Disk cartridge

A disk cartridge comprising:

• a flat rectangular casing containing a disk-shaped recording medium, the casing having two parallel principal surfaces each formed having a respective window section through which a part of the recording medium is exposed, a front end face, two parallel side faces, and a bridge section, constituting a part of the front end face and facing front ends of the window sections, the bridge section having a thickness smaller than that of portions of the casing other than the bridge section;
• a shutter attached to the casing for movement between a closed position in which the shutter closes the window sections and covers the bridge section and two open positions on either side of the window sections in which the shutter allows the window sections to open and exposes the bridge section;
• and
• a pair of shutter springs arranged on either side of the shutter in the casing and urging the shutter toward the closed position, thereby holding the shutter in the closed position,
• the casing including spring storing sections defined on either side of the window sections and individually containing the shutter springs, and two aperture portions opening in the front end face on either side of the bridge section, the aperture portions communicating individually with the spring storing sections and allowing insertion of the shutter springs into the spring storing sections while the shutter is at the closed position, and
• each of the shutter springs having a fixed end fixed to the casing and a movable end adapted releasably to engage the casing and the shutter when the shutter is in the closed position, the movable end of the shutter spring on the side of one of the open positions being adapted to be pressed toward the fixed end to be disengaged from the casing by the shutter, with the movable end of the shutter spring on the side of the other open position disengaged from the shutter and kept in engagement with the casing, when the shutter moves from the closed position toward the one open position.

A disk cartridge comprising:

• a flat rectangular casing containing a disk-shaped recording medium, the casing having two parallel principal surfaces each formed having a respective window section through which a part of the recording medium is exposed, a front end face, two parallel side faces, and a bridge section, constituting a part of the front end face and facing front ends of the window sections, the bridge section having a thickness smaller than that of portions of the casing other than the bridge section;
• a shutter attached to the casing for movement between a closed position in which the shutter closes the window sections and covers the bridge section and two open positions on either side of the window sections in which the shutter allows the window sections to open and exposes the bridge section;
• and
• a pair of shutter springs arranged on either side of the shutter in the casing and urging the shutter toward the closed position, thereby holding the shutter in the closed position,
• the casing including spring storing sections formed on either side of the window sections and individually containing the shutter springs, two aperture portions opening in the front end face on either side of the bridge section, the aperture portions communicating individually with the spring storing sections and allowing insertion of the shutter springs into the spring storing sections while the shutter is at the closed position, retaining spring bearings situated adjacent to the window sections in the spring storing sections, individually, and fixed spring bearings situated at distances from the window sections in the spring storing sections, individually,
• the shutter including a pair of movable spring bearings adapted to be situated individually in line with the retaining spring bearings when the shutter is in the closed position, and
• each of the shutter springs being formed of a torsion spring and having a fixed end in engagement with each corresponding fixed spring bearing, and a movable end adapted to engage each corresponding retaining spring bearing and the movable spring bearing in alignment therewith when the shutter is in the closed position, to move in engagement with the movable spring bearing toward the fixed end and separate from the retaining spring bearing when the shutter moves from the closed position toward the one open position, and to separate from the movable spring bearing and be held by the retaining spring bearing when the shutter moves from the closed position toward the other open position.

A disk cartridge comprising:

• a flat rectangular casing containing a disk-shaped recording medium, the casing having two parallel principal surfaces each formed having a respective window section through which a part of the recording medium is exposed, a front end face, two parallel side faces, and a bridge section, constituting a part of the front end face and facing front ends of the window sections, the bridge section having a thickness smaller than that of portions of the casing other than the bridge section;
• a shutter attached to the casing for movement between a closed position in which the shutter closes the window sections and covers the bridge section and two open positions on either side of the window sections in which the shutter allows the window sections to open and exposes the bridge section;
• guide means for guiding the shutter in movement;
• and
• a pair of shutter springs arranged on either side of the shutter in the casing and urging the shutter toward the closed position, thereby holding the shutter in the closed position,
• the casing including spring storing sections formed on either side of the window sections and individually containing the shutter springs, two aperture portions opening in the front end face of the casing on either side of the bridge section, communicating individually with the spring storing sections, and allowing the shutter springs to be inserted therein,
• the guide means including a guide groove extending along the front end face of the casing, and a guide protrusion provided on the shutter and movable on the bridge section and in each spring storing section as the shutter moves, and
• the guide groove having a first portion formed on the bridge section, and a pair of second portions formed on the inner surface of the casing in each spring storing section and aligned straight with the first portion, the guide protrusion having a first projection adapted to engage the first portion of the guide groove as the guide protrusion moves on the bridge section, and a second projection adapted to engage the second portion of the guide groove as the guide protrusion moves in the spring storing section.

