Apple Elite Series Computer Drive User Manual


 
ELITE SERIES USER MANUAL THEORY OF OPERATION
7.1.4. Head Positioning Mechanisms
An electrical stepping motor and an advanced
head positioning mechanism position the read/-
write head. Clockwise and counter-clockwise
rotations of the stepper motor are translated
into linear head movement via one off two mecha-
nisms discussed below. The Apple system software
increments the stepper motor to the desired
track by directly signalling the drive electron-
ics which stepper motor phases to power on and
off.
The stepper motor stator coils are organized in
four phases: A, B, C, and D. As each phase is
activated in turn, the motor rotates to align
with that coil, forcing the carriage to move one
“halftrack” (full track for Elite Three) posi-
tion. It the phases are activated in the order
A, B, C, D, A ... the head will step in. The
order D, C, B, A, D ... will cause the head to
step out.
Band Pulley Positioning
In- the Elite Two, Three, and some Elite Ones,
the stepper motor acts on a pulley to which is
attached a flexible, ultra thin band. One half
of this band has a slot through which the other
half passes after looping around the pulley.
The two band ends are secured to the main head
carriage at the inner and outer edges. Slack-
ness in the band or the motion of the mechanism
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