US 4,394,700 A · Restraining and sealing mechanism for disc cartridge

Abstract

A mechanism for restraining a magnetic disc within a cartridge and for sealing the cartridge when the cartridge is not in use is described. The present invention has one or more spring-loaded members located on the bottom of the cartridge which are coupled to the cartridge but movable with respect to it and which are separate from the rotatable hub assembly to which the magnetic disc is clamped within the cartridge. The spring-loaded member or members press in an axial direction against a surface on the hub to force together the overlapping sealing surfaces on the hub and the cartridge, thus sealing the cartridge and preventing the hub assembly and magnetic disc from rotating when the cartridge is not in use. When the cartridge is inserted into a disc-drive assembly, release pins overcome the spring-loading of the member or members and allow the sealing surface on the hub assembly and cartridge to separate. The hub assembly and disc may thus be rotated as they are no longer in contact with any part of the cartridge. Also clean air is permitted to circulate from the disc-drive assembly into the cartridge through the opening created by the separation of the sealing surfaces.

Claims17

Dependent claims

In a cartridge containing a rotatable disc oriented generally parallel to the top and bottom of the cartridge and attached to a hub assembly, said hub assembly rotatable about an axis by a disc-drive assembly through an opening in the bottom of said cartridge and displaceable axially with respect to said cartridge, said cartridge for insertion into a disc-drive assembly, a mechanism for restraining the movement of said magnetic disc and hub assembly relative to said cartridge and for sealing said cartridge when said cartridge is not inserted into said disc-drive assembly comprising:

an annular surface on said cartridge near said opening, said annular surface fixed with respect to the top and bottom of said cartridge;
an annular flange carried by said hub assembly having an annular sealing surface generally opposite to said annular surface on said cartridge and configured to sealingly engage said annular surface on said cartridge;
and
means for axially pressing said annular sealing surface on said flange against said annular surface on said cartridge by pressing on an annular surface of said hub assembly, said means acting when said cartridge is not inserted into said disc-drive assembly to restrain said disc and hub assembly from rotating and to seal said cartridge about said opening, said means being located peripherally about said hub assembly near the bottom of said cartridge and outside that portion of the cartridge containing the disc.

1 more element

A cartridge for a rotatable disc, said cartridge for insertion into a disc-drive assembly, comprising:

an essentially planar, rigid and non-deformable first member located above said disc and forming the top of the cartridge;
an essentially rigid and non-deformable second cartridge side located below said disc and having a central opening, said second member forming the bottom of said cartridge;
a hub assembly disposed in said cartridge and independently rotatable and axially moveable relative to said cartridge, said hub assembly having a central portion located at said central opening, said hub assembly for holding a disc along the disc's inner periphery in said cartridge between said first and second members and for engagement at its central portion with a drive mechanism in the disc-drive assembly;
a first annular sealing surface located on said second member near said central opening;
a second annular sealing surface located on said hub assembly and opposite to said first annular sealing surface, said first and second annular sealing surfaces located and configured so that when they are pressed together, said central opening is sealed and said hub assembly and disc cannot rotate with respect to said cartridge;
and
means located near said central opening on said second member exterior to said cartridge for pressing said first and second annular sealing surfaces together when said cartridge is not inserted into a disc-drive assembly, said means acting on a surface of said hub assembly.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Restraining and sealing mechanism for disc cartridge

Life of this patent

Restraining and sealing mechanism for disc cartridge

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17