1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device used in electronic equipment or the like.
2. Description Related to the Prior Art
A disk device or disk drive writes data on a disk such as CD, DVD and Blu-ray Disc, and/or reads and reproduces data from the disk by shifting a pickup head while rotating the disk that has been loaded on a turntable. The disk device is internally or externally installed in electronic equipment e.g. a personal computer.
There are two types of disk devices, including a slot-in type having an insertion slot at its front face for loading and unloading the disk, and a tray type having a disk tray for placement of the disk. The disk device of the slot-in type has a writing/reading unit in its case, and the disk is inserted from the insertion slot into the case. In the disk device of the tray type, on the other hand, the writing/reading unit is incorporated into the disk tray. The disk tray is movable between a closed position to be contained in the case and an open position to be ejected therefrom. The disk is placed on the disk tray in the open position, and then the disk tray is shifted to the closed position. In any type of the disk devices, the case is constituted of a base frame for containing the writing/reading unit and a top panel fitted on the base frame.
When the disk device is incorporated into a portable personal computer (called notebook PC), the disk device is required to have light weight for reduction in the total weight of the notebook PC. In addition, the externally connected disk device is especially required to be lighter in weight to improve its portability. For the sake of reducing the weight of the disk device, it is conceivable to thin the top panel.
In rotating the disk, negative pressure occurring between the disk and the top panel pulls the top panel down toward the disk. Thinning the top panel degrades its rigidity, so that there was a problem that the top panel was bent by the negative pressure, and made contact with the disk. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-265470 discloses a disk device in which a circular corrugated section is formed in the top panel concentrically about a rotation axis of the disk in order to reduce its weight without degradation in rigidity.
The above disk device can prevent bending of the top panel due to the negative pressure that occurs during rotation of the disk. The top panel, however, has low rigidity against pressing force from above, and hence may be bent by an external press. In the notebook PC, for example, a keyboard is disposed over the disk device. Operation on the keyboard applies pressing force to the top panel, and causes the top panel to bend and contact with the disk. In the internally incorporated disk device, a metal leaf spring is pressed against the top panel to establish a ground. The biasing force of the leaf spring may also cause the top panel to bend and contact with the disk.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds