Patent ID: 6212038
Filing Date: 2001-04-03
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A method for assembling a disk cartridge which includes:a cartridge case which has an upper half-shell with an upper wall and a lower half-shell with a lower wall in which the cartridge case has a head access opening;a disk-shaped recording medium which is rotatably housed inside the cartridge case;a shutter which is slidable relative to the cartridge case in a sliding direction from right to left relative thereto with a neutral position therebetween corresponding to a position at which the shutter closes the head access opening;guide means which is defined by a part of the cartridge case in the sliding direction;a first slider which is fixed to the shutter and which is guided by the guide means; andbiasing means which exerts a biasing force upon the first slider so as to return the shutter to the neutral position when the shutter is moved to one of the right and left from the neutral position,wherein the biasing means comprises:a pair of second sliders which are guided by the guide means, wherein one of the second sliders is arranged on one of a pair of sides of the first slider, and wherein the other of the second sliders is arranged on the other thereof of the first slider;spring means which attracts the pair of second sliders to each other; anda stopper, provided on the cartridge case, which has a pair of ends, wherein one of the ends is able to abut an inner surface of one of the second sliders, and wherein the other of the ends is able to abut an inner surface of the other of the second sliders from inside, andwherein the guide means comprises a first guide groove which a part of the upper wall and a part of the lower wall cooperate to form therebetween, andwherein the first slider comprises a projecting part which is slidable inside the first guide groove, andwherein the second slider slidably engages the first guide groove, andwherein the shutter comprises an upper shutter plate and a lower shutter plate, in which the upper shutter plate and the lower shutter plate are divided at a location where the upper shutter plate and the lower shutter plate are connected to each other,the method comprising the steps of:mounting one of the upper shutter plate of the shutter and the lower shutter plate thereof on the lower half-shell generally in a direction of thickness of the lower half-shell so that the projecting part of the first slider which is fixed to the shutter engages the first guide groove;mounting the pair of second sliders on the lower half-shell generally in the direction of thickness of the lower half-shell so that the pair of second sliders engage the first guide groove, and then connecting the pair of second sliders by the spring means;connecting the upper half-shell to the lower half-shell; andconnecting the one of the upper shutter plate and the lower shutter plate to the other thereof.