JP2002093098A - Disk cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a disk cartridge which can be effectively downsized while assuring adequate functions. SOLUTION: A cartridge body is opened with an aperture 1d to allow the insertion and removal of a spindle motor of a disk device and the exposure of the signal surface of the disk housed therein and is provided with a shutter 8 sliding to open and close this aperture. The shutter 8 is formed to flare toward the central part of a cartridge body. A recessed part 1e for sliding of the shutter 8 is disposed in correspondence to the shutter shape. A prescribed function part is disposed between the recessed part 1e and a peripheral edge 1g of the cartridge body perpendicular to the sliding direction of the shutter 8. The function part includes any among a positioning hole 11a, a height reference plane 13 and a means 12 to be detected of information or their assembly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk cartridge containing a disk-shaped recording medium such as an optical disk, a magnetic disk, and a magneto-optical disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an optical disk device for optically recording or reproducing signals for an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk, the disk is housed in a flat cartridge body as shown in FIG. 6, for example. A disk cartridge is used.

FIG. 6A shows the back side of the cartridge, FIG.
(B) shows the front side of the cartridge. In the figure, an opening 101a for exposing a signal surface of a disk 102 and an opening 101b for inserting a spindle motor for rotating and driving the disk 102 in a disk cartridge are opened in the cartridge body 101, A shutter 103 for opening and closing the opening 101a is slidably mounted. Inside the cartridge main body 101, a lock mechanism for locking the shutter at the shutter closing position is arranged. Also, a disk cartridge is recorded on the back of the cartridge body 101.
First positioning hole 104a for positioning at the reproduction position
And a second positioning hole 104b is recessed. Reference numeral 106 denotes a clamping plate for mounting a disk on a spindle (not shown).

[0004] The shutter 103 of the disk cartridge is normally locked at its closed position by a lock mechanism. Further, with the operation of inserting the disk cartridge in the direction of arrow A shown in the figure, the lock mechanism is released by a lock release mechanism (not shown) provided in the disk device. Further, when the disk cartridge 101 is pushed into the disk device, the shutter 103 can be pushed open in the process.

The shutter 103a on the back side of the disk cartridge body 101 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and has both an opening 101a for exposing the signal surface of the disk 102 and an opening 101b for inserting the spindle motor.
It can be opened and closed with a single shutter. The cartridge body 101 is provided with a recess 105 that is recessed one step lower than the maximum thickness in a portion where the shutter 103 slides.
Thus, the shutter does not protrude from the maximum thickness of the cartridge.

[0006]

By the way, in response to recent demands for downsizing of disk devices, high recording density and small diameter of disk cartridges have been achieved. However, there is a limit to the miniaturization of the disk cartridge as shown in FIG.

In other words, the outer shape of the cartridge is reduced as the diameter of the disk is reduced in the conventional shape in FIG. In this case, if there is almost no change in the size of the opening, the amount of movement of the shutter required for opening and closing the opening does not change, and there is no room between the shutter and the outer shape of the cartridge body at the shutter opening position. As it is, it becomes impossible to provide a positioning hole as in the conventional example. In order to ensure that the disk and the spindle are clamped securely, the clamping plate 10
There is a limit to the size reduction of 6. Therefore, even if the diameter of the disk is reduced, it is difficult to reduce the size of the opening 101b.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a disk cartridge that can be effectively reduced in size while guaranteeing proper functions.

[0009]

A disk cartridge according to the present invention has a first opening for inserting and removing a spindle motor of a disk drive into and from a cartridge body, and a second opening for exposing a signal surface of a stored disk. 2. A disk cartridge provided with a second opening and having a shutter slidable to open and close the opening, wherein the shutter comprises a wide portion closing the first opening and the second opening. A narrow portion for closing the portion, and a portion on the cartridge body between the narrow portion of the shutter and the periphery of the car and the ridge body perpendicular to the sliding direction of the shutter when the shutter is open. A predetermined functional unit is provided in the region of (1).

Further, in the disk cartridge according to the present invention, the functional portion includes any one of a positioning portion, a height reference surface, and a detection hand portion, or a combination thereof.

