EP0271997A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cartridge for optical data discs
Assignee: OPTICORD
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Filing: 1987-11-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-11-13
Abstract
Abstract An optical disc is enclosed in a protective cartridge (20) including a pair of interlocking plastic shells (53, 54). The shells have integral resilient fastening hooks which are locked by plugs to prevent disassembly. A two-piece sliding door (30) is opened for exposing the disc during a read operation. In one embodiment, the sliding door includes two metal shutters (51, 52) having forward portions stamped with resilient hooks which are permanently retained in an undercut groove (57) formed in a plastic slider engaged in a track defined by two plastic shells. The rear portions (60, 61) of the metal shutters are overlapped by respective shutter retainer strips (58, 59) secured to ledges formed in the shells. The door is urged towards a closed position by a double coil torsion spring (70) providing a substantially constant closing force along the range of travel of the slider. A pivot (110) having detent positions (113) is provided for selectible blocking of a write protect hole formed through the shells. An alternative embodiment of sliding door (30 a ) is disclosed which comprises two moulded plastic shutters (51 a , 52 a ) that each have an integrally formed slider (121, 122) which are adapted for innerfitting engagement and for supporting the door for sliding movement relative to the cartridge shells. A locking lever (150 c ) also is disclosed for engaging the disc in response to movement of the door to a closed position for retaining the disc against movement during periods of non-use of the cartridge.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick B. Sandell
- 👤 Albert Ditzig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 10:08
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/03; G11B23/0301; G11B23/0308; G11B23/0313; G11B23/0316
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
104 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door comprises a slider engaged for sliding in a track defined by said shells along a forward edge portion of said cartridge, and a pair of shutters each having a flat planar portion overlapping a respective one of the shells and a forward portion including engaging means for engaging with engaging means formed in said slider.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
104 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door comprises a slider engaged for sliding in a track defined by said shells along a forward edge portion of said cartridge, and a pair of shutters each having a flat planar portion overlapping a respective one of the shells and a forward portion including engaging means for engaging with engaging means formed in said slider.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The protective cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engaging means formed in said slider is in the form of an undercut groove directed along the forward edge portion of said cartridge.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The protective cartridge as claimed in claim 2, wherein said engaging means included in the forward portion of each shutter comprises a plurality of resilient hooks for retaining the forward portion of each shutter in said undercut groove.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
The protective cartridge as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a resilient wire torsion spring disposed between said slider and at least one of said shells to urge said door toward said closed position, and wherein said wire spring includes two cylindrical coils each having an axis, said axes being substantially offset from each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
The protective cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said shells are formed with integral interlocking fastening means including a pair of spaced resilient hooks which are forced together during assembly and spring apart to lock the shells together, and further comprising a plug jammed between said resilient hooks after assembly to prevent disassembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
141 words
A protective cartridge for an optical data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking plastic shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door comprises a plastic slider engaged for sliding in a track defined by said shells along a forward edge portion of said cartridge, and a pair of sheet metal shutters each having a flat planar portion overlapping an external face of a respective one of the shells, the flat planar portions having rear edge portions overlapped by respective sheet metal retaining strips secured to respective ones of the shells, and the forward edge portions of said sheet metal shutters defining engaging means for engaging with engaging means formed in said slider.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
141 words
A protective cartridge for an optical data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking plastic shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door comprises a plastic slider engaged for sliding in a track defined by said shells along a forward edge portion of said cartridge, and a pair of sheet metal shutters each having a flat planar portion overlapping an external face of a respective one of the shells, the flat planar portions having rear edge portions overlapped by respective sheet metal retaining strips secured to respective ones of the shells, and the forward edge portions of said sheet metal shutters defining engaging means for engaging with engaging means formed in said slider.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, said shells being formed with integral fastening means including a pair of spaced resilient hooks which are forced together during assembly and spring apart to lock the shells together, and a plug jammed between said resilient hooks after assembly to prevent disassembly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, said shells being formed with integral fastening means including a pair of spaced resilient hooks which are forced together during assembly and spring apart to lock the shells together, and a plug jammed between said resilient hooks after assembly to prevent disassembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
The protective cartridge of claim 7 in which said plug has a shank portion that is positionable between said resilient hooks and a head at the outer end of said shank portion, said head being formed with a pair of notches that extent through the head and an undercut recess section communicating with each notch on an underside of said head.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The protective cartridge of claim 8 in which said plug is removable from its assembled position between said resilient hooks by a tool having hook shaped teeth that are positionable into said notches and movable into said undercut recess sections so as to be engagable with an underside of said head.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position, wherein the shells of said cartridge are formed with a write protection hole, and said protective cartridge further comprises a pivoting element being pivotally mounted between said shells, and said cartridge including detent means for maintaining said open and closed positions of said moveable element with respect to said hole.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
