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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A cartridge to be inserted into a drive unit, said cartridge comprising:
a casing means having opposite sides and side edges for containing therein
a rotatable recording medium disc to be drived by the drive unit, said
casing means having one side edge open along more than 50% of its length,
said recording medium disc having two opposite sides for recording
information and also having a hub fixed therewith at its center;
a center window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means, for
allowing the hub to be inserted therethrough;
head window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means for
allowing a reading head to access information recorded on the two opposite
sides of the recording medium disc;
shutter means, provided around the center window means, for normally
covering the head window means, said shutter means being rotatable about
the center window means in order to uncover the head window means when the
cartridge is inserted into the drive unit;
an elongated flexible band means, provided along an outer side of the
casing means and connected at one end to the shutter means, for rotating
the shutter means, said flexible band means having a portion covering more
than 50% of its length exposed outside at the one open side edge of the
casing means so that the shutter means are automatically and indirectly
rotated by an external force applied to the exposed portion of the
flexible band means when the cartridge is inserted into the drive unit;
and
means, provided on the casing means, for defining a moving path of the
flexible band means along the one open side edge of the casing means;
whereby damage to and malfunctioning of the disc is prevented, when the
shutter means covers the head window means.
2. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said moving path defining
means is a guide having a pair of opposing guide grooves provided on said
casing means and wherein said flexible band means has side edges slidably
guided by said pair of opposing guide grooves.
3. A cartridge according to claim 2, wherein said flexible band means has a
first cutout portion at one of said edges thereof and a second cutout
portion parallel to and opposite from another one of said side edges
thereof, said shutter means being inserted into said first and second
cutout portions in order to couple said flexible band means to said
shutter means.
4. A cartridge according to claim 2, wherein said guide grooves are
continuously formed from an inner side of said casing means toward a side
edge of said casing means where a portion of said flexible band means is
exposed to the outside of said casing means.
5. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said casing means has, at a
side edge of said casing means, a pair of opposing cutout portions,
L-shaped in cross-section, taken along a plane perpendicular to said side
edge of said casing means so as to form a channel, U-shaped in said
cross-section, said exposed portion of said flexible band means being
moved in and along said U-shaped channel by the external force.
6. A cartridge according to claim 5, wherein said channel extends to and is
thus open at one end of said side edge of said casing means, while said
channel ends before another end of said side edge.
7. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said exposed portion of said
flexible band means has one of a cutout and a protrusion to which the
external force is to be applied for the movement of said flexible band
means.
8. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said shutter means are plates
supported by said casing means rotatably around the axis of said center
window means.
9. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said casing means has a first
circular recess and a second circular recess, as a space for said
recording medium disc, and also have a first further recess and a second
further recess provided at said first and said second circular recesses,
respectively, as a space for said shutter means.
10. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said recording medium disc is
rotatably spaced from said casing means by said hub.
11. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said casing means has a pair
of coaxial index windows, said shutter means have a pair of index
openings, which can be brought by said flexible band means to positions
coaxial with both of said index windows, and said recording medium disc
has an index hole which can be brought by its rotation to a position
coaxial with all of said index windows and said index openings.
12. A cartridge according to claim 11, wherein said center window means,
said head window means and said pair of index windows are arranged on a
longitudinal center line of said casing means.
13. A cartridge according to claim 12, wherein said casing means has
cartridge positioning holes at symmetrical positions with respect to said
longitudinal center line for positioning said cartridge in a cartridge
driving apparatus.
14. A cartridge according to claim 12, wherein said casing means has a
first recording protection notch at a first position at an end edge
thereof and a second recording protection notch at an end edge thereof at
a second position symmetrical to said first position.
15. A cartridge according to claim 12, wherein said center window means are
positioned between centers and end edges of said casing means, and said
head window means are positioned between said center window means and said
end edges of said casing means.
16. A cartridge according to claim 15, wherein a label for said cartridge
is provided on said casing means at a position between corresponding
center window means and corresponding end edges of said casing means.
17. A cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said casing means is
rectangular in shape, and side edges of said casing means are longer than
their end edges as an indication for the correct direction in which said
cartridge is to be inserted in a cartridge driving apparatus.
