Data storage case having a write/protect assembly

Abstract: A data strage case having a write/protect assembly includes a main body of the cartridge, a plurality of detection holes formed in the lateral sides and a pair of flat sides of the main body of the cartridge at a corner of the front side of the main body of the cartridge looking in the direction of insertion of the main body of the cartridge into the interior of the recording/reproducing apparatus, and mating detection elements intruded into these detection holes. The main body of the cartridge accommodates a disk-­ shaped recording medium, on which information signals can be recorded, and has apertures by which the signal recording section of the disk-shaped recording medium is exposed to outside. The mating detection elements may be moved between a first position and a second position within the detection holes.

Description: This invention relates to a data storage case having a write/protect assembly, such as a disk cartridge, which means a recording medium, such as a disk-shaped recording medium, including an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk or a magnetic disk, accommodated in a container, such as a cartridge. There has so far been utilized a disk cartridge which is comprised of a disk, such as an optical disk or a magneto-optical disk, which is accommodated within a cartridge, and on which are recorded information signals, such as data signals or video signals. This type of the disk cartridge, such as is shown in US-A-4,460,930, is provided with a write/protect member which/protects from inadvertent errasure of the previously recorded information signals, which is caused by a mistaken recording operation on the disk. This write/protect member is movably provided within the cartridge. By moving the write/protect member, the mating detection elements provided at the write/protect member so as to be detected by the write/protect detection assembly provided on the recording and/or reproducing apparatus mounting the disk cartridge may be selectively moved between the first and the second positions within the detection hole in the cartridge. With the mating detection elements in the first position, recording of the information signals on the recording medium is inhibited, whereas, with the mating detection elements in the second position, recording of information signals on the recording medium is enabled. Thus, the write/protect detection assembly on the recording and/or reproducing apparatus detecting that the mating detection elements of the write/protect member are in the first or the second position results in the selection of whether the recording operation may or may not be made by the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Another document, EP-A-0,185,364, taken into account with the preamble of claim 1 describes a disc cartridge which uses a write protect member which is visible from above or below but which is only accessible from below. During assembly this member is fitted laterally onto a protrusion formed on the lower part of the cartridge but the lateral view and access is blocked off by the fitting of the upper part. Meanwhile, the conventional write/protect assembly provided on the disk cartridge accommodating an optical or a magneto-optical disk on which information signals can be recorded is so designed and constructed that the mating detection elements of the write/protect member face that flat side or surface of the main body of the cartridge which is confronted by the signal recording surface of the disk and into which is intruded the disk driving apparatus of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. With the recording and/or reproducing apparatus mounting a disk cartridge provided with a write/protect assembly, in which the mating detection elements of the write/protect member are exposed on the flat side only of the main body of the cartride, constraints are imposed on the mounting position of the write/protect detection assembly. Above all, with the disk cartridge in which the mating detection elements are exposed on the side or surface only of the main body of the cartridge into which the disk driving apparatus is intruded when the disk cartridge is attached to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the write/protect detection assembly need be provided in the vicinity of the disk driving apparatus. With the optical recording and/or reproducing device, an optical pickup apparatus is provided on the side of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus on which the disk driving apparatus is mounted. However, there is not a sufficient space for the write/protect detection assembly on the side of the apparatus where various device are mounted simultaneously. Thus it becomes difficult to get the write/protect detection assembly incorporated into the recording and/or reproducing apparatus, so that constraints are imposed on the arrangement of various devices of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus and hence difficulties are raised in connection with designing. Also, inasmuch as there is not sufficient space on the side of the apparatus where the disk driving apparatus is provided, constraints are imposed on the lead out position of the lead wires for outputting detection signals from the write/protect detection assembly and hence difficulties are also presented in assembling. On the other hand, with the disk cartridge in which the mating detection elements are provided for facing only the surface into which the disk driving apparatus is intruded, the write/protect detection assembly is provided on the side of the disk driving apparatus. Thus the protect of the recording cannot be detected unless the disk cartridge is attached at a predetermined position to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Hence, when information signals are recorded, or when a disk cartridge for which recording is inhibited is inserted erroneously, not only prompt exchange of the disk cartridge cannot be made, but the apparatus or the disk cartridge may be damaged due to forced manipulation of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Write protect members are also known in tape cassettes. US-A-4,012,011 describes cassettes with some such devices often formed in a single hole and accessible from more than one face. In many cases the member is to be removed from the cassette. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a write/protect assembly for a recording medium accommodating apparatus enabling not only the detection of write/protect from only one surface of the main body of the cartridge but also the detection of write/protect from a plurality of surfaces. It is another object of the present invention to provide a write/protect assembly for a recording medium accommodating apparatus in which detection of recording protection from a plurality of surfaces of the container is rendered possible to eliminate the constraints on the mounting position of the write/protect detection assembly provided in the recording and/or reproducing apparatus to facilitate the designing of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a write/protect assembly for a recording medium accommodating apparatus which enables quick detection of protect recording in association with the attachment operation to the recording and/or reproducing apparatus of the recording medium accommodating apparatus, such as the disk cartridge. For accomplishing the above object, the present invention provides a data storage case having a write/protect assembly comprising; a container accommodating a recording medium on which information signals can at least be recorded; a plurality of detection holes, formed in orthogonal surfaces of said container, at least one formed in one lateral surface and at least one formed in at least one major surface of said container; and a write/protect member provided in said container, said write/protect member including a plurality of the mating detection elements protruding orthogonally therefrom, and being movable between first and second positions within said container; characterised in that said mating detection elements protrude orthogonally into the orthogonal detection holes; and in that said write/protect member is slidable within said container whereby said mating detection elements are slidably movable between first and second positions within said detection holes. With the write/protect assembly for the recording medium accommodating apparatus according to the present invention, since the write/protect member is provided so that its mating detection elements are exposed to the detection holes formed in one lateral surface and at least one major surface of a container accommodating a recording medium, detection of write/protect may be made at least from the lateral surfaces and one major surface of the container. The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be become apparent from the following description of the present invention especially when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a disk cartridge according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view as seen from the upper surface of the disk cartridge. Fig. 3 is a perspective view as seen from the lower surface of the disk cartridge. Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view showing the state in which the write/protect member is provided on the disk cartridge. Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a mounting portion of the write/protect member. Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side elevation for explaining the relative disposition of the detection device provided on the recording and/or reproducing apparatus and the write/protect member. Fig. 7 is a partial perspective view showing the mounting state of a write/protect member according to a modification of the present invention. Fig. 8 is a partial front view showing the detection hole confronted by the mating detection elements of the write/protect member. The present invention will be explained with reference to an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a disk cartridge comprised of an optical disk for recording information signals and a cartridge accommodating the optical disk. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the disk cartridge according to the present invention is comprised of a main body of the cartridge 1 formed by an upper half 2 and a lower half 3, each in the form of a rectangular flat plate formed by molding synthetic resin, abutted and secured to each other, and an optical disk 4 adapted to record information signals, such as data signals, and rotatably accommodated within the main body of the cartridge 1. Extending from the central portions towards the forward edges of the upper half 2 and the lower half 3 constituting the main body of the cartridge 1 are rectangular openings 7 and 8 by which a chucking section provided at the center of the optical disk 4 accommodated therein and the signal recording surface of the optical disk 4 are exposed to outside and which are faced by information signal recording/reproducing means adapted to perform recording of information signals on the optical disk 4 and reproduce previously recorded information signals on or from the optical disk 4. The upper and the lower halves are rectangular in profile to form the main body of the cartridge 1 together. To the main body 1 is connected an opening/closing plate 3a so as to be rotated rearwards for opening and/or closing a disk insertion/removal opening formed in the side wall of the main body 1. To the main body 1, there is slidably mounted a shutter 9 for opening or closing the apertures 8 and 9. This shutter 9 is, formed by bending a metal plate, such as a stainless steel plate, so as to be U-shaped in cross-section, and is comprised of a first closure surface section 9a for closing the aperture 7 in the upper half 2, a second closure surface section 9b for closing the aperture 8 in the lower half 3 and a connecting section 9c interconnecting the first and the second closure surface sections 9a, 9b. As shown in figs. 2 and 3, this shutter 9 is fitted from the front side over the outer surfaces of the main body 1, so that the first and second surface sections 9a, 9b will overline the apertures 7, 8 formed in the flat sides of the