Lead Screw Support for a Disc Recorder

This invention relates to data recorder/reproducer devices, and particularly those of the type having a rotatable shaft for moving the transducing head or heads along the recording media, as in a disc recorder, particularly of the type using a thin, flexible disc and including one or more movable heads. More particularly still, the present invention relates to a unique lead screw drive for translating the head or heads of such a data recorder/reproducer device.

Various forms of data recorder/reproducer devices for disc media are presently available. Some of these devices store and reproduce information on thin, flexible discs. The discs for such recorders are typically made by coating both sides of a thin, "floppy," sheet of polymeric film or other plastic material with a magnetic oxide. The disc is then permanently enclosed within a protective, sleeve-like envelope within which the disc may be rotated. The recorder typically includes means for supporting and rotating one or more discs, and includes one or more heads or transducers movable across the disc for storage or retrieval purposes. An example of one such recorder may be found in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,137 to Morgan, entitled TWIN FLEXIBLE DISC RECORDER WITH MOVABLE HEADS and issued on Oct. 14, l975.

As disclosed therein, this device includes a frame supporting a long worm shaft or lead screw, adapted for translating a pair of transducers or heads. The frame defines a pair of spaced, coaxial support points at which are disposed bearings. The ends of the lead screw are supported by the bearings and the lead screw is coupled to a drive motor or stepper motor through a flexible, bellows-type coupling. This lead screw drive forms the subject matter of commonly-owned U.S. Pat. application, Ser. No. 655,970, filed Feb. 6, 1976 and entitled DISC RECORDER WITH LEAD SCREW DRIVE. With this arrangement, the lead screw is supported independently of the stepper motor and the universal drive coupling is employed to compensate for alignment and position variations. Since the lead screw drive translates the input/output transducers of the recorder across the disc media, moving from track to track and stopping to accurately position the transducers at selected recording tracks, the alignment, positioning and accuracy of the lead screw drive are critical to proper operation, a fact made evident by considering that typical radial track density is on the order of 48 tracks per inch. Thus, it is extremely important that the lead screw not shift or change position or alignment with respect to the frame during operation. As a result, it is regarded by many to be necessary to support both ends of the lead screw independently of the stepper or drive motor to achieve such accuracy in positioning.

In accordance with the present invention, a unique lead screw drive for a disc recorder is provided whereby accurate positioning of the lead screw is obtained with the lead screw being integral with the output shaft of the stepper motor. Essentially, the improved lead screw drive includes a rigid frame having a pair of spaced, parallel members, each defining spaced, coaxially aligned bores. A stepper motor having an integral lead screw is secured to one of the members and the lead screw extends through the bore towards the other bore. A support means is disposed within the other bore and contacts the free or cantilevered end of the lead screw for supporting the lead screw. The support means is biased into engagement with the free end of the lead screw and includes a rotatably supported, conical member, the tip or apex of which engages a conical seat at the free end of the lead screw.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the frame of a disc recorder and the lead screw drive in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, partially sectioned, side elevational view of the lead screw drive in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the conical member incorporated in the lead screw drive of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view of the conical member of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a holder incorporated in the drive support of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a right side elevational view of the holder of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, partially sectioned, elevational view of the assembled holder and conical member.

A portion of a recorder/reproducer apparatus incorporating the lead screw drive in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown therein, the recorder includes a frame 10 of generally rectangular configuration including spaced, top and bottom members 12, 14 and spaced, side members 16, 18. The frame 10 is a rigid structure upon which the various operative portions of the recorder are mounted. Since these portions of the recorder form no part of the present invention, they have not been illustrated. Spaced side member 16 includes a boss 20 defining a bore 22 (FIG. 2) within which is disposed a support means 24. Side member 18 is formed with a boss structure defining a motor mount 28. As best seen in FIG. 2, the boss or motor mount portion 28 defines a bore of stepped cross section. The bore includes a first portion 30 having a diameter greater than a second portion 32. The bores 22 and 32 are spaced from one another and coaxially aligned with respect to each other.

