JPH09259564A - Cartridge for optical disc - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a disc cartridge which enables reproduction with an optical disc drive exclusively for reproduction by taking an optical disc out of a cartridge case after writing with an optical disc drive for recording while disabling the housing of the optical disc again into the cartridge case. SOLUTION: A disc cartridge 1 comprises an upper case 2a and a lower case 2b covering an optical disc 6. A lid part 8 to be bent through a hinge part 9 is provided at one end of the lower case 2b and provided with a fixing dog 10 protruding into the case. The upper case 2a is provided with a hole to be mated with the fixing dog 10. In the operation of the disc cartridge, the fixing dog 10 is mated with an engaging hole 11 to always close the lid part 8. Therefore, only when the optical disc is reproduced by a drive device dispensing with the cartridge case other than this, the fixing dog 10 is broken to take the optical disc 6 out of the cartridge case 1.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disc cartridge for storing an optical disc as a recording medium,
In particular, it relates to improvement of a disc cartridge for an optical disc capable of writing information.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various types of optical discs capable of optically recording / reproducing information with a light beam such as a laser beam. One of the typical ones is a CD (compact disc) as a read-only disc. Current CDs have a track pitch (spacing between tracks) of 1.
6 micron, the data shortest bit (recess) length is 0.9 micron. In recent years, 635. 650 nanometers (1
Nano uses a red laser beam with a short wavelength of 1 billionth of a billion) and a lens with a large NA (lens numerical aperture) to reduce the track pitch and the shortest data pit.
Development of a next-generation CD called a read-only DVD (digital video disc) capable of high-density recording, which is half the length of the CD, is also underway.

On the other hand, development of an optical disc called a recording DVD capable of recording, reproducing or erasing at high density is also in progress. For example, in a recording method called a phase change type, data is recorded by changing the crystal state of the recording film with a laser beam to change the reflectance. In such a system, direct overwrite is possible in which old data is erased at the same time as writing new data, and it is said to be suitable as a next-generation large-capacity information storage medium for computers. In addition to the phase change type recording method, there is a magneto-optical type that changes the direction of the magnetic field. In this magneto-optical type method, it is necessary to erase the data in the recording area in advance when rewriting.

Generally, in recording and reproducing an information signal on an optical disk, a radiation beam from a laser source such as a semiconductor laser is focused on a recording layer of the optical disk by a lens to record and reproduce information. Here, the recording layer is C
In D, a reflection layer in which pits are formed corresponds, and in a recordable optical disc, a reflection layer in which a converging laser beam deforms or its optical constant is changed or the direction of a magnetic domain is changed. .

According to the ISO standard, an optical disc is recorded / recorded.
In principle, they are required to be compatible with each other regardless of the reproduction method. Also, in order to make full use of the wealthy software assets up to now, it is said that maintaining compatibility between an optical disc device compatible with high-density recording and a conventional optical disc device is important for developing a high-end model.

[0006]

Generally, in a recording optical disc, if dust, oil, etc. adhere to the disc surface,
Since the light intensity decreases on the recording layer and the light intensity required for recording is insufficient, there is a possibility that writing of data may become impossible. Therefore, the recording optical disk is usually sealed inside the cartridge case. Usually, the optical disk drive device for driving the recording optical disk housed in the cartridge case is generally designed as a recording-only drive device for driving only the recording optical disk.

On the other hand, the read-only optical disc is less affected by dust and oil as compared with the recording optical disc, and in order to reduce the cost, the optical disc is sold in a simple case and is usually taken out from the case. used. An optical disk device for driving this read-only optical disk is also designed as a read-only drive device.

From this background, when it is desired to use different kinds of optical disks, an optical disk device corresponding to each optical disk is required. Here, when the recording optical disc housed in the cartridge case is reproduced by the reproduction-only optical disc device, it is necessary to take out the recording optical disc from the cartridge case. However, there is a possibility that the surface of the cartridge case may be contaminated with dust, oil, etc. Therefore, it is required to devise a device that cannot be easily returned to the cartridge case again.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it possible to take out an optical disk from a cartridge case after writing with a recording optical disk drive and reproduce it with a read-only optical disk drive. To provide a disk cartridge.

Another object of the present invention is that it is possible to take out an optical disk from a cartridge case after writing with a recording optical disk drive and reproduce it with a read-only optical disk drive, and in principle it is impossible to store it again in the cartridge case. It is to provide a disk cartridge that does.

[0011]

According to the present invention, there is provided an upper case and a lower case for covering an optical disk capable of optically recording information and optically reproducing the information, and at least one of the optical disks. A cartridge case in which an opening for accessing the surface with a light beam and a spindle hole for rotating the optical disk are provided in at least one of the upper case and the lower case, and the head insertion hole or the bindin hole. In a disc cartridge including a shutter that opens and closes, a lid portion that bends via a hinge portion provided at one end of the upper case and the lower case, and a fixing portion that is provided in the lid portion and projects into the case. The disc, and a hole for engaging with the fixing claw provided on the other of the upper case and the lower case. When using the cartridge, the fixing claw and the engaging hole are engaged, and the lid is always closed, so that the fixing is performed only when the optical disk is reproduced by another drive device that does not require a cartridge case. There is provided a disk cartridge characterized in that a claw is folded and the optical disk is taken out from the cartridge case.

