Abstract: A disc drive device for driving a disc accommodated in a cartridge comprises: a magnetic head; a magnetic head supporting member for supporting the magnetic head to contact the disc and to be separated from the disc; a lifting plate configured to lift the magnetic head supporting member; and moving means for moving the lifting plate in a direction parallel to a surface of the disc, in which the moving means moves the lifting plate in the parallel direction until the lifting plate abuts the magnetic head supporting member, and further moves the lifting plate in the parallel direction with the lifting plate abutting the magnetic head supporting member so that the lifting plate lifts the magnetic head supporting member up to separate the magnetic head from the disc.

Abstract: In a disk cartridge, a round portion with a circular arc shape whose center substantially coincides with that of a disk is formed at the forefront edge of the disk cartridge in the direction of insertion into a disk drive unit, and the remaining portion is a rectangular shape. The round portion preferably is formed so as to be decreased gradually in thickness toward its leading end. On the other hand, part of the components of the disk drive unit is arranged in an open space at corner portions at the forefront of the disk cartridge. A space in the disk drive unit thus can be utilized efficiently, whereby a small, thin disk drive unit having excellent operability and a disk cartridge permitting such a disk drive unit can be obtained.

Abstract: In a disk cartridge, a round portion with a circular arc shape whose center substantially coincides with that of a disk is formed at the forefront edge of the disk cartridge in the direction of insertion into a disk drive unit, and the remaining portion is a rectangular shape. The round portion preferably is formed so as to be decreased gradually in thickness toward its leading end. On the other hand, part of the components of the disk drive unit is arranged in an open space at corner portions at the forefront of the disk cartridge. A space in the disk drive unit thus can be utilized efficiently, whereby a small, thin disk drive unit having excellent operability and a disk cartridge permitting such a disk drive unit can be obtained.

Abstract: In a disk cartridge, a round portion with a circular arc shape whose center substantially coincides with that of a disk is formed at the forefront edge of the disk cartridge in the direction of insertion into a disk drive unit, and the remaining portion is a rectangular shape. The round portion preferably is formed so as to be decreased gradually in thickness toward its leading end. On the other hand, part of the components of the disk drive unit is arranged in an open space at corner portions at the forefront of the disk cartridge. A space in the disk drive unit thus can be utilized efficiently, whereby a small, thin disk drive unit having excellent operability and a disk cartridge permitting such a disk drive unit can be obtained.

Abstract: A disc drive device for driving a disc accommodated in a cartridge comprises: a magnetic head; a magnetic head supporting member for supporting the magnetic head to contact the disc and to be separated from the disc; a lifting plate configured to lift the magnetic head supporting member; and moving means for moving the lifting plate in a direction parallel to a surface of the disc, in which the moving means moves the lifting plate in the parallel direction until the lifting plate abuts the magnetic head supporting member, and further moves the lifting plate in the parallel direction with the lifting plate abutting the magnetic head supporting member so that the lifting plate lifts the magnetic head supporting member up to separate the magnetic head from the disc.

Abstract: A rotary head cylinder of a rotary head assembly includes a first projection for reducing jitter. The first projection is smoothly formed in the vicinity of a point where a tape is separated from a fixed cylinder and is extended in a lengthwise direction of the tape. A second projection is provided for increasing a restricting force on an upper edge of the tape in a direction toward a surface of the fixed cylinder. The second projection is smoothly formed in the vicinity of a lower edge of the tape at the same point on the fixed cylinder and is extended in the lengthwise direction of the tape.

Abstract: A cassette loading/unloading apparatus enables a magnetic recording and reproducing device to be used with both a standard-type tape cassette and a miniature tape cassette without a cassette adapter. When the miniature tape cassette is used, a holding mechanism for the standard-type tape cassette is located at a position where it does not hinder the loading of the miniature tape cassette. When the standard-type tape cassette is used, a holding mechanism for holding the miniature tape cassette is located at a position where it does not hinder the loading of the standard-type tape cassette. Further, only one tape extraction mechanism and only one detection unit for detecting an anti-erasure claw are provided for extracting a magnetic tape from either of the standard type tape cassette and the miniature-tape cassette and for detecting the presence of the anti-erasure claw of either of the two types of tape cassettes.

Abstract: In a clutch assembly, a driven member is driven by a driving member through an engaging or clutch member which is mounted on the driven member movably between a position to be engaged with the driving member and a position to be released from the driving member. The engaging or clutch member is thrust toward the engaged position by a first thrusting force. A releasing member is movable between an active position to abut at one end thereof against the engaging or clutch member and an inactive position to be apart from the engaging member, and is thrust toward the abutting end by a second thrusting force. When the releasing member abuts against the engaging member, the releasing member is first moved in the opposite direction to the second thrusting force direction by a driving force of the driving member to reach a stop position, and then the engaging member is moved in the direction to be disengaged from the driving member by the driving force of the driving member.

Abstract: A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus is provided with a motor for driving a capstan, a cassette loading mechanism for loading a tape cassette at a predetermined position, a tape loading mechanism reciprocable between an inoperative position where the tape is ready be drawn out from the tape cassette and an operative position where the tape is drawn out and wound onto a guide drum, an operating mode changing mechanism driven by the motor for changing operating mode of the apparatus, a reel turntable driving mechanism for transmitting a rotational driving force of the motor to reel turntables, and a clutch for transmitting intermittently the driving force of the motor to the cassette loading, tape loading and operating mode changing mechanisms, whereby cassette loading operation, tape loading operation, operating mode changing operation and tape transporting operation and performed by the single motor.

Abstract: A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus wherein a magnetic tape is drawn out of a tape cartridge by a tape loading mechanism which is moved from its inoperative position to its operative position by the rotational power of a motor, and which motor also drives an operating mode changing mechanism which changes the operating mode of the apparatus.

Abstract: A magnetic tape recording and/or reproducing apparatus wherein a magnetic tape is drawn out of a tape cartridge by a tape drawing mechanism which is driven from its inoperative position to its operative position by a motor rotating in one rotational direction only; and the tape is wound up onto one of the reels of the tape cartridge by a turntable rotating mechanism which automatically engages one of the turntables so as to rotate in accordance with the rotation of the motor in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for preparing a casing loaded with a plurality of articles such as small-sized electronic parts for use in the electronic industries, which ensures that the stored parts will be positively and stably aligned in the casing without the possibility of any play or disorientation from their regular positioning within the casing. The casing is provided with a single piece resilient element which is inserted into the casing, the resilient element being designed to resiliently expand against the inner wall surface of the casing to frictionally engage therewith. Thereafter, a plurality of parts are inserted one after another into the casing so that they become stacked in a serially aligned manner inside the casing against the resilient force of the resilient element, thus preparing a casing loaded with a plurality of parts therein stacked in a serially end-to-end resting state.

Abstract: Chip type circuit elements are mounted on adhesive layers provided on predetermined positions of a printed circuit board by pushing up each circuit element stack inserted in a magazine which is vertically held just below the corresponding adhesive layer and which is inserted through a corresponding through-hole defined by a lattice-shaped and horizontally placed magazine guide. This method and apparatus can quickly mount chip type circuit elements on the printed circuit board, and make possible an easy change of the circuit element pattern, without necessitating the use of an NC machine.