Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-17
2003-05-06
Nguyen, Hoa T. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
active
06560186
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit of Korean Application No. 97-65304, filed Dec. 2, 1997, in the Korean Patent Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for opening the shutter of a cartridge of an optical disc recording and reproducing device, and more particulary, to an opening apparatus for opening the shutter of the cartridge before the cartridge is advanced into the optical disc recording and reproducing device.
2. Description of the Related Art
An optical disc D such as Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) is a recording medium on which information is recorded/reproduced by a recording and reproducing apparatus. The information is recorded/reproduced to/from concentric tracks of the disc D. Such an optical disc is loaded on a turntable by a disc loading device, thereby enabling rotation by a rotating device. While the optical disc D is being rotated, an optical pick-up device travels in a radial direction of the optical disc D and projects a laser beam onto the disc track. As a result, the information is recorded/reproduced to/from the disc.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus, and
FIG. 2
shows a shutter opening apparatus of a conventional cartridge. As shown in the figures, the conventional optical disc recording/reproducing apparatus comprises a tray
16
on which a cartridge
10
is placed, a case
18
for receiving the tray
10
, a deck base (not shown) installed inside the case
18
on which an optical disc D is placed, and a cover plate
22
coupled to an upper portion of the case
18
.
A clamping hole
22
a
is formed at a central portion of the cover plate
22
, and an end of a locker
24
which is fixed on the cover plate
22
is inserted into the clamping hole
22
a
. The locker
24
is coupled with a damper
26
. The damper
26
chucks and/or releases a nonmagnetic portion of the optical disc D on a turn table (not shown) to/from the turn table.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the cartridge
10
for accommodating the optical disc D includes a shutter
12
. The shutter
12
is provided with a locking jaw
12
a
and is elastically supported by a spring
14
. When the cartridge
10
is loaded inside of the case
18
, the shutter
12
is opened by a shutter opening apparatus mounted on a lower surface of the cover plate
22
.
The shutter opening apparatus includes a lever
28
pivotably mounted to the lower surface of the cover plate
22
. The lever
28
has a protrusion
28
a
formed at the lower surface thereof which is inserted into a guiding slot
22
b
formed at the cover plate
22
. At one end of the lever
28
, a torsion spring
30
is installed. The torsion spring
30
returns the lever
28
to an initial position (shown in phantom line in FIG.
2
).
After the cartridge
10
is accommodated onto the tray
16
, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the other end of the lever
28
contacts with the locking jaw
12
a
of the shutter
12
. And when the tray
16
is advanced inside of the case
18
by means of a loading device (not shown), the lever
28
is pivoted along a guiding slot
22
b
, and the shutter
12
is accordingly opened. When the tray
16
is ejected from the case
18
by the loading device, the lever
28
is pivoted by the torsion spring
30
, and the shutter
12
is returned to the initial position. Consequently, the cartridge
10
is closed.
However, since the prior art shutter on opening device is installed on the cover plate, this placement increases the overall size/volume of the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus. In addition, there are many instances where the prior art shutter opening device is inadequate when the lever is not precisely contacting with the hook or locking jaw of the shutter, or it fails to contact with the same during the contacting process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made to overcome above problems, and accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a shutter opening apparatus for accurately opening a shutter of a cartridge accommodated onto the tray, and subsequently decreasing the size/volume of an optical disc recording and reproducing device.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.
To achieve the above and other objects of the present invention, an apparatus is provided for opening a shutter of a cartridge, including a tray to accommodate the cartridge, an opening section to open the shutter of the cartridge, a feeding section to feed the tray inside of the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus, and a driving section to drive the opening section and the feeding section.
The tray is formed with a guide recess at an inner wall of a first longitudinal opening, and a mounting protrusion formed at a lower side thereof.
The opening section includes a worm shaft rotatably installed across the longitudinal opening, a bracket moved along the guide recess for opening the shutter of the cartridge, and a first bevel gear engaged with an end of the worm shaft. An end of the bracket is engaged with the shutter, while an other end thereof contacts with the feeding section. A guide protrusion is formed at the side of the bracket, and inserted into the guide recess.
The feeding section includes a slide bar. The slide bar is provided with a rack formed at a side thereof and engaged with the driving section, a second longitudinal opening into which the mounting protrusion is inserted, and an end which contacts with an end of the bracket. The slide bar moves from a first position to a second position by the operation of the bracket. A bias spring for biasing the slide bar toward the first position is disposed between the slide bar and the tray. The rack is separated from the driving section when the slide bar is at the first position, and engaged with the driving section when the slide bar is at the second position.
The driving section includes a motor installed at the inner portion of the case for generating a driving power, a second bevel gear rotated by the motor and engaged with the first bevel gear, and a loading gear engaged with the feeding section for feeding the feeding section to the inner portion of the case.
After the cartridge is accommodated on the tray, the motor is driven to rotate the worm shaft. And at this time, the bracket is moved along the guide recess to open the shutter while moving the slide bar from the first position to the second position. When the slide bar is moved to the second position, the loading gear is engaged with the rack, while the first and second bevel gears are separated from each other. Consequently, the tray is fed into the case.
According to the present invention, the shutter of the cartridge is opened outside of the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus without a failure before the optical disc is loaded. Additionally, the volume of the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus is reduced and the loading errors of the optical disc are also prevented.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5539717 (1996-07-01), Choi
patent: 5646926 (1997-07-01), Handa et al.
patent: 5799009 (1998-08-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 5812511 (1998-09-01), Kawamura et al.
patent: 5867338 (1999-02-01), Ohira et al.
patent: 5907535 (1999-05-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 5914929 (1999-06-01), Kato et al.
patent: 5963529 (1999-10-01), Kabasawa
patent: 6108299 (2000-08-01), Kano et al.
patent: 08167212 (1996-06-01), None
Chen Tianjie
Nguyen Hoa T.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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