon recording/reading by solid lines.  
         [0045]    Upon exchanging the heads, the moving stage  7  is moved backward to move the spindle motor  9  that mounts the disks D to a position farthest from the rotary alignment control device  4 . In this manner, contact (interference) between the heads H and disks D can be avoided.  
         [0046]    Furthermore, the rotary alignment control device  4  and head stack unit  5  are pivoted about the bearing unit  2  as a horizontal pivot shaft perpendicular to the plane including the rotary alignment axis of the rotary alignment control device  4  and the output shaft of the spindle motor  9 . By pivoting the plate  3  about the bearing unit  2 , the heads H move upward and are exposed.  
         [0047]    When the disks D are exchanged, the moving stage  7  alone may be moved, and the rotary alignment control device  4  may be kept set in the use state, as shown in FIG. 4B. That is, the moving stage  7  alone need only be moved to a position best convenient for disk exchange.  
         [0048]    Upon recording/reading, the rotary alignment control device  4  is fixed on the column  1   a , the spindle motor  9  that mounts the disks D is brought close to the rotary alignment control device  4  and head stack unit  5  together with the moving stage  7 , and the stage  7  is fixed at a position where it abuts against the movable stopper  12 . Upon rotation of the rotary alignment control device  4 , each head H is aligned to an arbitrary track on each disk D.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 5 shows the second embodiment. A column  21   a  stands upright on a base  21  as a base plate made up of stone, metal, or the like, and linear movement guides  22  and a plate  23  as a support means which is vertically movable along these guides are placed on the column  21   a.    
         [0050]    The plate  23  supports a rotary alignment control device  24 , and supports via that device a head stack unit  25 , which includes a head stack of heads H as a plurality of recording/reading heads, and a carriage for holding the head stack. The rotary alignment control device  24  comprises a motor  24   a , an optical encoder  24   b  as a sensor, and the like, and determines the rotation position of the head stack unit  25  about a rotary alignment axis perpendicular to the base  21  under the control of a controller (not shown).  
         [0051]    A vacuum suction hole is formed on the plate  23 , which is fixed since it sticks by vacuum suction to the upper surface of the column  21   a . Upon exchanging a head, when vacuum suction is stopped, and the plate  23  is pulled upward by holding a handle or the like, the head stack unit  25  moves upward via an elongated hole (not shown) formed on the upper wall of the column  21   a  to expose the heads H, thus facilitating the exchange work.  
         [0052]    A pair of stationary guides  26  as guide means extending in the X-direction are fixed to the base  21 , and a movable guide  28  located under a moving stage  27  fits in the stationary guides  26 , thus allowing reciprocal movements of the moving stage  27  in the X-direction. A vacuum suction hole is formed on the back surface of the movable guide  28 , which is fixed to the base  21  after completion of movement. Upon moving the moving stage  27 , a negative pressure is switched to a positive pressure to make the moving stage  27  slightly float.  
         [0053]    A spindle motor  29  having an output shaft perpendicular to the base  21  is mounted on the moving stage  27 , and moves in the X-direction together with the moving stage  27 . The output shaft of the spindle motor  29  holds a stack of a plurality of disks D and rotates the disks D. The disks D are fixed to the output shaft by a hub  30 .  
         [0054]    [0054]FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively a plan view and front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5. The moving stage  27  is driven in the X-direction by an air cylinder  31  as a stage driving means, and can be fixed at an arbitrary position on the stationary guides  26  by adjusting in advance the position of a movable stopper or the like that can be manually adjusted. In this way, the spacing between the spindle motor  29  on the moving stage  27  and rotary alignment control device  24  is determined.  
         [0055]    Note that approaching/going-away movements of the moving stage  27  with respect to the rotary alignment control device  24  and head stack unit  25 , i.e., its reciprocal movements in a predetermined axial direction (X-direction) can be controlled by a combination of a lead screw and stepping motor or servo motor in place of the air cylinder  31 .  
         [0056]    [0056]FIG. 8 shows the state upon exchanging the heads H.  
         [0057]    Upon exchanging the heads, the moving stage  27  is moved backward to move the spindle motor  29  that mounts the disks D to a position farthest from the rotary alignment control device  24 . In this manner, contact (interference) between the heads H and disks D can be avoided. Furthermore, the rotary alignment control device  24  and head stack unit  25  are moved in the direction of an arrow in FIG. 8 to expose the heads H above the column  21   a . That is, the plate  23  is moved upward along the linear movement guides  22  which extend parallel to the rotary alignment axis.  
         [0058]    When the disks D are exchanged, the moving stage  27  alone may be moved, and the rotary alignment control device  24  may be kept set in the use state, as shown in FIG. 5 or the like.  
