Abstract: A cartridge loading mechanism includes a cartridge holder having one end rotatably supported to a chassis for loading and unloading a cartridge. A holder drive mechanism is for moving a fulcrum of the cartridge holder away from the chassis in accordance with rotation of the cartridge holder in the unloading direction, and for moving the fulcrum of the cartridge holder near to the chassis in accordance with rotation of the cartridge holder in the loading direction.

Abstract: A disc driving apparatus comprising an optical head as a record/reproduce means for recording information on and/or reproduce the same optically from a disc type recording medium;a feed motor as a feed means for moving the optical head toward the innermost or outermost region of the disc; a limit switch as a detector means for detecting that the optical head is placed at a first position proximate to the innermost region of the disc; and a butt member as a positioning means formed to butt against the optical head for limiting the motion of the optical head at a second position in the innermost region of the disc. The speed of the optical head being moved toward the innermost region of the disc by means of the feed motor is changed to a lower speed in synchronism with turn-on of the limit switch, and then the optical head is brought to a halt at the predetermined position limited by the butt member, whereby the optical head is placed exactly at the desired position.

Abstract: A head pad having a drawing face which draws a flexible disk used for an electronic still camera, for example, by negative pressure and which is made so that the head, which moves along the radial direction of the disk so as to record or reproduce data on the disk, projects out on the drawing face, wherein said depressions are formed in the drawing face around the head and corner portions of the bottom faces of the depressions are further cut away to form undercut portions, thus facilitating generation of a greater negative pressure between the disk and the pad drawing face and enabling greater improvement of the head touch and enabling greater stabilization of the drawing force of the disk by the pad.

Abstract: A disk stabilizing apparatus employs a low friction pad for restricting the magnitude of curving of the radially outward portion of the disk. The low friction pad is oriented at an upstream portion of a stabilizer plate in a rotating direction of the disk. In addition, the apparatus further employs a stabilizer plate which is tilted upwardly toward the downstream direction in the rotating direction of the disk.

Abstract: A disk drive unit includes a disk stabilizer block supporting a reading and/or writing head. The disk stabilizer block is formed a surface to sealingly contact with a mating surface of the disk. At least one void is formed on the disk stabilizer block for defining a chamber around the reading and/or writing head, in which Bernoulli drawing force is generated for drawing a flexible storage medium disk. The void reduces contact area between the stabilizer block and the disk for avoiding influence of tolerance in production of the stabilizer block and influence of waving of the disk during rotation.