18. A cartridge to be inserted into a drive unit, said cartridge
comprising:
a casing means having opposites sides for containing therein a rotatable
recording medium disc to be driven by the drive unit, said recording
medium disc having two opposite sides for recording information and also
having a hub fixed therewith at its center;
a center window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means, for
allowing the hub to be inserted therethrough;
head window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means for
allowing a reading head to access information recorded on the two opposite
sides of the recording medium disc;
shutter means, provided around the center window means, for normally
covering the head window means, said shutter means being rotatable about
the center window means in order to uncover the head window means when the
cartridge is inserted into the drive unit;
an elongated flexible band means, provided along an outer side of the
casing means and connected at one end to the shutter means, for rotating
the shutter means, said flexible band means having a portion exposed
outside at a side edge of the casing means so that the shutter means are
automatically and indirectly rotated by an external force applied to an
exposed portion of the flexible band means when the cartridge is inserted
into the drive unit;
means provided on the casing means, for defining a moving path of the
flexible band means;
wherein said moving path defining means is a guide having a pair of
opposing guide grooves provided on said casing means, and wherein said
flexible band means has side edges slidably guided by said pair of
opposing guide grooves;
wherein said guide grooves have a pair of triangular steps having their
altitudes arranged in a direction parallel to a lengthwise axis of a
bottom surface of each of said guide grooves at said exposed portion of
said flexible band means, said steps serving as a means for restraining
said flexible band means by engagement between said flexible band means
and said steps, said engagement being releasable by an external force
applied to said exposed portion of said flexible band means;
whereby damage to and malfunctioning of the disc is prevented when the
shutter means covers the head window means.
19. A cartridge according to claim 18, further comprising:
means, provided in said casing means in the vicinity of said steps, for
urging said flexible band means toward said steps for the restraining
engagement between said flexible band means and said steps.
20. A cartridge to be inserted into a drive unit, said cartridge
comprising:
a casing means having opposite sides for containing therein a rotatable
recording medium disc to be driven by the drive unit, said recording
medium disc having two opposite sides for recording information and also
having a hub fixed therewith at its center;
a center window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means, for
allowing the hub to be inserted therethrough;
head window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means for
allowing a reading head to access information recorded on the two opposite
sides of the recording medium disc;
shutter means, provided around the center window means, for normally
covering the head window means, said shutter means being rotatable about
the center window means in order to uncover the head window means when the
cartridge is inserted into the drive unit;
an elongated flexible band means, provided along an outer side of the
casing means and connected at one end to the shutter means, for rotating
the shutter means, said flexible band means having a portion exposed
outside at a side edge of the casing means so that the shutter means are
automatically and indirectly rotated by an external force applied to an
exposed portion of the flexible band means when the cartridge is inserted
into the drive unit;
means, provided on the casing means, for defining a moving path of the
flexible band means;
wherein said moving path defining means is a guide having a pair of
opposing guide grooves provided on said casing means, and wherein said
flexible band means has side edges slidably guided by said pair of
opposing guide grooves;
wherein said flexible band means has a first cutout portion at one of said
side edges thereof and a second cutout portion parallel to and opposite
from another one of said side edges thereof, said shutter means being
inserted into said first and second cutout portions in order to couple
said flexible band means to said shutter means;
wherein said shutter means to be inserted in said first and second cutout
portions have in cross-section substantially the same as, but slightly
smaller dimensions than, said first and second cutout portions;
whereby damage to and malfunctioning of the disc is prevented when the
shutter means covers the head window means.
21. A cartridge to be inserted into a drive unit, said cartridge
comprising:
a casing means having opposite sides for containing therein a rotatable
recording medium disc to be driven by the drive unit, said recording
medium disc having two opposite sides for recording information and also
having a hub fixed therewith at its center;
a center window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means, for
allowing the hub to be inserted therethrough;
head window means, provided at opposite sides of the casing means for
allowing a reading head to access information recorded on the two opposite
sides of the recording medium disc;
shutter means, provided around the center window means, for normally
covering the head window means, said shutter means being rotatable about
the center window means in order to uncover the head window means when the
cartridge is inserted into the drive unit;
a flexible band means, provided along an outer side of the casing means and
connected at one end to the shutter means, for rotating the shutter means,
said flexible band means having a portion exposed outside at a side edge
of the casing means so that the shutter means are automatically and
indirectly rotated by an external force applied to an exposed portion of
the flexible band means when the cartridge is inserted into the drive
unit;
means, provided on the casing means, for defining a moving path of the
flexible band means;
wherein said shutter means are plates supported by said casing means
rotatably around the axis of said center window means;
wherein said casing means has a first ring and a second ring coaxially
provided with said center window means, and said shutter means have a
first hole and a second hole, to which said first ring and said second
ring are fittedly inserted so that said shutter means can rotate around
said first ring and said second ring;
whereby damage to and malfunctioning of the disc is prevented when the
shutter means covers the head window means. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cartridge which contains a recording medium
disc such as a flexible magnetic sheet disc for recording information and
which has windows for insertion of devices such as magnetic heads for
recording/reproducing the information. Specifically, this invention offers
a cartridge having a shutter mechanism for automatically but indirectly
opening or closing said window.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For this kind of the disc, with generally high information density, dust,
fingerprints or mechanical damage pose serious problems. This is why the
disc is conventionally stored and transported in an inflexible or rigid
cartridge. A floppy disc is a representative example of such a cartridge.
