Improved removable disk cartridge

Claim 2

A cartridge (10) for use with a drive housing which is characterised by a bottom wall (17), a spaced pair of side walls (15,16) coupled to said bottom wall and a pair of stationary position registration members (23), each extending along the inner edge of a different one of said side walls (15,16), each said registration member including an entry ramp portion (25), a stop/pivot portion (27/28) spaced along the corresponding side wall (23) from said entry ramp portion, and an intermediate guide portion (26); said cartridge being characterised by a housing including a pair of opposed side wall members (31,32), each side wall member having registration means engageable with one of said stationary position registration members (23) for enabling said cartridge (10) to be positioned in a predetermined operating attitude, said registration means including an edge surface (33A) for contacting said entry ramp portion (25) when said cartridge is initially inserted in said drive housing and for contacting said intermediate guide portion (26) as said cartridge is advanced into the interior of said drive housing so that said cartridge housing is slidingly engaged thereby, and pivot engagement means (36) located at a forward edge of said cartridge for pivoting engagement with said stop/pivot (27/28) when said cartridge is located at a predetermined longitudinal position in said drive housing established by said stop/pivot position, said edge surface further including first and second guide engagement means (34,35) for respectively engaging said intermediate guide portion (26) and said ramp portion (25) of said registration member (23) when said cartridge is pivoted about said stop/pivot portion (27/28) toward said registration member so that said cartridge is restrained against longitudinal movement when positioned in said operating attitude.

Claim 3

The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said drive housing is further characterised by cartridge biasing means (29) extending longitudinally of said drive housing for urging said cartridge edge surface into contact with said registration member as said cartridge (10) is advanced therealong, said biasing means cooperating with said registration member (26) to guide said pivot engagement means into contact with said stop/ pivot portion (27/28).

Claim 4

The cartridge of claim 2 characterised in that said cartridge biasing means (29) comprises an abutment member extending longitudinally of said side wall at a predetermined angle with respect to the top edge thereof.

Claim 5

The cartridge of any of claims 1, 2 or 3 characterised in that said ramp portion (25) and said intermediate guide portion (26) comprises male members extending in a direction generally normal to the longitudinal axis of said drive housing side wall (15), and wherein said first and second guide engagement means (34,35) comprise complementary shaped recesses formed in said edge surface of said cartridge.

Claim 6

A cartridge (10), including a disk (40) having a central hub (42,44), a housing for enclosing said disk, and a releasable disk locking means for maintaining said disk in a secured position when not in use, characterised by relatively rigid lock means (46) normally engaged with said disk hub (44), spring bias means (52) coupled to said lock means for urging said disk hub into said secured position, and release means for enabling said lock means to be raised away from engagement with said disk hub to thereby release said disk for rotation within said cartridge housing.

Claim 7

A cartridge (10), including a disk (40) having a central hub (42,44), a housing for enclosing said disk, and a releasable disk locking means for maintaining said disk in a secured position when not in use, characterised by relatively rigid lock means (46) normally engaged with said disk hub (44), spring bias means (52) coupled to said lock means for urging said disk hub into said secured position, and release means for enabling said lock means to be raised away from engagement with said disk hub to thereby release said disk for rotation within said cartridge housing.

Claim 8

The cartridge of claim 5 further characterised in that said lock means comprises a relatively rigid plate member (46) having an inner margin normally in contact with said disk hub, and an outer margin normally in contact with said spring biasing means (52), said release means having a relatively stiff pin means (55) secured to said plate member (46) adjacent said outer margin and slidably received in a confinement channel (56) formed in said cartridge housing in a direction generally normal to said plate member (46), said pin means (55) being snugly received along the axis of said confinement channel (56) to minimize off-axis motion, said pin means (55) and said plate member (46) together forming a lever with a fulcrum at the intersection thereof.

Claim 9

The cartridge of claim 6 characterised in that said disk hub (44) is annular and wherein said inner margin terminates in a circular segment.

Claim 10

The cartridge of claim 6 or claim 7, characterised in that said confinement channel (56) comprises an aperture formed in said cartridge housing, and in that said pin means (55) is cylindrical.

Claim 11

The cartridge of any of claims 6 to 8 characterised in that said confinement channel (56) comprises a slot formed in an inner wall surface of said cartridge housing, said slot having a bottom wall, and in that said pin means (55) comprises at least one lug extending from said plate member (46) into said slot.

Claim 12

The cartridge of claim 9 characterised in that said release means further includes an additional release pin (21) received in an aperture in said cartridge housing and engageable with said plate member in the region of said confinement channel to translate said lug in a direction away from said bottom wall when said additional release pin is advanced into said aperture.

