Disk drive cartridge door

Claim 2

A cartridge for a disk drive in which read/write heads are provided for reading and recording information, said cartridge comprising: a shell having a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges between substantially flat planar surfaces, the front edge of said shell having a convex portion that protrudes outwardly from the forward ends of the two side edges, said two side edges being substantially planar; a rotatable recording medium in said shell upon which information may be written or read; a first opening in the convex portion of the front edge of said shell, whereby access to the recording medium is provided to said read/write heads; a thin, flexible movable door covering said opening in the convex portion of said shell when said door is in a closed position; and a catch connected to said door, a second opening in one of said side edges of said cartridge; said catch being exposed through said second opening in said one side edge of said cartridge when said door is in the closed position, said catch being engagable by a projection of said drive, said catch being matingly engaged by said projection to pull said catch through said second opening and along said one side edge to move said flexible door, the flexibility of said door allowing movement from said front edge of said shell to said one side edge as the cartridge is inserted into the drive, so that said door does not cover said opening in the convex portion of the front edge of the cartridge.

Claim 3

The cartridge of claim 1 wherein said catch comprises a rectangular hole capable of being engaged by said projection of the drive.

Claim 4

The cartridge of claim 1 wherein the catch, and the door, move outside of the cartridge along said one side edge as the cartridge is inserted into the drive.

Claim 5

The cartridge recited in claim 1 wherein said shell is rigid.

Claim 6

The cartridge recited in claim 1 wherein the shape of said convex portion of the front edge of said cartridge comprises a small radius curve adjacent the forward end of one of said side edges of the shell, a large radius curve in the middle of said front edge, and a straight section between said small radius curve and said large radius curve.

Claim 7

The cartridge recited in claim 1 wherein said shell comprises two portions joined along said front, back and two side edges.

Claim 8

The cartridge recited in claim 1 wherein said door has a width approximately co-extensive with the width of said shell.

Claim 9

The cartridge recited in claim 1 further comprising: a member rotatable about the axis of said recording medium, said member being connected to said door; and a spring connected to said member for returning said door to said closed position when said cartridge is removed from said drive.

Claim 10

The cartridge recited in claim 8 further comprising: a protrusion on said member; and an arcuate path for said spring, said spring having a bent end, said bent end traveling in said arcuate path as said door moves from the open to the closed position.

Claim 11

The cartridge recited in claim 9 further comprising: a notch at the end of said arcuate path, said bent end of said spring traveling into said notch to provide the force to close said door through the last portion of travel of said door to its closed position.

Claim 12

The cartridge recited in claim 9 further comprising: a cover for said arcuate path, said spring traveling in the covered arcuate path as said door moves between the open and the closed position.

Claim 13

The cartridge of claim 1, wherein said shell is symmetrical about a plane bisecting said shell at a midpoint between the two side edges, and extending parallel to said side edges and perpendicular to the substantially flat planar surfaces of said shell.

Claim 14

A cartridge for a disk drive in which read/write heads are provided for reading and recording information, said cartridge comprising: a shell having a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges between substantially flat planar surfaces, the front edge of said shell having a convex portion that protrudes outwardly from the forward ends of the two side edges, said two side edges being substantially planar, said shell being symmetrical about a plane bisecting said shell at a midpoint between the two side edges and extending parallel to said side edges and perpendicular to the substantially flat planar surfaces of said shell; a rotatable recording medium in said shell upon which information may be written or read; an opening in the convex portion of the front edge of said shell, whereby access to the recording medium is provided to said read/write heads; a thin, flexible movable door covering said opening in the convex portion of said shell when said door is in a closed position; and a catch connected to said door, said catch extending outside of said cartridge through a second opening in one side edge of said cartridge when said door is in the closed position, said catch comprising a hole capable of being engaged by a projection of said drive, said catch being matingly engaged by said projection to pull said catch through said second opening and along said one side edge to move said flexible door, the flexibility of said door allowing movement from said front edge of said shell to said one side edge as the cartridge is inserted into the drive, so that said door does not cover said opening in the convex portion of the front edge of the cartridge.

Claim 15

A cartridge for a disk drive in which read/write heads are provided for reading and recording information, said cartridge comprising: a shell having a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges between substantially flat planar surfaces, the front edge of said shell having a convex portion that protrudes outwardly from the forward ends of the two side edges, said two side edges being substantially planar, said shell being symmetrical about a plane bisecting said shell at a midpoint between the two side edges and extending parallel to said side edges and perpendicular to the substantially flat planar surfaces of said shell; a rotatable recording medium in said shell upon which information may be written or read; an opening in the convex portion of the front edge of said shell, whereby access to the recording medium is provided to said read/write heads; a thin, flexible movable door covering said opening in the convex portion of said shell when said door is in a closed position; and a catch connected to said door, said catch extending outside of said cartridge through a second opening in one side edge of said cartridge when said door is in the closed position, said catch comprising a hole capable of being engaged by a projection of said drive, said catch being matingly engaged by said projection to pull said catch through said second opening and along said one side edge to move said flexible door, the flexibility of said door allowing movement from said front edge of said shell to said one side edge as the cartridge is inserted into the drive, so that said door does not cover said opening in the convex portion of the front edge of the cartridge.