The disk cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that the base portion of the fixing claw is formed into a sharp edge. Further, the disc cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that the fixing claw is bent from the base portion by a displacement amount at a tip portion smaller than a thickness near an end portion of the case.

Further, the disk cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that the tip of the engaging portion of the fixing claw with the case coincides with or is located inside the case surface.

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the optical disk written by the recording optical disk drive can be taken out from the case by folding the fixing claw of the cartridge case and reproduced by the read-only optical disk drive. In addition, since the fixing claw of the cartridge case is broken, the optical disk with dust and oil attached cannot be taken out of the case and mounted again in the recording optical disk drive, and there is no risk of malfunction.

Further, according to the present invention, data is reproduced,
Alternatively, it is a disc storage case used for reproducing data from a disc loaded in a disc device for recording and stored therein, or for recording data on the disc, the disc storage case being provided in the storage case. A disc take-out port, a closing member provided in the storage case for closing the disc take-out port, a locking member for locking the closing member in a state where the disc is stored, and a locking member for releasing the closing member. And a deforming means provided on the lock member for releasing the lock by deforming the disk storage case.

The disc cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that the disc has a recording layer for recording data and a protective layer for protecting the recording layer provided on the recording layer.

Further, in the disc cartridge of the present invention, the disc has a recording layer in which data is recorded by changing a physical state.

Furthermore, the disk cartridge of the present invention is characterized in that the lock member is damaged by the deformable member when the closing member is opened.
According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the optical disk written by the disk device can be taken out from the case by deforming the lock member of the disk storage case and reproduced by the reproduction-only optical disk drive. Further, since the lock member of the disc storage case is destroyed, it is not possible to take the disc out of the case and mount the disc on which dust, oil, etc. adheres to the recording drive again, and there is no risk of malfunction.

[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a disk cartridge in which a recording optical disk is housed will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a recording disk cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing how the optical disc is taken out from the recording disc cartridge shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the recording disk cartridge is a rectangular thin case in which, for example, a 3.5-inch optical disk 6 which is rewritable by phase change on both sides thereof is housed. There is. In this phase change type optical disk 6, as already known, the crystal state of the recording layer is changed by the writing light beam so that the reflectance is changed and data is recorded. The optical disk housed in such a disk cartridge is not limited to a rewritable type, but may be a write-once type that allows only one recording. In the write-once optical disc 6, the recording layer is destroyed by the writing light beam to form pits and the like, and data is recorded in the recording layer. In any case, the data writable optical disc has a recording layer whose physical state is changed by a light beam, and a protective layer for protecting the recording layer is provided on the recording layer.

In the recording disk cartridge 1 shown in FIG. 1, the cartridge case 2 is composed of an upper case 2a and a lower case 2b. One side or both sides of the cartridge case 2 are provided from one end to the center. A head insertion hole 3 is provided across. This head insertion hole 3
The head of the apparatus is provided so that the optical disk 6 can be accessed when the recording disk cartridge 1 is loaded in the disk apparatus. Further, the recording disk cartridge 1 is provided with a spindle hole 4 for rotating the optical disk 6, and the cartridge case 2 is provided with a shutter 5 for opening and closing the head insertion hole 3 and the spindle hole 4. There is. As a matter of course,
A recording optical disc 6 is rotatably housed inside the recording disc cartridge 1.

A shutter opening / closing mechanism 7 for opening the head insertion hole 3 and the spindle hole 4 is provided on the side end surface of the cartridge case 2. The shape and dimensions of the recording disk cartridge 1 are the same as those of a normal disk cartridge, but the recording optical disk 6
It has a structure that allows easy removal.

That is, in the structure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lid portion 8 extends from one end of the lower case 2b, and the lid portion 8 is bent by the hinge portion 9. The lid 8
Near both ends of the claw 1 for fixation that extends into the case
0 is provided, and the fixing claw 10 has an engaging portion, that is,
A convex portion is provided, and this engaging portion is a hole 11 formed in the upper case 2a when the recording disc cartridge 1 is assembled.
The lid 8 is thereby locked, that is, fixed to the upper case 2a. The fixing claw 10 has a lid 8
Is provided so as to protrude from the base of the fixing claw 10,
That is, the vicinity of the root is not provided with a circular arc for preventing bending, but is formed in a sharp step portion so that it can be easily bent. In addition, as a modified example, a cut for facilitating the cutting may be provided in the base in advance.