However, a conventional cartridge such as a floppy disc cartridge or
jacket has windows (head windows) for insertion of a magnetic head,
through which dust and other matter enter the cartridge. The opportunity
for dust and other matter to collect on the sheet should be minimized. To
this end, it is desirable to mount such a shutter mechanism as to open
said windows automatically but indirectly when the cartridge is loaded
into a recorder/reproducer, to allow access of the recording/reproducing
device to the disc, and to close the windows when the cartridge is not
loaded into the recorder/reproducer. This shutter mechanism must be simple
and reliable to allow for the fact that the cartridge is widely used, not
only by specialists but also by the general public. Further, said
cartridge is often used in large numbers for one recorder/reproducer.
Therefore, the cartridge must be small, light and easy to stack and handle
so as to facilitate storage and transport.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
cartridge housing a recording medium disc, which is easy for the general
public to handle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge housing a
recording medium disc, in which the opportunity for dust and other matter
to collect on the recording medium disc is minimized.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge housing
a recording medium disc, which has a shutter mechanism for closing windows
of the cartridge when the cartridge is not loaded into a
recorder/reproducer.
These objects are achieved according to this invention by providing a
cartridge comprising a casing containing therein a rotatable recording
medium disc having fixed therewith at its center a disc hub comprising a
first hub portion positioned at one side of said disc and a second hub
portion coaxial with said first hub portion and positioned at the other
side of said disc, said casing comprising a first casing element and a
second casing element holding said disc therebetween.
The first casing element comprises: a first center window in which said
first hub portion is inserted; a first head window in which a head for
recording/reproducing informations on said disc can be inserted from
outside of said first casing element; and a first shutter member movably
supported by said first casing element for opening/closing said first
window by its movement.
The second casing element comprises: a second center window coaxial with
said first center window, in which in second center window, said second
hub portion is inserted; a second head window in which a head for
recording/reproducing information on said disc can be inserted from
outside of said second casing element; and a second shutter member movably
supported by said second casing element for opening/closing said second
opening by its movement.
The cartridge further comprises a shutter actuating member movably
supported by said casing and coupled to said first shutter member and said
second shutter member for moving said shutter members by its movement,
said shutter actuating member having an exposure portion exposed to the
outside of said casing and moved by an external force given to said
exposure portion of said shutter actuating member in a direction parallel
to a side edge of said casing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, features and advantages will be more apparent
hereinafter from a consideration of the following detailed description
taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is an oblique view of one exemplary cartridge of this invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded oblique view of said cartridge;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views along the line A--A in FIG. 1 and an
enlarged view of the essential parts thereof, respectively;
FIG. 5 is an exploded sectional view of the recording medium disc for
illustration of each component;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of this disc in the state of being assembled;
FIGS. 7a, 7b, and 7c show respective views illustrating the operation of
this example; and
FIG. 8 is a schematic oblique view of a cartridge driving apparatus in
which a cartridge of this invention is installed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a cartridge 30 basically consists of an upper
plate 32 (first casing element) and a lower plate 34 (second casing
element) which are united by suitable means such as adhesives. Both of
these plates are provided with center windows 36, 38, head windows 40, 42,
index windows 44, 46, positioning holes 48, 50, 52, 54, protection notches
56, 58, depressions or cutout portions 60, 62, 64, 66 on respective sides
thereof and circular recesses 68 (Not shown in FIG. 2, but shown in the
upper plate 32 in FIG. 3), 70. As shown in FIG. 1, the head windows,
center windows and index windows are aligned on a longitudinal center line
X--X of the cartridge 30. Depressions 60, 62, 64, 66 form U-shaped
channels 72 and 74 at both sides of the cartridge 30. These channels 72
and 74 are open at one end thereof and closed at the other end thereof.
