Abstract:
A floppy disk cartridge adapter having a removable coin shaped memory disk. The 3½ inch size cartridge adapter can fit into conventional personal computer disk drives. The small coin shaped magnetic disk has a diameter of approximately 1 inch, and can be easily snapped into and removed from the cartridge adapter. The coin disk fits on a spindle that is side by side to the floating drive plate used in regular 3½ inch floppy diskettes. The spindle can be attached by various drive systems to rotate simultaneously with the rotating drive plate. One version is belt driven, another has the coin disk snap onto a spindle supported wheel whose sides frictionally rub against the drive plate wheel, and a third version has the coin disk snap onto the spindle supported gear wheel whose sides contain teeth which mateably engage like side teeth on the drive plate wheel. The coin disk can alternatively be inserted into a separate casing having a spring loaded shutter so that the conventional disk drive being used can access the magnetic sides of the coin disk by sliding the shutter. When removed from the cartridge adapter, the disk can be inserted into a small clip retainer which has a paper clip edge allowing the coin shaped disk to be portably mounted on papers, cardboard, clipboards and the like.

Description:
This is a Divisional of application Ser. No. 09/106,641 filed Jun. 29, 1998 U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,410. 
    
    
     This invention relates to computer memory discs, and in particular to an floppy disk sized adapter device that allows removable coin sized disks to record information within conventional personal computer disk drivers. 
     BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART 
     Conventional computer disk drivers on IBM compatible personal computers (PCs) such as those from Compaq, Hewlett Packard, Texas Instruments and even Apple generally use a standard 3½ inch floppy diskette cartridges. It has become a wide practice for persons to manually pass these floppy diskettes around when updating and submitting papers to other parties. Typically, the only way of protecting a single 3½ inch floppy diskette cartridges is to use the paper type sleeve they come in. However, there are problems with being able to manually transport individual diskette cartridges. The paper sleeves are usually paper-thin, easily wear and become torn after a short use. Additionally, the size of these floppy diskette cartridges makes them difficult to attach to hardcopy paper versions with traditional fastening means such as paper clips. The large size of these catridges can cause the cartridge to become separated from the attached paper and become lost. Furthermore, the bulky 3½ inch rigid square shape of the cartridge requires a storage space of at least those dimensions. The large plastic carrying cases which hold multiple disks are too cumbersome to be used for holding just a single disk. Most 3½ inch floppy diskettes that pass around offices utilize less than 20 to 30% of their storage space resulting in substantial wasted space. Furthermore most 3½ inch diskettes are not passed around in protective paper type sleeves, and as a result the magnetic disk in the diskette cartridges can become demagnetized and even damaged form normal wear and tear. 
     Cartridge and disk adapters have been proposed over the past several years, but fail to overcome all the problems described above. U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,802 to Suzuki et al. describes a disk adapter for a disk cartridge that uses a spacer-component to fill in the space about smaller sized disks. However, Suzuki &#39;802 requires using a separate plastic disk adapter piece as the spacer-component that detaches from the cartridge housing and thus can become easily damaged, and lost. Furthermore, both this plastic adapter piece and the disk must each be inserted and snapped into place within the housing between uses which would tend to wear out the plastic adapter over time and thus not allow it to be readily reusable. U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,354 to Iwata et al. describes a disk cartridge having a hinged side opening for allowing only a full size magnetic disk to be inserted therein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,475,674 to Yamashita et al. describes a disc case that is limited to only holding full-sized removable magnetic disks. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,331,627 to Childers et al.; 5,677,898 to Hasegawa et al. and 5,715,233 to Yoshida et al. each describes cartridge adapter devices where one or more smaller cartridges (each housing a disk) can be inserted into a larger cartridge so that the smaller cartridge can work in computers that take the larger cartridges. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The first objective of the present invention is to provide a 3½ inch floppy disk cartridge useful for computers with a removable and reusable 1 inch coin-sized magnetic disk. 
     The second object of this invention is to provide a portable computer useable coin shaped magnetic disc that can be handheld and easily stored. 
     The third object of this invention is to provide a storage holder for a coin sized magnetic storage media that can easily clip onto papers allowing the storage media to be easily tansportable. 
