JP3159316B2 - Disk Cartridge - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a disk cartridge most suitable for using a hard disk such as a magneto-optical disk.

[Summary of the Invention]

According to the present invention, only one inner circumference of a disk-shaped recording medium such as a magneto-optical disk housed in a cartridge is provided on the inner surface of the lower half along the outer circumference of a turntable insertion hole provided in the lower half of the cartridge. In the disk cartridge configured to be mounted on the provided rib, the inner diameter of the rib provided for the first time from the turntable insertion hole toward the outer peripheral direction of the lower half is determined by the diameter of the turntable insertion hole. In addition, by forming the ribs with a plurality of protrusions arranged discontinuously so as to have a length exceeding at least a semicircle, the ribs can be easily formed with a simple configuration and the number of failures can be reduced. Regardless, the chucking performance of the disk-shaped recording medium with respect to the turntable can be improved, and Abrasion dust of is that as hard to be transferred such as on the disk height reference surface of the turntable.

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional example of a disk cartridge using a hard disk such as a magneto-optical disk, for example,
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 475.

In this conventional example, as shown in FIG. 6, a cartridge 3 is constituted by upper and lower halves 1 and 2 formed of a synthetic resin, and a hard disk 4 such as a magneto-optical disk as a disk-shaped recording medium is rotatable in the cartridge 3. Stored in. Then, a circular and shallow dish-shaped center core 5 formed of a metal plate such as stainless steel fixed to the center of the hard disk 4 is loosely fitted into a circular turntable insertion hole 6 provided substantially at the center of the lower half 2. ing. Then, along the outer periphery of the turntable insertion hole 6, the lower half 2
Only one rib 7 having a substantially semicircular shape is integrally formed on the inner surface 2a. When the disc cartridge is not used, the recording area 4a of the hard disk 4 is placed on the inner surface 2a of the lower half 2 by placing the inner circumference 4b inside the annular recording area 4a of the hard disk 4 on the rib 7. It prevents damage from contact.

When the disc cartridge was mounted on the recording / reproducing apparatus, the turntable 9 was relatively inserted into the turntable insertion hole 6 from below as shown in FIG. Spindle 10
Is inserted into the center hole 5a of the center core 5, and the inner circumference 4b of the hard disk 4 is formed on an annular horizontal disk height reference surface 11 formed on the outer circumference of the upper end of the turntable 9.
The hard disk 4 is placed horizontally on the top, and the hard disk 4 floats in the middle between the upper and lower halves 1 and 2. At the same time, the center core 5 is fitted into the recess 12 formed inside the disk height reference plane of the turntable 9, and the center magnet 5 is embedded in the recess 12. Fifteen
Is chucked to the turntable by the magnetic attraction force. At the same time, an optical head 14 serving as a recording / reproducing head is relatively inserted from below into a rectangular head insertion hole 15 provided in the lower half 2, and a recording area 4 a of the hard disk 4 is formed. Close below. The seventh
In the figure, for easy understanding, the optical head
The reference numeral 14 and the head insertion hole 15 are indicated by chain lines in a virtual state in which the head 14 is turned by 90 ° around the spindle 10.

Thereafter, the hard disk 4 is driven to rotate by the turntable 9, and the recording area 4a is scanned in the radial direction by the optical head 14 to perform desired recording and reproduction.

However, in the above-described conventional disk cartridge shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the rib 7 is formed so as to be stood directly upward from the outer peripheral end 6a of the turntable insertion hole 6, so that the inner diameter of the rib 7 is reduced. The diameter was the same as the diameter A of the table insertion hole 6, and the inside diameter was very small.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
When the disk cartridge is mounted on the recording / reproducing apparatus with the inner circumference 4b of the hard disk 4 mounted on the rib 7 and the center core 5 is chucked on the turntable 9, the maximum size of the hard disk 4 in the cartridge 3 is reduced. is the inclination angle theta ₁ is very large, there is a problem that the chucking difficult.

As shown in FIG. 7, there is almost no difference between the inner diameter of the rib 7 and the outer diameter B of the annular disk height reference surface 11 of the turntable 9, and the inner peripheral surface 7a of the rib 7 has the disk height. Since the inner circumference 4b of the hard disk 4 is repeatedly brought into contact with the ribs 7 since the outer circumference 11a of the reference surface 11 is very close to the outer circumference 11a of the reference surface 11, the shavings 16 of the ribs 7 are generated based on the disk height. It was easy to be transferred on the surface 11. As a result, when the center core 5 is chucked on the turntable 9, the inner circumference of the hard disk 4 and the disk height reference surface
Shaved powder 16 is sandwiched between 11 and hard disk 4
Of the hard disk 4 and the optical head 14, a variation occurs in the gap C between the hard disk 4 and the optical head 14, causing a recording / reproducing error or the hard disk 4 coming into contact with the optical head 14. There was a problem.

