For Disk Patents (Class 360/133)
  • Patent number: 7286323
    Abstract: A recording disk cartridge is provided which includes a plurality of flexible recording disk media stacked inside a cartridge case so as to rotate integrally. The cartridge case includes a lower plate for constructing a lower wall parallel to the plurality of recording disk media, a plurality of inner plates which are stacked and fixed on the lower plate and partition the plurality of recording disk media, and an upper plate which is stacked and fixed on the plurality of inner plates and constructs an upper wall of the cartridge case. An opening is formed in a part of a side wall constructed of the lower plate, the plurality of inner plates, and the upper plate. The recording disk cartridge further includes a lower rotor and an upper rotor supported on inner sides of the lower plate and the upper plate respectively so as to rotate, and a shutter plate having a height corresponding to a height of the stacked recording disk media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventor: Kengo Oishi
  • Patent number: 7286322
    Abstract: A method of presenting a data storage diskette to a user is disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing the diskette and promoting that handwritten indicia be deposited directly onto an information field in labeling the diskette. In this regard, the diskette includes a housing defining first and second housing sections, and an exterior portion of at least one of the housing sections integrally forming the information field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventor: Anthony O. Banal
  • Patent number: 7284254
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a disk cartridge in which a disk-like recording medium such as an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk and a magnetic disk is accommodated within a disk compartment of a cartridge housing, a disk recording medium device in which the disk-like recording medium is accommodated in advance within the disk compartment so as to become freely rotatable and a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information by using this disk recording medium device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Obata, Yuji Iwaki, Mitsuyoshi Kawaguchi, Mitsunori Matsumura
  • Patent number: 7281258
    Abstract: A disc cartridge which is capable of positively closing a disc access opening by shutter members. In the disc cartridge, a lower shell is formed with urging protuberances for urging shutter members in a manner causing the shutter members to pivotally move toward respective closing positions, and the shutter members are each formed with a protruding portion protruded from a side end face thereof such that a force for pressing the protruding portion against the urging protuberance is progressively increased after the protruding portion is brought into abutment with the urging protuberance before completion of a pivotal motion of a disc tray until the completion of the pivotal motion of the disc tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: TDK Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Hashizume, Akio Momoi
  • Publication number: 20070195458
    Abstract: An apparatus for holding a recording medium that contains an engagement member backwards with respect to an insert direction thereof has a main body containing an insert portion through which the recording medium is inserted on one end thereof and an eject portion on the other end thereof. The inserted recording medium are ejected from the eject portion with it being linked with an insert of the recording medium from the insert portion. The apparatus has a first engagement device that engages the engagement member of the recording medium when the recording medium is inserted by a predetermined position to hold the inserted recording medium. The apparatus has a second engagement device that engages the engagement member of the recording medium when the recording medium is ejected from the ejection portion to hold the ejected recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: August 23, 2007
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jun Sawai, Noboru Oya, Tsutomu Shimosato
  • Patent number: 7251104
    Abstract: A recording medium cartridge comprises an information recording medium, an inner rotor, and a pair of shutter members that are piled and accommodated in a cartridge casing. When the inner rotor is rotated, the opening part of the cartridge casing is opened and closed by the shutter members. On the overlapping surface of the shutter and the inner rotor, a plurality of ribs for reducing the contact area of the shutter and the inner rotor are provided. Further, in side parts of the shutter members, first overlapped parts and second overlapped parts are respectively provided through first step parts and second step parts in the moving directions of the shutter members. When the side parts are overlapped on each other, the first overlapped part of one shutter member and the first overlapped part of the other shutter member are continuously connected together through the first step parts on the upper surface side of the shutter members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Abe, Shuichi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20070171575
    Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium is provided. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes a soft magnetic underlayer, a recording layer formed on the soft magnetic underlayer, and a damping control layer which controls a damping constant of the soft magnetic underlayer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Chee-kheng Lim, Eun-sik Kim, Hoon-sang Oh
  • Patent number: 7237247
    Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a cartridge body, a first shutter, a second shutter, and a rotational member. The cartridge body includes a disc storage portion, a chucking opening and a head opening. The disc storage portion has a disc window and a bottom and stores a disc, having first and second sides, therein so that the disc is rotatable in the disc storage portion and that the disc exposes the first side inside the disc window. The first and second shutters are provided on the bottom of the disc storage portion to expose or cover the head opening. The rotational member is provided over the first and second shutters inside the disc storage portion and is engaged with the first and second shutters in such a manner as to open or close the first and second shutters when rotates inside the disc storage portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignees: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Okazawa, Teruyuki Takizawa, Yoshito Saji, Kuniko Nakata, Manabu Obata, Naoki Inoue, Mitsunori Matsumura
  • Patent number: 7230792
    Abstract: Media selection systems and methods. A media selection system may comprise a coupler mounted on a plunge assembly of a cartridge retrieving device. The coupler slidably engages a storage medium as the cartridge retrieving device moves relative to the storage medium. A method may comprise slidably engaging a storage medium with a cartridge retrieving device as the cartridge retrieving device moves relative to the storage medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Gregg S. Schmidtke, Kelly John Reasoner
  • Patent number: 7218477
    Abstract: An information recording medium cartridge is provided with a disc, a cartridge casing having the disc accommodated therein, first and second shutters movably mounted to the cartridge casing for opening and closing recording and/or reproducing openings arranged in right and reverse sides thereof. First and second slide members having the first and second shutters are mounted on the shutters. First and second shutter plates are provided with a shutter main body that overlaps the right side or the reverse side of the cartridge casing to open and close the opening and a slide-member mounting portion for mounting the first and second slide portions to the shutter main body at an end. The slide-member mounting portion is provided with an engaging claw, wherein when mounting the first and second slide portions, the engaging claw is engaged with a claw engagement provided to the slide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daiki Kobayashi, Hideyo Ishikawa, Hiroshige Takakuwa
  • Patent number: 7170698
    Abstract: Disclosed is a magnetic transfer apparatus capable of performing good magnetic transfer, including a holder for accommodating a master carrier with transfer patterns corresponding to transfer information, a slave-feeding unit for feeding a slave medium with a magnetic recording part to be transferred to the master carrier, and a magnetic field application unit for applying a magnetic field in a state that the slave medium is in close contact with the master carrier, wherein the holder is provided with a slave holding shaft for positioning a central opening of the slave medium at a central portion thereof, and an inner diameter of the central opening of the slave medium is set to be smaller than that of a central opening the master carrier, and the slave-feeding unit holds an inner diameter portion of the slave medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co. Ltd.
    Inventor: Akito Kamatani
  • Patent number: 7151648
    Abstract: A disk cartridge does not require a plate supporter for holding a chucking plate on an upper shell. In this disk cartridge, a chucking plate for chucking a disk on a turntable, driven by a spindle motor, is placed on the middle of the disk so the chucking plate is vertically movable together with the disk. The disk cartridge further includes a peripheral cylindrical rib which is not in contact with the disk and is configured to limit movement of the chucking plate in the direction of its diameter while permitting the vertical movement of the chucking plate. The peripheral cylindrical rib is molded integral with the lower surface of the upper shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Naoki Inoue, Susumu Shibagaki, Yasuyuki Abe
  • Patent number: 7146625
    Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a case accommodating a disc and having an aperture hole formed on a first surface of the case so that a recording/reproducing apparatus access a recording surface of the disc, and an open hole formed on a second surface to be open to an outside of the case, a shutter opening/shutting the aperture hole and installed in the case, a disc holder installed at a side defining the open hole to move up and down and covering a gap between an outer circumference of the disc and an inner surface of the side defining the open hole when the disc holder descends, and a shutter driving mechanism moving the shutter so that the aperture hole is open/shut. Thus, a passage through which dust is introduced toward an information area of the disc, and a gap formed at an outer circumference are blocked by the disc holder so that a possibility of contamination by dust can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-yong Eum, Yong-hoon Lee, Hong-kyun Yim, Chong-sam Chung, Han-kook Choi, Takizawa Teruyuki, Saji Yoshito, Okazawa Hironori
  • Patent number: 7127732
    Abstract: The present invention is related to a disc cartridge in which an optical disc, an inner shell and shutter members are housed in a main cartridge body unit, formed by abutting and combining upper and lower shells and in which the inner shell is run in rotation to cause the shutter members to open or close an aperture provided in the main cartridge body unit. The inner shell is formed by a resin molding portion comprised of a first molded portion for forming the inner shell and a second molded portion connected to the first molded portion. The second molded portion is provided at a position forming the aperture in the inner shell and is connected to the first molded portion through a flanged thin-walled section. The inner shell is formed by severing the second molded portion and the flanged thin-walled section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Iwaki, Shuichi Kikuchi, Teiko Hoshi, Naoki Inoue, Manabu Obata, Mitsuyoshi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7124423
    Abstract: A disk cartridge includes a lower case having an opening formed thereon, an upper case installed at the lower case to be capable of being open and shut while pivoting, to accommodate a disk therebetween, a shutter installed at the lower case to be capable of sliding and opening and shutting the opening hole, a close covering member having an inclined surface installed at the shutter to be capable of sliding, closely contacting a non-information area disposed at an inner circumference of the disk when the shutter is closed, and being separated from the non-information area disposed at the inner circumference of the disk when the shutter is open. Thus, when the shutter is closed, introduction of dust is prevented so that the possibility of the information area of the disk being contaminated is lowered. Also, since the disk is fixed between the upper and lower cases, while the disk is carried, noise and damage can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae-yong Eum, Hong-kyun Yim, Yong-hoon Lee, Han-kook Choi, Chong-sam Chung, Takizawa Teruyuki, Saji Yoshito
  • Patent number: 7123445
    Abstract: A data storage cartridge including a housing, a door, and a hard drive. The housing defines an access window. The door is coupled to the housing and configured to selectively cover the access window. The hard drive is maintained within the housing and adapted to be accessed from a point external to the data storage cartridge via the access window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Imation Corp.
    Inventor: Leo W. Spychalla
  • Patent number: 7123446
    Abstract: A removable magnetic data storage cartridges incorporates antiferromagnetically coupled (AFC) media and may be used with a data drive to push the capacity point of removable hard platter based magnetic storage to 35 GB for a single platter 2.5? form factor product. The removable magnetic data storage cartridges incorporating AFC media represents an equivalent increase in the areal density of removable magnetic data storage cartridges on the order of 13×.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Iomega Corporation
    Inventors: Fred C. Thomas, III, David W. Griffith
  • Patent number: 7108903
    Abstract: A magnetic disc medium comprising: a magnetic sheet in the form of a disk; a case encasing the magnetic sheet so as to be capable of rotating; and a nonwoven liner fastened on an inner face of the case so as to face the magnetic sheet, wherein the magnetic sheet comprises a support, a substantially nonmagnetic lower layer, and a magnetic layer containing hexagonal ferrite powder dispersed in a binder and having central plane average surface roughness of from 1 nm to 4 nm, and the liner comprises polyethylene terephthalate in an amount of 20% by weight or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Saito, Hitoshi Noguchi, Hideaki Shiga
  • Patent number: 7103901
    Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a cartridge body, first and second shutters, and a rotational member. The cartridge body includes a disc storage portion to store a disc in a rotatable state, a chucking hole provided on the bottom of the disc storage portion so as to get the disc chucked externally, and a head access window provided on the bottom of the disc storage portion so as to allow a head, which reads and/or writes data from/on the disc, to access the disc. The first and second shutters are provided so as to expose or cover the head access window by rotating in the disc storage portion. The rotational member is provided so as to rotate in the disc storage portion, too. The first and second shutters are interlocked with the rotational member so as to rotate in mutually opposite directions and at respectively different velocities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruyuki Takizawa, Yoshito Saji, Hironori Okazawa, Kuniko Nakata
  • Patent number: 7103900
    Abstract: The present invention is relative to a disc cartridge in which an optical disc (3), an inner shell (4) and shutter members (5a), (5b) are housed in a main cartridge body unit (2), formed by abutting and combining upper and lower shells (6), (7), and in which the inner shell is run in rotation to cause the shutter members (5a), (5b) to open or close an aperture (24) provided in the main cartridge body unit (2). On an inner side of the peripheral wall sections of the upper and lower shells, abutted to each other, a crank-shaped dust intrusion prohibiting unit (21A) is provided for prohibiting intrusion of dust and dirt from the abutting surfaces of the peripheral wall sections of the upper and lower shells towards the optical disc housed in the main cartridge body unit to protect the optical disc housed in the main cartridge body unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Iwaki, Shuichi Kikuchi, Teiko Hoshi, Naoki Inoue, Manabu Obata, Mitsuyoshi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7103902
    Abstract: A recording medium cartridge includes a disc, an inner rotor and a shutter in a shell. Torque is applied to the inner rotor by a coil spring to drive the shutter so as to maintain the closed state of an opening part provided in the shell. When the recording medium cartridge is inserted into a disc device, the inner rotor is rotated against the resilient force of the coil spring by a shutter opening mechanism provided in the disc recording and reproducing device. Thus, the shutter is moved to a position where the opening part provided in the shell is opened. When the cartridge is ejected from the disc device, the inner rotor is rotated by the resilient force of the coil spring to close the shutter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Abe, Shuichi Kikuchi, Susumu Shibagaki
  • Patent number: 7099113
    Abstract: A disc braking device is utilized in an optical disc drive. The disc braking device is installed on a disc tray of an optical disc drive. Without being affected by an covering component or the location of the disc braking device, the disc braking device makes a disc stop rotating in a more direct and efficient way. The disc braking device contains a structure portion; a braking rod installed and not fixed on the structure portion; and a braking component installed on the braking rod and utilized for making the disc stop rotating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: Lite-On It Corporation
    Inventors: In-Shuen Lee, Jui-Nan Chuang, Cheng-Chung Hsu
  • Patent number: 7082611
    Abstract: A rotor is provided which is rotatably disposed between a first shell and a recording medium, in a containing space formed inside the first shell and a second shell. The rotor includes a first wall formed along the circumferential direction of the rotor, and a part of the first wall is cut out to form a first opening. The second shell includes a second wall formed so as to overlap with the inside of the first wall along the outer circumference of the recording medium, on the outside in the radial direction of the outer circumference of the recording medium. The second wall and the first wall constitute a labyrinth structure portion for isolating the recording medium and the exterior of the recording medium from each other. With the rotor rotated, the first opening and a second opening constitute a head in/out opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Inventor: Masami Miike
  • Patent number: 7069570
    Abstract: A disk cartridge and a disk recording and/or reproduction apparatus including a protrusion group which is made up of a plurality of protrusions and formed within a case housing a disk or within a housing in which a disk is loaded. Accordingly, the protrusions induce the flow of air generated during the rotation of the disk to serve as a force generated by variations in flow velocity and pressure. Therefore, foreign materials can be effectively removed from the surface of the disk using the flow of air without a separate cleaning apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Un-jin Choi, Soon-kyo Hong, Byoung-young Bae, Sung-jin Lee
  • Patent number: 7057854
    Abstract: A disk cartridge housing in which a disk compartment is formed by combining an upper shell and a lower shell. The cartridge has an opening portion which overlaps with a shutter member to expose a part of the disk compartment. A convex rib and a concave groove arrangement is used between the opening portion and shutter member to form a dust-proof housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Manabu Obata, Yuji Iwaki, Naoki Inoue, Mitsuyoshi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7039299