The U-shaped channels 72, 74, positioning holes 48, 50, 52, 54 and the
protection notches 56, 58 are symmetrically positioned with respect to the
longitudinal center line X--X of the cartridge 30, respectively.
Describing otherwise, the first casing element 32 and said second casing
element 34 have, at a side edge of said casing, a pair of opposing cutout
portions 60, 62 and 64, 66, being L-shaped in cross-section taken along a
plane prependicular to said side edge of said casing so as to form
channels 72 and 74 U-shaped in said cross-section. Preferably, the
channels 72 and 74 extend to and are thus open at one end of said side
edge, while the channels 72 and 74 end before the other end of said side
edge, respectively.
On the circular recesses 68 and 70, there are provided other recesses 78
(one being not shown but for the upper plate 32) in which shutter members
82, 80 (not shown in FIG. 2 but shown in FIG. 4 for the upper plate 32)
are located. The shutter member 82 of the lower plate 34 is rotatably
mounted on a ring portion 83 formed around the center window 38 (the
shutter member 82 has a hole to which the ring portion 83 is fittedly
inserted) and has an ear portion 84 on which an index opening 86 is
provided. The shutter member 80 of the upper plate 32 is the same as the
shutter member 82 of the lower plate 34, but is not shown in FIG. 1. In
FIG. 2, the shutter member 82 occupies the "open" position, that is, the
head window 42 is not closed but open. In this case, the index opening 86
meets with the index window 46 of the lower plate 34. On the contrary,
when the shutter member 80 occupies the "closed" position to close the
head window 42, the ear portion 84 closes the index window 46 of the
cartridge 30. This equally applied to the shutter member 80 of the upper
plate 32.
As shown in FIG. 2, the disc 88 has a disc hub 90 at the center thereof and
an index hole 92 which can coincide with the index windows 44, 46 of the
cartridge 30. As shown in detail in FIGS. 5 and 6, the disc hub 90 is
composed of a primary disc hub component 94 and a secondary disc hub
component 96. The hub component 94 has a circular stepped part 98
(cylindrical hub segment) and a cylindrical part 100 (thrust portion)
integrally formed therewith at its central part. The hub 96 has a circular
stepped part (cylindrical hub segment) 99 being as same as the part 98.
This cylindrical part 100 fits in the central hole 102 of the disc 88,
serving to guide its assembling with the hub component 96 by fitting. The
mutually facing surface areas 104 and 106 of the hub components 94 and 96
provide means for pinching from above and below both surfaces of the disc
88 on the perimeter of its center hole 102 when putting them together. The
pin-shaped protrusion 108 integrally formed on the upper facing surface
area part 104 of the hub component 94 is engagingly inserted in a round or
oblong slot (position fixing hole) 110 opened in the disc 88 near its
central hole 102 and the tip of the protrusion 108 is fitted in a
protrusion accepting recess 112 formed in the facing surface area 106 of
the hub component 96. The protrusion 108 may be formed integrally with the
hub component 94 as shown in the drawings or may be provided as a part
separate from the hub component 94 which is fixed between them by
pressing-in and caulking. The aforementioned protrusion 108 and the recess
112 may be formed respectively on the hub component 96 and hub component
94, or in reverse relationship to the arrangement shown in the drawings.
In other words, the disc hub 90 comprises: a primary disc hub component 94
comprising a hollow cylinder part 114 and a primary ring part which has a
thickness smaller than its length and is integrally inserted in a manner
that a facing surface area 104 of the primary ring part is positioned on a
plane lower than a top surface of the hollow cylinder part 114 so that the
portion of said hollow cylinder part 114 between the top surface thereof
and the plane on which the facing surface area 104 of the primary ring
part is positioned forms a thrust portion 100 of the primary disc hub
component 94. A secondary disc hub component 96 comprises a secondary ring
part having a hollow center. Here the recording medium disc 88 has a
center hole 102. The thrust portion 100 is inserted into the center hole
102 of the disc 88. So, the disc 88 is placed on the facing surface area
104 of the primary ring part. Further, the thrust portion 100, above the
disc 88, is fittedly inserted into the hollow center of the secondary ring
part so that the disc 88 is sandwiched between the bottom facing surface
area 106 of the secondary ring part and the facing surface area 104 of
said primary ring part. One half of the thus formed disc hub 90 positioned
at one side of the disc 88 serves as a first cylindrical hub base, the
other half of the disc hub 90 positioned at the other side of the disc 88
serves as a second cylindrical hub base. The disc hub 90 further has a
first cylindrical stepped hub segment portion 98 coaxial with and smaller
in diameter than and provided on the first cylindrical hub base, and also
has a second cylindrical stepped hub portion 99 coaxial with and smaller
in diameter than and provided on the second cylindrical hub base.