     A preferred embodiment of the adapter cartridge includes a cartridge in the shape of a floppy diskette, a drive plate rotatably attached within the cartridge, a coin shaped magnetic disk connected to the cartridge, and a drive system for allowing the disk to rotate simultaneously with the drive plate. In operation, the cartridge being inserted into a computer disk drive allows the magetic disk to record and play back data. The magnetic disk can be removed for separate transport and storage from the cartridge. The cartridge can have exterior dimensions of approximately 3.55 inches wide, approximately 3.70 inches long and approximately 0.13 inches thick. The magnetic disk can have a diameter of approximately 1 inch. A spindle in the cartridge allows the magnetic disk to be removably attached to the cartridge so that that the magnetic disk is side by side to the drive plate. 
     A first version of the drive system can have a belt connecting the rotating drive plate to the magnetic disk so that the drive plate and the magnetic disk simultaneously rotates in the same direction. The drive plate and the coin disk spin axis are joined by a flexible bell. A small pulley is attached to the drive plate and concentrically aligned with the drive plate spin axis. A second pulley mates with the coin disk and is concentrically aligned with the coin disk spin axis. A small belt wraps about the two pulleys. When the drive plate turns, it spins the drive plate pulley which moves the belt which turns the coin disk pulley which spins the coin disk. Equal drive plate pulley and coin disk pulley diameters assure the coin disk spins at the normal angular velocity of the drive. 
     A second version of the drive system can have a plate wheel supporting the magnetic disk and having rough side edges which abut against rough side edges on the drive plate, so that rotating the drive plate in one direction simultaneously by friction rotates the plate wheel in an opposite direction. A drive plate friction disk is attached to the drive plate and concentrically aligned with the drive plate spin axis. A coin disk friction plate mates with the coin disk and is concentrically aligned with the coin disk spin axis. The two friction disks contact each other at a tangent point with some force between the two friction disks at this pressure point. The friction disks will be made of a material, such as hard rubber, which offer significant frictional force at the pressure point. This assures that the coin disk spins true when the drive plate spins and prevents slippage between the coin disk and the drive plate as they both turn. 
     A third version of the drive system has a gear wheel for supporting the magnetic disk, the plate wheel having side teeth which mateably interconnect to side teeth on the drive plate, so that rotating the drive plate in one direction simultaneously rotates the gear wheel in an opposite direction. Here a coin disk gear is driven by a drive plate gear. The drive plate gear is attached to the normal drive plate and is concentrically aligned with the drive plate spin axis. The coin disk gear mates to the coin disk and is concentrically aligned with the drive plate spin axis. The coin disk gear mates to the coin disk and concentrically aligned with the coin disk spin axis. Both gears mesh together at a tangent point and when the drive turns the drive plate, the gears turn the coin disk. Equal gear diameters and equal numbers of teeth on both gears assure that the coin disks angular velocity is equal to the normal drive velocity. 
     A novel attachment device sized slightly larger than the coin disk can be used for attaching the coin disk to a single sheet of paper, a stack of paper, cardboard and even a clipboard. The attachment device has a compartment for snapably receiving side edges of the coin disk therein, and a clip for attaching the device to the edge of the sheet. 
     Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment which is illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a prior art 3½ inch floppy disk cartridge. 
     FIG. 1B is a partial exposed view of the magnetic disk within the cartridge of FIG.  1 A. 
     FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a novel coin disk used in the subject invention. 
     FIG. 2B is an enlarged cut-out section of the coin disk of FIG. 2A along arrow A. 
     FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of using the novel coin disk of FIGS. 2A-2B in a novel adapter cartridge. 
     FIG. 3B is a partial exposed view of the interior of the novel adapter cartridge of FIG.  3 A. 
     FIG. 3C is an enlarged view of the belt drive system of the adapter cartridge of FIGS. 3A-3B. 
     FIG. 3D is a side view of the belt drive system of FIG. 3C along arrow B. 
     FIG. 3E is an enlarged view of the novel disk on the spindle in the cartridge of FIG.  3 B. 
     FIG. 3F is perspective view of the adapter cartridge of the preceding figures inserted into a conventional disk drive. 
     FIG. 3G is a side view of the adapter cartridge and disk drive of FIG. 3F along arrow C. 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a second preferred embodiment drive system for use in the novel cartridge shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a third preferred embodiment drive system for use in the novel cartridge shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. 
     FIG. 6A is a top perspective view of an alternative housing for the coin disk of FIGS. 2A-2B. 
     FIG. 6B is a bottom perspective view of the housing of FIG. 6A along arrow Y. 
     FIG. 6C is a side cross-sectional view of the housing of FIG. 6A along arrow X. 
     FIG. 6D is a top view of the coin housing of FIG. 6A mounted in the cartridge adapter of FIG.  3 A. 
