Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2003-01-14
Miller, Brian E. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
C369S030780, C369S030820
Reexamination Certificate
active
06507542
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the field of accessing stacked information discs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a changer apparatus for information discs, including a read/write unit for reading information stored on an information disc and/or writing information onto an information disc and including a stacking unit for stacking at least two information discs in at least two stacking positions, the stacking unit having holding trays for holding the information discs in holding planes and a first transport mechanism for moving the holding trays into the stacking positions.
Such a changer apparatus is known from EP 884 726. In this known apparatus a loading position has been provided inside the stacking unit, in which position one of the holding trays can be brought by rotation of a spindle. In order to bring the information disc into a play position in which it is to be played back, the known apparatus has a transport mechanism by means of which an information disc to be played is movable from holding tray, which is in the loading position, into the play position, the play position being situated outside the stacking unit. For such a play position situated outside the stacking unit a suitable mounting space must be provided in the construction of the known apparatus.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph, which in particular enables a space-saving construction to be realized.
According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the holding trays each have two parts, i.e. a top part and a bottom part, the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays are jointly movable in the same direction by means of the first transport mechanism for the transport of the information disc inside the stacking unit, and the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray holding an information disc to be read and/or inscribed are movable with respect to one another by means of the first transport mechanism in order to bring this information disc into a play position intended for reading and/or inscribing it.
Information discs are to be understood to mean in particular optically readable information carriers such as CDs (Compact Discs) and DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs). In accordance with the invention the holding trays include two parts that can be moved together in the same direction and also relative to one another, in particular, in opposite directions. When the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays are moved together in the same direction, the information discs held therein are conveyed by the top parts and the bottom parts of the holding trays and can thus be transported inside the stacking unit. This does not involve any relative movement between the top parts and the bottom parts, i.e. the distance between the top parts and the bottom parts does not change. In order to play an information disc the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray which holds this information disc can be moved relative to one another. This means that the distance between the top part and the bottom part is increased. Suitably, the top part and the bottom part of the holding tray which holds the information disc to be played are moved in opposite directions, i.e. the top part in an upward direction and the bottom part in a downward direction. The clearance thus formed between the information disc and the top part and/or between the information disc and the bottom part allows the information disc to be played inside the stacking unit. Preferably, this is effected in that the read/write unit is moved into the stacking unit and reads the information stored on the information disc or writes information onto the information disc. Moving the information disc into a play position outside the stacking unit is not necessary and, consequently, no transport mechanism is needed for this purpose. Playing the information disc directly inside the stacking unit thus makes it possible to obtain a very compact apparatus of small dimensions. This is particularly advantageous for apparatuses intended for use in motorcars.
Preferably, the first transport mechanism is adapted to move the holding trays along a stacking line which is oriented transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the holding planes. This of the invention defined in claim
2
enables a particularly compact and space-saving construction to be obtained.
Preferably, the play position is situated on the stacking line and a second transport mechanism has been provided for moving the read/write unit from a standby position into the play position. This of the invention defined in claim
3
has the advantage that the information disc to be played can remain in the stacking unit and that no separate transport mechanism is necessary for the transport of the information disc out of the stacking unit into the play position.
The second transport mechanism moves the read/write unit from a standby position, which is preferably situated outside the stacking unit, into the play position. The second transport mechanism can be realized for example in that the read/write unit is pivotably supported on a pivotal arm and is pivoted from the standby position into the play position. Alternatively, it is possible for example to mount the read/write unit on the chassis housing of the changer apparatus so as to be translatable and to realize the transfer from the standby position into the play position by means of a translatory movement.
The read/write unit usually has a rotatable turntable onto which the information disc to be played is pressed, clamped or placed in another manner. Preferably information disc to be played is positioned onto the turntable by means of the first transport mechanism. To this end, the read/write unit is first moved into the stacking unit and the turntable is centered with respect to the stacking line. Subsequently, the information disc to be played is pressed or clamped onto the turntable along the stacking line by means of the first transport mechanism, i.e. carried by the associated holding tray.
Preferably, however, the read/write unit itself is adapted to press or clamp the information disc onto the turntable. This can be achieved for example in that the read/write unit is first moved from the standby position into the stacking unit and is then pressed, for example from below, against the information disc to be played, which is held in the holding tray. Alternatively, other clamping mechanisms can be realized.
Preferably, the apparatus has an eject position in which the information disc can be removed from the apparatus and a third transport mechanism has been provided for moving the information disc from the holding tray, which is in a loading position of the stacking unit, into the eject position, the loading position being situated on the stacking line. This has the advantage that the information disc can be loaded separately into the changer apparatus and can also be removed separately from the changer apparatus. This is particularly advantageous in the case that the changer apparatus is mounted in the dashboard of a motorcar. In order to move an information disc from the stacking unit into the eject position this information disc is first transferred to the loading position of the stacking unit by means of the first transport mechanism, carried by the associated holding tray. By means of the third transport mechanism this information disc is then removed from the holding tray, which is in the loading position, and is brought to the eject position. The third transport mechanism can be realized for example by means of grooved transport wheels arranged on pivotal arms, as described in EP 742558.
In the advantageous embodiment of the invention defined in claim
7
, the eject position is laterally offset with respect to the stacking line, i.e. in order to be ejected, the information disk must be removed from the holding tray which is in the loading position, and must be moved into the eject position which is situated
Hopf Christian
Kunze Norbert
Müller Stefan
Rumpf Horst
Wouters Cornelius
Koninklijke Philips Electronics , N.V.
Miller Brian E.
Tianjie Chen
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