88 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position, wherein the shells of said cartridge are formed with a write protection hole, and said protective cartridge further comprises a pivoting element being pivotally mounted between said shells, and said cartridge including detent means for maintaining said open and closed positions of said moveable element with respect to said hole.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
The protective cartridge as claimed in claim 10, wherein said pivoting element includes a tab disposed in an arcuate slot formed in one of said shells, said tab and slot being externally accessible to permit said pivoting element to be manually pivoted between its open and closed positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
107 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door includes a slider connected to at least one of said shells by a wire torsion spring urging said door toward said closed position, and said torsion spring includes two cylindrical coils, each having an axis and a plurality of turns, the two axes being substantially parallel and offset from each other to define a spacing between said coils.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
107 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door includes a slider connected to at least one of said shells by a wire torsion spring urging said door toward said closed position, and said torsion spring includes two cylindrical coils, each having an axis and a plurality of turns, the two axes being substantially parallel and offset from each other to define a spacing between said coils.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
103 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door comprises a pair of separate shutters each having a flat planar portion overlapping a respective one of the shells and a forward portion, means for positively connecting said shutter forward portions to form a unitary door structure, and said connecting means including means for supporting said door for sliding movement relative to said shells.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
103 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc, said cartridge having a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc and a sliding door which is moveable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, wherein said door comprises a pair of separate shutters each having a flat planar portion overlapping a respective one of the shells and a forward portion, means for positively connecting said shutter forward portions to form a unitary door structure, and said connecting means including means for supporting said door for sliding movement relative to said shells.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The protective cartridge as claimed in claim 13 in which said shells define a track, and said connecting means comprise a separate slider to which said shutters are attachable and which is mounted for movement in said track.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The protective cartridge as defined in claim 13 in which said connecting and supporting means comprise a slider integrally formed on said forward portion of each said shutter and means coupling said sliders together.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The protective cartridge as defined in claim 15 in which said shells define a track, and said sliders are mounted for relative sliding movement in said track.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The protective cartridge as defined in claim 16 in which said coupling means comprises a plurality of inerfitting pins and apertures formed in said sliders.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
The protective cartridge as defined in claim 16 in which said sliders each are formed with an outwardly directed linear groove for receiving the track of said shells.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
The protective cartridge as defined in claim 16 in which said planar portion of each shutter extends rearwardly from the respective slider in slight inwardly directed fashion such that the rearward ends of said shutters are biased into engagement with said shells.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
113 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc comprising a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc, a sliding door which is movable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, a locking lever mounted for pivotal movement within said shells, means responsive to movement of said door to said closed position for pivoting said locking lever into engagement with said disc for retaining said disc against movement during periods of non-use of said cartridge, and means responsive to movement of said door to said open position for pivoting said locking lever to a position out of engagement with said disc.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
113 words
A protective cartridge for a data information disc comprising a pair of interlocking shells enclosing said disc, a sliding door which is movable from a closed position for covering said disc to an open position for exposing said disc during a read operation, a locking lever mounted for pivotal movement within said shells, means responsive to movement of said door to said closed position for pivoting said locking lever into engagement with said disc for retaining said disc against movement during periods of non-use of said cartridge, and means responsive to movement of said door to said open position for pivoting said locking lever to a position out of engagement with said disc.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
42 words
The protective cartridge of claim 20 in which said locking lever has a disc engaging head at one end and cam follower means at the other end, said door being engagable with said cam follower means upon movement to said closed position.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
The protective cartridge of claim 21 including means for biasing said locking lever toward a disc engaging position, and said door being engagable with said cam follower means upon movement to a closed position for pivoting said lever against the force of said biasing means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
45 words
The protective cartridge of claims 20-22 in which said locking lever comprises a spring member having one end adapted for engaging said disc and another end which is engagable by said door during movement of said door from said open position to said closed position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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