     FIG. 6E is an enlarged view of the housing portion of coin disk of FIG.  6 D. 
     FIG. 7A is an enlarged exploded view of a novel attachment device for the novel coin disk of the preceding figures. 
     FIG. 7B shows the attachment device of FIG. 7A being used with a stack of papers. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Before explaining the disclosed embodiment of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangement shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. 
     FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a prior art 3½ inch floppy diskette/cartridge  1 . FIG. 1B is a partial exposed view of the magnetic disk  4  within the cartridge  1  of FIG.  1 A. Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, prior art cartridge  1  can be a standard 3½ inch floppy diskette/cartridge (2HD) having a recording capacity of 1.44 MB when formatted, such as but not limited to those manufactured by Iomega, Syguest, Teac, Verbatim, Sony, 3-M, Maxwell, TDK and the like. The standard floppy diskette  1  generally consists of a thin plastic rectangular case  3  approximately 3.55 inches wide, approximately 3.70 inches long and approximately 0.13 inches thick. The magnetic disk  4  inside of case  3 , is formed from a round; thin sheet of flexible plastic impregnated with a magnetic material having a diameter of approximately 3.37 inches and a thickness of approximately 0.003 inches (approximately the thickness of a sheet of paper). Glued to the center of disk  4  is a thin metal drive plate  7  which acts like a spindle allowing the disk to rotate in the direction of arrow R. The standard floppy disk  1  of FIGS. 1A-1B includes a sliding shutter  2  which slides in the direction of arrow S on one end of case  3 . Under the shutter is an access window  5  located on both sides of case  3  which opens to the magnetic media disk  4 . When the diskette/cartridge  1  is inserted into a conventional disk drive, the drive spindle of the disk drive (both not shown since they are not part of the invention), the drive spindle engages the round metal drive plate  7  on the diskette/cartridge and spins the disk  4  at a preselected angular velocity. As the disk  4  spins in the direction of arrow R, heads inside the disk drive read the surfaces of the magnetic disk  4 . 
     FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a novel coin disk  10  used in the subject invention. FIG. 2B is an enlarged cut-out section of the coin disk  10  of FIG. 2A along arrow A. Referring to FIGS. 2A-2B, novel coin disk  10  is comprised of a plastic disk body base  20  having an upper external raised lip edge  22  above a top planar surface  24 , and a lower external raised lip edge  26  above a bottom planar surface  28 . A top magnetic layer  34  adheres to the top surface  24 , while a bottom magnetic layer  38  is adhered to the bottom surface  28 . A cylindrical opening  30  forms the disk rotor area of which will be explained in greater detail in reference to FIGS. 3A-3G, includes approximately three inwardly projecting plastic pins  35 . Novel coin disk  10  can have an overall diameter of approximately 1.0 inches (the approximate diameter of a quarter), and a thickless of approximately 0.09 inches. 
     FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment  100  of using the novel coin disk  10  of FIGS. 2A-2B in a novel adapter cartridge  100 . FIG. 3B is a partial exposed view of the interior of the novel adapter cartridge  100  of FIG.  3 A. FIG. 3C is an enlarged view of the belt drive system  110 ,  120  of the adapter cartridge  100  of FIGS. 3A-3B. FIG. 3D is a side view of the belt drive system  110 ,  120  of FIG. 3C along arrow B. FIG. 3E is an enlarged view of the novel disk  10  on the spindle  112  in the cartridge  100  of FIG.  3 B. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A-3E, cartridge  100  is a tin plastic rectangular case having overall dimensions identical to the floppy disks of the prior art being approximately 3.55 inches wide, approximately 3.70 inches long and approximately 0.13 inches thick. Novel cartridge  100  includes a upper door  105  with a top drive head access window  107 , hingedly connected  109  to the cartridge body  100 . Door  105  can tightly snap into opening  106  of the upper surface  108  of the cartridge  100 . Opposite the top drive head access window  107  is a bottom drive head access window  103  bottom surface  104  of the cartridge  100 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A-3D, spindle  112  has a center hole for mounting about an axle pin  115  which is secured to lower bottom floor  104  of the cartridge  100 , so that spindle  112  and an adhered to pulley  114  can rotate relative to the cartridge  100 . A drive plate  122  with slot  126  the like components described in reference to FIGS. 1A-1B, similarly floatably fits within the bottom portion of the cartridge  100 . The novel drive plate  122  includes an upper surface attached pulley  124  which connects to pulley  114  by a belt  119  such as a rubber band, and the like. 
     Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3E, coin disk  10  is inserted into cartridge  100  by manually inserting the disk  10  in the direction of arrow D so that the pins  35  of the disk  10  abut between the tabs  113  on the spindle  112  locking the disk  10  in place. Referring to FIG. 3B, drive plate  120  rotating in the direction of arrow R 1  uses the pulley  119  to simultaneously rotate disk  10  in the same direction of R 1 . 
     FIG. 3F is perspective view of the adapter cartridge  100  of preceding FIGS. 3A-3E inserted into a conventional disk drive  150  of a PC computer. The novel cartridge  100  is inserted inside conventional disk drive  150  as a conventional cartridge of FIGS. 1A-1B is done. FIG. 3G is a side view of the adapter cartridge  100  and disk drive  150  of FIG. 3F along arrow C. Referring to FIGS. 3F-3G, novel cartridge  100  is inserted in the direction of arrow E into the disk drive  150  in the same manner as conventional floppy diskettes are used. The read heads  160  of the disk drive  150  have a top read head  162  which can access the rotating magnetic coin disk  10  through the top drivehead access window  107  (shown in FIG. 3A) in upper surface  108  of the cartridge  100 , while the bottom read head  164  accesses the rotating magnetic coin disk  10  through the bottom drivehead access window  103  (shown in FIG. 3A) in the bottom surface  104  of the cartridge  100 . Note that the conventional disk drive shutter actuator  170  on disk drive  150  is still operable to open the sliding shutter usually found on traditional 3½ inch floppy diskettes. Again drive plate  122  rotating in the direction of arrow R 1  by way of belt  119  causes coin disk  10  simultaneously to rotate in the same direction. 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view  200  of a second preferred embodiment drive system for use in the novel cartridge shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Referring to FIG. 4, second preferred embodiment includes a drive gear wheel  222  having outer teeth edges  225  which has a lower end that is fixedly secured to a drive plate  122  (similar to the like numbered drive plate of FIG.  3 C), by a center pin  221 . A slot  226  passes through a bottom slot  126  of drive plate  122 . Together drive gear wheel  222  and drive plate  122  functions similarly to the like components described in reference to FIGS. 1A-1B, so that drive gear wheel  222  and drive plate  122  fit and float within the bottom portion of the cartridge  100 . Spindle  212  and axle pin  215  and pulley  214  correspond and function similarly to like components  112 ,  115  and  114 , respectively of FIGS. 3C-3D. In embodiment  200 , a circular coin disk gear wheel  216  with outer teeth edges  215  is fixably attached about the pulley  214  so that the respective teeth  215  and  225  of both gear wheels  216  and  222  rotate simultaneously with one another. In operation, the novel coin disk  10  of FIGS. 2A-2B is inserted and removed from spindle  212  and functions similarly to the previous embodiment. Note that when drive gear wheel  222  is rotating clockwise (CW), the coin disk gear wheel  216  is rotating counter-clockwise (CCW). Even though the removably attached memory disk  10  rotates in an opposite direction to the drive plate  122 , the same angular rate of speed is maintained and data is recorded and/or played back similarly to that of the previous embodiment. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view  300  of a third preferred embodiment drive system for use in the novel cartridge shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. Referring to FIG. 5, third preferred embodiment  300  includes a drive friction plate  322  having outer roughened exterior side edges  325  (such as grooves, rubber edges, and the like) which has a lower end that is fixedly secured to a drive plate  122  (similar to the like numbered drive plate of FIG.  3 C), by a center pin  321 . A slot  326  passes through a bottom slot  126  of drive plate  122 . Together drive friction plate  322  and drive plate  122  functions similarly to the like components described in reference to FIGS. 1A-1B, so that drive friction plate  322  and drive plate  122  fit and float within the bottom portion of the cartridge  100 . Spindle  312  and axle pin  315  and pulley  314  correspond and function similarly to like components  112 ,  115  and  114 , respectively of FIGS. 3C-3D. In embodiment  300 , a coin disk gear wheel  316  with roughened exterior side edges  315  (such as grooves, rubber edges, and the like) is fixably attached about the pulley  314  so that the respective edges  315  and  325  of both plates  316  and  322  rotate simultaneously with one another. In operation, the novel coin disk  10  of FIGS. 2A-2B is inserted and removed on the spindle  3112  and functions similarly to the previous embodiments. Note that when drive friction plate  322  is rotating clockwise (CW), the coin disk friction plate  316  is rotating counter-clockwise (CCW). Even though the memory disk  10  rotates in an opposite direction, the same angular rate of speed is maintained and data is recorded and/or played back similarly to that of the previous embodiment 
     FIG. 6A is a top perspective view  400  of an alternative housing  402  for the coin disk  10  (now renumbered  410 ) of FIGS. 2A-2B. FIG. 6B is a bottom perspective view of the housing  402  of FIG. 6A along arrow Y. FIG. 6C is a side cross-sectional view of the housing  402  of FIG. 6A along arrow X. FIG. 6D is a top view of the coin housing  402  of FIG. 6A mounted in the cartridge adapter  100  (now renumbered  460 ) of FIG.  3 A. FIG. 6E is an enlarged view of the coin disk housing  400  of FIG.  6 D. 