A disk cartridge comprising:

• a flat rectangular casing containing an optical disk capable of information processing on either side, the casing having two parallel principal surfaces each formed having a respective window section through which a part of the optical disk is exposed, a front end face, two parallel side faces, and a bridge section, constituting a part of the front end face and facing front ends of the window sections, the bridge section having a thickness smaller than that of portions of the casing other than the bridge section;
• a shutter attached to the casing for movement between a closed position in which the shutter closes the window sections and covers the bridge section and two open positions on either side of the window sections in which the shutter allows the window sections to open and exposes the bridge section;
• and
• a pair of shutter springs arranged on either side of the shutter in the casing and urging the shutter toward the closed position, thereby holding the shutter in the closed position,
• the casing including spring storing sections formed on either side of the window sections and individually containing the shutter springs, two aperture portions opening in the front end face of the casing on either side of the bridge section, communicating individually with the spring storing sections, and allowing the shutter springs to be inserted therein, retaining spring bearings situated adjacent to the window sections in the spring storing sections, individually, and fixed spring bearings situated at distances from the window sections in the spring storing sections, individually,
• the shutter including a pair of movable spring bearings adapted to be situated individually in line with the retaining spring bearings when the shutter is in the closed position, and
• each of the shutter springs being formed of a torsion spring and having a fixed end in engagement with each corresponding fixed spring bearing, and a movable end adapted to engage each corresponding retaining spring bearing and the movable spring bearing in alignment therewith when the shutter is in the closed position, to move in engagement with the movable spring bearing toward the fixed end and separate from the retaining spring bearing when the shutter moves from the closed position toward the one open position, and to separate from the movable spring bearing and be held by the retaining spring bearing when the shutter moves from the closed position toward the other open position.

A disk cartridge comprising:

• a flat rectangular casing containing a disk-shaped recording medium, the casing having two parallel principal surfaces each formed having a respective window section through which a part of the recording medium is exposed, a front end face, two parallel side faces, and a bridge section, constituting a part of the front end face and facing front ends of the window sections, the bridge section having a thickness smaller than that of portion of the casing other than the bridge section, and a disk inlet/outlet port through which the recording medium can be loaded into and unloaded from the casing;
• a cover member attached to the casing for movement between a closed position in which the cover member closes the disk inlet/outlet port and an open position in which the cover member allows the disk inlet/outlet port to open;
• a shutter attached to the casing for movement between a closed position in which the shutter closes the window sections and two open positions on either side of the window sections in which the shutter allows the window sections to open and exposes the bridge section;
• and
• a pair of shutter springs arranged on either side of the shutter in the casing and urging the shutter toward the closed position, thereby holding the shutter in the closed position,
• the casing including spring storing sections formed on either side of the window sections and individually containing the shutter springs, two aperture portions opening in the front end face of the casing on either side of the bridge section, communicating individually with the spring storing sections, and allowing the shutter springs to be inserted therein,
• each of the shutter springs having a fixed end fixed to the casing and a movable end adapted releasably to engage the casing and the shutter when the shutter is in the closed position, and
• the shutter being adapted to press the movable end of the shutter spring on the side of one of the open positions toward the fixed end, thereby disengaging the movable end from the casing, and to separate from the movable end of the shutter spring on the side of the other open position when the shutter moves from the closed position toward the one open position.