Abstract: A magnetooptical recording/reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information from a magnetooptical disk seated in a disk cartridge by using an optical pickup and a magnetic head. A cartridge holding member pivots for loading a disk cartridge on a deck, and an ejecting member ejects the disk cartridge received in the cartridge holding member. Also, the apparatus has a connecting member for transporting the magnetic head together with the optical pickup and a slide member for raising or lowering a recordable disk cartridge by recognizing the recordability of the disk cartridge.

Abstract: An information recording medium comprising a hygroscopic swelling layer having the hygroscopic swelling property formed on a recording layer. Also the hygroscopic swelling layer is hygroscopically swollen with the hygroscopic swelling of the substrate, so that the tilt (i.e. warping) of the information recording medium is suppressed as a whole, whereby the quantity of the tilted deformation due to the moisture absorption is reduced. As a result, the recording and regeneration of information are stably conducted even though the humidity is changed.

Abstract: An arcuate scan tape drive for transferring data to and from a data tape, including a base with four side walls and a cover, which base and cover together have a 31/2 inch form factor. Situated within the base and cover is a head carrier assembly for recording data onto and playing back data from the data tape which advances in a longitudinal direction past the head carrier assembly. In one embodiment, the head carrier assembly is provided at an oblique angle with respect to the data tape and the front surface is conically shaped. Thus, during rotation of the head carrier assembly, the recording heads are proximate to the data tape during read or write operations, but are spaced away from the data tape at other times. Also provided within the base is a capstan motor assembly for advancing the data tape, and a cassette positioning mechanism for receiving and securing a data tape cartridge to properly position the tape as it is advanced past the head carrier assembly.

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive having one or more magnetic disks, one or more read/write heads each recording or reproducing information for a corresponding one of the magnetic disks, a servo head reading control information from a predetermined one of the magnetic disks, and an actuator supporting the one or more read/write heads and the servo head includes first leads extending from the one or more read/write heads along one side of the actuator, and second leads extending from the servo head along the other side of the actuator so that the second leads can be distanced in space from the first leads.

Abstract: An improvement on the information record/reproducing apparatus, utilizing a tunnel current generated in a flat information recording medium by a needle-shaped probe electrode positioned close to the recording medium. In order to prevent deterioration of the probe and the recording medium by the atmosphere, these components are hermetically sealed in a container, with or without the driving mechanism. The sealed structure is made detachable from the main apparatus, thus facilitating manufacture, replacement and maintenance.

Abstract: A disk transport mechanism for moving disks into a disk-player transports disks between an eject position and a playback or storage position inside the disk-player. The tray passes through an opening in the disk-player when it moves from the eject position to the playback or storage position. The disk transport mechanism carries the disk on a tray with a circular recess which locates the disk precisely in the tray. A disk improperly placed in the tray, so that it rests on a ridge around the circular recess, could cause damage when the tray passes through the opening. To prevent this, the transport mechanism abruptly accelerates the tray during movement into the disk-player by momentarily halting or reversing a drive motor of the disk transport mechanism. The acceleration of the tray causes any improperly mounted disk to fall into the circular recess before the disk can jam in the opening, thereby preventing injury to the disk or the disk-player.

Abstract: An optical recording medium having a recording layer and a reflective layer closely stacked on a substrate, wherein recording is carried out by directing recording light to the recording layer to form pits and reproduction is carried out by directing reproducing light to the recording layer. The recording layer contains a light absorbing dye, typically cyanine dye and a bisphenylenedithiol copper complex quencher in either independent form or ionically bonded form. The quencher characterized by a low coefficient of extinction can be added in a sufficient amount to provide the recording layer with light resistance while maintaining recording/reproducing performance.

Abstract: A magnetic head is provided with an apex portion having a first and second chamfered portion, both formed in a C core. The first chamfered portion has a first apex angle .alpha. at a position corresponding to a predetermined gap depth. The first chamfered portion also has a predetermined apex length. The second chamfered portion is contiguous to the first chamfered portion and has second apex angle .beta. which is smaller than the first apex angle .alpha.. The first apex angle .alpha. is greater than or equal to 70.degree. and less than 80.degree..

Abstract: A disk cartridge, such as a magneto optical disk cartridge, has first and second shutters for opening and closing a center hole and a plurality of pickup holes, and a drive mechanism for causing the shutters to moves toward each other to close the holes and to move away from each other to open the holes. The drive mechanism comprise a first slide rack joined with the first shutter, a second slide rack joined with the second shutter, and a pinion rotatably mounted in a case of the cartridge and engaged with both of the first and second racks so that a movement of one of the racks in one direction causes a movement of the other rack in the opposite direction.

Abstract: For the purpose of obtaining better flexibility in a case where a flexible cable is used for the wiring of a head main body of a floating type magnetic head than the flexibility obtained in a case where a copper wire is used for the same to maintain satisfactory degree of freedom of the head main body, the equation shown below shall be satisfied:W/L.ltoreq.-15(A.times.Dc+Dp)+0.5whereW=width of a band-shaped portion to be a bending portion of a flexible cable to be used for the wiring of the head main body,L=length of the band-shaped portion,Dp=thickness of the cable base material of the above portion,Dc=thickness of the conductor layer of the above portion,A=area ratio of the conductor layer to the cable base material.