upper and the lower halves 2 and 3, and is mounted to slide along the flat sides of the main body 1. This shutter 9 is slidingly biased by a torsion spring 10 provided at one corner on the front side of the main body 1 in a direction of closing the apertures 7 and 8. For opening the shutter 9, an operating pin, not shown, provided on the apparatus for engaging in an engaging opening 11 formed at one end of the connecting section 9c, is actuated in the direction shown by an arrow A in Fig. 2. Thus the shutter 9 is moved over an extent between the position of closing the apertures 7, 8 and the position towards the lateral side of the main body 1 of opening the apertures 7, 8. On the inner side of the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 constituting the main body of the cartridge 1, there are formed arcuate ribs 12 from the rear-side corners towards the front side, as shown in Fig. 1, for defining a substantially circular recesses 13 having the inside diameter slightly larger than the outside of the optical disk 4. These recesses 13 face each other by the arcuate ribs 12 abutting to each other form a disk housing section 14 surrounded by circumambient walls. On the mutually abutting lateral sides, the front sides engaging with the shutter 9, and the rear sides opposite to the front sides, of the upper and the lower halves 2 and 3, there are formed upstanding walls 19, 20, 21 and 22 forming side walls 15, 16, a front wall 17 and a rear wall 18 when the walls 19 to 22 are abutted one against the other. The portion of the front wall 17 through which the shutter 9 is moved is to be opened to permit the movement of the torsion spring 10 urging the shutter 9. To this end, there are formed grooves 21a, 21b in the walls 21, 21 of the upper and the lower halves 2 and 3 making up the front wall 17 of the main body of the cartridge 1 for defining the opened portion. In the vicinity of the front side of the main body 1, engaged by the shutter 9, and at one of the corners of the main body 1 out of the range of movement of the shutter 9, there are formed first, second and third detection holes 28, 29, 30 into which are fitted first, second and third mating detection elements 25, 26, 27 of a write/protect member 23. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the first detection hole 28 is formed at a portion of the front wall 17 of the main body of the cartridge 1 which is not covered by the shutter 9. For forming the first detection hole 28, there are formed grooves 28a, 28b in the upstanding walls 21, 21 of the upper and lower halves 2 and 3 making up the front wall 17. The second detection hole 29 is formed in the upper half 2 forming the upper surface of the main body 1 orthogonal to the front wall 17, whereas the third detection hole 30 is formed in the lower half 3 forming the lower surface of the main body 1 in register with the second detection hole 29. Thus the first to third detection holes 28, 29, 30 are formed in the three different sides of the main body of the cartridge 1. The first to third detection holes 28, 29, 30 are of such a size as will permit the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 to be moved between first and second positions. As shown in Fig. 4, the write/protect member 23 is formed integally by the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27. These first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 are designed to be received in the first to third detection holes 28 to 30 when the write/protect member 23 is mounted in position within the main body of the cartridge 1. Thus the first mating detection element 25 is projected at right angles from the vertically continuous second and third mating detection elements 26, 27. On the proximal side of the write/protect member 23 opposite to the projecting first mating detection member 25, there is provided a resiliently deflectible slide guide 33 having retention end ribs 31, 32. The above described write/protect member 23 is fitted into an engaging recess 34 formed in the lower half 3 so that the first to third mating detection elements 25, 26, 27 fit into the first to third detection holes 28, 29, 30, respectively, as shown in Fig. 5. The engaging recess 34 is of such a size as to movably support the write/protect member 23 to permit the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 to be moved between the first and the second positions within the first to third detection holes 28 to 30. The write/protect member 23 is attached within the engaging recess 34 in the lower half 3, with the third mating detection member 27 engaging in the third detection hole 30 and with the slide guide 33 pressed against a rear side wall 35 of the engaging recess 34. On the rear wall 35, there are formed a pair of mating retention ribs 36a, 36b selectively engaged by the retention ribs 31, 32 when the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 are moved between the first and the second positions within the first to third detection holes 28 to 30, respectively. The write/protect member 23 is caused to be slid for selectively engaging the retention ribs 31, 32 with one or the other sides of the mating retention ribs 36a, 36b for selectively holding the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 at the first or the second position within the first to third detection holes 28 to 30. When the upper half 2 is abutted against the lower half 3, to which the write/protect member 23 is attached as described hereinabove, the main body of the cartridge 1 is completed, with the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 intruding into the first to third detection holes 28 to 30, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The write/protect member 23 is moved by manually thrusting any one of the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 for selectively shifting the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 to the first position towards one sides of the first to third detection holes 28 to 30 or to the second position towards the other sides of the detection holes 28 to 30. Thus it may be indicated from the variable positions of the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 