Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-08
2001-02-13
Ometz, David L. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
C369S219100, C369S244100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06188660
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus having plural recording and/or reproducing units.
2. Background of the Invention
In recent years, there has been an increase in popularity of disc recording and/or reproducing apparatuses for recording and/or reproducing information signals on or from a disc-shaped recording medium, such as an optical disc or a magneto-optical disc. Such a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a disc driving unit rotated along with a disc and which is adapted for writing/reading information signals on or from the rotated disc.
The disc driving unit includes a disc table adapted for holding the disc and which is rotated along with this disc by a motor operating as a driving source. The disc driving unit also includes an optical pickup unit and a magnetic head unit for recording or reading out information signals on or from the disc rotated along with the disc table.
With the disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the disc is positioned on the disc table with a chucking center aperture as a reference, and is held in this condition by a holder for rotation. By the head unit, the information signals are recorded on or read out from the recording disc.
There also exists a multiple disc changer, in which a plurality of discs are housed and held within a disc stocker in an outer casing, and a selected one of the discs is taken out of the disc stocker and loaded on the disc driving unit for recording and/or reproduction.
Such a disc changer has one or more disc driving units and a transporting mechanism for transporting discs between the disc stocker and the disc driving unit or between the disc driving units.
The transporting mechanism selectively takes out and transports a disc from the disc stocker and loads the selected disc on the disc driving unit. The transporting mechanism also dismounts the disc loaded on the disc driving unit and returns the disc to an original housing position in the disc stocker.
With the above-described disc changer, if there is provided only one disc driving unit, the disc transporting distance by the transporting mechanism is increased, thus complicating the structure of the apparatus. Since the recording and/or reproducing operation is carried out by a single disc driving unit, it becomes difficult to exchange the discs promptly, so that it becomes difficult to perform recording and/or reproduction of multiple recording discs without interruptions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus which resolves the above-mentioned problem.
According to the present invention, there is provided a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus including first and second recording and/or reproducing units and a supporting member. The first disc recording and/or reproducing unit records and/or reproduces a disc, while the second disc recording and/or reproducing unit also records and/or reproduces a disc. The supporting member supports the first and second recording and/or reproducing units in a layered fashion. The first recording and/or reproducing unit is provided on one surface of the supporting member, while the second recording and/or reproducing unit is provided on the other surface of the supporting member.
According to the present invention, there is also provided a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus including first and second recording and/or reproducing units and a supporting member. The first disc recording and/or reproducing unit records and/or reproduces a disc, while the second disc recording and/or reproducing unit also records and/or reproduces a disc. The supporting unit supports the first and second recording and/or reproducing units. The supporting unit supports the first and second recording and/or reproducing units so that, in the disc recording and/or reproducing states of the first and second recording and/or reproducing units, the discs run parallel to each other. The second recording and/or reproducing units are arranged in a layered fashion with respect to the first recording and/or reproducing unit with the supporting unit in between.
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Kananen Ronald P.
Ometz David L.
Rader Fishman & Grauer
Sony Corporation
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