Abstract: A drive for an optical information recording medium comprises a medium holder for holding the optical information recording medium, a drive mechanism for driving the medium, a movable optical head for radiating a light beam to the medium, a body having the drive mechanism and the optical head built therein, a cooling air inlet port formed in the body, and a fan provided in the body for venting the interior of the body. A sealed box having a medium insertion port with a door is provided in the body. The box accommodates no heat generating component and accommodates at least the medium holder and the optical head.

Abstract: A direct access storage device includes at least one disk mounted for rotation about an axis and having opposed disk surfaces for storing data. A magneto-resistive (MR) transducer head is mounted for movement across each respective disk surface for writing to and for reading data signals from the disk surface. Each MR transducer head includes a write element and a read element. A preamplifier, associated with the MR transducer head, amplifies read and write signals of the read element and the write element. A flex cable couples the read and write signals between the preamplifier and the MR transducer heads. The flex cable includes a common read return signal line for each sequential pair of the MR transducer heads.

Abstract: The unit works in conjunction with a multiple-disc player by storing the empty disc-cases, indicating disc status, and providing a system of selection for the discs inside of the multi-player. The unit stores empty disc-cases in relative positions to discs stored inside the multi-player. The exposed faces of stored disc-cases behave as buttons and labels.

Abstract: A protective cartridge for housing an information storage disk and a method for making the same is provided. Specifically, a shutter-lock adapted to lock a read/write shutter into a closed position is integrally formed with a shell which forms the cartridge. The shutter-lock is molded with the lower shell so as to form a unitary piece consisting of the shutter-lock and the cartridge shell. A method for manufacturing the protective cartridge having the shutter-lock formed integrally therewith is also provided.

Abstract: A magazine in a disk player stores disks therein. A transport mechanism transports a selected one of the disks between the magazine and a disk reader. The disk reader is positioned to read a selected disk while a center aperture of the selected disk overlaps disks remaining in the magazine. A first embodiment has three edge rollers which engage an edge of the selected disk to rotatably support the selected disk at the read position. One of the edge rollers which is external to the magazine is driven by a driver mechanism to rotate the selected disk for reading. A second embodiment includes carriages for supporting the disks in the magazine and at the read position. The carriages each have a rotatable shaft for engaging the center apertures of the disks. When a selected disk is moved to the read position, a pair of idler rollers and a driving roller engage top and bottom surfaces of the selected disk. The idler roller is driven by a driver mechanism to rotate the selected disk.

Abstract: A multitrack magnetic head for use with a magnetic tape in a magnetic recording and reproducing system includes at least two magnetic head tips disposed adjacent to each other and movable with respect to the magnetic tape. The head tips include a leading head tip for initial sliding contact with the magnetic tape and a trailing head tip for subsequent sliding contact with the magnetic tape. The leading head tip is made of a material whose wear resistance is greater than that of a material of which said trailing head tip is made. The head tips are held in good sliding contact with the magnetic tape for better recording and reproducing characteristics.

Abstract: A disk player including a driving device for driving a disk loaded in a drive mechanism; a reading device for reading recorded data from the disk driven by the driving device; a reproduced signal decoding device for decoding an audio signal of the recorded data read by the reading means; a disk identifying device for identifying a kind of disk loaded in the drive mechanism; and an indicating device for indicating identification of one of at least a recorded disk and a recordable disk according to identification information obtained by the disk identifying device. Accordingly, the user can immediately recognize the kind of disk loaded into the disk player or kept in the loaded condition.

Abstract: An optical disk substrate of resin, comprising a center hole and being composed of an inner circular-projected portion and an outer flat circumferential portion, the inner circular-projected portion having a circular projection projecting from at least one major surface of the substrate, the maximum height of the circular projection measured from the major surface of the outer flat circumferential portion being equal to or larger than 0.5 mm, the optical disk substrate is designed to satisfy the following equation or inequality:V/V.sub.0 <1.5, where V stands for the volume of the circular-projected portion, and V.sub.0 stands for the volume of an annular body having the same radius as the circular-projected portion and the same thickness as the outer flat circumferential portion, and having a center hole of the same size as the center hole.

Abstract: Disclosed is a disc player for reproducing a minidisc and a compact disc. The disc player includes a disc tray and a base plate. The disc tray has a compact disc and minidisc mounting parts placed on the upper surface thereof, cut portions to expose the discs to a pickup, a rack gear disposed on a lower edge of one side wall thereof and first cam grooves disposed on both side walls thereof. The base plate has a rectangular cut portion formed at a center thereof enabling the pickup to read out data from the discs and first shafts projected from both side walls thereof to be inserted into the first cam grooves of the tray. An outer chassis having first vertical cut portions is formed on both side walls to guide the elevating movement of the first shafts. A pickup feeding device is secured to a bottom surface of the base plate. A compact disc turntable and a minidisc turntable are secured respectively to a front center and a rear center of the rectangular cut portion of the base plate.

Abstract: A data processing device for holding a plurality of recording medium cassettes has a housing with an aperture to receive and discharge the cassettes. A holding member can receive a cassette that has been inserted through the aperture and deliver the cassette to a storage rack for storing a plurality of cassettes. A shutter can be activated to close the aperture. A moving elevator plate contacts the holding device, the storage rack, and the shutter member to enable the aperture to be opened when the holding member can receive a cassette and to be closed when the holding member has been moved from a position adjacent the aperture.