Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-23
2001-03-20
Ometz, David L. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205105
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a disk cartridge housing a disk such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk and a disk cartridge apparatus using such disks.
Optical disks and magneto-optical disks tend to lower an error rate upon reproduction or tend to cause a write error upon recording when their recording and reproducing surfaces are damaged or smudged. For this reason, it is customary that optical disks and magneto-optical disks are retained within rectangular cartridge cases so as not only to protect the disks, but also to prevent the disks from becoming difficult to handle.
Japanese Patent No. 2607054, for example, describes a disk cartridge. The disk cartridge and the disk cartridge apparatus using such disk cartridge according to the example of the prior art, as shown in
FIG. 1
, uses a rotatable lever
11
as an opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing a shutter
2
. When the disk cartridge
1
is inserted into the disk cartridge apparatus, the lever
11
has a pin
13
which comes in contact with an end of a shutter
2
and the end of the shutter presses the lever as the disk cartridge is inserted into the disk cartridge apparatus, whereby the lever is rotated to slide the shutter, thereby resulting in an opening portion of the cartridge being exposed so as to allow the disk to be accessed. A coil spring
12
is attached to the lever so as to return the lever to the initial position when the disk cartridge is not inserted into the disk cartridge apparatus. Thus, the lever is biased in one direction under spring force. Since the coil spring biases the lever under spring force, when the disk cartridge is ejected from the disk cartridge apparatus, the lever is biased so as to return to the initial position under spring force as the disk cartridge is moved, thereby controlling the opening and closing of the shutter. The above-mentioned arrangement requires a spring for spring-biasing the lever which is used as the shutter opening and closing mechanism.
In order to use a spring, the disk cartridge apparatus requires a space sufficient to dispose the spring. More particularly, for a coil spring, the disk apparatus requires a space having a thickness wider than a coil winding diameter. Thus, a thin disk cartridge apparatus cannot be obtained.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a disk cartridge for use with a disk cartridge apparatus in which a disk cartridge can be inserted in and ejected from the disk cartridge apparatus without a spring biasing member at least being provided in the disk cartridge apparatus so that a thin disk cartridge apparatus is obtainable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk cartridge and a disk cartridge apparatus with a structure for controlling not only an amount of movement of a shutter of the disk cartridge where the disk cartridge is ejected from the disk cartridge apparatus, but also for controlling a shutter opening and closing mechanism of the disk cartridge apparatus in such a manner that the shutter opening and closing mechanism is returned to an initial position when the disk cartridge is not inserted into the disk cartridge apparatus.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a shutter of the disk cartridge with a hook shaped portion for coupling with a part of a shutter opening and closing mechanism of the disk cartridge apparatus, with the cartridge including a spring biasing member for the shutter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cartridge for use with a cartridge apparatus, wherein the cartridge houses an information medium therein for at least one of recording information and reproducing information, the cartridge including an opening for enabling access to the information medium, and a shutter disposed on an outer surface of the cartridge and movable from a first position which covers the opening to a second position which uncovers the opening, the cartridge apparatus including a shutter opening and closing control mechanism having a member for engaging the shutter when the cartridge is inserted into the apparatus and moveable from an initial position where the shutter is closed to another position where the shutter is opened during insertion of the cartridge into the apparatus, the member being moved back to the initial position by the shutter when the cartridge is ejected from the cartridge apparatus.
According to the features of the present invention, in a disk cartridge apparatus for loading a disk cartridge comprising a case having an opening portion, a disk housed within the case and a shutter, the disk cartridge apparatus includes a shutter moving member for moving the shutter in the direction in which the opening portion is opened and in the direction in which the disk cartridge is inserted and in which the shutter moving member linearly moves while in contact with the shutter to move the shutter in the direction in which the opening portion is opened when the disk cartridge is loaded onto the disk cartridge apparatus.
In accordance with other features of the present invention, in a disk cartridge comprising a case having an opening portion and a shutter and housing a disk within the case, the disk cartridge is characterized in that the shutter includes a contact portion which comes in contact with a shutter moving member disposed within the disk apparatus and in which the shutter is moved in the direction perpendicular to the insertion direction by applying a force for moving the shutter moving member in the insertion direction of the disk apparatus from the contact portion when the disk cartridge is inserted into the disk apparatus.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5537271 (1996-07-01), Kumai et al.
patent: 5815470 (1998-09-01), Ohmori et al.
patent: 5883871 (1999-03-01), Shihou
patent: 5896357 (1999-04-01), Shinozaki et al.
patent: 62-22265 (1987-01-01), None
patent: 2-198059 (1990-08-01), None
patent: 5-12777 (1993-01-01), None
patent: 7-230657 (1995-08-01), None
Inoue Atsushi
Okamoto Tomomi
Antonelli, Terry Stout & Kraus, LLP.
Hitachi , Ltd.
Ometz David L.
LandOfFree
Disk cartridge and disk cartridge apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Disk cartridge and disk cartridge apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Disk cartridge and disk cartridge apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2541795