Claim 13

The cartridge of any of claims 6 to 10 further characterised by means (58,59) for restraining said lock means against lateral motion in said cartridge.

Claim 14

A hub, for use with a mating spindle (20), said hub being characterised by a spindle referencing member having an aperture for receiving the free end of said spindle, said referencing member including first and second angularly spaced-arcuate segments (71,72) each defining a peripheral portion of said aperture and providing a lateral abutment for the outer surface of said spindle (20) in the region adjacent said free end, the radius of curvature of each of said arcuate segments being closely matched to the radius of curvature of said spindle, said referencing member further including spindle biasing means (75) laterally spaced from said arcuate segments (71,72) and engageable with the outer surface of said spindle (10) in the region adjacent said free end for urging said spindle into surface contact with said arcuate segments when said free end is received in said aperture thereby centering said hub and said spindle.

Claim 15

A hub, for use with a mating spindle (20), said hub being characterised by a spindle referencing member having an aperture for receiving the free end of said spindle, said referencing member including first and second angularly spaced-arcuate segments (71,72) each defining a peripheral portion of said aperture and providing a lateral abutment for the outer surface of said spindle (20) in the region adjacent said free end, the radius of curvature of each of said arcuate segments being closely matched to the radius of curvature of said spindle, said referencing member further including spindle biasing means (75) laterally spaced from said arcuate segments (71,72) and engageable with the outer surface of said spindle (10) in the region adjacent said free end for urging said spindle into surface contact with said arcuate segments when said free end is received in said aperture thereby centering said hub and said spindle.

Claim 16

The hub of claim 12 characterised in that said spindle biasing means (75) includes a generally U-shaped spring, and means for pre-loading said spring to a predetermined spring force.

Claim 17

The hub of claim 13 characterised in that said pre-loading means includes a slot (73) formed in a surface of said referencing member, said slot having preselected dimensions to maintain said spring in a compressed attitude, and means for retaining said spring in said slot.

Claim 18

The hub of any of claims 12,13 or 14 characterised in that said referencing member further includes a tapered central wall portion (67) providing a generally conical entry ramp for said free end of said spindle (20), the inner end of said central wall portion terminating in said arcuate segments.

Claim 19

A disk memory cartridge, said cartridge being characterised by: a housing providing an enclosed voliime; a disk (14) mounted for rotation in said housing; hub means (44,62,44) coupled to said disk for enabling said disk to be rotated by an external spindle, said housing having an end wall with a transducer access port (81) located centrally therein, and an air exit port (82) laterally displaced from said access port and providing a circumferentially oriented flow exit path for air entering said enclosed volume via said access port when said disk is rotated.

Claim 20

A disk memory cartridge, said cartridge being characterised by: a housing providing an enclosed voliime; a disk (14) mounted for rotation in said housing; hub means (44,62,44) coupled to said disk for enabling said disk to be rotated by an external spindle, said housing having an end wall with a transducer access port (81) located centrally therein, and an air exit port (82) laterally displaced from said access port and providing a circumferentially oriented flow exit path for air entering said enclosed volume via said access port when said disk is rotated.

Claim 21

The cartridge of claim 16 characterised in that said air exit port (82) is dimensioned to provide maximum exiting air flow.

Claim 22

The combination of either of claims 16 or 17 wherein said housing is fabricated from an anti-static material.