If desired, the primary ring part has provided therewith a position fixing
protrusion 108 at the facing surface area 104 thereof in a length shorter
than the length of the thrust portion 100. The secondary ring part has a
protrusion accepting recess 112 at a bottom facing surface area 106
thereof. The recording medium disc 88 has a position fixing hole 110 in
the vicinity of the center hole 102 thereof. The position fixing
protrusion 108 is inserted into the position fixing hole 110 of the disc
88. Further, the position fixing protrusion 108, above the disc 88, is
inserted into the protrusion accepting recess 112 of the secondary ring
part.
Describing the resultant disc hub, it has a first hub portion at one side
of the disc 88, and a second hub portion at the opposite side of the disc
88. The first hub portion comprises: a first cylindrical hub base fixed to
the disc 88 and having a diameter larger than the center window 36; and a
cylindrical stepped hub portion 99 coaxially provided on the first
cylindrical hub base and inserted in the center window 36. The second hub
portion comprises: a second cylindrical hub base fixed to the disc 88 and
having a diameter larger than the center window 38; and a cylindrical
stepped hub portion 98 coaxially provided on the second cylindrical hub
base and inserted in the center window 38, so that the disc 88 is
rotatably spaced from the upper plate 32 and the lower plate 34 by the
first and the second cylindrical hub bases.
Such a structure is preferable to secure a rotational movement of the disc
88 and the disc hub 90 in one united body. Provided at the center of the
disc hub 90, there is the hollow cylindrical part 114 which can be engaged
with a drive spindle described hereinafter to rotate the disc 88.
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the disc 88 is set in an inner space 116 of the
cartridge 2 formed by the circular recesses 68 and 70 of the upper and the
lower plates 32 and 34 in a manner that the circular stepped parts 98 and
99 (FIG. 5) of the disc hub 90 are located at the center windows 36 and 38
of the cartridge 30. The size of the center windows 36 and 38 is larger
than the size of the circular stepped parts 98 and 99 and is smaller than
the outer size of the disc hub 90 so that the disc hub 90 is held between
the upper plate 32 and the lower plate 34. Thus, the movements of the disc
hub 90 in radial and thrust directions concerning the center windows 36
and 38 are restricted within a specified range. As a result, the disc 88
keeps its position in the inner space 116 of the cartridge 30 freely from
damage derived by contact of the disc 88 with the inner surface of the
cartridge 30. Moreover, the shutter members 80 and 82 are positioned in
the other recesses 78 (one not shown) of the cartridge 30, so that the
disc 88 does not contact with the shutter members 80 and 82 and is free
from such damage.
