Abstract: A disk cartridge includes: a pair of disk housing portions, housing a disk entirely when put together; a supporting base member with a disk housing rotating and supporting portion for rotating and supporting the housing portions to open or shut a window to the disk such that the disk gets chucked externally, and a head can access the disk and read and write information from/on the storage layer thereof, though the window; and a locking unit including a pair of locking lever portions to keep the housing portions closed from rotating and a locking lever supporting portion supporting the lever portions rotatably and attached to the base member, wherein the pair of disk housing portions open the window wide enough to remove the disk while the lock unit is not inserted into the supporting base member, and contact with the lock unit and have their angle of rotation limited while the lock unit is inserted into the supporting base member, thereby controlling the size of the window such that the disk is unremovable.

Abstract: A disc cartridge accommodating a photon mode optical information recording medium is provided with a disc case having an opening section, and a shutter movably disposed between a closing position to close the opening section and an opening position to open the opening section. The disc case includes a light path bending portion for bending a clearance between the shutter at the closing position and the disc case at least at two points. Stray light propagating in the clearance between the disc case and the shutter is bent at least at two points.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a cartridge for an optical data storage disc includes attaching a plastic shell and a sheet metal cover plate. The shell includes lateral walls and a floor that together define a disc cavity and a plurality of assembly posts. The sheet metal cover plate includes a plurality of holes. To attach the cover plate to the shell, the assembly posts are inserted into the holes, and the ends of the assembly posts are heated to form mushroom caps which hold the cover plate against the shell. The optical disc is housed in the disc cavity, with the data side of the disc facing the cover plate. A sheet metal shutter is wrapped around an edge of the cartridge and over the shell and cover plate.

Abstract: A system for recording/reproducing a photosensitive recording medium, comprising: a photosensitive recording medium cartridge including a cartridge body, a shutter, and a lock mechanism as defined herein; and a recording/reproducing device including a housing, an insertion port shutter, an unlock mechanism, and a shutter opening mechanism as defined herein.

Abstract: A cartridge 2 receiving a photosensitive recording disc 4 therein including: a cartridge body 11 having inner openings 18 and 19 exposing part of the recording disc 4 to the outside; a light-shield plate 12 attached to the outside of the cartridge body 11 and having outer openings 14 and 15 which face the inner openings 18 and 19; and a shutter 13 opening/closing the inner openings 18 and 19 and the outer openings 14 and 15 between the cartridge body 11 and the light-shield plate 12; wherein recesses 25e and 26e for inserting end edges 12d of the outer circumference of the light-shield plate 12 are provided in light-shield plate attachment surfaces 25a and 26a of the cartridge body 11 so that when the end edges 12d are inserted into the recesses 25e and 26e and attached to the cartridge body 11, a labyrinth-shaped light-shielding structure is formed.

Abstract: A disc cartridge comprises a rotary member (25) that is held on first and second shutters in a disc storage unit in which a disc is stored with a first surface externally exposed from a disc opening and that is engaged with the first and second shutters so that the first and second shutters are opened and closed as the disc rotates within the disk storage unit, wherein the rotary member has a disc receiving portion comprising a contact area (25n) that comes into contact with the periphery of a second surface of the disc and receives the disc when the first and second shutters are closed state and a groove (25p) provided outside the contact area.

Abstract: A photosensitive recording medium cartridge comprising: a photosensitive recording medium; a cartridge body including a disc storage portion where the photosensitive recording medium is received rotatably, an opening portion formed in a side surface of the cartridge body in an insertion direction, shutter slide surfaces offset inward and formed in an outer surface of the cartridge body so as to be connected to the opening portion-side side surface, and an inner opening for exposing a center and a recording surface of the photosensitive recording medium to the outside; a shutter as defined herein; and a lid fixed to the side surface of the cartridge body so as to close the opening portion, wherein the shutter is attached to the shutter slide surfaces while the movement of the shutter is limited by the lid and first step portions formed in boundaries between the shutter slide surfaces and the outer surface.