    Abstract: A support for receiving an HDD main body installed in an apparatus main body of an AV server. An HDD unit formed by attaching, to peripheries of the HDD main body, a frame having at least a gripping portion and a latch. The support has a plurality of slots which are formed vertically at opposing positions inside of both sides in a parallel state at regular intervals, and a latching portion at an upper edge in a lateral direction. Vents are provided between the slots, and a guide member having a groove portion is disposed in each slot. The HDD unit is inserted into a slot with the frame being guided into the groove portion of the guide member. The latch of the frame is engaged with a latching portion of the support so that each HDD unit is locked independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Junichi Onodera
  • Patent number: 7031113
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a removable cartridge having an information storage medium, and having a housing with the information storage medium movably supported therein. The housing is configured so that, if electrostatic charge is present on an exterior surface of the housing, the information storage medium will be substantially free of induced charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Iomega Corporation
    Inventor: Yiping Ma
  • Patent number: 7031112
    Abstract: A magnetic disc is housed for rotation in a flat casing having a metal shell. The magnetic disc is supported for rotation in the casing by a tubular shaft formed by barring of a metal blank for forming the metal shell. A hole is formed in a part of the metal blank where the tubular shaft is to be formed. A plurality of slits are formed prior to barring in the part where the tubular shaft is to be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Harumi Aoishi
  • Patent number: 7032234
    Abstract: A cartridge and a drive unit that drives a cartridge and has an insertion opening into which the cartridge is inserted are provided. The drive unit includes a shutter which opens and closes the insertion opening, and a mechanism for locking a close state of the shutter so as to prohibit a different type of cartridge and the cartridge not facing a predetermined direction from proceeding to an inside of the drive unit, and for unlocking the close state so as to allow the shutter to proceed to the inside of the drive unit. The cartridge includes a unlock member that unlocks the close state of the shutter in cooperation with the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi Maxwell, Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsusuki Shimazaki, Shiro Hayashi, Satoshi Yamagata
  • Patent number: 7023662
    Abstract: A disk cartridge comprising a flat housing and a recording disk medium. The flat housing is constructed of upper and lower metal shells, and the recording disk medium is rotatably enclosed within the housing. The housing is assembled by mechanically linking the circumferential edge portions of the upper and lower shells together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumihito Imai, Hideaki Shiga, Akihisa Kusayanagi
  • Patent number: 7017170
    Abstract: The present invention is relative to a disc cartridge in which an optical disc (3), an inner shell (4) and shutter members (5a), (5b) are housed in a main cartridge body unit (2), formed by abutting and combining upper and lower shells (6), (7), and in which the inner shell is run in rotation to cause the shutter members (5a), (5b) to open or close an aperture (24) provided in the main cartridge body unit (2). On an inner side of the peripheral wall sections of the upper and lower shells, abutted to each other, a crank-shaped dust intrusion prohibiting unit (21A) is provided for prohibiting intrusion of dust and dirt from the abutting surfaces of the peripheral wall sections of the upper and lower shells towards the optical disc housed in the main cartridge body unit to protect the optical disc housed in the main cartridge body unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yuji Iwaki, Shuichi Kikuchi, Teiko Hoshi, Naoki Inoue, Manabu Obata, Mitsuyoshi Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 7016153
    Abstract: A magnetic disk cartridge comprising a magnetic disk medium, a casing for rotatably housing the magnetic disk medium, and dust-removing liners fixed on the inner surfaces of the casing which face both sides of the magnetic disk medium. Each of the liners has an outer circumferential portion that is not fixed on the inner surface of the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Harumi Aoishi, Fumihito Imai, Hideaki Shiga
  • Patent number: 7010800
