Disc cartridge

Abstract

A disc cartridge includes: a disc storage portion; first and second shutters provided on the bottom of the disc storage portion; and a rotational member interlocked with the shutters and having a disc supporting portion to support the disc thereon while the shutters are closed and a notch to be located inside a head opening while the shutters are opened. The shutters include disc holders for holding the disc thereon with the center of the disc offset from that of the disc storage portion such that an outer side surface of the disc contacts with the sidewall of the disc storage portion at a position where the notch is located while the shutters are closed. The inner circumference of a region, where the disc supporting portion contacts with the second side of the disc, defines a circle that has its center offset from the center of the disc storage portion.

1 . A disc cartridge comprising: 
 a cartridge body including a disc storage portion, a chucking opening and a head opening, wherein the disc storage portion has a disc window and a bottom and stores a disc, having first and second sides, therein so that the disc is rotatable in the disc storage portion and that the first side of the disc is exposed inside the disc window; the chucking opening is formed on the bottom of the disc storage portion so as to get the disc chucked externally; and the head opening is also formed on the bottom of the disc storage portion so as to allow a head, which reads and/or writes a signal from/on the second side of the disc, to access the second side of the disc;    a shutter, provided on the bottom of the disc storage portion, for exposing or covering the head opening; and    a disc stopper, which has an arched concave side surface and which is supported by the cartridge body so as to be movable from a first position, at which the arched concave side surface protrudes over the disc that is stored inside the disc storage portion, to a second position, at which the arched concave side surface is not located over the disc, or vice versa.    
   
   
       2 . The disc cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the arched concave side surface of the disc stopper extends along a longer side of the disc stopper, and 
 wherein the disc stopper moves from the first position to the second position, or vice versa, by sliding vertically to the longer side with respect to the cartridge body.    
   
   
       3 . The disc cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the arched concave side surface of the disc stopper extends along a longer side of the disc stopper, and 
 wherein the disc stopper moves from the first position to the second position, or vice versa, by rotating on a shaft that extends parallelly to the longer side.    
   
   
       4 . The disc cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein the arched concave side surface of the disc stopper extends along a longer side of the disc stopper, and 
 wherein the disc stopper moves from the first position to the second position, or vice versa, by rotating on a shaft substantially parallelly to the first side of the disc, the shaft being provided near one end of the longer side of the disc stopper.    
   
   
       5 . The disc cartridge of  claim 4 , wherein the other end of the longer side of the disc stopper is engaged with the cartridge body.  
   
   
       6 . A disc cartridge comprising: 
 a cartridge body including a disc storage portion, a chucking opening and a head opening, wherein the disc storage portion has a disc window and a bottom and stores a disc, having first and second sides, therein so that the disc is rotatable in the disc storage portion and that the first side of the disc is exposed inside the disc window; the chucking opening is formed on the bottom of the disc storage portion so as to get the disc chucked externally; and the head opening is also formed on the bottom of the disc storage portion so as to allow a head, which reads and/or writes a signal from/on the second side of the disc, to access the second side of the disc;    a shutter, provided on the bottom of the disc storage portion, for exposing or covering the head opening;    a removal history hole, which is provided for the cartridge body;    a cap member, which covers the removal history hole at least partially; and    a disc stopper, which is supported by the cartridge body so as to be movable from a first position, at which the disc stopper protrudes over the disc that is stored inside the disc storage portion, to a second position, at which the disc stopper is not located over the disc, or vice versa,    wherein while the disc stopper is moving from the first position to the second position, the disc stopper removes the cap member from the removal history hole.    
   
   
       7 . The disc cartridge of  claim 6 , wherein the disc stopper moves from the first position to the second position, or vice versa, by rotating on a shaft substantially parallelly to the first side of the disc, the shaft being provided near one end of the longer side of the disc stopper thereof, and 
 wherein the center of rotation of the disc stopper is aligned with the center of the removal history hole.    
   
   
       8 . The disc cartridge of  claim 7 , wherein the cap member has a columnar shape and includes: connectors that are connected to an inner sidewall of the removal history hole; and a convex portion to engage with the disc stopper, the disc stopper including a concave portion that engages with the convex portion of the cap member.  
   
   
       9 . The disc cartridge of  claim 8 , wherein the center of the concave portion of the disc stopper is aligned with the center of rotation of the disc stopper, and 
 wherein by rotating the disc stopper, the cap member is rotated, the connectors are snapped off, and the cap member drops off from the removal history hole.