Dynamic optical information storage or retrieval – Particular cabinet structure for optical media – Tray or drawer loading or ejecting
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-14
2004-10-05
Chen, Tianjie (Department: 2652)
Dynamic optical information storage or retrieval
Particular cabinet structure for optical media
Tray or drawer loading or ejecting
Reexamination Certificate
active
06802069
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to recording or playback devices for disks accommodated in cartridges, and to a method of loading the cartridge into the device and unloading the cartridge therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 9
is a perspective view of a cartridge
60
having a disk
6
accommodated therein [see JP-B No. 7-36261 (1995)]. The cartridge
60
is provided in one side portion thereof with a groove
62
, with a shutter
61
fitted thereover. The cartridge
60
has an upper surface marked with an arrow
63
indicating the direction in which the cartridge
60
is to be loaded into the recording or playback device. With reference to
FIG. 9
, the shutter
61
is held closed by a lock claw (not shown) within the cartridge
60
.
While the shutter
61
is opened, the disk
6
is partly exposed from the cartridge
60
. When the cartridge
60
is loaded into the recording or playback device with the arrow mark
63
directed toward the device, an opening piece
31
provided inside the device advances into the groove
62
, releasing the lock claw from the shutter
61
to open the shutter
61
.
A holder
2
for holding the cartridge
60
therein is pivotally supported on a chassis
1
as at
25
upwardly or downwardly movably.
FIG. 10
is a side elevation showing a conventional disk recording or playback device, and
FIGS. 11A and 11B
are views in section of the device as it is seen from the direction B. Provided on a support plate
20
projecting outward from the holder
2
is a kickout member
5
which is slidable along the cartridge loading and unloading directions. The kickout member
5
has a contact piece
50
projecting therefrom into a path of movement of the cartridge
60
and pushable by the front end of the cartridge
60
. The kickout member
5
is biased in the cartridge unloading direction by a spring
8
extending between this member and the holder
2
. The opening piece
31
is provided inside the holder
2
. In the following description, the cartridge loading direction will be referred to as forward.
The cartridge
60
is loaded into the holder
2
in the state shown in
FIG. 11A
while pushing the kickout member
5
against the spring
8
on the member
5
. The opening piece
31
comes into contact with the front edge of the shutter
61
, opening the shutter
61
with the loading of the cartridge
60
. When the shutter
61
is completely opened, the kickout member
5
is engaged with the holder
2
by a latch mechanism (not shown), holding the cartridge
60
loaded in the holder as seen in FIG.
11
B.
When the kickout member
5
is released from the holder
2
, the contact piece
50
pushes the cartridge
60
in the direction of unloading the cartridge from the holder
2
by being biased by the spring
8
on the kickout member
5
.
However, if the inside lock claw is released to inadvertently open the shutter
61
while the cartridge
60
shown in
FIG. 9
is not in use, the shutter
61
is unable to close automatically and therefore remains open. Consequently, dust in the atmosphere is liable to adhere to the disk
6
, causing problems during recording or playback.
In view of this problem, the present applicant proposed a cartridge
60
wherein a torsion spring
66
is provided between the shutter
61
and the cartridge
60
for automatically closing the shutter
61
as shown in FIG.
3
. The applicant conceived the idea that if the cartridge
60
is unloaded with use of the biasing force of the torsion spring
66
of the proposed cartridge
60
, this eliminates the need to provide the separate member for kicking out the cartridge
60
from the holder
2
, whereby the cartridge unloading mechanism can be simplified.
An object of the present invention is to provide a simplified cartridge unloading mechanism for use in recording or playback devices adapted for use with cartridges having a shutter biased in the closing direction, the mechanism further being adapted to close the shutter reliably.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a device which is adapted for use with a cartridge
60
having a disk
6
accommodated therein and a shutter
61
biased in a closing direction at all times by a spring
66
disposed inside the cartridge and wherein a holder
2
is provided with a latch
30
movable in a cartridge loading direction for holding the cartridge
60
in a completely loaded position by light engagement therewith.
The cartridge is loaded by the steps of:
inserting the cartridge
60
into the holder
2
and causing an opening piece
31
to open the shutter
61
against the force of the spring
66
inside the cartridge
60
,
further inserting the cartridge
60
into the holder
2
along with the opening piece
31
with the shutter
61
completely opened, and
holding the cartridge
60
in the holder
2
by causing the latch
30
to engage the cartridge
60
.
The cartridge is unloaded by the steps of:
disengaging the latch
30
from the cartridge
60
, and
causing the force of the spring
66
to move the shutter
61
, which is completely opened in contact with the opening piece
31
, in a direction of unloading the cartridge
60
from the holder
2
and closing the shutter
61
by the force of the spring
66
.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4949205 (1990-08-01), Tezuka
patent: 5625612 (1997-04-01), Tozune et al.
patent: 5650891 (1997-07-01), Thayne et al.
patent: 6125012 (2000-09-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 6344945 (2002-02-01), Ariyoshi
patent: 6388835 (2002-05-01), Ariyoshi
patent: 5-334785 (1993-12-01), None
patent: 7-85560 (1995-03-01), None
Chen Tianjie
Sanyo Electric Co,. Ltd.
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