    Abstract: A disc cartridge accommodating an optical disc in a cartridge body. The disc cartridge includes a cartridge body formed by mating and joining upper and lower halves mated together. A plurality of fusing portions for mating and fusing the upper and lower halves are provided at positions corresponding to recess portions for accommodating an optical disc. Each fusing portion is provided with a mating projection formed at one of the upper and lower halves and a mating projection formed at the other of the upper and lower halves. A plurality of mating projections formed at either half comprise mating projections having projections for fusing annularly and continuously formed over the entire circumference of the end surfaces to be mated to the mating projections of the other half and mating projections having projections for fusing formed in the form of an arc in one part of the end surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2006
    Inventors: Daiki Kobayashi, Takatsugu Funawatari, Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7007292
    Abstract: A disk cartridge device includes first and second disk cartridges of different sizes for housing therein disks of different disk diameters and a cassette compartment onto which the first and second disk cartridges are selectively loaded, the cassette compartment including a pair of positioning pins having height-deciding bases for properly placing the first disk cartridge and a pair of positioning pins having height-deciding bases for properly placing the second disk cartridge, wherein the first disk cartridge has stepped escape holes formed on its lower surface to enable itself to escape from the positioning pins by which the second disk cartridge is properly positioned in the loading state when positioning holes of the first disk cartridge are properly fitted into positioning pins and the height is properly decided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yotaro Sanada, Yoshio Kusui, Naohiro Netsu
  • Patent number: 7003788
    Abstract: A disc cartridge housing a disc-shaped recording medium in a main cartridge body portion is disclosed. The disc cartridge includes a main cartridge body portion having a circular medium housing section for rotationally housing a disc-shaped recording medium, a recording and/or reproducing opening for exposing at least a portion of the disc-shaped recording medium to outside and a driving opening for allowing intrusion of a rotating driving unit adapted for rotationally driving the disc-shaped recording medium. The disc cartridge also includes a shutter mechanism having a shutter member rotated along the major surface of the main cartridge body unit in a region provided with the medium housing section to open/close the recording and/or reproducing opening and a plurality of cartridge supporting portions at plural corner regions of larger area outside a region provided with the medium housing section of the main cartridge body unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro Shiomi, Takuya Niitsu
  • Patent number: 6994029
    Abstract: A magnetic transfer method which superposes on a magnetic disk surface a magnetic transfer master disk (2) on which a magnetic film is formed so as to have an array pattern shape corresponding to a preset information signal, and magnetizes the magnetic film on the master disk (2) to thereby magnetic-transfer-record the array pattern of the information signal on the master disk (2) onto the magnetic disk as the magnetized pattern of the information signal, the method characterized by comprising a step of contacting/separating to/from a dummy disk (1) the magnetic film-formed surface of the master disk (2) to thereby clean the master disk (2), and a step of superposing, after the cleaning, the master disk (2) on the magnetic disk for magnetic transfer recording; and a magnetic transfer device for the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideyuki Hashi, Taizo Hamada, Toshio Makabe, Kiyokazu Toma, Tatsuaki Ishida, Yasuaki Ban, Keizo Miyata
  • Patent number: 6992859
    Abstract: A magnetic disk cartridge comprising a magnetic disk medium, a casing for rotatably housing the magnetic disk medium, and liners mounted on the inner surfaces of the casing that face both sides of the magnetic disk medium. Each liner is provided with a portion protruding toward the magnetic disk medium, and an adhesive portion adjacent to the protruding portion and formed at a position lower than the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Shiga, Kiyoo Morita, Harumi Aoishi
  • Patent number: 6985331
    Abstract: A magnetic disk cartridge capable of being loaded into a disk drive comprises a housing, and a magnetic disk, which is accommodated for rotation within the housing. The housing is provided with an opening, which allows a magnetic head of the disk drive to access a surface of the magnetic disk, and a shutter for opening and closing the opening. The housing has an outer peripheral shape composed of a circular arc, which is formed along a contour of the magnetic disk, and two straight lines, which are circumscribed with the circular arc formed along the contour of the magnetic disk and are normal to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kengo Oishi, Go Shirouzu
  • Patent number: 6983477
