Method and apparatus for detecting free fall

• US 7,351,925 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wehrenberg, Paul James
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedhofer; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US11/149,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20050235385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 200 6145 R- 6153, 735/140.1, 735/141.5, 735/141.6, 735/142.9, 735/143.5
• US Class Current: 200/61.45R
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/04 Arrangements for preventing, inhibiting, or warning against double recording on the same blank or against other recording or reproducing malfunctions
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/08 by using devices external to the driving mechanisms, e.g. coin-freed switch coin actuated mechanisms G07F5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 21/12 Raising and lowering; Back-spacing or forward-spacing along track; Returning to starting position otherwise than during transducing operation

Abstract

A data processing system including a data storage device having data stored on a data storage medium. Within said data processing system, a system electronics is operatively coupled to a sensor and to said data storage device. When the sensor senses a change in gravitational or inertial acceleration of said data processing system, it alerts system electronics to temporarily park a read/write head in a safe position.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a data storage device having data stored on a data storage medium, the data storage device including a read/write head to access the data; and

an acceleration detector coupled to the data storage device to detect a change in an acceleration of the portable electronic device and to configure the read/write head into a predetermined state in response to the detection, wherein the acceleration detector includes

an electrically conductive casing having a cylindrical shape including a top portion and a bottom portion extended from the top portion,

an electrically conductive beam disposed within the conductive casing and insulated from the conductive casing, and

an electrically conductive member which is capable of free movement within the conductive casing, the conductive member contacting the conductive casing and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is not detected, wherein the conductive member does not contact at least one of the conductive casing and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is detected,

wherein an interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing is angled to form an oblique surface, forming a ringed gap encircling the electrically conductive beam, wherein the ringed gap has a width sufficient that the electrically conductive member contacts both the interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam simultaneously when the acceleration detector is at rest due to a gravity of the electrically conductive member, and wherein the electrically conductive beam is not in direct contact with the electrically conductive casing.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive member is in a relatively spherical shape.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive member is disposed within the electrically conductive casing and is not fixed on the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein when the change of the acceleration is detected, the electrically conductive member is to break away from at least one of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive casing comprises an oblique wall with respect to an axis of the electrically conductive beam.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the oblique wall is formed in approximately 45 degrees with respect to the axis of the electrically conductive beam.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein when the change of the acceleration is not detected, the electrically conductive member contacts the oblique wall and the electrically conductive beam, due to a gravity.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein when the change of the acceleration is detected, the electrically conductive member does not contact at least one of the oblique wall and the electrically conductive beam, due to the electrically conductive member being in a state of free fall.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein the electrically conductive casing is in a cylindrical shape, wherein the oblique wall conically forms an opening at an end of the electrically conductive casing, and wherein the electrically conductive beam juts upwardly through the opening.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the acceleration detector further comprises a ring of insulating material is disposed surrounding a base of the electrically conductive beam and electrically isolating the electrically conductive beam from the oblique wall of the electrically conductive casing.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the acceleration detector further comprises a non-electrically conductive base from which the electrically conductive casing is disposed, wherein the electrically conductive beam juts upwardly through the non-electrically conductive base and the opening into the electrically conductive casing.

12. An acceleration sensor, comprising:

an electrically conductive casing having a top portion and a bottom portion extended from the top portion;

an electrically conductive beam disposed within the electrically conductive casing and insulated from the electrically conductive casing; and

an electrically conductive member which is capable of free movement within the electrically conductive casing, the electrically conductive member contacting the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is not detected, wherein the electrically conductive member does not contact at least one of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is detected

wherein an interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing is angled to form an oblique surface, forming a ringed gap encircling the electrically conductive beam, wherein the ringed gap has a width sufficient that the electrically conductive member contacts both the interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam simultaneously when the acceleration detector is at rest due to a gravity of the electrically conductive member, and wherein the electrically conductive beam is not in direct contact with the electrically conductive casing.

13. The acceleration sensor of claim 12, wherein the electrically conductive member is in a relatively spherical shape.

14. The acceleration sensor of claim 12, wherein the electrically conductive member is disposed within the electrically conductive casing and is not fixed on the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam.

15. The acceleration sensor of claim 12, wherein when the change of the acceleration is detected, the electrically conductive member is to break away from at least one of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam.

16. The acceleration sensor of claim 12, wherein the electrically conductive casing comprises an oblique wall with respect to an axis of the electrically conductive beam.

17. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein the oblique wall is formed in approximately 45 degrees with respect to the axis of the electrically conductive beam.

18. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein when the change of the acceleration is not detected, the electrically conductive member contacts the oblique wall and the electrically conductive beam, due to a gravity.

19. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein when the change of the acceleration is detected, the electrically conductive member does not contact at least one of the oblique wall and the electrically conductive beam, due to the electrically conductive member being in a state of free fall.

20. The acceleration sensor of claim 16, wherein the electrically conductive casing is in a cylindrical shape, wherein the oblique wall conically forms an opening at an end of the electrically conductive casing, and wherein the electrically conductive beam juts upwardly through the opening.

21. The acceleration sensor of claim 20, further comprising a ring of insulating material is disposed surrounding a base of the electrically conductive beam and electrically isolating the electrically conductive beam from the oblique wall of the electrically conductive casing.

