Magnetic disk device and electronic apparatus for mounting the magnetic disk device thereto

• US 7,239,593 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Alpine Electronics Incorporated (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Abe, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US10/817,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20050013038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 361/685, 361/683, 361/684, 361/686, 360/97.01, 360/98.01, 360/78.01, 360/137, 369 7511- 82
• US Class Current: 369/75.11
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis

Abstract

A magnetic disk device is removable from an apparatus body includes a case, a driving unit, and a connector. The driving unit is installed in the case, and includes a magnetic disk and a rotary driver for rotationally driving the magnetic disk. The connector connects the driving unit and the apparatus body. The case includes an elastic supporting member and a locking member. The elastic supporting member elastically supports the driving unit. The locking member is movable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the driving unit being locked at the locked position and being unlocked at the unlocked position in the case. The locking member moves to the locked position and the unlocked position by operational force from the exterior of the case.

Claims

1. A magnetic disk device removable from an apparatus body, the magnetic disk device comprising:

a case;

a driving unit including a magnetic disk and a rotary driver operable to rotationally drive a magnetic disk, wherein the driving unit is installed in the case;

an elastic supporting member disposed between the case and the driving unit;

a locking member movably mounted in the case; and

a connector for connecting the driving unit and the apparatus body;

wherein the elastic supporting member is operable to elastically support the driving unit, force applied to the external of the case is operable to move the locking member to a locked position and an unlocked position, the driving unit is locked in the case when the locking member is in the locked position and unlocked in the case when the locking member is in the unlocked position, and the connector is operable to connect to the apparatus body when the locking member is in the locked position.

2. The magnetic disk device of claim 1, wherein a front portion corresponds to a side of the magnetic disk device in which the connector is disposed and a rear portion corresponds to the side opposite to the front portion, the locking member reaches the unlocked position by moving towards the front portion of the magnetic disk device relative to the case, and the locking member reaches the locked position by moving towards the rear portion of the magnetic disk device relative to the case.

3. The magnetic disk device of claim 2, wherein the locking member is disposed at an inner side of the case, and has a switching protrusion exposed at an outer surface of the case that may be accessed from the exterior of the case.

4. The magnetic disk device of claim 3, wherein a side surface of the case has a slit, the locking member is movable toward and away from the front portion of the magnetic disk device, and the switching protrusion on the locking member is located in the slit.

5. The magnetic disk device of claim 4, wherein the side surface of the case has a groove extending forward and backward, and the slit opens in the groove.

6. The magnetic disk device of claim 1, wherein the locking member is biased by a biasing member in the direction of the unlocked position.

7. The magnetic disk device of claim 1, further comprising:

a body connector coupled with the connector;

a switching protrusion coupled with the locking member;

a first engager operable to engage a first end of the switching protrusion;

a second engager operable to engage a second end of the switching protrusion;

wherein the locking member is in the locked position when the first engager is engaged with the first end of the switching protrusion and the second engager is engaged against the second end of the switching protrusion.

8. The magnetic disk device of claim 1, wherein the case is operative to be inserted into the apparatus body with the driving unit.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a body for removably mounting a magnetic disk device;

the magnetic disk device comprising a case, a driving unit, and a connector;

the driving unit including a magnetic disk and a rotary driver operable to rotationally drive the magnetic disk, and being installed in the case;

the connector operable to connect the driving unit to the body;

the case including an elastic supporting member and a locking member;

the elastic supporting member disposed between the case and the driving unit and operable to elastically support the driving unit;

the locking member movably mounted in the case and operable to move to a locked position and an unlocked position; and

the body comprising a body connector operable to connect with the connector of the magnetic disk device, and a switching unit operable to move the locking member to the locked position;

