Disk drive apparatus having mechanism for smoothly ejecting disk cartridge

A disk drive apparatus for recording information on a disk and for reproducing the information from the disk, said disk being accommodated in a cartridge capable of being inserted in said apparatus by movement in an insertion direction, said cartridge being ejected from said apparatus by movement in an ejecting direction opposite to said insertion direction, said cartridge having an edge which is leading when said cartridge is inserted in said apparatus by movement in said insertion direction, said apparatus comprising:

• a movable holder in which the cartridge is inserted so that the leading edge of the cartridge is placed at an inserted position;
• ejection means rotatably supported on said holder for ejecting the cartridge from the holder in said ejecting direction when an ejection button is depressed, so that the leading edge of the cartridge is placed at an ejected position, said ejection means having an arm assuming a first position when the cartridge is in the inserted position and a second position when the cartridge is in the ejected position, said arm being movable in an arcuate path extending between said first and second positions when said rotatably supported election means is actuated;
• spring means connected to said ejection means for actuating said ejection means in the ejecting direction of movement due to a resilient force of said spring means;
• and
• braking means for applying a resisting force to said ejection means in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the ejection means, said braking means being positioned proximate to said ejection means and comprising a supporting shaft means, an exterior member mounted on said shaft means and rotatable with respect thereto, and means for retarding the rotation of said exterior member about said shaft means;
• said arm having an edge portion facing said braking means and moving past said braking means when said arm moves in said arcuate path, said edge portion including a curved first section having means for engaging said braking means when said arm moves through a first part of the arcuate path so that said braking means applies the resisting force to said ejection means, said edge portion having a second section that is configured to disengage from said braking means when said arm moves through a second part of the arcuate path, said resisting force applied during movement of said arm in said first part of the arcuate path occurring after the leading edge of the cartridge reaches an intermediate position between the inserted position and the ejected position upon depression of the ejection button and occurring before the leading edge of the cartridge reaches the intermediate position upon insertion of the cartridge toward the inserted position, said movement of said arm in said second part of the arcuate path, occurring after the leading edge of the cartridge reaches said intermediate position upon the insertion of the cartridge toward the inserted position and prior to the leading edge of the cartridge reaching said intermediate position upon the depression of the ejection button.