Disk cartridge and disk cartridge apparatus

A cartridge for use with a cartridge apparatus, the cartridge housing an information medium therein for at least one of recording information and reproducing information, the cartridge including an opening for enabling access to the information medium, and a shutter disposed on an outer surface of the cartridge and movable from a first position which covers the opening to a second position which uncovers the opening, the cartridge apparatus including a shutter opening and closing control mechanism having a member which engages the shutter when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge apparatus and moves from an initial position where the shutter is in the first position to another position where the shutter is in the second position during insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge apparatus, the member being moved back to the initial position by the shutter when the cartridge is ejected from the cartridge apparatus,

• wherein the shutter opening and closing control mechanism of the cartridge apparatus having the member which engages the shutter includes a plate having a slot therein, the member which engages the shutter being disposed for movement within the slot, the slot extending along a predetermined path from one end position proximate a center of the cartridge apparatus toward an edge of the cartridge apparatus and then extending substantially in parallel to the edge of the cartridge apparatus to another end position, the member which engages the shutter being arranged for engagement with a part of the shutter at an initial position of the member proximate to the one end of the slot upon insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge apparatus and during further insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge apparatus, the member which engages the part of the shutter during movement of the member along the slot causing the shutter to move from the first position which covers the opening to the second position which uncovers the opening until the cartridge is fully inserted in the cartridge apparatus so as to enable access of the information medium through the uncovered opening and enabling at least one of recording information and reproducing information to and from the information medium.

A cartridge apparatus apparatus for use with a cartridge, wherein the cartridge houses an information medium therein for at least one of recording information and reproducing information, the cartridge including an opening for enabling access to the information medium, and a shutter disposed on an outer surface of the cartridge and movable from a first position which covers the opening to a second position which uncovers the opening, the cartridge apparatus including a shutter opening and closing control mechanism having a member which engages the shutter when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge apparatus and which moves from an initial position where the shutter is in the first position to another position where the shutter is in the second position during insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge apparatus, the member being moved back to the initial position by the shutter when the cartridge is elected from the cartridge apparatus,

• wherein the shutter opening and closing control mechanism of the cartridge apparatus having the member which engages the shutter includes a plate having a slot therein, the member which engages the shutter being disposed for movement within the slot, the slot extending along a predetermined path from one end position proximate a center of the cartridge apparatus toward an edge of the cartridge apparatus and then extending substantially in parallel to the edge of the cartridge apparatus to another end position, the member which engages the shutter being arranged for engagement with a part of the shutter at an initial position of the member proximate to the one end of the slot upon insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge apparatus and during further insertion of the cartridge into the cartridge apparatus, the member which engages the part of the shutter during movement of the member along the slot causing the shutter to move from the first position which covers the opening to the second position which uncovers the opening until the cartridge is fully inserted in the cartridge apparatus so as to enable access of the information medium through the uncovered opening and enabling at least one of recording information and reproducing information to and from the information medium.