The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 10, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1999
Eiichi Hanakawa, Soraku-gun, JP;
Akira Kurozuka, Yao, JP;
Hiroyuki Takeuchi, Hirakata, JP;
Hironori Okazawa, Neyagawa, JP;
Yoshikazu Goto, Hirakata, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Kadoma, JP;
Abstract
A disk drive is provided which uses a disk cartridge having an inner case for holding an optical disk; an outer case for accommodating the inner case, having an opening allowing the inner case to come in and out; a locking mechanism for locking the inner case in the outer case, provided in a vicinity of the opening; and a coupling mechanism for coupling the disk cartridge with another disk cartridge. The disk drive includes a mechanism for pulling out the inner case to a pulled-out position from the outer case by more than a half of the inner case but not by entirety thereof; a mechanism for holding the inner case at the pulled-out position and rotating the optical disk; and a mechanism for reading/writing data on the optical disk.