Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
2001-07-19
2003-04-29
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
C369S077210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06556530
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compatible disk device capable of compatibly playing a first disk such as a minidisk (MD) which is stored in a cartridge, and a second disk such as a compact disk (CD) which is not stored in a cartridge. In particular, the present invention relates to a compatible disk device with a mechanism for displacing a clamp or a turntable, which rotates the second disk, to a position free from interference with the first disk at the time of loading and playing it.
2. Description of the Prior Art
[Prior Art 1]
FIG.
1
(A) to FIG.
1
(C) show the structure of a first conventional MDCD compatible disk device as disclosed for example in JP-A-7-220355. FIG.
1
(A) is a front view showing the internal structure of the compatible disk device with an MD as a first disk which is inserted into the device. FIG.
1
(B) is a front view showing the internal structure of the compatible disk device with the MD shown in FIG.
1
(A) which is loaded to a playing position. FIG.
1
(C) is a front view showing the internal structure of the compatible disk device with a CD as a second disk, which is loaded to a playing position.
In the figures, reference numeral
1
denotes a base of the compatible disk device,
2
is a housing,
3
is a sub-base which can be moved up and down by an elevator motor M in the housing
2
. A spindle motor
4
for rotating the first disk A or the second disk B is fixed on a central portion of the sub-base
3
. A first turntable
5
is fixed co-axially on the spindle motor
4
in order to determine the position of a central hole of the first disk A stored in a cartridge C and to rotatably drive the first disk A which is supported by a supporting face (not shown).
6
is an optical pickup which can reciprocate on the sub-base
3
in a radial direction of the first disk A or the second disk B to perform reading of information with respect to the first disk A or the second disk B.
7
is a second turntable which determines the position of the central hole of the second disk B not stored in the cartridge C and rotatably drives the second disk B supported by a supporting face (not shown).
8
is a retaining member which retains the second turntable
7
. The retaining member
8
cooperates with the second turntable
7
to retain the second disk B. The retaining member
8
is supported to the housing
2
by use of a shock absorber.
9
is a clamp holder which retains the clamp
10
for clamping the second disk B placed on the second turntable
7
. The clamp holder
9
and the clamp
10
can be elevated with respect to the second turntable
7
. When the first disk A is in a loaded mode, they are stopped in an ascent position near the roof of the housing
2
. When the second disk B is in a loaded mode, they are stopped in a descent position and the second disk B is clamped between the second turntable
7
and the clamp
10
.
11
is a guide member which retains and guides the cartridge C of the first disk A.
Next, the operation of the first conventional compatible disk device will be described below.
When the first disk A is played, as shown in FIG.
1
(A), the cartridge C is inserted into the guide member
11
. Then, the sub-base
3
is raised in a direction of the arrow E in the figure by the operation of the elevating motor M, the first turntable
5
is displaced to the state as shown in FIG.
1
(B), that is to say, to a position which abuts with the fixed clamp area in the first disk A. Next, the first disk A is rotated and played by the rotation of the spindle motor
4
.
When the second disk B is played, the second disk B is inserted into the gap between the retaining member
8
and the clamp
10
. Then, the subbase
3
is raised in the direction of the arrow E in the figure by the operation of the elevating motor M to the state as shown in FIG.
1
(C), that is to say, to a position in which the first turntable
5
abuts with the fixed clamp area in the second disk B. At this time, the clamp holder
9
performs a descent operation in a direction of the arrow F in the figure and the second disk B is gripped with the second turntable
7
. The guide member
11
performs a refuge operation in a lateral direction in order to create a space to raise the sub-base
3
. After this series of operations is completed, the first turntable
5
and the linked second turntable
7
are rotated by the rotation of the spindle motor
4
. In this way, the second disk B is rotated and a playing operation is performed.
[Prior Art 2]
FIG. 2
, FIG.
3
and FIG.
4
(A) to FIG.
4
(C) show the structure of a second conventional MD-CD compatible disk device as disclosed for example in JP-A-9-231654.
FIG. 2
is a perspective view showing main components mounted on a base.
FIG. 3
is a perspective view showing the structure of a disk holder. FIG.
4
(A) to FIG.
4
(C) are front views for explaining the refuge operation of a turntable. Constitutive elements of the second conventional compatible disk device which are the same as those of the first conventional compatible disk device are denoted by the same reference numerals and the additional description will be omitted.
As shown in
FIG. 2
, a long and narrow aperture la which extends to a position proximate to the spindle motor
4
is formed on the base
1
, an optical pickup
6
is disposed on a lower face of the base
1
to reciprocate along a longitudinal direction of the aperture
1
a.
A rotation shaft
12
is attached to the base
1
, a retaining arm
13
is attached to the rotation shaft
12
to slide in an axial direction of the rotation shaft
12
. A second turntable
7
is retained with a play on the retaining arm
13
.
In
FIG. 2
, reference numeral
14
denotes a gear portion which is formed on the retaining arm
13
and which transmits a driving force of the drive motor
15
through the gear
16
and the gear
17
.
18
is a triangular cam which is formed near to the rotation shaft
12
of the base
1
as shown in FIG.
4
(A) to FIG.
4
(C) and which has a cam face which undulates along a section of the imaginary circle defined by the rotation of the retaining arm
13
.
19
is a boss which is formed at a position facing the triangular cam
18
on the rear face of the retaining arm
13
and which slides on the cam face of the triangular cam
18
when the retaining arm
13
is rotated.
In
FIG. 3
, reference numeral
20
denotes a disk holder assembly which is slidably supported on the base
1
by a support shaft
21
.
22
is a box-shaped disk holder which has an aperture
23
. A damp
10
is retained with a play on the roof of the disk holder
22
, the damp
10
and the disk holder
22
can slide in the direction of the arrow Q
1
-Q
2
in
FIG. 3
with respect to the disk holder assembly
20
.
Next, the operation of the second conventional MD-CD compatible disk device will be described below.
In a state where the second turntable
7
is loaded on the first turntable
5
, when playing a CD as a second disk, the disk holder
22
is displaced in the direction of the arrow Q
1
by a driving source (not shown) with the insertion of the CD through the aperture
23
. The disk holder assembly
20
pivots downward about the support shaft
21
. Then, the clamp
10
presses the CD onto the second turntable
7
and CD loading is completed. Thereafter, the spindle motor
4
is rotated and a playing operation of the CD is commenced.
When an MD is played as a first disk, the insertion of the cartridge (not show) into the aperture
23
of the disk holder
22
is detected by a sensor (not shown), the retaining arm
13
is rotated by the rotational driving force of the drive motor
15
in a direction of the arrow Y through the gear
16
, the gear
17
and the gear portion
14
. Together with this rotating operation, as shown in FIG.
4
(A) to FIG.
4
(C), the retaining arm
13
is elevated by the sliding of the boss
19
on the sloping face of the triangular cam
18
. As a result, the second turntable
7
which is retained by the retaining arm
13
is rotat
Kobayashi Masaki
Michimori Atsushi
Naruki Kenichi
Takeshima Masaaki
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Klimowicz William
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
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