JPH09180393A - Disk cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it hard to generate dust even if a disk moves in a space part and to facilitate molding by improving the connection between an arcuate rib formed on the internal surface of a case and the external wall part of the case edge part. SOLUTION: The case of this disk cartridge consists of two shells 10. The arcuate rib 12 and the external wall part 13 of the case edge part to which an end part 12a of the rib 12 is connected are so provided as to form the internal space where the disk is stored and arranged with a proper margin. Further, a projection part 14 which projects toward the center of the case 10 is provided at the external wall pat 13 which is close to the connection part between the external wall part 13 and arcuate rib 12. Consequently, even if the disk 2 moves so that its outer peripheral edge part enters a recessed place 15 between the end parts 12a of the arcuate rib 12 when the disk cartridge is not used, the outer peripheral edge part of the disk 2 comes into contact with three parts which are the end parts 12a of the arcuate rib 12 and the projection part 14. Therefore, conventional stress concentration on the arcuate rib is reduced, and consequently dust production is prevented.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk cartridge, and more specifically, a circle formed on the inner surface of a case forming a disk cartridge to form a space for accommodating a disk as a recording medium. The present invention relates to improvement of an arc-shaped rib and an outer wall portion of a case edge portion.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 3, a disk cartridge of this type has a case 1 formed as a flat box having a substantially rectangular shape, and is rotatably accommodated in the case 1. The disk 2 is mainly configured, and the disk 2 functions as an information recording medium that magnetically or optically records information.

The case 1 is formed by laminating two shells 1a and 1b, which are integrally formed and have a substantially rectangular thin plate shape. An opening (window) 3a for head access used for writing information to the disk or reading information from the disk is provided at a proper position on the surface of each shell 1a, 1b.
3b is formed.

The windows 3a, 3b are designed to be opened only when in use and closed when not in use in order to prevent dust from entering the inside of the case. Therefore, the case 1 is provided with a shutter 4 that normally closes the windows 3a and 3b, and at the time of use, the shutter 4 is slid to open the windows 3a and 3b.

In the conventional disc cartridge, a space is formed inside the case 1 for accommodating the disc 2 and determining its position. This space is
An arcuate rib 5 formed on the inner surface of each shell 1a, 1b constituting the case 1 and an outer wall portion 6 formed on the inner surface edge portion of each shell 1a, 1b define a substantially circular shape.

The respective arc-shaped ribs 5 are arranged so as to be bridged over the four corners of the shells 1a and 1b, respectively.
Is connected to the outer wall portions 6 existing on the three side edges of the shells 1a and 1b excluding the one side portion on the open side of the case 1 in the vicinity of the middle portion of the side edges. This connection state is clearly shown in FIG. That is, the end portions of the ribs 5 are bent at substantially right angles to the outer wall portion 6 at positions close to the outer wall portion 6 and are integrally connected to the outer wall portion 6.
The ends of the ribs 5 are referred to as bent portions 5a for convenience.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 7 is a slider that is slidably mounted on a support portion 8 provided in an open portion, which is one side portion of the case 1, and fixedly supports the shutter 4, and 9 is an end portion of the slider 7. The shutter 4 fixed to the slider 7 is interposed between the window and the case 1 and the windows 3a and 3b.
The elastic bodies, such as a torsion spring, which urge each other in the direction to be closed are shown.

[0008]

By the way, the space defined in the case 1 by the arc-shaped ribs 5 and the like is formed to have a size capable of accommodating the disk 2 in the radial direction with an appropriate margin. There is. Therefore, when the disc cartridge is not used, the disc 2 can move freely in the radial direction within the case 1 to some extent.

However, in the conventional disc cartridge, as is apparent from FIG. 4, the curved portions 5a, which are the end portions of the two arc-shaped ribs 5 connected to one outer wall portion 6, are arc-shaped. The rib 5 is regarded as a circle as it is, is opened outward in the radial direction from a virtually extended line, and is surrounded by the two bent portions 5a and the inner surface of the outer wall portion 6 and is continuous with the accommodation space portion of the disc 2. Forming 10.

Moreover, the ends of the arc-shaped ribs 5 arranged in the four corners of the shells 1a and 1b are arranged at right angles to the outer wall portion 6 at a position close to the outer wall portion 6. Since it is bent and connected to the outer wall portion 6, the corner portion 5b on the inner peripheral side of the bent portion 5a is formed substantially at a right angle.

