Cartridge type recording medium and disk-shaped recording medium including a hole for centering each thereof, cartridge, driving unit and driving method

A cartridge type recording medium comprising:

• a recording disk having a hole formed in a center thereof;
• a cartridge for housing the recording disk and having an opened/closed shutter;
• and
• a hub held in the cartridge in a movable state in a diameter direction of the recording disk, and having a hole of a diameter smaller than that of the hole in a center portion thereof.

A cartridge type recording medium capable of recording and/or reproducing by use of a first driving unit containing a centering member and a second driving unit containing a centering member, comprising:

• a recording disk in which a first hole is provided for centering to the first driving unit with the centering member of the first driving unit abutting to the center portion of the recording disk;
• a cartridge housing the recording disk and including a shutter capable of opening/closing;
• and
• a hub held by the cartridge in a movable state in a direction of a diameter of the recording disk, which is constituted to be smaller in diameter than the first hole, which is capable for the centering member of the second driving unit to be inserted into, and in a center portion of which a second hole provided for centering to the second driving unit.

A cartridge comprising:

• a box-shaped cartridge body for housing a recording disk in the inside thereof;
• a hub having a hole of a diameter smaller than that of a center hole formed in a center portion of the recording disk;
• and
• a hub holding portion disposed in the cartridge body to hold the hub in a movable state in a diameter direction of the hole of the hub.

A driving unit for executing recording/reproducing to a recording disk, comprising in a disk holding portion for holding the recording disk:

• a first centering member having a predetermined outer diameter;
• a second centering member having an outer diameter smaller than that of the first centering member;
• and
• a protrusion size changing mechanism for changing a protrusion size of the second centering member toward the recording disk with respect to the first centering member.

A driving unit capable of recording and/or reproducing to a first recording disk having a hole for centering and a second recording disk having a hole for centering, comprising in a disk holding portion for holding the first recording disk and the second recording disk:

• a first centering member for centering the first recording disk having a predetermined outer diameter;
• a second centering member for centering the second recording disk having an outer diameter thereof smaller than the first centering member;
• and
• a protrusion size changing mechanism for changing a protrusion size of the second centering member against the first centering member toward the recording disk.

A driving method for a first recording medium housing a recording disk having a center hole and a hub integrated with the recording disk and having a hole of a diameter smaller than that of the center hole in a cartridge, and a second recording medium housing a recording disk having a center hole and a hub separated from the recording disk, the hub having a hole of a diameter smaller than that of the center hole, comprising the steps of:

• positioning the recording disk by coupling the small centering member into the hole of a small diameter, when the first recording medium is driven by a driving unit having two large and small centering members;
• positioning the recording disk by coupling the large centering member in the center hole, when the second recording medium is driven by a driving unit having two large and small centering members;
• and
• positioning the recording disk by coupling the only one centering member into the center hole, when the first or second recording medium is driven by a driving unit having only one centering member.