within the first to third detection holes 28 to 30 whether the disk cartridge is in the recording enable state or in the recording inhibit state. On both front side corners of the lower half 3 of the main body 1 are formed positioning holes 38, 39, into which are engaged positioning pins, not shown, for positioning the disk cartridge when the disk cartridge is mounted in position in a disk mounting section within the recording/reproducing apparatus, as shown in Fig. 3. The write/protect member 23 is provided in the vicinity of one 38 of the positioning holes 38, 39. Thus the disk cartridge may be positioned accurately by a detection device 100 including a detection switch 101 provided on the recording/reproducing apparatus when the disk cartridge is attached to the recording/reproducing apparatus. The detection device 100 provided on the recording/repro ducing apparatus includes the detection switch 101 having an operating portion 102 and is so designed that actuation or non-actuation of the operating portion is an indication of whether the disk cartridge 110 is or is not in the recording enable state, as shown in Fig. 6. Meanwhile, with the disk cartridge of the present invention, the first detection element 25 is disposed at the front wall 17 of the main body 1 and on the two major surface of the main body of the cartridge 1 orthogonal to the front wall 17, the detection switch 101 of the detection device 100 may be provided on the side of the recording and/or reproducing apparatus which is free of the disk driving device 103 for rotationally driving the disk 4 in the main body 1 or the optical pickup 104 for recording and/or reproducing information signals. Thus the detection switch 101 may be arranged at a position facing the front wall 17 of the main body 1. Although the write/protect member 23 is slidably mounted on the main body of the cartridge 1, it may also be mounted thereon rotatably, as shown in Fig. 7. A write/protect inhibit member 123 is provided with a rotary arm 51 on the proximal side of the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 and rotatably mounted by having the proximal end of the arm 51 pivotally mounted by a pivot pin 52 implanted on the lower half 3. The rotary write/protect member 123 is rotated on thrusting the first to third mating detecting elements 25 to 27 for changing the position of the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 within the first to third detection holes 28 to 30 for indicating whether the disk cartridge is in the record enable or record inhibit state. With the above described rotary type write/protect member 123, a movement control boss 53 is provided within at least one of the first to third detection holes 28 to 30, as shown in Fig. 7, for maintaining or defining the first and second positions of the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 within the first to third detection holes. The mating detection elements 25 to 27, when moved, are caused to ride over the control boss 53. With the above described disk cartridge, the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 of the write/protect member 23 are disposed on the three different sides of the main body of the cartridge 1, so that the write/protect member 23 may be mounted without regard to the mounting position of the detection device provided on the recording/reproducing apparatus. Meanwhile, with the above described disk cartridge, it is necessary to shift the shutter 9 to open the apertures 7, 8 before the disk cartridge is mounted in position within the recording/reproducing apparatus. Consequently, this type of the disk cartridge is attached to the recording/reproducing apparatus from the front side fitted with the shutter 9. By providing the write/protect member 23 on the front side of the disk cartridge, fitted with the shutter, the position of one or more of the first to third mating detection elements 25 to 27 may be detected during attachment of the disk cartridge to the recording/reproducing apparatus. Above all, with the recording/reproducing apparatus in which attachment of the disk cartridge is performed with the aid of a cartridge holder, the detection device may be provided within the cartridge holder to permit prompt detection of mistaken recording. In the above described embodiment, the write/protect member 23 is provided on the front side of the main body of the cartridge 1. However, it may also be provided at the rear side corner opposite to the front side fitted with the shutter 9. In such case, the write/protect 23 member may be mounted without regard to the mounting position of the detection device provided on the recording/reproducing apparatus. The mating detection elements 25 to 27 may be mounted for facing one of the front wall 17, side walls 15, 16 or the rear wall 18 and to one major surface of the main body of the cartridge 1, so that the detection device may be positioned at least on the side not provided with the disk rotation and driving apparatus to simplify the structure of the disk rotation and driving apparatus. Although the above description has been made of a disk cartridge accommodating a disk-shaped recording medium, the present invention may also be applied to a cartridge accommodating a tape-shaped recording medium, such as magnetic tape, with the operation and result comparable with that of the above described embodiment. According to the present invention, the feasibility of the data signal recording operation on the recording medium such as an optical disk, enclosed in an enclosure, such as a cartridge, may be detected from one lateral surface and a major surface of the container normal to the lateral surface so that constraints of the mounting position of the write/protect detection assembly provided on the recording/reproducing apparatus are eliminated to facilitate the designing of the recording/reproducing apparatus. Also, by providing the mating detection elements on the front side of the enclosure, promt detection of the mistaken write/protect may be made in association with the attachment of the disk cartridge or the like enclosure for the recording medium to the recording/reproducing apparatus.