    Abstract: A disc cartridge according to the present invention includes a cartridge body and a shutter. The cartridge body includes a disc storage portion, a chucking opening and a head opening. The disc storage portion stores a disc, having first and second sides, therein so that the disc is rotatable in the disc storage portion. The shutter is supported to, and movable with respect to, the cartridge body between the disc and the bottom of the disc storage portion so as to expose or cover the chucking opening and the head opening. The shutter also includes a convex portion that is provided for the shutter so as to protrude into a center hole of the disc while the shutter covers the chucking opening and the head opening. When the shutter is going to be opened, the convex portion lifts the disc in a thickness direction of the cartridge while contacting with the second side of the disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruyuki Takizawa, Yoshito Sazi, Kuniko Nakata, Hironori Okazawa
  • Patent number: 6980397
    Abstract: In order to improve quality of recording/reproducing signals by preventing degradation of the quality of the recording/reproducing signals due to vibration transmitted from the exterior of a disk cartridge which contains a discoid medium, the disk cartridge performs the following: reference pins are inserted into reference pin insertion entrances and located on the lower side of a housing. These reference pins press the housing onto a reference plate, and the disk cartridge is placed in a recording/reproducing device. Vibration damping members are provided at portions in contact with the reference pins. These vibration damping members are rendered to absorb the vibration transmitted from the exterior of the cartridge through the reference pins. By preventing the discoid media from vibrating in the vicinity of an opening portion, the quality of the recording/reproducing signals are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Oishi
  • Patent number: 6967817
    Abstract: A recording medium cartridge is provided with a cartridge medium and cartridge memory in a cartridge case composed by being divided into two halves, in which the cartridge memory has a fragile part partially formed therein, one side bordered on the fragile part is firmly fixed to one of the two halves, and the other side is firmly fixed to the other of the two halves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Takahisa Izumida
  • Patent number: 6965497
    Abstract: An information recording medium cartridge is provided with a disc, a cartridge casing having the disc accommodated therein, first and second shutters movably mounted to the cartridge casing for opening and closing recording and/or reproducing openings arranged in right and reverse sides thereof. First and second slide members having the first and second shutters are mounted on the shutters. First and second shutter plates are provided with a shutter main body that overlaps the right side or the reverse side of the cartridge casing to open and close the opening and a slide-member mounting portion for mounting the first and second slide portions to the shutter main body at an end. The slide-member mounting portion is provided with an engaging claw, wherein when mounting the first and second slide portions, the engaging claw is engaged with a claw engagement provided to the slide portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daiki Kobayashi, Hideyo Ishikawa, Hiroshige Takakuwa
  • Patent number: 6964059
    Abstract: A disc cartridge accommodating an optical disc in a cartridge body. The disc cartridge includes a cartridge body formed by mating and joining upper and lower halves mated together. A plurality of fusing portions for mating and fusing the upper and lower halves are provided at positions corresponding to recess portions for accommodating an optical disc. Each fusing portion is provided with a mating projection formed at one of the upper and lower halves and a mating projection formed at the other of the upper and lower halves. A plurality of mating projections formed at either half comprise mating projections having projections for fusing annularly and continuously formed over the entire circumference of the end surfaces to be mated to the mating projections of the other half and mating projections having projections for fusing formed in the form of an arc in one part of the end surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daiki Kobayashi, Takatsugu Funawatari, Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6952327
    Abstract: A disk cartridge in which a disk is loaded is formed with composite synthetic resin including at least two types of thermoplastic resin, an anti-static polymer, and an inorganic filler, heat-deforming temperatures of at least two types of the thermoplastic resin mutually differing. The disk cartridge is provided by a method comprising the steps of mixing at least two types of thermoplastic resin to provide a mixture, heat-deforming temperatures of at least two types of the thermoplastic resin mutually differing, mixing an inorganic filler with a mixture of at least two types of the thermoplastic resin, mixing an anti-static polymer with the mixture of at least two types of the thermoplastic resin including the inorganic filler to provide a composite synthetic resin, injection molding the composite synthetic resin to provide component parts of the disk cartridge, and assembling the component parts to form the disk cartridge with the disk loaded therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Kikuchi, Daiki Kobayashi, Kenji Ogisu