Next, a method for taking out the recording optical disk 6 from the recording disk cartridge 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. Recording disk cartridge 1
To take out the recording optical disk 6 from the optical disk 6, a screwdriver or the like is inserted into the hole 11 into which the engaging portion of the fixing claw 10 provided near the end of the upper case 2a in the state shown in FIG. 3A is engaged. Is inserted. As shown in FIG. 3 (B), when the engaging portion of the fixing claw 10 is pushed downward by the tip of the driver or the like as shown by the arrow, the fixing claw 10 becomes
The base portion, that is, the base portion is gradually bent, and cracks are formed in the base portion due to stress concentration generated in the sharp edge-shaped base portion with a movement amount L smaller than the thickness t near the hole 11 of the upper case 2a. As shown in (C), the fixing claw 10 is broken from the base. Here, the movement amount L is
This is smaller than the vertical distance of the portion where the fixing claw 10 engages with the hole 11, that is, the thickness t 1 of the upper case 2a. When the fixing claw 10 is broken, the lid portion 8
Can be rotated around the hinge portion 9. In this state, the recording optical disk 6 can be easily taken out from the cartridge case 2 and can be reproduced by the reproduction-only optical disk drive.

If the recording optical disk 6 taken out is to be housed again in the cartridge case 2 in which the fixing claw 10 is broken, the recording optical disk 6 is removed.
Cannot be stored in the cartridge case 2 in a normal state. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the optical disk on which the dust, oil or the like is attached from the cartridge case 2 from being loaded again in the recording optical disk drive to perform the write operation, and to prevent the malfunction due to such an incorrect use.

In the recording disc cartridge 1, as shown in FIG. 4, the convex portion of the fixing claw 10 engages with the hole 11 with the lid portion 8 held vertically to the lower case 2b. Thus, the upper case 2a is joined to the lower case 2b to be assembled. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 12 is a guide for ensuring smooth rotation of the optical disc 6, and the guide 12 is provided in the lower case 2b and the upper case 2a.

The fixing claw 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is
Although a rectangular engaging portion, that is, a convex portion is provided corresponding to the rectangular hole 11, the fixing claw 10 corresponds to the circular hole 11 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. You may have a cylindrical engaging part.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment. For example, in the embodiment, a lid portion is provided at the rear end of the lower case. It may be both cases. Further, the upper surface of the engaging portion of the fixing claw 10 may be aligned with the surface of the case,
It may also be located in the hole. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to take out an optical disk, which has been written by the recording optical disk drive, from the case by breaking the fixing claw of the cartridge case and to reproduce it by the reproduction-only optical disk drive. Further, since the fixing claw of the cartridge case is broken, it becomes impossible to store the taken-out recording optical disk in the cartridge case in which the fixing claw is broken. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the malfunction of the optical disk drive for re-recording, which is taken out from the case and the optical disk to which dust, oil or the like is attached is loaded.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the structure of a recording disk cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing how an optical disc is taken out from the recording disc cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing in detail the structure of the peripheral portion of the fixing claw shown in FIG. 2 together with the step of breaking the fixing claw.

4 is an exploded perspective view showing details of the recording disk cartridge shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of a recording disk cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a perspective view showing how an optical disc is taken out from the recording disc cartridge shown in FIG. 5. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Recording disk cartridge 2 ... Cartridge case 2a ... Upper case 2b ... Lower case 3 ... Head insertion hole 4 ... Spindle hole 5 ... Shutter 6 ... Recording optical disk 7 ... Shutter opening / closing mechanism 8 ... Lid part 9 ... Hinge part 10 ... Fixing claw 11 ... Hole

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An opening for access to at least one surface of the optical disk by a light beam, the upper case and the lower case covering an optical disk capable of optically recording information and optically reproducing the information. And a cartridge case in which a spindle hole for rotating the optical disk is provided in at least one of an upper case and a lower case, and a shutter for opening and closing the head insertion hole or the Sbindle hole A lid portion that bends via a hinge portion provided at one end of the upper case and the lower case; a fixing claw provided in the lid portion and protruding into the case; and the upper case and the lower case A hole that engages with the fixing claw provided on the other side of the The lid is always closed due to the engagement between the engaging claw and the engaging hole, and the fixing claw is folded to fold the optical disc only when the optical disc is reproduced by another drive device that does not require a cartridge case. A disk cartridge characterized by being taken out from the cartridge case. 2. The disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a base portion of the fixing claw is formed with a sharp edge. 3. The disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the fixing claw is bent from the base portion by a displacement amount at a tip portion smaller than a thickness near an end portion of the case. 4. The disk cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a tip of an engaging portion of the fixing claw with the case is located on the inside of the case surface or inside the case surface. 5. A disk storage case used for reproducing data from a disk mounted in a disk device for reproducing or recording data and reproducing data from the disk or recording data on the disk. A disk outlet provided in the storage case, a closing member provided in the storage case for closing the disk outlet, a lock member for locking the closing member in a state where the disk is stored, and the closing A disk storage case, comprising: deforming means provided on the lock member for deforming the lock member to release the member and unlocking the lock member. 6. The disc storage case according to claim 5, wherein the disc has a recording layer for recording data and a protective layer for protecting the recording layer provided on the recording layer. . 7. The disc storage case according to claim 5, wherein the disc has a recording layer in which data is recorded by changing a physical state. 8. The disk storage case according to claim 5, wherein the lock member is damaged by the deformable member when the closing member is opened.