Claims: A data storage case having a write/protect assembly comprising; a container (1) accommodating a recording medium (4) on which information signals can at least be recorded; a plurality of detection holes (28,29,30), formed in orthogonal surfaces of said container (1), at least one formed in one lateral surface (17) and at least one formed in at least one major surface of said container (1); and a write/protect member (23) provided in said container (1), said write/protect member (23) including a plurality of the mating detection elements (25,26,27) protruding orthogonally therefrom, and being movable between first and second positions within said container (1); characterised in that said mating detection elements (25,26,27) protrude orthogonally into the orthogonal detection holes (28,29,30); and in that said write/protect member (23) is slidable within said container (1) whereby said mating detection elements (25,26,27) are slidably movable between first and second positions within said detection holes (28,29,30). A data storage case having a write/protect assembly according to claim 1 wherein said detection holes (28, 29, 30) are provided on one lateral surface of said container (1) at a corner on the front side (17) of said container in the direction of insertion of said container into a recording and/or reproducing apparatus and on at least one major surface of said container. A data storage case having a write/protect assembly according to claim 2 wherein said write/protect member (23) comprises a first mating detection element (25) engaging in the detection hole (28) formed in the lateral surface (17) of said container for facing outwards and a second mating detection element (26, 27) engaged in the detection hole (29, 30) formed in at least one major surface of said container (1) for facing outwards, said first and second mating detection elements (25, 26, 27) being at right angles to each other. A data storage case having a write/protect assembly according to claim 2 wherein said detection holes (28, 29, 30) are formed in one lateral surface (17) and a pair of major surfaces of said container. A data storage case having a write/protect assembly according to claim 4 wherein said write/protect member (23) comprises a first mating detection element (25) engaging in the detection hole (28) formed in the lateral surface (17) of said container for facing outwards and second and third mating detection elements (26, 27) engaged in the detection holes (29, 30) formed in a pair of major surfaces of said container (1) for facing outwards, said first mating detection element (25) being at right angels to said second and third mating detection elements (26, 27). A data storage case having a write/protect assembly according to claim 1 wherein said write/protect member (23) is provided in said container (1) and wherein, in use, a slide guide (33) provided on a mistaken recording inhibit member is pressed against the rear wall of the recess (34) formed by said detection holes (28, 29, 30). A data storage case having a write/protect assembly according to claim 6 wherein said write/protect member (23) has retention ribs (31, 32) on both sides on the proximal side opposite to the side provided with said mating detection elements (25, 26, 27) and wherein mating retention ribs (36a, 36b) are provided in said recess (34) for being selectively engaged by said retention ribs (31, 32). A data storage case having a write/protect assembly according to claim 1 wherein said write/protect member (23) is provided, on the proximal side of said mating detection element (25), with a rotary arm (51), the proximal side of said rotary arm (51) is rotatably mounted on a pin (52) provided in said container (1) and wherein a movement control boss (53) is provided in at least one of said detection holes (28, 29, 30).

Inventors: HARUNA SHUJI, IWATA HIROKIMI, HARUNA, SHUJI, IWATA, HIROKIMI
Applicants: SONY CORP, SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G11B23
IPC codes: G11B23