Further, in the disk cartridge according to the present invention, the narrow portion of the shutter is formed in parallel with a peripheral edge of the cartridge body.

Further, in the disk cartridge according to the present invention, the shutter slides in a direction in which the cartridge body is inserted into the disk device.

[0013]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a disk cartridge according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of the disk cartridge of the present invention. This shows a state where the disk cartridge is mounted on the disk device. In FIG. 1, the disc cartridge 1 has a structure in which a disc cartridge upper cover 1a and a disc cartridge lower cover 1b are overlapped. The pair of upper and lower cartridges 1a and 1b constitute a disk cartridge body. A disk-shaped recording medium (hereinafter, referred to as a disk) 2 is accommodated therein.

A center hole 2a is formed in the center of the disk 2, and a clamping plate 3 made of a magnetic material such as a soft magnetic material is loosely attached to the disk 2 above the center hole 2a. The disk 2 of the disk cartridge 1 is magnetically held on a turntable 4 via a holder (not shown) of the disk device. The turntable 4 is formed on a rotor of a spindle motor 5 for rotating the disk 2, and a magnet 6 is arranged at the center of the turntable 4. In the figure, reference numeral 7 denotes a spindle motor 5
Of the stator. When the disk 2 is magnetically held on the turntable 4, the conical inclined surface of the turntable 4 abuts the center hole 2 a of the disk 2, and the clamping plate 3 is attracted downward by the attraction force of the magnet 6, The disk 2 is configured to be securely supported on the disk support surface.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the disk cartridge of FIG. 2A is a perspective view from the front side, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view from the back side. In FIG. 2, an opening 1c for inserting a recording magnetic head (not shown) is formed in a disk cartridge upper lid 1a, and a spindle motor and an optical pickup (not shown) are inserted in a cartridge lower lid 1b. Opening 1d is formed. These openings 1c and 1d are opened by the shutter 8 when the disk cartridge 1 is mounted on a disk device (not shown), and closed when the disk cartridge 1 is removed from the device.

FIG. 2 shows a state where the shutter is opened. The shutter 8 is configured to be openable and closable along the slide groove 9. That is, the disk cartridge 1
Is mounted on the disk device, the shutter 8 is slid open by the opening operation by an opening / closing mechanism (not shown) provided on the disk device side. Disk cartridge 1
Is taken out of the disk drive, the shutter 8 slides and closes with the take-out operation. When the shutter 8 is opened, an opening 1c is exposed on the front side of the disk cartridge 1, and the disk substrate 2 is exposed.
Similarly, on the back side of the disk cartridge 1, the opening 1d is exposed, and the disk substrate 2 and the center hole 2a of the disk are exposed.

In FIG. 2A, the cartridge upper lid 1a
Is provided with a label sticking section 10. FIG. 2 (b)
In the cartridge lower lid 1b, a positioning reference hole 1 is provided.
A predetermined functional unit including 1a, 11b, a detecting unit 12, a height reference plane 13, and the like is provided. The detection unit 12 is used to determine whether information can be written or not, to determine the type of a disk medium, and the like. In the present embodiment, the opening and closing of the hole is used, and information on the disk 2 can be detected by detecting means (not shown) such as a push switch provided in the disk device.

Further, in FIG. 13, reference numeral 13 (cross-hatched portion) is a height reference plane of the disk cartridge. When the disk cartridge 1 is mounted on the disk device, the height reference surface 13 abuts on a height reference pin (not shown) provided on a chassis of the disk device, and raises the disk cartridge 1 to a predetermined height. It can be mounted in the position.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the disk cartridge 1 shown in FIG. In this case, shutter 8
Indicates a closed state. FIG. 3A shows the front side, and FIG.
(B) is a perspective view from the back side. The opening 1 c on the front side and the opening 1 d on the back side are closed by the shutter 8.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the back surface of the disk cartridge of the present invention. The shutter 8 has a narrow parallel portion (narrow portion) 8a and a tip portion (wide portion) 8 wider than the parallel portion 8a.
b, that is, it is formed to expand toward the center of the cartridge body. Corresponding to the shape, a concave portion 1e for sliding the shutter 8 is formed in the cartridge lower lid 1b so as to expand toward the center of the cartridge from a side 1f parallel to the cartridge insertion direction (the direction of arrow A in the drawing). Have been.