Therefore, when the disc 2 is moved so that the outer peripheral edge portion thereof enters the above-mentioned recess 10 when the disc cartridge is not used, the outer peripheral edge portion of the disc 2 is positioned on both sides of the recess portion 10. It comes into contact with the inner corner portion 5b of the bent portion 5a of the arc-shaped rib 5.

Therefore, the two corners 5b are subjected to stress concentration due to the contact force of the outer peripheral edge of the disk 2. Moreover, since the corner portion 5b is formed substantially at a right angle as described above, further abrasion and damage are more likely to occur due to stress concentration due to the contact force with the outer peripheral edge portion of the disk 2, resulting in dust generation. It has been found.

However, if this arc-shaped rib 5 is extended as it is and is inscribed in the outer wall portion 6, the shape of the inscribed portion becomes complicated and it is difficult to manufacture it by injection molding. Further, in this case, it has been considered that the inscribed portion is integrally formed with the outer wall portion with a certain length,
This is also difficult because the thickness of that part becomes too thick compared to other parts and the problem of sink marks during injection molding occurs and deformation occurs.

The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and a circle formed on the inner surface of the case to form a space for accommodating a disk as a recording medium in the case. An object of the present invention is to provide a disc cartridge in which the connection between the arc-shaped rib and the outer wall portion of the edge portion of the case is improved so that dust is not easily generated even if the disc moves in this space portion and the molding is easy.

[0015]

The present invention is a disk cartridge, which has the following structure in order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems. That is, a case formed in a flat box shape and having an opening for head access on its surface, a shutter slidably attached to this case for opening and closing the opening on the surface of the case, and a case inside the case. In a disc cartridge provided with a rotatably arranged disc as a recording medium, an arc-shaped rib and an end of this rib are formed on an inner surface of the case so as to form an internal space for accommodating and arranging the disc with an appropriate margin. An outer wall portion formed along an edge of the case is formed, and the outer wall portion in the vicinity of a connection portion between the outer wall portion and the end of the arc-shaped rib has a center direction of the case. It is characterized in that a projection portion directed toward is formed.

The protrusion, which is an important component in the present invention, is formed in the vicinity of the connecting portion between the arc-shaped rib on the inner surface of the case and the outer wall portion and extends toward the center of the case. It is important not to cross the arc-shaped ribs radially inward from the virtually extended line.

<Additional Structure of the Present Invention> The disk cartridge of the present invention is composed of the above-mentioned essential components, but it is also realized when the following structure is added to the components. The additional component is characterized in that the arcuate rib forms the inner side surface of the end portion connected to the outer wall portion in a rounded shape.

According to the disc cartridge constructed as described above, even when the disc moves so that the outer peripheral edge of the disc cartridge enters the recess between the connecting ribs when the disc cartridge is not used, the outer peripheral edge of the disc has an arcuate rib. Since it comes into contact with the inner side portions of each end at three locations and the projecting portion of the outer wall portion, stress concentration on the inner corner portions of each end portion of the arc-shaped rib is relaxed as in the conventional case. Therefore, dust will be prevented.

[0019]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a disk cartridge according to the present invention. The overall structure of this disc cartridge is
It is almost the same as the conventional one shown in FIG.

That is, the disk cartridge according to this embodiment also has a case formed in a flat box shape and having a head access opening on the surface thereof, and a slider slidably mounted on one side of the case. A shutter fixed to the slider, fixed to the slider so as to slide integrally with the slider, and attached to the case to open and close the opening 11 on the surface of the case; and a disk as a recording medium rotatably arranged inside the case. It is mainly composed of

The case is formed by sticking together two shells 10 that are integrally formed into a substantially rectangular thin plate and are integrally formed by injection molding a thermoplastic resin such as polycarbonate or ABS. FIG. 1 shows the inner surface of one shell 10 in a case that constitutes a disk cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The shell 10 is a member forming the front side of the disk cartridge, and the shell 10 has an opening or window 11 for exposing the recording area on the surface of the disk 2.

The shell 10 is integrally formed on its inner surface with girders, ribs and the like for forming an appropriate internal space when two shells are bonded together to form a case. The disk 2 is accommodated in a space defined by arc-shaped ribs 12 formed on the inner surface of the shell 10 and the inner surface of another shell (not shown) with an appropriate margin.

The arc-shaped ribs 12 are arranged so as to be hung over the four corners of the shell 10 as in the conventional case, and the ends of the ribs 12 are the shells except one side on the open side of the case. It is connected to the outer wall portion 13 formed on the three side edges of 10 in the vicinity of the middle portion of the side edges.
This connection state is shown enlarged in FIG.

