Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
  • G11B23/02—Containers; Storing means both adapted to cooperate with the recording or reproducing means
  • G11B23/03—Containers for flat record carriers
  • G11B23/0328—Containers for flat record carriers the disc having to be extracted from the cartridge for recording reproducing, e.g. cooperating with an extractable tray

Definitions

• a recording disk protective cartridge relates to the field of recording disk protective devices, and in particular to the field of protective devices which provide for the automatic loading and unloading of recording disks in information storage devices.
• OMPI _ user to have access to significantly more data than is possible with a fixed media device.
• This invention provides a unique and novel means of storing a disk in a cartridge and providing for the automatic, low contamination, loading and unloading of a disk from the cartridge for use in a data storage device.
• the disk cartridge consists of two components, the cartridge housing and the cartridge insert.
• the cartridge housing is a rectangular shaped enclosure having a rectangular shaped opening on one side of the housing.
• the cartridge insert is removably deposed within the housing through the side opening.
• the side opening of the housing has an exterior taper which closely engages an interior taper on the cartridge insert handle, such that when the insert is fully inserted into the cartridge housing, an air tight seal is formed.
• the side opposite the housing opening has a set of recesses in the housing which allow a loading device to clamp onto the cartridge for automatic loading and unloading.
• the cartridge insert is locked into the housing by means of a pair of latches formed as an integral part of the cartridge insert. These latches cooperate with catches formed as an integral part of the cartridge housing to lock the cartridge insert in the housing when the latches are in their intended position.
• a pair of holes which allow the passage of a pair of release cams. These release cams, when moved upward through the holes, engage the latches, disengaging them from the housing catches, thereby allowing the insert to be freely partially extracted from the cartridge. This configuration thereby only allows the insert to be removed from the housing when the cartridge is in the closed clean-air environment in the interior of the information storage device. Opening the cartridge housing (breaking the tight seal) to remove the insert from the housing outside of the
• the housing and the insert have a interlock arrangement which prevents the insert from being fully extracted from the housing.
• the insert has an access opening which allows an elevator assembly to remove the disk from the cartridge insert; the opening in the insert supports the disk around its outer perimeter.
• the cartridge is either manually or automatically loaded into the device. After the cartridge has been loaded in the device, any conventional means is used to engage the cartridge locking means and release the cartridge insert from the cartridge housing. Once the cartridge insert is unlatched from the housing, it is pulled from the cartridge housing. Once fully pulled from the cartridge housing, the insert is deposed over the elevator assembly. The elevator assembly is then activated, lifting the disk from the cartridge insert. The unloading of the disk from the data storage device is accomplished by reversing the above described procedure.
• FIG. 1 is pictorial representation of the cartridge, showing the cartridge insert partially removed from the cartridge housing.
• FIG. 2a is a top view of the cartridge showing the cartridge insert fully inserted into the cartridge housing.
• FIG 2b is a pictorial representation of the cartridge insert fully extracted from cartridge housing.
• FIG. 3 is a partial cross section view of the cartridge showing the tapered fit of the cartridge housing and the cartridge insert.
• FIG. 4 is a pictorial representation of the preferred embodiment of the disclosed invention configured for use with an optical recording disk, the disk cartridge is partially introduced into the load/unload apparatus.
• FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation of the preferred embodiment disclosed invention showing the cartridge fully inserted into the load/unload apparatus.
• FIG. 6 is a pictorial representation of the preferred embodiment of the disclosed invention showing the cartridge separator having removed the cartridge insert from the cartridge housing.
• FIG. 7 is a pictorial representation of the disclosed invention showing ' the cartridge introduced from the side as when loaded from a jukebox type configuration.
• the preferred embodiment of the protective cartridge 1 is comprised of a cartridge housing 2 and a cartridge insert 3.
• the cartridge housing 2 has a rectangular shape and a rectangular cavity 4 in one side 5 of the cartridge housing 2.
• FIG. 2a shows the cartridge insert 3 lockably inserted in the cartridge housing 2, with the pair of latches 6 integral to the cartridge insert 3 engaged by the restraining catches 7, which are in turn integral to the cartridge housing. Also shown in FIG. 2a is the circular opening 8 which supports the disk (not shown), but allows the passage of the disk elevating means (not shown in FIG. 2a).
• FIG. 2b shows the cartridge insert 3 fully extended, more clearly showing the latches 6, and the restraining catches 7.
• O PI 2b also shows the cooperation of the insert shoulder 9, and the housing neck 10 in preventing the cartridge insert 3 from being completely removed from the cartridge housing 2.
• FIG. 2b also more clearly shows the housing holes 11, though which the insert release cams reciprocate.
• FIG. 3 shows, in partial cross section, the means by which the protective cartridge 1 is sealably engaged.
• the cartridge housing 2 has an exterior taper 12, which closely contacts the interior taper 13 on the cartridge insert 3.
• FIG. 4 shows a cartridge 1, partially inserted into a load/unload apparatus 14, said apparatus 14 having as its ' major components, the guide frame
• the guide frame 15 has a first leg 18, the first leg 18 having a rectangular shaped opening through which the cartridge 1 is introduced.
• the pull-in tray 16 is in its forward most position and engages and supports the cartridge housing 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the insert handle 19 on one side of the cartridge housing 2 is supported by the insert separator 17 while the opposite side is supported by the second leg 20 of the guide frame 16.
• FIG. 5 shows the fully inserted cartridge 1, the pull-in tray 16 at its " rearmost position. Once fully inserted, the latches 6 are disengaged from the restraining catches by release cams (not shown) thereby freeing the insert 3 to slide from the housing 2.
• the insert handle 19 at this point is fully disposed within the U-shaped channel 21 of the cartridge separator 17. At this point, the cartridge insert 3 is clamped to the separator 17.
• the cartridge insert 3 is extracted from the cartridge housing 2. As shown in FIG. 6, once clamped, the cartridge insert 3 is extracted from the cartridge housing 2. As shown in FIG. 6, once fully extracted the cartridge insert 3 and in particular the insert hole 8 is positioned over the elevator assembly 18 so that the assembly 18 can be activated, thereby removing the disk (not shown) from the cartridge insert 3, presenting the disk to the spindle (not shown) for use.
• FIG. 7 shows a partially inserted cartridge 1 being introduced from the opposite side, as when loaded from a jukebox-type device (not shown).
• the jukebox device will fully introduce the cartridge, thereafter, the loading/unloading operations are as discussed above.

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• Automatic Disk Changers (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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ID=23986206

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Family Cites Families (8)

• 1984
  • 1984-05-25 EP EP19840902304 patent/EP0146596A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1984-05-25 WO PCT/US1984/000815 patent/WO1984004737A1/en not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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