In order to solve such a problem, in the conventional disk cartridge as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 described above, the inner peripheral end of the hard disk 4 is placed on the upper half 1 side of the flange of the center core 5. So that the diameter of the core body of the center core 5 is
, The outer diameter of the rib 7 is smaller than the inner diameter of the annular recording area 4a of the hard disk 4,
The inner diameter of the rib 7 provided for the first time from the turntable insertion hole 6 toward the outer peripheral direction of the lower half 2 is configured to be larger than the diameter of the turntable insertion hole 6, and the inner circumference of the hard disk 4 is provided for the first time. It is conceivable to configure such that it is placed on the rib 7 which is located. With this configuration, the hard disk 4 can be directly chucked (in other words, accurately chucked) by the turntable 9, but the inclination of the hard disk 4 in the cartridge is extremely low. Since it can be made smaller, the chucking performance of the hard disk 4 with respect to the turntable 9 can be greatly improved, and the gap between the hard disk 4 and the optical head 14 can always be set with high accuracy. Inconveniences such as recording and reproduction errors due to the variation in the gap and contact of the hard disk 4 with the optical head 14 can be prevented.

Hereinafter, a specific example of the disk cartridge configured as described above will be described with reference to the reference examples shown in FIGS.

The same structural parts as those in the conventional example shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

1 to 4, the turntable insertion hole 6 and the head insertion hole 15 provided in the lower half 2, respectively,
Connected to each other. A rectangular magnet insertion hole 18 is formed in the upper half 1 so as to face directly above the head insertion hole 15. And the upper and lower halves 1, 2
The four corners are joined from above and below with screws 19 to form a cartridge 3, and a hard disk 4
The center core 5 of the hard disk 4 is loosely fitted in the turntable insertion hole 6.

As shown in FIG. 1, the center core 5 has a concave core body and a flange provided on the outer periphery of the core body. Surface. The diameter of the core body of the center core 5 is, as shown in FIG.
So that the inner peripheral end of the hard disk 4 can be directly chucked (in other words, accurately chucked)
It is formed sufficiently smaller than the diameter A of the turntable insertion hole 6.

The upper and lower halves 1 and 2 along one edge 3a of the cartridge 3
A slider 21 is slidably fitted in the direction of arrow a between a pair of upper and lower slide grooves 20 formed therebetween.
A U-shaped shutter 22 formed of a thin metal plate such as stainless steel is used to
The lower side 22a having a longer length and the upper side 22b having a shorter length are overlapped on the outer surfaces of the upper and lower halves 1 and 2. And shutter by slider 21
By sliding 22 in the direction of arrow a, the lower side 22
The head insertion hole 15 and the turntable insertion hole 6 are opened and closed by a, and the magnet insertion hole 18 is opened and closed by the upper side 22b. In the cartridge 3, the shutter 22 is provided with the insertion hole 15,
A torsion spring 24 is slidably biased to the closed positions 6 and 18. On the outer surface of the lower half 2, a guide rail 25 that slides and guides the tip 22a 'of the lower side 22a of the shutter 22 is fixed by bonding or the like.

In this disk cartridge, a substantially semi-circular shape (specifically, an integral shape formed of synthetic resin on the inner surface 2a of the lower half 2 along the outer periphery of the turntable insertion hole 6 (specifically,
The inner diameter D of the rib 7 having a length exceeding at least a semicircle) is configured to be sufficiently larger than the diameter A of the turntable insertion hole 6, and the outer diameter E of the rib 7 is set to the annular recording area 4 a of the hard disk 4. Is configured to be smaller than the inner diameter F.

Therefore, according to this disk cartridge, the outer diameter E of the rib 7 is changed to the inner diameter F of the recording area 4a of the hard disk 4.
As shown in FIG. 1, when the inner periphery 4b of the hard disk 4 is placed on the rib 7, the rib 7 does not cover the recording area 4a, as shown in FIG. The recording area 4a is not damaged. However, the inner diameter D of the rib 7 is changed to the diameter A of the turntable insertion hole 6.
Cartridge 3
The inclination angle theta ₂ of the hard disk 4 at the inner can be made very small. FIG. 1 shows a cross section along the horizontal direction in FIG. 4, but the cross section along the vertical direction in FIG. 4 also shows that the rib 7 has at least a semicircular shape as shown in FIG. And the disk-shaped recording medium is a hard disk 4 having a relatively high hardness, so that substantially the same effect as that shown in FIG. 1 can be obtained.

Therefore, the chucking performance when the disk cartridge is mounted on the recording / reproducing apparatus and the hard disk 4 is chucked on the turntable 9 as shown in FIG. 2 can be improved.