Abstract: A cartridge for an optical data storage disc includes a monolithic shell and a sheet metal cover plate. The shell includes lateral walls and a floor that together define a cavity that holds an optical data storage disc. The cover plate is attached to the shell, with the cover plate abutting the top surfaces of the lateral walls of the shell. The optical disc is housed in the disc cavity, with the data side of the disc facing the cover plate. A sheet metal shutter is wrapped around an edge of the cartridge and is slideable between an open position, wherein a portion of the optical disc is exposed through a shutter window in the cover plate and a closed position wherein the shutter overlies the shutter window. The cartridge is very strong and is easy to fabricate. The use of sheet metal next to the data side of the optical disc allows the data on the disc to be read or recorded with a very short wavelength laser.

Abstract: A disc cartridge including a cartridge body and a disc housed therein. The cartridge body has an aperture exposing part of the disc and a shutter to open and close the aperture. The shutter has a connecting arm extending from one side. An elastic moving piece extends along the connecting arm with the base end fixed to the free end of the connecting arm. The base end of the shutter has a movement guide piece with a window through which a pressing piece projects. A shutter movement limiting member pivots on the shutter to limit the shutter from opening when the aperture is closed by engaging an engagement portion on a movement limiter provided on the cartridge body. The shutter movement limiting member further pivots with the elastic moving piece to disengage the engagement portion from the movement limiter when a force is applied to the pressing piece.

Abstract: A disk cartridge is provided which houses an optical disk rotatably. It includes a cartridge body having formed therein a head opening through which a part of the optical disk is exposed to outside, and a shutter member supported movably on the cartridge body to uncover and cover the head opening. A first concavity is formed on a side of the cartridge body over which the shutter member slides and in a region opposite to a region where the shutter member is moved, across the head opening, a bent portion is formed along one lateral side of the shutter member to close a gap resulted between the shutter member and first concavity when the shutter member has been moved to a position to cover the head opening, and a second concavity deeper than the first concavity is formed at a part of the first concavity, adjacent to the head opening.

Abstract: To prevent erroneous insertion of a recording medium cartridge into a holder in a recording medium drive device simply and without causing a sharp rise of price of the recording medium drive device. A shutter opening piece (32c) for sliding a shutter (110) supported upon a case (101) of a recording medium cartridge (100) to open a light transparent hole (101h) is provided in a holder (8) in a recording medium drive device (6), when the recording medium cartridge (100) is normally inserted into the holder (8), the shutter (110) is slid by the shutter opening piece (32c) to open the light transparent hole (101h), and when the recording medium cartridge (100) is inserted into the holder (8) in an erroneous direction, the opening edge of a function expansion groove (104) of the case (10) contacts the shutter opening piece (32c) to prevent erroneous insertion of the recording medium cartridge (100) into the holder (8).

Abstract: An optical disc cartridge of the present invention includes: a casing provided with a disc inserting/opening part for inserting/taking out a disc thereinto/therefrom at an upper surface thereof and an access hole which an optical pickup approaches at a lower surface thereof; a pair of shutters mounted in the casing and opening/closing the access hole and fixing the optical disc; a rotary wheel rotatably positioned on the shutters and moving the shutters; a wheel fixing/releasing means mounted at one side in the casing and fixing/releasing the rotary wheel; and a disc fixing/releasing means movably mounted at the casing and limiting inserting/taking out the disc into/from the disc inserting/opening part by adjusting a size of the disc inserting/opening part.

Abstract: A disk cartridge, which is easy to handle, is provided. The disk cartridge includes a cartridge main body having: an opening facing a disk; and a shutter for opening and closing the opening. A part of the cartridge main body is formed in an approximately semicircular shape. Such a shape allows a user to easily know an insertion direction. Moreover, since the cartridge main body does not have any corners, the insertion into a drive device is simplified. The shutter is provided pivotably for the cartridge main body. Any one of a plurality of types of medium can be provided in the disk cartridge. When the disk cartridge is inserted into an external device such as the drive device, the device receives a signal indicating the type of medium, which is transmitted through an electric terminal, so as to perform a process in accordance with the type of medium.

