Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a case body for receiving disc-shaped recording media in an axial direction of a central shaft so that first and second shells respectively having a base surface portion parallel to a recording surface of the disc-shaped recording media are coupled separated by axial engagement/disengagement; and a lock lever supported perpendicular to the axial direction in the case body and locking the shells coupled. The shells are separated to form a disc insertion/extraction hole for the insert or discharge of the disc-shaped recording media into/from the case body. A support shaft serving as a pivoting point of the lock lever is installed to the case body. The lock lever includes a supported portion supported by the support shaft, a lock portion protruding from the supported portion and locking the shells, and a balance portion protruding from the supported portion approximately opposite to protrusion of the lock portion.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a case body in which a plurality of disc-shaped recording media can be stored being arranged in the axial direction of a central shaft and which includes a first shell having a base face portion parallel to a recording face of the recording medium and a second shell having a basal plane portion parallel to the recording face, which move toward or away from each other in the axial direction, thereby being combined with or separated from each other, wherein the second shell has a pair of side face portions protruding in the same direction from both end portions of the basal plane portion and situated facing each other, a thin-walled portion is formed at a central portion between the side face portions in the basal plane portion, and a bridge member which is attached to span the side face portions is provided.

Abstract: A disc changer includes a disc cartridge having an insertion hole, a case body into which the disc cartridge is inserted, having first and second shells which can be separated in which a plurality of disc-shaped recording media are storable by being arrayed in the axial direction of the center axis, and a lock lever for locking the shells in a connected state; and a disc holder to hold the inserted disc cartridge, including an unlocking piece which unlocks locking between the shells by being inserted into the insertion hole when the disc cartridge is inserted into the disc holder to press the lock lever, and a restricting lever supported by the unlocking piece, including a restricting portion engaged with the case body when the unlocking piece is inserted into the insertion hole, so that locking between the shells is unlocked, the restricting lever restricting movement in the extracting direction.

Abstract: A disk cartridge includes a case body that can house a plurality of disk-shaped recording media and is joined or separated by making a first shell contact with/separate from a second shell in an axial direction, and a lock lever that is rotatably supported and locks the first shell and the second shell in a joining manner, in the inside of the case body. A disk inserting/ejecting slot is formed, a supporting shaft is provided to the case body, the lock lever includes a supported part, a lock part, and a lock-release part, the first shell is provided with an open/close panel that includes an insertion hole, an insertion protrusion part that is inserted into the insertion hole of the open/close panel is provided to an end part of the lock-release part, and an end face of the insertion protrusion part is formed as an inclined face.

Abstract: A disk cartridge includes a case body that is capable of housing a plurality of disk-shaped recording media and is joined or separated by making a first shell contact with/separate from a second shell in an axial direction, and a lock lever that is rotatably supported and locks the first shell and the second shell in a joining manner, in the inside of the case body. A supporting shaft is provided to the case body, the lock lever includes a supported part and a lock part, a disk inserting/ejecting slot is formed, an open/close panel is provided to the first shell, the lock lever is supported on an end part of the case body, and an insertion concave part in which the lock part of the lock lever can be inserted and engaged is formed within an inner face of the open/close panel.

Abstract: A disc changer includes: a disc cartridge having a case body in which a plurality of disc-shaped recording media are storable by being arrayed in the axial direction of the center axis, and an information input medium to which at least information relating to pitch between disc-shaped recording media and the number of stored disc-shaped recording media is input; a disc holder configured to hold the disc cartridge, a portion of which is moveable in the center axial direction of the disc-shaped recording media; and a movement mechanism including an encoder, configured to determine a stop position in the center axial direction of the disc holder based on information input to the information input medium.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes upper and lower shells making up a cartridge body, and with the lower shell, a first-rectangular plate, and disc holders making up the side wall of the cartridge body provided to first-side edges of the first-rectangular plate, and also slidably supporting a disc are provided, and second-side edges which face each other are opened, with the upper shell, a second-rectangular plate, standing wall members provided to third-side edges of the second-rectangular plate, making up the front and rear faces of the cartridge body, and a dividing wall provided to fourth-side edges are provided, and with the disc holders, an disc insertion/ejection opening from the second-side edges is provided to one edge, and a push-out opening for a disc push-out member is provided to the other edge, and when the shells are combined together, the second-side edges are closed, and are opened when the shells are separated.

Abstract: A cartridge drive apparatus for a disc cartridge having upper and lower shells which are separatably joined to each other to form a cartridge body is disclosed, in which a accommodated disc is able to be inserted or ejected by separating the upper and lower shells vertically. The cartridge drive apparatus includes a cartridge holder which, by inserting the cartridge body, has an upper holder supporting the upper shell and a lower holder supporting the lower shell, and a holder moving mechanism which separates the upper holder and the lower holder of the cartridge holder to separate the upper shell and the lower shell and thus is able to allow the disc to be inserted or ejected.

Abstract: A disc loading mechanism transporting a disc between a disc cartridge and a recording and reproducing apparatus includes: a loading arm having at a leading end thereof claw members which comes into contact with an outer circumference of the disc and performs drawing of the disc into the recording and reproducing apparatus and insertion of the disc into the disc cartridge; an arm driving mechanism which slides the loading arm in a disc transport direction; a disc extruding lever which extrudes the disc up to a contact position with the claw members when discharging the disc; and a lever driving mechanism which drives the extrusion lever, wherein each of the claw members includes a draw-in surface portion and an insertion surface portion provided at the opposite side to the draw-in surface portion.

Abstract: A disc loading mechanism includes a turntable on which a disc is mounted and a chucking pulley that sandwiches the disc together with the turntable. The chucking pulley includes a pulley engaging member on which a plurality of engaging protrusions are formed. The turntable includes a table engaging member on which a plurality of engaging pieces are formed, the plurality of engaging pieces each having an engaging surface that hangs over a chucking pulley-facing surface of one of the plurality of engaging protrusions in a rotation direction of the disc.