In addition, since the inner diameter D of the rib 7 is configured to be sufficiently larger than the diameter A of the turntable insertion hole 6, the second
As shown in the figure, the inner peripheral surface 7a of the rib 7 and the turntable 9
A sufficient distance (5 mm or more) G can be taken between the disk height reference surface 11 and the outer peripheral surface 11a.

Therefore, the shavings 16 generated by the repeated contact of the inner periphery 4b of the hard disk 4 with the ribs 7 are transferred onto the disk height reference surface 11 of the turntable 9, so that the disk height is deviated. Can be prevented as much as possible. Therefore, the gap C between the hard disk 4 and the optical head 14 can always be established with high precision, and recording and reproduction errors due to the variation of the gap C and contact of the hard disk 4 with the optical head 14 can be prevented. Inconvenience can be prevented beforehand. In FIG. 2 as well, the optical head 14 and the head insertion hole 15 are shown by dashed lines in an imaginary state where they are turned 90 ° around the spindle 10 for easy understanding.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in the disk cartridge of the reference example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 described above, since the contact area of the hard disk 4 with the rib 7 is large, the inner circumference of the hard disk 4 is
The amount of shavings generated by the ribs caused by repeated contact with the upper part is large, and the shavings that have fallen on the lower half on the inner peripheral side of the rib are blocked by the rib and cannot move to the outer peripheral side of the rib. Therefore, the shavings of the ribs are transferred onto the disk height reference surface of the turntable, and there is a possibility that the height of the hard disk 4 chucked directly on the disk height reference surface may be out of order.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to correct such a drawback, the present invention relates to a disk cartridge according to the reference example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 in which the ribs are discontinuously formed so as to have a length at least exceeding a semicircular shape. It is composed of a plurality of arranged projections.

[Action]

In the disk cartridge configured as described above, since the outer diameter of the rib is configured to be smaller than the inner diameter of the annular recording area of the disk-shaped recording medium, the inner circumference of the disk-shaped recording medium is mounted on the rib. Sometimes the rib does not cover the recording area, but the inner diameter of the rib provided for the first time from the turntable insertion hole toward the outer peripheral direction of the lower half is formed larger than the diameter of the turntable insertion hole. The inclination of the disk-shaped recording medium in the inside can be made very small. Further, a sufficient space can be provided between the inner peripheral surface of the rib and the outer peripheral surface of the disk height reference surface of the turntable. Furthermore, the contact area between the ribs of the disk-shaped recording medium can be reduced, and the shavings on the inner peripheral side of the ribs can pass through the gaps between the plurality of projections due to the air flow generated as the disk-shaped recording medium rotates. The rib can move toward the outer peripheral side.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a disk cartridge to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

The same structural parts as those in the reference example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

In FIG. 5, the reference example described above has been made except that the rib 7 is constituted by a plurality of protrusions 7b arranged in a substantially semicircular shape (specifically, at least a length shape exceeding the semicircular shape). Is substantially the same as Therefore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, since the contact area of the hard disk 4 with the rib 7 can be reduced, the rib 7 generated when the inner periphery of the hard disk 4 repeatedly contacts the rib 7 is formed. The amount of shavings can be reduced. Further, shavings and the like that have fallen on the lower half 2 on the inner peripheral side of the ribs 7 pass through the gaps between the plurality of protrusions 7b by airflow or the like generated from the inner peripheral side to the outer peripheral side due to the rotation of the hard disk 4. After being moved toward the outer peripheral side of the cartridge 3, the shavings are hardly transferred onto the disk height reference surface 11 of the turntable 9 because the shaved powder is discharged to the outside of the cartridge 3 from the head insertion hole 15 or the like.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention,
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various effective changes can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

Further, the present invention is applicable to various disk cartridges using various disk-shaped recording media other than the magneto-optical disk.

〔The invention's effect〕

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the effects described in the following items (1) to (4).

(1) The inner peripheral end of a disk-shaped recording medium recorded and reproduced by an optical head is configured to be coupled to the lower half side surface of the center core flange, and the diameter of the core body of the center core is determined by the head. Despite that the insertion hole is configured to be smaller than the diameter of the turntable insertion hole to which it is connected, the disk-shaped recording medium can be directly chucked (in other words, accurately chucked) by the turntable. In the region except for the head insertion hole on the inner surface of the lower half along the outer periphery of the turntable insertion hole, only one rib having a length exceeding at least a semicircle is provided in the annular shape of the disk-shaped recording medium. The inner diameter of the rib is configured to be larger than the diameter of the turntable insertion hole so as not to cover the recording area, so that the disc-shaped recording medium in the cartridge is Since such a can be extremely small, it is possible to significantly improve the chucking performance of the disk-shaped recording medium with respect to the turntable.