Claim 23

A removable disk memory cartridge (10) for use with a drive mechanism which is characterised by a drive spindle (20), said drive mechanism being located in a drive housing having a bottom wall (17), a spaced pair of side walls (15,16) coupled to said bottom wall and a pair of stationary position registration members (23,23') each extending along the inner edge of a different one of said side walls (15,16), each registration member (23) including an entry ramp portion (25), a stop/pivot portion (27/28) spaced along the corresponding side wall from said entry ramp portion (25), and an intermediate guide portion (26), said cartridge being characterised by a housing including a pair of opposed side wall members (31,32), each side wall member having registration means engageable with one of said stationary position registration members (23) for enabling said cartridge to be positioned in a predetermined operating attitude, said registration means including an edge surface (33A) for contacting said entry ramp portion (25) when said cartridge is initially inserted in said drive housing and for contacting said intermediate guide portion (26) as said cartridge is advanced into the interior of said drive housing so that said cartridge housing is slidingly engaged thereby, and pivot engagement means (36) located at a forward edge of said cartridge for pivoting engagement with said stop/pivot portion (27/28) when said cartridge is located at a predetermined longitudinal position in said drive housing established by said stop/pivot portion, said edge surface further including first and second guide engagement means (34,35) for respectively engaging said intermediate guide portion (26 ) and said ramp portion (25) of said registration member (23) when said cartridge is pivoted about said stop/pivot portion (27/28) toward said registration member so that said cartridge is restrained against longitudinal movement when positioned in said operating attitude; a disk having a central hub (42,62,44) positioned in said housing, said hub including a drive spindle referencing member having an aperture for receiving the free end of said spindle (20), said referencing member including first and second angularly spaced arcuate segments (71,72) each defining a peripheral portion of said aperture and providing a lateral abutment for the outer surface of said spindle (20) in the region adjacent said free end, the radius of curvature of each of said arcuate segments being closely matched to the radius of curvature of said spindle, said referencing member further including spindle biasing means (75) laterally spaced from said arcuate segments (71,72) and engageable with the outer surface of said spindle (20) in the region adjacent said free end for urging said spindle into surface contact with said arcuate segments when said free end is received in said aperture; releasable disk locking means for maintaining said disk in a secured position when not in use, said disk locking means (46) including relatively rigid lock means normally engaged with said disk hub (44), spring bias means (52) coupled to said lock means for urging said disk hub (44) into said secured position, and release means for enabling said lock means to be raised away from engagement with said disc hub (44) to thereby release said disk (14) for rotation within said cartridge housing, said housing further including an end wall with a transducer access port (81) located centrally therein, and an air exit port (82) laterally displaced from said access port (81) and providing a circumferentially orientated flow exit path for air entering said enclosed volume via said access port when said disk (14) is rotated by said spindle.

Claim 24

A removable disk memory cartridge (10) for use with a drive mechanism which is characterised by a drive spindle (20), said drive mechanism being located in a drive housing having a bottom wall (17), a spaced pair of side walls (15,16) coupled to said bottom wall and a pair of stationary position registration members (23,23') each extending along the inner edge of a different one of said side walls (15,16), each registration member (23) including an entry ramp portion (25), a stop/pivot portion (27/28) spaced along the corresponding side wall from said entry ramp portion (25), and an intermediate guide portion (26), said cartridge being characterised by a housing including a pair of opposed side wall members (31,32), each side wall member having registration means engageable with one of said stationary position registration members (23) for enabling said cartridge to be positioned in a predetermined operating attitude, said registration means including an edge surface (33A) for contacting said entry ramp portion (25) when said cartridge is initially inserted in said drive housing and for contacting said intermediate guide portion (26) as said cartridge is advanced into the interior of said drive housing so that said cartridge housing is slidingly engaged thereby, and pivot engagement means (36) located at a forward edge of said cartridge for pivoting engagement with said stop/pivot portion (27/28) when said cartridge is located at a predetermined longitudinal position in said drive housing established by said stop/pivot portion, said edge surface further including first and second guide engagement means (34,35) for respectively engaging said intermediate guide portion (26 ) and said ramp portion (25) of said registration member (23) when said cartridge is pivoted about said stop/pivot portion (27/28) toward said registration member so that said cartridge is restrained against longitudinal movement when positioned in said operating attitude; a disk having a central hub (42,62,44) positioned in said housing, said hub including a drive spindle referencing member having an aperture for receiving the free end of said spindle (20), said referencing member including first and second angularly spaced arcuate segments (71,72) each defining a peripheral portion of said aperture and providing a lateral abutment for the outer surface of said spindle (20) in the region adjacent said free end, the radius of curvature of each of said arcuate segments being closely matched to the radius of curvature of said spindle, said referencing member further including spindle biasing means (75) laterally spaced from said arcuate segments (71,72) and engageable with the outer surface of said spindle (20) in the region adjacent said free end for urging said spindle into surface contact with said arcuate segments when said free end is received in said aperture; releasable disk locking means for maintaining said disk in a secured position when not in use, said disk locking means (46) including relatively rigid lock means normally engaged with said disk hub (44), spring bias means (52) coupled to said lock means for urging said disk hub (44) into said secured position, and release means for enabling said lock means to be raised away from engagement with said disc hub (44) to thereby release said disk (14) for rotation within said cartridge housing, said housing further including an end wall with a transducer access port (81) located centrally therein, and an air exit port (82) laterally displaced from said access port (81) and providing a circumferentially orientated flow exit path for air entering said enclosed volume via said access port when said disk (14) is rotated by said spindle.

Claim 25

The cartridge of claim 19 characterised in that said housing is provided with an anti-static surface.