Abstract: A cartridge main body formed by aligning and bonding a pair of an upper half and a lower half rotatably contains an optical disc. The cartridge main body is provided on one of the opposite surfaces thereof with a central aperture, which is a drive aperture for receiving a drive means for driving the optical disc to turn, and a head receiving aperture, which is a recording and/or reproduction aperture for receiving a recording and/or reproduction means. A shutter member is fitted to the cartridge main body. The shutter member has a shutter section for exposing and closing the heard receiving aperture and is adapted to move to expose and close the head receiving aperture while it is supported at the base thereof within a range of one of the lateral sides thereof that is perpendicular to the above mentioned surface of the cartridge main body.

Abstract: A disc cartridge of the present invention is provided with a protrusion section on a shutter sliding surface so as to surround at least part of an opening. Moreover, a shutter for opening and closing the opening is provided with a shielding section for covering the opening and the protrusion section and a sliding surface for sliding on a shutter sliding surface during opening and closing operations of the shutter.

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.

Abstract: A light shield plate 12 having outer openings 14 and 15 is fixed to the outside of a cartridge body 11 in which inner openings 18 and 19 for exposing a photosensitive recording medium 4 to the outside are formed. A shutter 13 for opening and closing the inner openings 18 and 19 is incorporated movably between the cartridge body 11 and the light shield plate 12. Closing-side ends 55e and 55f of the shutter 13 and shutter-closing-side edges 18a and 19a of the inner openings 18 and 19 and/or shutter-closing-side edges 14a and 15a of the outer openings 14 and 15 are inclined from each other.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a cartridge body unit having an optical disc (2) rotatably housed in it and provided with a recording and/or reproducing aperture (13) for exposing a part of the disc to outside, and a shutter member (15) slidably carried by the cartridge body member (5). A shutter opening/closing member (63) provided to a disc drive device (50) slides on the shutter member. The shutter member also includes an engagement opening (17a) engaged by the shutter opening/closing member. The shutter member operates for opening/closing the recording and/or reproducing aperture. The shutter member includes a collision buffering part (20) for absorbing the shock of collision against the shutter opening/closing member.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a cartridge main body composed of a lower shell, in which a first opening that enables disc access for a disc-like recording medium in a housed state is formed, and an upper shell, a disc tray that is rotatably provided inside the cartridge main body and formed so that the recording medium can be mounted thereon, and a single shutter member disposed between the lower shell and the disc tray. A second opening, which enables disc access for the recording medium when the second opening overlaps the first opening in a thickness direction of the disc cartridge, is formed in the disc tray. The disc tray closes part of the first opening in a restricted state where the disc access is restricted, and is capable of opening the part of the first opening in a disc access state by being rotated inside the cartridge main body and causing the shutter member to slide.

Abstract: A disc drive according to the present invention is adapted to a disk cartridge including: a disk; a body to contain the disk; a window provided for the body to allow a data reading and/or writing head to access the disk; a shutter for opening or closing the window; and a rotational member including a gear as a part of its outer periphery and rotating to open or close the shutter. The drive includes a shutter driving mechanism for opening and closing the shutter by rotating the rotational member of the disk cartridge, and the shutter driving mechanism includes a driving gear, which engages with the gear of the rotational member and which turns around a first rotation shaft. The first rotation shaft swings around the center of rotation of the rotational member of the disk cartridge that is held on the holding portion.

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.