     Referring to FIGS. 6A-6E, a plastic coin disk housing  402  has a coin disk  410  (corresponding to coin disk  10  of FIGS. 2A-2B) inserted therein. A central disk rotor opening  430  has interior protruding pins  435  (corresponding to pins  35  of FIG.  2 A). A metal shutter rotatably movable in the direction of arrow Z 4  hingedly rotates relative to central points  421  and  423  of the housing  402  and is spring loaded by a torsion spring  425  to stay in an initial closed position as shown in FIG.  6 A. Moving the shutter in the direction of arrow Z 4  exposes top and bottom windows  452 ,  454 , respectively exposing the magnetic surfaces  412  (only one is shown here) of magnetic disk  410 . An anti-rotation tab  406  extends from the housing  402  to fit within a mateable edge groove  466  in the cylindrical slot  465  in cartridge  460 . Pins  435  fit about the spindles  112 ,  212 ,  312  shown and described in reference to the previous figures. Although not shown, the door  105  shown in FIG. 3A can be used with the embodiment of FIGS. 6A-6E. 
     In operation inserting disk adapter cartridge  460  into a typical disk drive (such as the one shown in FIG. 3F) allows for disk drive shutter actuator  470  (corresponding to the disk drive shutter actuator  170  of FIG. 3F) to move in the direction of arrow Z 1 , abuting against the coin disk shutter actuator  480  (that moves in the direction of arrow Z 3 ) having a through-hole opening  485  to catch about the raised pin  490  on the coin disk shutter  420 . Pin  490  slides downward in the direction of arrow Z 2  causing shutter  420  to pivot about center point  421  exposing magnetic media surface  412  of magnetic disk  410 . 
     FIG. 7A is an enlarged exploded view  500  of a novel attachment device for the novel coin disk  10  of the preceding figures. FIG. 7B shows the attachment device  500  of FIG. 7A being used with a stack of papers  550 . Referring to FIGS. 7A-7B, a novel attachment device can be formed from injection molded plastic and the like and includes raised arc sides  510  and  520  which tightly allow the side edges  22 ,  26  of the coin disk to snap within when moved in the direction of arrow M. The arc sides  510  and  520  have respective bottom surface portions  515  and  525 . A bendable paper clip portion  530  movable downward in the direction of arrow N allows the attachment device  500  to attach to an edge of a stack of papers  550 , cardboard, clipboard, and the like. 
     Although the preferred embodiment can use the magnetic disks described in reference to the 3½ inch floppy disks having 1.44 MB described in reference to FIGS. 1A-1B, the subject invention can use magnetic disks manufactured in accordance with recently introduced high memory capacity floppy disks. The coin disk of the subject invention can be manufactured with the technology used in the high-capacity 3½ inch floppy disks having a 200 MB (megabyte both sides) recording capacity such as the HiFD manufactured jointly by Sony Corp. and Fuji Photo Film Co. Mac Publications “HiFD to Support new, old floppies”, MacWEEK News, Vol. 11 Issue 40, Oct. 17, 1997, pages 1-3. Additionally, the subject coin disk can be manufactured with the technology of the 3½ inch SuperDisk™ that have a 120 MB capacity manufactured by Imation Corporation. Imation Brochure Super Disk™ LS-120 Diskettes, 1997. Thus, the approximately 1 inch diameter magnetic coin disks using either the HiFD or SuperDisk™ technology would have greater capacity than the conventional standard 3½ inch floppy disks. 
     While the preferred embodiment has described using removable coin shaped magnetic memory disks, the invention can be applicable to other types of computer storage media such as but not limited to compacts disks (CDs), and the like, where coin shaped compact disks can be used in place of the magnetic coin disks and have a higher density for storage. 
     While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be deemed to be, limited thereby and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.