  • Patent number: 6934962
    Abstract: An information recording medium cartridge with a disc, a cartridge casing having the disc accommodated therein, and a shutter slidably mounted to the cartridge casing. The shutter has a first shutter plate for opening and closing a recording and/or reproducing opening of the cartridge casing and a second shutter plate for opening and closing the recording and/or reproducing opening on another side. The first and second shutter plates are independently movable between first and second positions for closing and opening the recording and/or reproducing openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daiki Kobayashi, Hideyo Ishikawa, Hiroshige Takakuwa
  • Patent number: 6925648
    Abstract: A disc cartridge accommodating an optical disc in a cartridge body. This disc cartridge is provided with a cartridge body formed by mating and joining a pair of upper and lower halves formed at the circumferential edges with rising circumferential walls which are mated to each other to constitute the circumferential side walls and, at the same time, formed at facing inner surfaces with walls for forming the accommodating portion which are mated to each other to constitute the disc accommodating portion in which the optical disc is accommodated. This cartridge body is provided with openings for recording and reproduction and a shutter member for opening and closing these openings. On the two sides of the cartridge body on the lower half from the front side toward the middle toward the back side are provided recess portions for preventing erroneous loading. A plurality of fusing portions for mating and fusing the upper and lower halves are provided at positions corresponding to these recess portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Daiki Kobayashi, Takatsugu Funawatari, Kenji Takahashi
  • Patent number: 6922312
    Abstract: A magnetic disk cartridge comprising a housing in which a magnetic disk is rotatably housed. The housing has upper and lower openings through which magnetic heads provided in a disk drive are positioned over both sides of the magnetic disk. The magnetic disk cartridge further comprises upper and lower shutters for exposing both sides of the magnetic disk through the upper and lower openings. The housing comprises a lower shell, and an upper shell which is fitted inside the lower shell from above. All components are assembled into the magnetic disk cartridge while being stacked within the lower shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Oishi
  • Patent number: 6917494
    Abstract: A disk cartridge is provided which, with a small number of parts, can reduce manufacturing costs and facilitate assembly. In particular, the disk cartridge can be assembled easily even if a disk medium is small-sized. Case members of a same configuration are superposed together so as to form a case. Shutter members of a same configuration are disposed so as to correspond to openings of the case members. A lock member and a spring member are provided in common for the two shutter members. The case members of the same configuration and the shutter members of the same configuration are used, and only one lock member and only one spring member are provided. Thus, a number of parts can be reduced, manufacturing costs can be reduced, and assembly can be facilitated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kengo Oishi
  • Patent number: RE38848
    Abstract: A cartridge for housing a recording medium therein. The cartridge includes a cartridge body configured such that a signal recording apparatus can record a signal onto the recording medium when the cartridge is loaded in the signal recording apparatus. The cartridge also includes an opening in the cartridge body for removing the recording medium from the cartridge body, and a cover covering the opening. An indicator on the cartridge body indicates whether the cover has ever been opened or removed from the cartridge body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ichiro Kawamura, Ryoichi Imanaka, Yoshikazu Goto
  • Patent number: RE38997
    Abstract: In a small and thin memory module for sharing data among electronic devices such as information processing apparatuses, a write prohibit state can be visually recognized. A conductive seal is attached to a predetermined position on a support member, thereby setting the memory module in the write prohibit state. The conductive seal visually indicates the write prohibit state. When the memory module is mounted in a connector section of a card-shaped holder, connector pins are electrically connected to each other via the conductive seal. That, a write prohibit mechanism is realized at low cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Hiroshi Iwasaki