As shown in FIG. 2, a shutter actuating member is provided in the cartridge
30. In this example, the shutter actuating member consists a band-shaped
flexible member 120 made of flexible resin such as vinyl chloride. The
flexible member 120 has cutout portions 122 and 124 on respective side
edges thereof and a protrusion 126 exposed outside at a side edge of the
cartridge. The protrusion 126 can be substituted, in function, by a cutout
portion. For guiding the flexible member 120, there are provided a pair of
guide grooves made up of an upper plate guide groove (Not seen in FIG. 2)
and a lower plate guide groove 132 (see FIG. 7 also) formed on the inner
surfaces of the upper plate 32 and the lower plate 34 respectively. The
pair of grooves can be construed as an element for defining a moving path
of the flexible member 120. The pair of guide grooves are shown in FIG. 3
as formed on a part of the circumference of the inner space 116 of the
cartridge 30 and continuously formed from the inside of the cartridge 30
to the exterior of the cartridge 30 where the pair of guide grooves are
exposed in the U-shaped channels 72, and the exposed portions form
straight lines substantially parallel to the side edge of the cartridge
30. The flexible member 120 is guided to reciprocally slide longitudinally
with its side edges positioned in said pair of guide grooves. As shown in
FIG. 4, the flexible member 120 is engaged with the shutter members 80 and
82 in such a manner that the shutter members 80 and 82 are held between
the inner surfaces of the upper plate 32 and the lower plate 34 and said
cutout portions 122 and 124. More specifically, the flexible member 120
has a cutout portion 122 at one side edge thereof and a cutout portion 124
at the other side edge thereof, the cutout portions 122 and 124 having
sufficient depths so as to form slits 123 and 125, seen vertically to a
major surface of the flexible member 120, between the flexible member 120
and respective ones of the inner recessed surfaces 78 (one not shown) of
the upper plate 32 and the lower plate 34. The shutter members 80 and 82
are inserted at portions thereof in the slits 123 and 125, respectively,
for the coupling between the flexible member 120 and the shutter members
80 and 82. The portions of the shutter members 80 and 82 to be inserted in
the slits 123 and 125 have in cross-section substantially the same as, but
slightly smaller dimensions than, the slits 123 and 125, respectively. So,
the shutter members 80 and 82 are held between the flexible member 120 and
the inner surfaces of respective ones of the upper plate 32 and the lower
plate 34. Thus, the side edges of the flexible member 120 are slidably
guided by the pair of opposing guide grooves, respectively.
Such a structure as above mentioned serves to keep the shutter members 80
and 82 in the specified positions, that is, in the recesses 78 (one not
shown), even if the shutter members 80 and 82 are forced to the inner side
of the cartridge 30 by some impact, through the head windows 40 and 42.
The protrusion 126 of the flexible member 120 is smaller in width as
compared with the width of the flexible member 120 so that the protrusion
126 can move in the U-shaped channel 72 with the slide movement of the
flexible member 120 when an external force is applied to the protrusion
126.
A pair of steps 134 (one being not shown for the upper plate 32) are
provided in the straight line guide grooves. When the shutter members 80,
82 are in the positions of completely closing the head windows 40, 42, the
external end of the flexible member 120 is made to engage with said step
134 owing to the elasticity of an urging means 136 such as a spring
provided in the cartridge 30. This prevents the sliding motion of the
flexible member 120, and the shutter members 80, 82 are held in position
to close the head windows 40, 42 until said engagement is released by an
external force given to the protrusion 126 of the flexible member 120.
Described from another angle, the guide grooves have a pair of steps 134,
respectively, seen arranged vertically in a bottom surface of each of the
guide grooves at the exposed portion of the flexible member 120. The steps
134 serve as a means for restraining the flexible member 120 by engagement
between the flexible member 120 and the steps 134.
As shown in the drawings, the center windows 36 and 38 deviate from the
center of the cartridge toward one of the longitudinal ends (the lower
left end in the drawings) of the cartridge 30, and the head windows 40 and
42 are positioned between the center windows 36, 38 and the longitudinal
ends of the cartridge 30. The result is that a relatively large surface
area which does not correspond to the position of the disc 88 inside
remains on the cartridge 30 at the other longitudinal end (the upper right
in the drawings). A label 138 (FIG. 1) is bonded on said area, on which to
make notations with a pen or the like. Labels 138 can be provided on both
sides of the cartridge 30 if necessary. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the
upper plate 32 has the first recording protection notch 56 at a first
position at an end thereof, and the lower plate 34 has the second
recording protection notch 58 at an end edge thereof at a second position
symmetrical to the first position with respect to the first position. The
recording protection notches 56 and 58 may be of a slide type. The notches
56 and 58 are made up of blocks which are slidably inserted into cutouts
57 and 59 of the upper plate 32 and the lower plate 34, respectively. When
the notch 56 for example is removed from the cutout 57 of the upper plate
32, it becomes impossible to record information on the side of the disc 88
facing the upper plate 32. Similarly, if the notch 58 is removed from the
cutout 59 of the lower plate 34, it becomes impossible to record on the
other side of the disc 88. It is necessary, of course, that the
recorder/reproducer be equipped with a device to detect the presence of
the recording protection notches 56 and 58. The cartridge positioning
holes 48, 50, 52 and 54 are the holes through which positioning pins 140
and 142 of a cartridge driving apparatus 144 are inserted when the
cartridge 30 is loaded into the apparatus 144 as shown in FIG. 8. The
apparatus 144, shown schematically in FIG. 8, has a base plate 146, the
positioning pins 140 and 142 mounted on the base plate 146, the drive
spindle 148 rotatably actuated by a motor 150 installed in the base plate
146, and the device 152, for example, a magnetic head, for
recording/reproducing information on the disc 88. The device 152 may be
actuated to move in the head window 40 or 42 by a well-known suitable
means such as a lead screw not shown. Further the apparatus 144 has a
releasing member 154 rotatably mounted on a pin 156 fixed on the base
plate 146. The releasing member 154 has a latching portion 158 which can
be engaged with and be released from the protrusion 126 (FIG. 7) of the
flexible member 120 by the rotational movement of the releasing member 154
toward and apart away from the protrusion 126, respectively, by a
well-known means such as a solenoid mechanism.