A positioning reference hole 11a is provided in a region 14 (hatched portion) surrounded by a side 1g and a concave portion 1e perpendicular to the cartridge insertion direction, that is, the shutter sliding direction. Here, the shutter tip 8b needs a width B to close the opening 1d, and a sliding amount C of the shutter 8 is needed to open the opening 1d. In this case, assuming that all shutter widths are substantially rectangular with a width B,
It is necessary to extend the concave portion 1e to the inside of the area 14 when sliding by the slide amount C. Then, it becomes impossible to provide the positioning hole 11a as it is.

In this embodiment, the narrow parallel portion 8 of the shutter
The width of the shutter is set to be different between "a" and the wide end portion 8b, that is, the shape of the concave portion 1e is widened corresponding to the end portion 8b. Thereby, the positioning reference hole 11a can be provided in the region 14 surrounded by the side 1g and the recess 1e perpendicular to the cartridge insertion direction.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the cartridge according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the back side of the cartridge when the shutter 8 is closed is shown. As in the first embodiment, the side 1g perpendicular to the cartridge insertion direction and the recess 1 for the shutter 8 to slide.
There is an area 14 surrounded by e.

In this example, the area 14 is provided with the cartridge information detected means 12 and the cartridge height reference surface 13. Here, the cartridge information detection means 12 and the height reference surface 13 are provided at the same time, but they may be provided independently. In the area 14, a combination of the positioning holes 11a or 11b and the detection unit 12 is also possible.

As described above, the disk cartridge of the present invention effectively includes a positioning hole, a height reference plane, and a detection unit, or a combination thereof, as the functional unit in the area 14, thereby effectively performing the functions required for the cartridge. Guaranteed.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, in this type of disc cartridge, the shape or arrangement of the shutter for opening and closing the spindle motor opening and the recess for sliding the shutter are devised. By doing so, it is possible to effectively realize the downsizing of the cartridge corresponding to the downsizing of the disk while guaranteeing the function required for the cartridge.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a configuration of a first embodiment of a disk cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the disk cartridge of FIG. 1 in a state where a shutter is opened.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an appearance of the disc cartridge of FIG. 1 in a state where a shutter is closed.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a back surface of the disk cartridge of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a second embodiment of the disk cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a conventional disc gartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Disc cartridge 1a Disc cartridge upper lid 1b Disc cartridge lower lid 1c, 1d Opening 1e Shutter slide recess 1f One side of cartridge parallel to cartridge insertion direction 1g One side of cartridge perpendicular to cartridge insertion direction 2 Disk substrate 8 Shutter 8a Narrow parallel portion 8b Wide tip of shutter 11a, 11b Cartridge positioning reference hole 12 Cartridge information detected means 13 Cartridge height reference surface 14 Area surrounded by 1e and 1g 101 Disk cartridge 102 Disk 103 Shutter

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A first opening for inserting and removing a spindle motor of a disk drive into and from a cartridge main body, and a second opening for exposing a signal surface of a stored disk are opened. A disk cartridge having a shutter that slides to open and close the shutter, wherein the shutter is formed with a wide portion that closes the first opening and a narrow portion that closes the second opening. A predetermined functional portion is disposed in a region on the cartridge body between the narrow portion of the shutter and the peripheral edge of the ridge and the car perpendicular to the sliding direction of the shutter when the shutter is opened. A disk cartridge characterized by the above-mentioned. 2. The disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the functional unit includes one of a positioning unit, a height reference plane, and a detection hand unit, or a combination thereof. 3. The disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a narrow portion of the shutter is formed in parallel with a peripheral edge of the cartridge main body. 4. The disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the shutter slides in a direction in which the cartridge body is inserted into the disk device.