Disc cassette (disc cartridge)

Abstract

A disc cassette (11) for containing a disc (18) for rotation equipped with a shutter (14a, 14b) for opening and closing head windows (13) in slot form. The shutter automatically opens when the disc cassette is mounted on a cassette drive apparatus and automatically closes when it is removed therefrom. The shutter is mounted in center openings (15a, 15b) of the disc cassette for rotation therearound and has locked to one end portion thereof a movable belt (22) which causes the shutter to rotate when it moves. The movable belt has fastened thereto a spring (29, 50) for moving the belt in sliding movement to close the shutter at all times when the disc cassette is removed from the cassette drive apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A disc cassette (disc cartridge) formed, at each of opposite surfaces with a center opening for driving an information recording disc and a slot extending radially of the information recording disc to allow information recorded in the disc to be retrieved and including a housing of a substantially square shape for containing the information recording disc in enclosing relation, such disc cassette comprising: (a) a pair of shutter means interposed between said disc for recording information and said housing and each of said shutter means including an annular portion located at one end portion and formed with a hole larger in size than the center openings, and a plate-like portion located at the other end portion and having an area greater than the area of the slots, said annular portion capable of rotating around said center openings to allow said shutter means to move between two stop positions, said plate-like portions being brought into index with said slot in the first stop position to close the same and brought out of index therewith in the second stop position to open the same;   (b) holding means formed on the disc cassette for holding the annular portion of the shutter means for rotation around the center openings;   (c) moving means coupled to the platelike portion of the shutter means for exerting a force on the plate-like portion to cause the annular portion of the shutter means to rotate around the center openings; and   (d) resilient means comprising a torsion spring coupled at one end to the moving means and at the other end to the disc cassette for exerting a biasing force on the moving means to cause the shutter means to move from the second stop position to the first stop position, and wherein a coiled portion of the torsion spring moves laterally relative to the disc cartridge when the shutter means moves between the first stop position and the second stop position.   
     
     
       2. A disc cassette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said moving means comprises a belt having resilience. 
     
     
       3. A disc cassette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said disc cassette is formed with a groove for receiving the moving means, said groove comprising an arcuate portion formed in a position near the slot and a straight portion continuous with the arcuate portion formed at one side of the disc cassette, and wherein said cassette disc is formed at opposite sides with guide channels and the moving means comprises a belt having resilience and formed at one end portion with a projection located in one of said guide channels, whereby the belt is moved as a force is exerted on said projection. 
     
     
       4. A disc cassette as claimed in claim 1, wherein said disc cassette is formed with a groove for receiving said moving means to allow the same to move in sliding movement therein. 
     
     
       5. A disc cassette as claimed in claim 4, wherein said groove comprises an arcuate portion formed in a position near the slot and a straight portion contiguous with the arcuate portion formed at one side of the disc cassette. 
     
     
       6. A disc cassette as claimed in claim 2, wherein said belt is formed at one end portion with a projection for exerting a force on the belt. .Iadd. 
     
     
       7.  A disc cartridge including an information recording disc, said disc cartridge comprising: (a) a housing within which said information recording disc is rotatably arranged, said housing having an opening for driving said information recording disc, and a head window through which information recorded on said information recording disc is read out;   (b) a shutter member mounted to said housing for movement relative thereto, said shutter member having a plate-like portion formed to have an area larger than that of said head window in said housing, said plate-like portion being movable between a first stop position where said plate-like portion covers said head window in said housing and a second stop position where said plate-like portion uncovers said head window in said housing; and   (c) resilient means comprising a torsion spring having a coiled portion and first and second end portions, said first end portion being associated with said housing and said second end portion being associated with said shutter member, said resilient means applying a biasing force to said shutter member to move the same from said second stop position toward said first stop position, wherein said coiled portion of said torsion spring moves laterally relative to said housing and said second end portion of said torsion spring moves linearly when said plate-like portion of said shutter member moves between said first and second stop positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.     
     
     
       8.  A disc cartridge including an information recording disc, said disc cartridge comprising: (a) a housing within which said information recording disc is rotatably arranged, said housing having a pair of openings for driving said information recording disc, and a pair of head windows through which information recorded on said information recording disc is read out;   (b) a shutter member mounted to said housing for movement relative thereto, said shutter member having a pair of plate-like portions each formed to have an area larger than that of a corresponding one of said head windows in said housing, said plate-like portions being movable between a first stop position where said plate-like portions respectively cover said head windows in said housing and a second stop position where said plate-like portions respectively uncover said head windows in said housing; and   (c) resilient means comprising a torsion spring having a coiled portion and first and second end portions, said first end portion being associated with said housing and said second end portion being associated with said shutter member, said resilient means applying a biasing force to said shutter member to move the same from said second stop position toward said first stop position, wherein said coiled portion of said torsion spring moves laterally relative to said housing and said second end portion of said torsion spring moves linearly when said plate-like portions of said shutter member move between said first and second stop positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.9. A disc cartridge including an information recording disc, said disc cartridge comprising:     (a) a housing within which said information recording disc is rotatably arranged, said housing having an opening for driving said information recording disc, and a head window through which information recorded on said information recording disc is read out;   (b) a shutter member mounted to said housing for movement relative thereto, said shutter member having a plate-like portion formed to have an area larger than that of said head window in said housing, said plate-like portion being movable between a first stop position where said plate-like portion covers said head window in said housing and a second stop position where said plate-like portion uncovers said head window in said housing; and   (c) resilient means comprising a plate spring having a bent portion and first and second end portions, said first end portion being associated with said housing and said second end portion being associated with said shutter member, said resilient means applying a biasing force to said shutter member to move the same from said second stop position toward said first stop position, wherein said bent portion of said plate spring moves laterally relative to said housing and said second end portion of said plate spring moves linearly when said plate-like portion of said shutter member moves between said first and second stop positions. .Iaddend. .Iadd.10. A disc cartridge including an information recording disc, said disc cartridge comprising:     (a) a housing within which said information recording disc is rotatably arranged, said housing having a pair of openings for driving said information recording disc, and a pair of head windows through which information recorded on said information recording disc is read out;   (b) a shutter member mounted to said housing for movement relative thereto, said shutter member having a pair of plate-like portions each formed to have an area larger than that of a corresponding one of said head windows in said housing, said plate-like portions being movable between a first stop position where said plate-like portions respectively cover said head windows in said housing a second stop position where said plate-like portions respectively uncover said head windows in said housing; and   (c) resilient means comprising a plate spring having a bent portion and first and second end portions, said first end portion being associated with said housing and said second end portion being associated with said shutter member, said resilient means applying a biasing force to said shutter member to move the same from said second stop position toward said first stop position, wherein said bent portion of said plate spring moves laterally relative to said housing and said second end portion of said plate spring moves linearly when said plate-like portions of said shutter member move between said first and second stop positions. .Iaddend.