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.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes: a disc storage portion; first and second shutters provided on the bottom of the disc storage portion; and a rotational member interlocked with the shutters and having a disc supporting portion to support the disc thereon while the shutters are closed and a notch to be located inside a head opening while the shutters are opened. The shutters include disc holders for holding the disc thereon with the center of the disc offset from that of the disc storage portion such that an outer side surface of the disc contacts with the sidewall of the disc storage portion at a position where the notch is located while the shutters are closed. The inner circumference of a region, where the disc supporting portion contacts with the second side of the disc, defines a circle that has its center offset from the center of the disc storage portion.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a shutter unit having an outer shutter and inner shutters to open and shut apertures on the disc cartridge. The outer shutter opens one of the inner shutters corresponding to a side of the disc cartridge being accessed by a pickup. Accordingly, the overall area of the apertures exposed to the exterior during information recording and reproducing operations is reduced. Accordingly, dust is less likely to enter into the disc cartridge.

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.

Abstract: A shutter opening/closing member of a drive device, which slides a shutter and opens and closes a window portion, does not interfere with a recording/playback head. A shutter operation portion extends, in a sliding direction of the shutter, from a main body portion of the shutter which moves at a region of the window portion. When a disk cartridge is inserted into the drive device, a shutter opening/closing pin member of the drive device operates the shutter operation portion and makes the shutter slide. Both when the shutter has closed the window portion and when the shutter has opened the window portion, the shutter operation portion is positioned outside of the region of the window portion. Thus, the shutter opening/closing pin does not encroach on the region of the window portion, and does not interfere with the recording/playback head.

Abstract: A metal shutter for use with a disc cartridge, has a following structure. A screen portion of the shutter is formed on an outside surface thereof with an indication area. The indication area includes a stamped rough surface part which is configured to constitute a given pattern. The screen portion is formed, on an inside surface thereof at a portion corresponding to the indication area, with another stamped rough surface area.

Abstract: A disk cartridge includes a case, substantially rectangular in shape, provided with a disk-shaped rotatable recording medium therein, the case including a plurality of windows through which the recording medium is exposed and a recording or reproducing head is inserted when recording or reproducing, and shutters provided for the plurality of windows respectively, that are capable of opening and closing so as to cover the plurality of windows when recording or reproducing is not performed, a first window and a second window of the plurality of windows being formed on one surface, and a width of the first window in an opening and closing direction of the shutters being wider than that of the second window. With this arrangement, it is possible to provide a disk cartridge capable of adopting for both a driving device for a small-sized disk and a driving device for a large-sized disk.

Abstract: A cartridge assembly for a data storage disk includes a housing for containing the data storage disk. The housing defines an opening for exposing at least a portion of the data storage disk. A shutter is supported by the housing, the shutter being movable between open and closed positions for uncovering the opening in the housing and covering the opening in the housing. A shutter keeper is formed as one-piece with the housing, for covering at least a portion of the shutter to retain the shutter with respect to the housing. A method of making a cartridge assembly for a data storage disk includes molding a cartridge shell, the molded cartridge shell being one-piece with an outwardly projecting keeper, placing a shutter in association with the cartridge shell, the shutter being slidable between open and closed positions for exposing and covering at least a portion of the data storage disk, and moving the keeper over at least a portion of the shutter to retain the shutter in association with the cartridge shell.

Abstract: A shutter mechanism is provided at an access opening in a portable data storage cartridge. Clamshell shutters meet at a common junction in the access opening. Actuation paddles positioned at the clamshell shutters are arranged to, when engaged by actuation pins, pivot the respective clamshell shutters in opposite directions away from the common junction, to expose the access opening. The clamshell shutters are mounted such that, when pivoted away from the common junction, each clamshell shutter remains within the cartridge housing.

Abstract: A disc cartridge includes a cartridge main body composed of a lower shell, in which a first opening that enables disc access for a disc-like recording medium in a housed state is formed, and an upper shell, a disc tray that is rotatably provided inside the cartridge main body and formed so that the recording medium can be mounted thereon, and a single shutter member disposed between the lower shell and the disc tray. A second opening, which enables disc access for the recording medium when the second opening overlaps the first opening in a thickness direction of the disc cartridge, is formed in the disc tray. The disc tray closes part of the first opening in a restricted state where the disc access is restricted, and is capable of opening the part of the first opening in a disc access state by being rotated inside the cartridge main body and causing the shutter member to slide.