22. The portable electronic device of claim 20, further comprising a non-electrically conductive base from which the electrically conductive casing is disposed, wherein the electrically conductive beam juts upwardly through the non-electrically conductive base and the opening into the electrically conductive casing.

23. A method for detecting a change of an acceleration of a portable device, the method comprising:

providing an electrically conductive casing having an electrically conductive beam disposed therein, the electrically conductive beam being insulated from the electrically conductive casing, wherein the electrically conductive casing includes a top potion and a bottom portion extended from the top portion; and

in response to a detection of the change of the acceleration of the portable device, causing an electrically conductive member which is capable of free movement within the electrically conductive casing to be electrically insulated from at least one of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam, wherein the electrically conductive member is contact with the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is not detected,

wherein an interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing is angled to form an oblique surface, forming a ringed gap encircling the electrically conductive beam, wherein the ringed gap has a width sufficient that the electrically conductive member contacts both the interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam simultaneously when the acceleration detector is at rest due to a gravity of the electrically conductive member, and wherein the electrically conductive beam is not in direct contact with the electrically conductive casing.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the electrically conductive member is in a relatively spherical shape.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising disposing the electrically conductive member within the electrically conductive casing and not fixed on the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising when the change of the acceleration is detected, causing the electrically conductive member to break away from at least one of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising forming the electrically conductive casing to have an oblique wall with respect to an axis of the electrically conductive beam.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising forming the oblique wall in approximately 45 degrees with respect to the axis of the electrically conductive beam.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising when the change of the acceleration is not detected, causing the electrically conductive member to contact the oblique wall and the electrically conductive beam, due to a gravity.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising wherein when the change of the acceleration is detected, causing the electrically conductive member to not contact at least one of the oblique wall and the electrically conductive beam, due to the electrically conductive member being in a state of free fall.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein the electrically conductive casing is in a cylindrical shape, wherein the oblique wall conically forms an opening at an end of the electrically conductive casing, and wherein the electrically conductive beam juts upwardly through the opening.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising forming a ring of insulating material disposed surrounding a base of the electrically conductive beam and electrically isolating the electrically conductive beam from the oblique wall of the electrically conductive casing.

33. The method of claim 31, further comprising forming a non-electrically conductive base from which the electrically conductive casing is disposed, wherein the electrically conductive beam juts upwardly through the non-electrically conductive base and the opening into the electrically conductive casing.

34. A data processing system, comprising:

a processor;

a data storage disk coupled to the processor including a read/write head to access data stored therein; and

an acceleration detector coupled to the data storage disk to detect a change in an acceleration of the data processing system and to cause the processor to configure the read/write head into a predetermined state in response to the detection, wherein the acceleration detector includes

an electrically conductive casing having a top portion and a bottom portion extended from the top portion,

an electrically conductive beam disposed within the conductive casing and insulated from the conductive casing, and

an electrically conductive member which is capable of free movement within the conductive casing, the conductive member contacting the conductive casing and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is not detected, wherein the conductive member does not contact at least one of the conductive casing and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is detected,

wherein an interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing is angled to form an oblique surface, forming a ringed gap encircling the electrically conductive beam, wherein the ringed gap has a width sufficient that the electrically conductive member contacts both the interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam simultaneously when the acceleration detector is at rest due to a gravity of the electrically conductive member, and wherein the electrically conductive beam is not in direct contact with the electrically conductive casing.

35. An apparatus for detecting a change of an acceleration of a portable device, the method comprising:

means for forming an electrically conductive casing having an electrically conductive beam disposed therein, the electrically conductive beam being insulated from the electrically conductive casing, wherein the electrically conductive casing includes a top portion and a bottom portion extended from the top portion; and

means for causing, in response to a detection of the change of the acceleration of the portable device, an electrically conductive member which is capable of free movement within the electrically conductive casing to be electrically insulated from at least one of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam, wherein the electrically conductive member is in contact with the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is not detected,

wherein an interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing is angled to form an oblique surface, forming a ringed gap encircling the electrically conductive beam, wherein the ringed gap has a width sufficient that the electrically conductive member contacts both the interior wall of the bottom portion of the electrically conductive casing and the electrically conductive beam simultaneously when the acceleration detector is at rest due to a gravity of the electrically conductive member, and wherein the electrically conductive beam is not in direct contact with the electrically conductive casing.

36. An acceleration sensor, comprising:

an electrically conductive cylindrical housing having a conical wall at a base of the cylindrical housing forming an opening, wherein an interior surface of the conical wall is angled to form an oblique surface which forms the opening;

an electrically conductive beam jutting upwardly through the opening into the conductive housing and insulated from the conductive housing, wherein the oblique surface forms a ringed gap encircling the electrically conductive beam, and wherein the electrically conductive beam is not in direct contact with the electrically conductive cylindrical housing; and

an electrically conductive sphere freely disposed within the conductive housing, the conductive sphere contacting the conical wall and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is not detected due to a gravity, and the conductive sphere breaking away from at least one of the conical wall and the conductive beam when the change of the acceleration is detected due to the conductive sphere being in a free fall state.