(2) A sufficient interval can be provided between the inner peripheral surface of the rib provided first from the turntable insertion hole toward the outer peripheral direction of the lower half and the outer peripheral surface of the disk height reference surface of the turntable. Therefore, the shavings of the ribs generated when the inner periphery of the disk-shaped recording medium repeatedly contacts the ribs are directly transferred to the disk height reference surface of the turntable, and directly on the disk height reference surface. It is possible to prevent the height of the disc-shaped recording medium to be chucked from being out of order. Therefore, the gap between the disc-shaped recording medium and the optical head can always be set with high accuracy, and errors such as recording and reproduction errors due to variations in the gap and contact of the disc-shaped recording medium with the optical head can be avoided. Prevention can be surely prevented.

(3) A single rib is provided along the outer periphery of the turntable insertion hole in a region other than the portion of the head insertion hole on the inner surface of the lower half, at least having a length exceeding at least a semicircle, and extending downward from the turntable insertion hole. The inner diameter of the rib, which is provided for the first time toward the outer periphery of the half, is made larger than the diameter of the turntable insertion hole.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-186276, an inner circumferential rib formed so as to be stood directly upward from the outer circumferential end of the turntable insertion hole 6 and an inner circumferential rib provided at an interval around the inner circumferential rib. (I) Since the release resistance at the time of molding the lower half is small, it is easy to increase the flatness of the lower half as compared with the case where the outer peripheral ribs arranged concentrically are provided.

(Ii) When a drop impact is applied to the disk cartridge or the like, there is no risk of failure such that the center core is stuck between the ribs on the inner peripheral side and the ribs on the outer peripheral side and cannot move.

(Iii) There is no danger of foreign matter intervening between the ribs on the inner peripheral side and the ribs on the outer peripheral side for a long time, which makes it difficult to remove the foreign substances.

There is an advantage.

(4) Since the contact area of the disk-shaped recording medium with the ribs can be reduced, the amount of rib shavings generated when the inner periphery of the disk-shaped recording medium repeatedly comes into contact with the ribs can be reduced. In the inner peripheral side of the rib, shavings and the like that have fallen on the lower half are generated by the airflow from the inner peripheral side toward the outer peripheral side due to the rotation of the disk-shaped recording medium. After moving toward the side, it is released to the outside of the cartridge from the head insertion hole or the like, so that the possibility that the shavings of the ribs are transferred to the disk height reference surface of the turntable can be further reduced. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1 to 4 show a reference example for explaining the present invention. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a disk cartridge before disassembly along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the whole, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the lower half of FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a lower half showing one embodiment of the present invention. 6 and 7 are sectional side views similar to FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, showing a conventional example. In FIG. 2 and FIG. 7, the optical head and the head insertion hole are respectively centered on the spindle.
It is shown by a chain line in a virtual state turned 90 °. In addition, in the reference numerals used in the drawings, 1 ... upper half 2 ... lower half 2a ... inner surface of lower half 3 ... cartridge 4 ... hard disk (disk-shaped recording medium) 4a ... hard disk recording area 4b … Inner circumference of hard disk 5… Center core 6… Turntable insertion hole 7… Rib 7 b… Protrusion 9… Turntable 11… Disk height reference surface 14… Optical head 15… Head insertion Hole A: diameter of turntable insertion hole D: inner diameter of rib E: outer diameter of rib F: inner diameter of recording area

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-2-119974 (JP, A) JP-A-2-50373 (JP, A) JP-A-62-186276 (JP, U) JP-A-61-187072 (JP) , U) Japanese Utility Model Showa 62-117770 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A disk-shaped recording medium rotatably housed in a cartridge comprising upper and lower halves and recorded and reproduced by an optical head, a core body fixed to the center of the disk-shaped recording medium, and a core body and the core body A center core having a flange portion provided on the outer periphery of the disk-shaped recording medium and coupled with an inner peripheral end of the disk-shaped recording medium; a turntable insertion hole provided in the lower half; and a turntable insertion hole connected to the turntable insertion hole. A head insertion hole provided in the lower half in a state where the head insertion hole is provided, and only one rib is provided along an outer periphery of the turntable insertion hole in a region excluding a portion of the head insertion hole on an inner surface of the lower half. In the disk cartridge provided, the inner peripheral end of the disk-shaped recording medium is connected to the lower half side surface of the flange portion of the center core. A plurality of protrusions in which the diameter of the core body of the center core is smaller than the diameter of the turntable insertion hole, and wherein the ribs are arranged discontinuously so as to have a length at least exceeding a semicircular shape. Wherein the outer diameter of the rib is smaller than the inner diameter of the annular recording area of the disk-shaped recording medium, and the rib provided for the first time from the turntable insertion hole toward the outer periphery of the lower half. A disk cartridge characterized in that the inner diameter of the disk cartridge is larger than the diameter of the turntable insertion hole, and the inner periphery of the disk-shaped recording medium is mounted on the rib provided for the first time.