Patent ID: 6789261
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A disk cartridge accommodating a recording disk, as an information recording medium, within a cartridge case, and being inserted into a loading portion provided at a disk drive device, the disk cartridge comprising:a pair of shell members having same configurations, and being superposed together along a thickness direction of the recording disk so as to form the cartridge case; window portions formed in shell members so as to face an information recording surface at one side of the recording disk; shutter members provided at the shell members so as to be movable between a closed position, at which the shutter member closes the window portion, and an open position, at which the shutter member opens the window portion; guide grooves formed in the cartridge case at one side end surface corresponding to a direction of insertion of the cartridge case into the loading portion so as to extend, respectively, from both end portions of the one side end surface toward a center, and when the cartridge case is inserted into the loading portion so as to be oriented to a predetermined orientation, one portion of a shutter opening/closing member provided at the disk drive device is inserted into the guide groove and the guide groove guides the shutter opening/closing member to move along an opening/closing direction of the shutter member; and dummy grooves formed in the cartridge case at another side end surface at a side opposite to the one side end surface in which the guide grooves are formed, so as to extend, respectively, from both end portions of the other side end surface toward a center, and when the cartridge case is inserted into the loading portion so as to be oriented oppositely to the predetermined orientation, the one portion of the shutter opening/closing member is inserted into the dummy groove and the dummy groove guides the shutter opening/closing member to move along the opening/closing direction and restricts movement, to the open position, of the shutter opening/closing member.