Disc cartridge having molded disk support elements attached by rigid legs

Claim 2

A disk cartridge, comprising: a cartridge body formed of a pair of upper and lower halves for rotatably accommodating a disk therein; disk supporting means fixed to the inner walls of the halves forming the cartridge body at positions respectively corresponding to non-signal recording areas on the inner and outer peripheral sides of the disk; said supporting means including a plurality of flexible disk supporting members and a corresponding plurality of plate-shaped leg members, said leg members being formed of a material having a higher rigidity relative to the rigidity of the material forming said flexible disk supporting members, each of said leg members having a pair of end portions having a respective central portion therebetween and said central portion being embedded in a corresponding one of said disk supporting members in such a manner that said end portions protrude from said corresponding disk supporting member, each of said leg members being fixed to the inner walls of said halves by caulking and said disk being supportable by said disk supporting members fixed on one of said halves when said disk is not being used.

Claim 3

A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said central portion of said plate-shaped leg members is embedded in a corresponding one of said disk supporting members by insert molding.

Claim 4

A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said flexible disk supporting members has a disk supporting surface portion and a rear surface portion, said disk supporting surface portion and said rear surface portion being integrated through at least one bore formed through said central portion of said leg member.

Claim 5

A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said leg members is made of metal.

Claim 6

A disk cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said disk supporting members has a predetermined melting point and each of said leg members is made of synthetic resin having a melting point that is higher than said predetermined melting point.

Claim 7

A disk cartridge comprising: a hollow cartridge body formed of an upper section and a lower section for rotatably accommodating a disk therein; disk supporting means fixed to inner walls of the section at positions respectively corresponding to non-signal recording areas on inner and outer peripheral sides of the disk; said supporting means including a plurality of flexible disk supporting members and a corresponding plurality of plate-shaped leg members, said leg members being formed of a material having a higher rigidity relative to the rigidity of the material forming said disc supporting members, each of said leg members having a pair of end portions and a respective central portion therebetween and said central portion being embedded in and surrounded by a corresponding one of said disk supporting members in such a manner that said end portions protrude from said corresponding disc supporting member, each of said leg members being fixed to the inner walls of said sections by ultrasonic fusion so that said flexible disk supporting members are in contact with said inner walls and said disk being supportable by said disk supporting members fixed on one of said sections when said disk is not being used.

Claim 8

A disk cartridge comprising: a hollow cartridge body formed of an upper section and a lower section for rotatably accommodating a disk therein; disk supporting means fixed to inner walls of the section at positions respectively corresponding to non-signal recording areas on inner and outer peripheral sides of the disk; said supporting means including a plurality of flexible disk supporting members and a corresponding plurality of plate-shaped leg members, said leg members being formed of a material having a higher rigidity relative to the rigidity of the material forming said disc supporting members, each of said leg members having a pair of end portions and a respective central portion therebetween and said central portion being embedded in and surrounded by a corresponding one of said disk supporting members in such a manner that said end portions protrude from said corresponding disc supporting member, each of said leg members being fixed to the inner walls of said sections by ultrasonic fusion so that said flexible disk supporting members are in contact with said inner walls and said disk being supportable by said disk supporting members fixed on one of said sections when said disk is not being used.