Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
1995-01-03
2001-11-20
Miller, Brian E. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
C360S099050
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320836
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for a disc type medium and a disc cartridge apparatus, and more particularly, to a technique which is successful for application to an optical disc drive and an optical disc cartridge which are to be used with a disc type recording medium set in a cartridge and the like.
As a measure for improvement of office management efficiency, it is known to use an apparatus for a disc type medium such as an optical disc drive in which data such as documents and images can be stored in a mass storage disc type recording medium and retrieved at high speed.
In the optical disc drive, an optical disc which serves as the recording medium is encased in a protective container such as a cartridge, and recording/reproducing of information is performed with the optical disc encased in the cartridge so as to protect the optical disc from dust contained in the working environment as well as to make the same serviceable in handling. Examples of techniques for loading the cartridge having an optical disc encased therein into the optical disc drive have been known as disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 58-203682 and Japanese Utility Model Unexamined Publication No. 61-90052. According to the former conventional technique, a clamp member is disposed to face a disc driving unit so as to cooperate with this disc driving unit to hold therebetween the disc at the position where information is recorded on and reproduced from the disc, thereby setting the disc accurately with respect to the disc driving unit. According to the latter conventional technique, an automatic cassette loading apparatus is disclosed by which loading of a cassette is performed automatically by a mechanism which contains a gearing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for a disc type medium which is capable of smoothly rotating a disc type medium encased in a cartridge while maintaining gaps between the cartridge and the disc type medium encased therein with a fixed accuracy and without being affected by deformation of the cartridge, so as to smoothly perform recording and/or reproducing and, if necessary, erasing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disc cartridge apparatus which is capable of easily correcting deformation of a cartridge in which a disc type medium is encased, rotating smoothly the disc type medium during operation while it is encased in the cartridge, and performing normal recording/reproducing/erasing operations without being affected by deformation of the cartridge.
A representative embodiment of the invention disclosed in this application will be summarily and briefly described.
An apparatus for a disc type medium according to this invention is of the type that a disc type medium is used while encased in a cartridge, which apparatus comprises a reference surface with which a first main surface of the cartridge is brought into contact when the cartridge is located in a loading position where the disc type medium is rotated, and biasing means serving to apply a pressing force to a second main surface which faces the first main surface while in contact with the reference surface, so that the cartridge is held and pressed between the first and second main surfaces due to the force exerted by the biasing means.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the biasing means serving to press the second main surface of the cartridge is provided on a holder by which the cartridge is set in and removed from the loading position, and the reference surface with which the first main surface of the cartridge is brought into contact is fixed on a medium driving mechanism by which the disc type medium is to be driven.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the reference surface with which the first main surface of the cartridge is brought into contact is provided on the holder by which the cartridge is set in and removed from the loading position, and the biasing means serving to press the second main surface of the cartridge is disposed on the medium driving mechanism by which the disc type medium is to be driven.
A disc cartridge apparatus according to the present invention comprises a cartridge and a disc type medium which is to be used while encased in the cartridge, the cartridge consisting of a plurality of frame members engaged with each other as a fit structure.
According to the apparatus for a disc type medium of the present invention, the cartridge in which the disc type medium is encased is held and pressed between the first and second main surfaces by means of the reference surface and the biasing means at the loading position where recording/reproducing/erasing operations of the disc type medium are effected, so that deformation of the cartridge can be corrected so as to maintain the gaps between the inner wall surface of the cartridge and the disc type medium with a fixed accuracy. In consequence, at the loading position of the cartridge (the position where the disc is rotatably set for performing recording/reproducing/erasing operations), contact of the cartridge with the disc type medium attributable to deformation of the cartridge can be surely avoided, so that it is possible to rotate the disc type medium smoothly as it is encased in the cartridge without being affected by deformation of the cartridge, thereby making it possible to perform smooth recording/reproducing/erasing operations.
Further, according to the disc cartridge apparatus of the present invention, the cartridge in which the disc type medium is encased consists of a plurality of frame members engaged with each other as a fit structure so that it is more flexible as compared with, for example, a case in which the frame members are screwed to each other as a whole. In consequence, it becomes possible to easily correct deformation of the cartridge when it is used so that contact of the disc type medium with the cartridge attributable to deformation of the cartridge can be surely avoided during the use, thereby making it possible to perform the smooth recording/reproducing/erasing operations.
Neither of the aforementioned conventional techniques has referred to the mechanism for maintaining at fixed values the gaps between the inner wall surface of the cartridge and the disc encased therein at the loading position of the cartridge. For example, if the cartridge is deformed due to an irregularity in shape caused during its manufacturing process, distortion caused during its storage or the like, and the deformed cartridge is thus loaded, it is inevitable that the inner wall surface of the cartridge and the disc encased therein will be brought into sliding contact with each other, with the result that the rotating disc is damaged or the load applied when the disc is rotated is scattered, thus giving rise to a problem that the normal recording/reproducing/erasing operations are hindered.
Still further advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the preferred and alternate embodiments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3593327 (1971-07-01), Shill
patent: 4439850 (1984-03-01), Takahara et al.
patent: 4740937 (1988-04-01), Watanabe
patent: 4807069 (1989-02-01), Okauchi et al.
patent: 4839760 (1989-06-01), Yamada et al.
patent: 5172362 (1992-12-01), Hattori et al.
patent: 58-108074 (1983-06-01), None
patent: 58203682 (1983-11-01), None
patent: 6190052 (1986-06-01), None
patent: 62-57158 (1987-03-01), None
patent: 62-142778 (1987-09-01), None
patent: 0165855 (1986-07-01), None
Hattori Toshiyasu
Watanabe Masateru
Hitachi , Ltd.
Mattingly Stanger & Malur, P.C.
Miller Brian E.
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