Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Dynamic mechanism subsystem – Access of multiple storage elements
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-18
2001-01-23
Ometz, David L. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Dynamic mechanism subsystem
Access of multiple storage elements
C369S036010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178152
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for playing compact disks, particularly for motor vehicles, including a magazine for a plurality of compact disks that is arranged in and is removable from a housing, and a playback unit, supported in a freely swinging manner in the housing, for playing a compact disk from the magazine.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Devices for playing compact disks, also known as CD changers, are used mainly in motor vehicles, and offer a user-friendly possibility for playing different compact discs from a compact-disk supply stored in the magazine.
Keeping the compact disks available in a magazine permits small dimensions of the total device. Moreover, such a magazine can be fitted with compact disks in an easy, clearly arranged manner. It can also be easily produced.
The magazine and the playback unit directly influence the design of the device for playing compact disks. For example, the external-dimension measurements of the entire device, the resistance to vibration and the manufacturing expenditure are essentially dependent on the design and mounting of the magazine and the playback unit.
Devices for playing compact disks for motor vehicles are known, in which both the magazine and the playback unit and its adjusting mechanism are rigidly coupled during the operation of the device, and this total unit is suspended in a freely swinging manner with respect to the housing (compare FIG.
2
). This type of suspension permits a relatively narrow type of construction of the device for playing compact disks, since a compact disk to be played does not have to be pulled completely out of the magazine, and therefore only has to carry out small movements. Since, however, an unencumbered swing space is necessary even for these movements, individual compartments of the magazine must have a relatively great height, which in turn leads to a great overall height of the total device. Moreover, the resistance to vibrations is problematical in such a device, since the playback unit is not decoupled, e.g., by an elastic suspension mount or the like, from the remaining mechanism which is susceptible to vibrations.
To meet this problem, conventional systems elastically suspend only the actual playback unit. The advantage of such devices is elastic decoupling from the mechanism susceptible to vibrations. Moreover, the playback unit also has a very close structural relationship to devices for playing single compact disks, so-called single disk drives. By slight modification, these disk drives can be employed for insertion in devices for playing compact disks in CD changers.
One specific embodiment of such a conventional device for playing compact disks includes a magazine, rigidly supported in the housing, having relatively narrow holding compartments for the compact disks. To play a compact disk, it is completely pulled out of the magazine, so that the necessary unencumbered movement or swing space is assured in each case for the compact disk. To be sure, this specific embodiment permits a relatively flat, but at the same time very wide design of the entire device.
In another conventional device for playing compact disks, in which only the playback unit is elastically supported, provision is made for a push-action magazine, in which case those compact disks which lie opposite the playback unit during the playing of a compact disk can be pushed out of the way of the compact disk to be played, in order to form an unencumbered swing space for the compact disk that is to be played. Such a device requires that the magazine be equipped with an appropriate translatory shifting mechanism. Problematical in this case, is that a very costly mechanism is necessary for such a magazine construction, particularly if the intention is to keep the external-dimension measurements of the whole device compact.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve a device for playing compact disks that permits resistance of the entire device to vibrations to the greatest extent possible, while providing small external-dimension measurements, and low manufacturing expenditure.
This object is achieved according to the present invention by providing a device for playing compact disks, particularly for motor vehicles, within which the magazine includes a swivel mechanism which enables at least a portion of the compact disks located in the magazine to swing out of the way of a compact disk located on the playback unit, to form an unencumbered swing space between the compact disk located on the playback unit and the compact disks arranged in the magazine.
Swinging at least one portion of the compact disks away from the compact disk which is positioned on the playback unit has the particularly great advantage that the entire device has only a small housing width and a small housing height, since the holding compartments, as also the magazine itself, can be very compact because of the swivel mechanism. Moreover, such a swivel mechanism is structurally relatively easy to implement. In addition, the device allows the use of a playback unit which exhibits great conformity with single disk drives. This permits the use of modified single disk drives, which means the production costs for the entire device can be kept low.
Moreover, while supplying it with compact disks, it is possible to “leaf through” the magazine, similar to a book, thus allowing an immediate overall view of the compact disks in the magazine.
The swivel mechanism can be designed in many different ways. A particularly advantageous specific embodiment, because easy to implement, provides for the swivel mechanism to have in each case at least one folding hinge, which enables each holding compartment for the compact disks to swivel.
Another advantageous specific embodiment, in which the space requirement in particular is further reduced in the swivelled state of the magazine, provides that in each case two folding hinges are arranged on the side of the magazine facing away from the playback unit, in such a way that the holding compartments of the compact disks are supported essentially in parallel to one another and to the compact disk positioned on the playback unit, and are able to swivel in the shape of a parallelogram.
Different specific embodiments are conceivable with regard to the swivelling of the holding compartments. Thus, for example, the swivelling can be carried out manually. One advantageous specific embodiment provides that the holding compartments are able to be swivelled by servomotors.
The magazine can be secured to the housing in different ways. However, preferably the magazine is rigidly attached to one wall of the housing.
Particularly with respect to an interference-free and manipulable operation, it is preferably also provided that, given a magazine removed from the housing, the swivel mechanism is manually or automatically lockable/releasable.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4730292 (1988-03-01), Hasegawa et al.
patent: 4752920 (1988-06-01), D'Alayer De Costemore D'Arc
patent: 5099466 (1992-03-01), Kimura et al.
patent: 5532985 (1996-07-01), Nakamichi
patent: 5561657 (1996-10-01), Ogawa
patent: 5781523 (1998-07-01), Ozawa et al.
patent: 4406078 (1995-01-01), None
patent: 614182 (1994-09-01), None
Becker Volker
Mindl Anton
Westendorf Thomas
Zimmermann Holger
Kenyon & Kenyon
Ometz David L.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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