The following is one application of this invention. FIG. 7(a) shows the
cartridge 30 when it is not loaded in the apparatus 144. One of the ends
of the flexible member 120 is engaged with the step 134, and the shutter
members 80 and 82 close the head windows 40 and 42 and the index windows
44 and 46. When the cartridge 30 is inserted into the apparatus 144, the
latching portion 158 of releasing member 154 automatically engages with
and presses the protrusion 126 of the flexible member 120 in the opposite
direction of the force exerted by the urging means 136 upon insertion of
the cartridge 30. Thereby, the engagement between the end of the flexible
member 120 and the step 134 is released while the releasing member 154
holds the protrusion 126 by the latching portion 158 thereof. When the
cartridge 30 is further inserted into the apparatus, as shown in FIG.
7(b), the flexible member 120 makes sliding movement relatively to the
cartridge 30 toward the exterior of the cartridge 30. Thus, the flexible
member 120 causes the shutter members 80 and 82 to rotate automatically
around the center windows 36 and 38 respectively, to open the head windows
40 and 42.
FIG. 7(c) and FIG. 8 show the state of complete insertion of the cartridge
30 into the apparatus 144. The cartridge 30 is positioned at the specified
position by engagement of the positioning holes 48, 50 52 and 54 with the
positioning pins 140 and 142 and the disc hub 90 is fitted to the drive
spindle 148. Further, the head windows 40 and 42 and index windows 44 and
46 are fully opened, so the magnetic head 152 can be accessible to the
disc 88 which may be under rotation by the drive spindle 148.
On the contrary, when the cartridge 30 is pulled out of the apparatus 144,
the head windows 40 and 42 and the index windows 44 and 46 are closed by
reversing the above procedure. When the closing operation is completed,
the releasing member 154 releases the protrusion 126 of the flexible
member 120. Thereby, the end of the flexible member 120 is automatically
engaged with the step 134 by the action of the urging means 136. After
that, the cartridge 30 is fully pulled out of the apparatus 144.
As described above, the cartridge 30 related to this invention is
advantageous in that it can completely protect the disc 88, such as
magnetic sheets, from dust and fingerprints with a simple construction and
that it is very easy to handle.
Further, said protrusion 126 of the flexible member 120 is positioned in
the U-shaped channel 72, thus preventing damage to or the malfunctioning
of said mechanism for opening or closing the index windows 44 and 46 and
the head windows 40 and 42 when said cartridge 30 is not loaded in the
apparatus 144, and thus realizing a cartridge 30 with no external
protrusions. In addition, erroneous loading (erroneous insertion) of said
cartridge 30 into the recorder/reproducer can be prevented by simply
making one end of said U-shaped channels 72 and 74 open and the other end
closed.
Moreover, the direction for loading into the apparatus can be identified at
a glance, in view of the rectangular shape of said cartridge 30.
Further, the head windows 40 and 42, the center windows 36 and 38 and the
index windows 44 and 46 are formed on both faces of the cartridge 30 on
its londitudinal center line X--X, and the cartridge positioning holes 48,
50, 52 and 54 and at least one recording protection notch 56 and 58 are
provided on both faces of the cartridge 30, symmetrically with respect to
its longitudinal center line. Consequently, even if the cartridge 30 is
rotated 180.degree. around the axis of its longitudinal center line, the
configuration of the cartridge 30 does not change. This means that it is
possible to record or reproduce information on both sides of said disc
recording medium with one recording/reproducing head.
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Description |
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