wherein the driving unit is locked in the case when the locking member is in the locked position and unlocked in the case when the locking member is in the unlocked position, and the connector is operable to connect to the apparatus when the locking member is in the locked position.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the locking member is coupled with a biasing member.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the switching unit comprises a first engager and a second engager, the first engager engages the locking member in order to move the locking member to the lock position by force for inserting the magnetic disk device when the front portion of the magnetic disk device is inserted into the body connector, and the second engager engages the locking member in order to move the locking member to the unlock position by force for removing the magnetic disk device when the magnetic disk device is removed.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the body further comprises a switching setting mechanism operable to respond to the insertion of the magnetic disk device and engage the second engager to the locking member when the magnetic disk device is inserted.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the switching setting mechanism is operable to move the second engager away from the magnetic disk device after the second engager allows the locking member to move to the unlocked position when the magnetic disk device is removed.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the switching setting mechanism comprises a sliding member and an engaging member, the sliding member coupled with the magnetic disk device and moving with the magnetic disk device when the magnetic disk device is inserted, the engaging member moving in response to the movement of the sliding member in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sliding member.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the second engager is integrated with the engaging member.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the locking member is disposed at an inner side of the case, and includes a switching protrusion operable from the exterior of the case.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a side surface of the case includes a slit, the locking member is movable toward and away from a front portion of the magnetic disk device, and the switching protrusion on the locking member is located in the slit.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the side surface of the case has a groove extending forward and backward, and the slit opens in the groove.

19. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the case is operative to be inserted into the apparatus with the driving unit.

20. A magnetic disk device removable from an apparatus body, the magnetic disk device comprising:

a case including an upper case portion, a lower case portion, and a connector portion;

at least one first elastic supporting member connected with the lower case portion;

a locking member connected with the lower case portion;

at least one second elastic supporting member connected with the upper case portion;

a driving unit including a magnetic disk and a rotary driver operable to rotationally drive a magnetic disk, wherein the driving unit is installed in the case; and

a connector for connecting the driving unit and the apparatus body, the connector located in the connector portion;

wherein the first and second elastic supporting members are operable to elastically support the driving unit, force applied to the external of the case is operable to move the locking member to a locked position and an unlocked position, the driving unit is locked in the case when the locking member is in the locked position and unlocked in the case when the locking member is in the unlocked position, and the connector is operable to connect to the apparatus body when the locking member is in the locked position.

21. The magnetic disk device of claim 20, wherein a front portion corresponds to a side of the magnetic disk device in which the connector is disposed and a rear portion corresponds to the side opposite to the front portion, the locking member reaches the unlocked position by moving towards the front portion of the magnetic disk device relative to the case, and the locking member reaches the locked position by moving towards the rear portion of the magnetic disk device relative to the case.

22. The magnetic disk device of claim 21, wherein the locking member is disposed at an inner side of the case, and has a switching protrusion exposed at an outer surface of the case that may be accessed from the exterior of the case.

23. The magnetic disk device of claim 22, wherein a side surface of the case has a slit, the locking member is movable toward and away from the front portion of the magnetic disk device, the switching protrusion on the locking member is located in the slit.

24. The magnetic disk device of claim 23, wherein the side surface of the case has a groove extending forward and backward, and the slit opens in the groove.

25. The magnetic disk device of claim 20, wherein the locking member is biased by a biasing member in the direction of the unlocked position.

26. The magnetic disk device of claim 20, further comprising:

a body connector coupled with the connector;

a switching protrusion coupled with the locking member;

a mounting frame connected with the body connector, the mounting frame having a bottom plate, a left plate, and a right plate;

a sliding member disposed between the left and right plates and above the bottom plate, the sliding member including at least one switching hole;

a first engager formed from a bent portion of the left or right plate and operable to engage a first end of the switching protrusion;

a second engager comprising a flat portion located below the bottom plate and at least one sliding protrusion located in the at least one switching hole and operable to engage a second end of the switching protrusion;

wherein the locking member is in the locked position when the first engager is engaged with the first end of the switching protrusion and the second engager is engaged against the second end of the switching protrusion.

27. The magnetic disk device of claim 20, wherein the case is operative to be inserted into the apparatus body with the driving unit.