         [0059]    Upon recording/reading, the rotary alignment control device  24  is fixed on the column  21   a , the spindle motor  29  that mounts the disks D is brought close to the rotary alignment control device  24  and head stack unit  25  together with the moving stage  27 , and the stage  27  is fixed at a position defined by the movable stopper or the like. Upon rotation of the rotary alignment control device  24 , each head H is aligned to an arbitrary track on each disk D.  
         [0060]    [0060]FIG. 9 shows the third embodiment. A column  41   a  stands upright on a base  41  as a base plate made up of stone, metal, or the like, and a plate  43  as a support means which is pivotal about a vertical pivot shaft  42  is placed on the column  41   a.    
         [0061]    The plate  43  supports a rotary alignment control device  44 , and supports via that device a head stack unit  45 , which includes a head stack of heads H as a plurality of recording/reading heads, and a carriage for holding the head stack. The rotary alignment control device  44  comprises a motor  44   a , an optical encoder  44   b  as a sensor, and the like, and determines the rotation position of the head stack unit  45  about a rotary alignment axis perpendicular to the base  41  under the control of a controller (not shown).  
         [0062]    A vacuum suction hole is formed on the plate  43 , which is fixed since it sticks by vacuum suction to the upper surface of the column  41   a . Upon exchanging a head, when vacuum suction is stopped, and the plate  43  is pivoted about the vertical pivot shaft  42  by holding a handle  43   a , the head stack unit  45  moves backward along an elongated hole  41   b  formed on the upper wall of the column  41   a , thus facilitating the exchange work.  
         [0063]    Alternatively, by driving a pinion  41   c  that meshes with a sector  43   a  of the plate  43 , the plate  43  may be pivoted (see FIG. 10).  
         [0064]    A pair of stationary guides  46  as guide means extending in the X-direction are fixed to the base  41 , and a movable guide  48  located under a moving stage  47  fits in the stationary guides  46 , thus allowing reciprocal movements of the moving stage  47  in the X-direction. A vacuum suction hole is formed on the back surface of the movable guide  48 , which is fixed to the base  41  after completion of movement. Upon moving the moving stage  47 , a negative pressure is switched to a positive pressure to slightly float the moving stage  47 .  
         [0065]    A spindle motor  49  having an output shaft perpendicular to the base  41  is mounted on the moving stage  47 , and moves in the X-direction together with the moving stage  47 . The output shaft of the spindle motor  49  holds a stack of a plurality of disks D and rotates the disks D. The disks D are fixed to the output shaft by a hub  50 .  
         [0066]    FIGS.  10  to  12  are respectively a plan view, front view, and side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 9. The moving stage  47  is driven in the X-direction by an air cylinder  51  as a stage driving means, and can be fixed at an arbitrary position on the stationary guides  46  by adjusting in advance the position of a movable stopper  52  that can be manually adjusted. In this way, the spacing between the spindle motor  49  on the moving stage  47  and rotary alignment control device  44  is determined.  
         [0067]    Note that approaching/going-away movements of the moving stage  47  with respect to the rotary alignment control device  44  and head stack unit  45 , i.e., its reciprocal movements in a predetermined axial direction (X-direction) can be controlled by a combination of a lead screw and stepping motor or servo motor in place of the air cylinder  51 .  
         [0068]    As shown in FIG. 12, upon exchanging the heads, the moving stage  47  is moved backward to a position indicated by the broken line so as to move the spindle motor  49  that mounts the disks D to a position farthest from the rotary alignment control device  44 . In this manner, contact (interference) between the heads H and disks D can be avoided. Furthermore, the rotary alignment control device  44  and head stack unit  45  are pivoted about the vertical pivot shaft  42  which is parallel to the rotary alignment axis of the rotary alignment control device  44 , as indicated by an arrow, thus moving them to a position behind the base  41 .  
         [0069]    When the disks D are exchanged, the moving stage  47  alone may be moved, and the rotary alignment control device  44  may be kept set in the use state, as indicated by the solid line in FIG. 12. That is, the moving stage  47  alone need only be moved to a position best convenient for disk exchange.  
         [0070]    Upon recording/reading, the rotary alignment control device  44  is fixed on the column  41   a , the spindle motor  49  that mounts the disks D is brought close to the rotary alignment control device  44  and head stack unit  45  together with the moving stage  47 , and the stage  47  is fixed at a position where it abuts against the movable stopper  52 . Upon rotation of the rotary alignment control device  44 , each head H is aligned to an arbitrary track on each disk D.  
         [0071]    Since the present invention has the aforementioned arrangement, the recording/reading heads or disks can be exchanged very easily, and damage to the recording/reading heads and disks during exchange can be avoided.