Secured to the frame member 18 at the mount portion 28 is a conventional stepper motor 34. The stepper motor 34 is positioned coaxially with the bores 30, 32 and secured to the side member 18 by suitable clips 36 and fasteners 38. The stepper motor 34 has an elongated output shaft or integral lead screw 42 which is threaded along substantially its entire length. The output shaft 42 serves as the worm drive or lead screw for the disc recorder. The lead screw drive in accordance with the present invention, therefore, employs a stepper motor having an integral lead screw, or a lead screw that is integral with the output shaft of the stepper motor. When the motor 34 is secured to the frame side member 18, the lead screw 42 extends through the bores 30, 32 and through much of the space between the side members 16, 18 but terminates short of opposite frame member 16 at a point spaced from and generally coaxial with the bore 22 of the boss 20. The free, or cantilevered ends 46 of the lead screw 42 is supported by the support means 24. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, the support means 24 includes a holder 50 and a rotating, conically shaped member or live center 52. The holder 50 also includes an elongated, shaft-like mounting portion 54 dimensioned to slidably fit within the bore 22 of the boss 20. One end of the mounting portion 54, as seen in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, is provided with a cup-like portion or hub 56 opening towards bore 32. The cup-like portion 56 is generally cylindrical in shape and includes an inner peripheral wall 58 and a stepped bottom 60. The cup-like or hub portion 56 of the holder 50 is dimensioned to receive, in a press-fit fashion, a bearing assembly 62. As seen in FIG. 7, the bearing assembly 62 includes an outer race 64, an inner race 66 and interposed bearings 68. The live center 52 includes a hub portion 70 and a conical portion 72 which terminates in a sharp point or apex 74. In the presently preferred embodiment, the conical portion 72 of the live center has an included angle "a" (FIG. 7) of 60.degree.. Further, the sharp point, tip or apex 74 preferably has a maximum diameter of 0.030 inches. The hub portion 70 of the live center 52 is press-fit within the inner race 66 of the bearing assembly 62 (FIG. 7). The bearing assembly 62 is in turn press-fit within the cup or hub 56. As a result, the live center 52 is freely rotatable with respect to the holder 50. As seen in FIG. 2, the shaft portion 54, which in the preferred form is cylindrical and of circular cross section, is slidably inserted within the bore 22 of the boss 20. The tip 74 of the live center 52 engages a countersink conical seat 78 formed in the free end 46 of lead screw 42. The conical seat 78 includes a countersink bore portion 79 and is coaxially positioned relative to the longitudinal center line of the lead screw 42.

Means are provided for biasing the support 24 against the lead screw 42 to thereby spring-load the lead screw 42 towards the stepper motor 34 (i.e., towards the right as seen in FIG. 2). In the presently preferred embodiment, the biasing means takes the form of a coil spring 80 disposed within the bore 22 and sandwiched between the end of the holder-mounting shaft portion 54 and a set screw 82 threaded into the outermost portion of bore 22, which is internally threaded so as to receive the set screw 82. The coil spring 80 therefore resiliently biases and spring-loads the entire support means 24 toward the worm or lead screw 42, forcing the live center 74 into the conical recess 78 in the end of the lead screw and biasing the lead screw toward the stepper motor 34 along substantially its entire length in one axial direction. This spring biasing forces the sharp point, tip or apex 74 of the live center 52 into the free end 46 of the lead screw, supporting the latter and also serving to take up any "play" encountered in the stepper motor as in the bearings which support the lead screw in the motor. This helps to ensure accurate recorder head positioning, since its lead screw is always biased toward the same position and cannot shift longitudinally upon a change in drive direction. In operation, the stepper motor (which may be of a conventional type having a 15.degree. step, for example) rotates the output shaft or lead screw 42. The live center 52 will then rotate with the lead screw, on bearing 62, moving relative to the holder 50.

The lead screw and lead screw mounting structure in accordance with the present invention greatly facilitates use of a stepper motor having an integral worm or lead screw-type output shaft in flexible disc recorders, and in a larger sense, may be used to facilitate use of any similarly cantilevered drive shaft in any given application, whether a lead screw or other rotary shaft used with a stepper motor or other type of motor or drive element, particularly where extremely accurate positioning is a primary consideration. The live center 52 securely supports the free end of the lead screw and prevents misalignment of the lead screw during operation. During assembly, the lead screw 42 is inserted through the bore 32, which has a diameter greater than that of the lead screw. The motor is positioned coaxially of the bore 32 through adjustment of the mounting clips 36. The free end 46 of the lead screw is positioned coaxially with and on the tip 74 of the live center at the seat 78. Due to the mating configuration of the tip 74 and seat 78, the free end of the lead screw is securely supported. The coil spring 80, the presently preferred form of biasing means, ensures that any play or excess clearance in the bearings is taken up, and that the free end of the worm is properly supported by the live center. Adjustment of the set screw 82 permits adjustment of the initial pre-load on the lead screw 42.

The present invention, therefore, provides an economical lead screw drive for a flexible disc recorder which ensures accurate alignment and stable positioning of the lead screw, and thus of the recording heads, relative to the frame. The present invention eliminates the need for separately or independently mounting the lead screw and coupling it to a stepper motor through an intermediate member. At the same time, this arrangement reduces the difficulty and expense of assembly of the lead screw drive, and results in a highly desirable cost economies.

In view of the foregoing description, various modifications to the present invention may now become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. For example, biasing means other than the coil spring 80 illustrated could be employed to bias the support 24 against the free end 46 of the lead screw. Further, the specific nature and shape of the support and other elements of the invention could be other than as specifically illustrated. It is therefore expressly intended that the above description should be considered as that of the preferred embodiment only. The true spirit and scope of the present invention will be determined by reference to the appended claims.