That is, the end portions 12a of the ribs 12 are bent at a position close to the outer wall portion 13 in a state of being slightly inclined and curved with respect to the outer wall portion 13, and reach the outer wall portion 13 to be integrally connected. There is. Therefore, the end portion 12a of each rib 12 is
The inner side surface 12b of the shell 10 is a curved surface.

Between the curved end portions 12a of the two arc-shaped ribs 12 connected to the one outer wall portion 13, the arc-shaped ribs 5 are virtually regarded as circles as in the conventional case. The groove 15 is opened radially outward from the extended line and is defined by the two end portions 12a and the inner surface of the outer wall portion 13 and forms a recess 15 continuous with the disk accommodating space portion. However, a protrusion 14 is formed on the inner surface of the outer wall 13 that defines the recess 15 toward the inner side of the shell 10 in the radial direction. It is important that the tip of the protrusion 14 does not exceed the height inward in the radial direction from the line that virtually extends the arc-shaped rib. Moreover, the protrusion 1
It is also important that the tip of 4 is not very sharp.
This is because when the outer peripheral edge of the disk 2 comes into contact with the disk 2, it becomes a line contact instead of a point contact so that no impact force is applied.

According to the disc cartridge thus constructed, even when the disc 2 moves so as to enter the recess 15 between the end portions 12a of the arc-shaped ribs 12 when the disc 2 is not used, As shown by phantom lines in FIG. 2, the outer peripheral edge portion of the disk 2 comes into contact with three locations on both inner side surfaces of the arc-shaped rib 12 in the vicinity of the respective end portions 12a and the protruding portion 14 of the outer wall portion 13. Therefore, the stress concentration on the arc-shaped rib as in the conventional case is relaxed, and as a result, dust generation can be prevented.

Further, depending on the movement of the disk 2, the outer peripheral edge portion thereof may contact the inner side surface of the end portion 12a, but even in that case, the inner side surface of the end portion 12a is formed into a curved surface, that is, a round shape. Since the line contact is made, stress is not concentrated, and as a result, damage or wear of the rib 12 can be significantly reduced, and dust can be prevented.

In the disk cartridge according to this embodiment, only the inner surface shape of one shell 10 constituting the case has been described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, but the inner surface shape of the other shell stuck to this shell 10 is described. Needless to say, the shell 10 is formed similarly to the shell 10.

[0030]

As described above, according to the disc cartridge of the present invention, the end portion of the arc-shaped rib is formed in the case constituting the disc cartridge so as to form the internal space for accommodating and arranging the disc with a proper margin. When connected to the outer wall formed along the edge of the case, the inner wall of the outer wall between the ends of the two arc-shaped ribs connected to one outer wall Since the protruding portion is formed, even if the disc moves in this internal space, it is possible to avoid stress concentration due to contact with the outer peripheral edge of the disc in the vicinity of the connection between the arc-shaped rib and the outer wall. Dust can be prevented.

Further, according to the disc cartridge of the present invention, the inner side surface of the end portion of the arc-shaped rib connected to the outer wall portion is formed into a rounded shape, so that the contact with the outer peripheral edge portion of the disc is made at any place. There is no concentration of stress due to line contact, and as a result, damage and wear of the ribs can be significantly reduced, and the dust generation preventing effect can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the inner surface shape of one shell of a case that constitutes a disk cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a fragmentary plan view showing, on an enlarged scale, a part of the inner surface shape of the shell shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional disc cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing an enlarged inner surface shape of a part of the shell shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Shell 11 Opening part (window) 12 Arc-shaped rib 12a End part 12b Inner side surface of end part 13 Outer wall part 14 Projection part 15 Recessed part

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A case formed in a flat box shape and having an opening for head access on its surface, a shutter slidably attached to the case and opening and closing the opening on the surface of the case, In a disc cartridge including a disc as a recording medium rotatably disposed inside a case, an arc-shaped rib is formed on an inner surface of the case to form an internal space for accommodating and arranging the disc with an appropriate margin. An outer wall portion is formed that is connected to the end portions of the ribs and is formed along the edge portion of the case, and the case is attached to the outer wall portion in the vicinity of the connection portion between the outer wall portion and the end portions of the arc-shaped ribs. A disc cartridge having a projection portion formed toward the center of the disc cartridge. 2. The disc cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the arc-shaped ribs form an inner surface of an end portion connected to the outer wall portion into a rounded shape.