Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Dynamic mechanism subsystem – Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-24
2002-03-26
Davis, David (Department: 2754)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Dynamic mechanism subsystem
Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
Reexamination Certificate
active
06363048
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a disc clamp mechanism for preventing a disc from slipping and/or loosening from the turntable when the compact disc (e.g., DVD-ROM or CD-ROM) is on a turntable rotating at a high speed.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Traditionally, a disc-clamping device employs an elastic O-ring or a coil spring to compress steel balls for clamping a disc as shown in
FIGS. 1A-1B
, in which
FIG. 1A
is a top view and
FIG. 1B
is a cross-section, of the related art disc-clamping device respectively. As shown, an O-ring
14
is provided on the periphery of an axis
12
of a turntable
10
. A number of (e.g., 3) steel balls
18
are equally distributed on a joining periphery of a guide member
16
and the turntable
10
. The guide member
16
guides the disc (not shown) already put on the turntable
10
to press the steel balls
18
which in turn press the O-ring
14
inwardly. After the disc is completely inserted onto the axis
12
of the turntable
10
, the O-ring
14
again pushes the steel balls
18
to their original positions. As such, the disc is fixedly maintained on the turntable
10
. However, a loosening condition is possible due to the insufficient clamping force exerted on the disc by the O-ring
14
and the steel balls
18
. This is because the O-ring
14
and the steel balls
18
are not perfectly matched in size, i.e., an undesirable gap exists between the O-ring
14
and the steel balls
18
due to unperfect machining.
Another related art using a lever member as a disc clamp mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,774,445 as shown in
FIGS. 2A-2B
. In
FIG. 2A
, a disc
20
related to being inserted into a raised portion
22
of a turntable
10
a
by a disc-clamping device is shown. The disc
20
is pressed by a rotational force of the turntable
10
a
which in turn exerts a downward force on the turntable
10
a
. Consequently, the disc
20
is guided to a position between a clamping hook
24
and the turntable
10
a
by the clamping hook
24
. Thereafter, the clamping hook
24
is pushed upwardly, thereby urging the disc
20
against the turntable
10
by the clamping hook
24
to fix the disc
20
as shown in FIG.
2
B. The related art is without the drawback of insufficient clamping force exerted on the disc
20
. However, this is unsatisfactory due to a problem arose from the radial positioning of the disc
20
. In brief, the center holes of the discs
20
are not exactly the same size when manufactured. To the worse, tolerances of the center holes are not totally offset by the level member. As a result, it is difficult to get a precise radial positioning and, therefore, to be used with the DVD products that require a high precision positioning.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a disc clamp mechanism to overcome the above drawbacks of related art, and to be, therefore, suitable for use with CD-ROM and DVD ROM products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a compact disc clamp mechanism for affixing the compact disc which has a center hole. The mechanism includes a turntable having a raised hollow axis; a positioning member sized to the center hole of the disc having a hole for being mounted on the raised hollow axis and an inclined surface; a helical spring mounted within the positioning member for providing the upward or downward movement of the positioning member along the raised hollow axis; a cylindrical disc-clamping member sized to the center hole of the compact disc having a plurality of circumferential raised portions, a plurality of slit-like recessed portions each extending from the raised portion, and a plurality of V-shaped members surrounded by two slit-like recessed portions and one of the raised portions for bending from a first predetermined position to a second predetermined position when a force is exerted thereon; and an elastic plane-like member mounted on the positioning member for enhancing the restoration force of the deformed raised portions. As such, the compact disc is secured by the raised portions, the inclined surface, and the turntable when loaded onto the disc-clamping member. The compact disc clamping mechanism of the present invention find particularly useful applications in DVD-ROM products which require a relatively high precision.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a compact disc clamp mechanism for fixing the compact disc having a center hole comprising a turntable having a raised hollow axis; a cylindrical disc-clamping member sized to the center hole of the compact disc mounted on the raised hollow axis having a plurality of raised portions in circumference, a plurality of slit-like recessed portions each extending from the raised portion, and a plurality of V-shaped members surrounded by two slit-like recessed portions and a raised portion for bending from a first predetermined position to a second predetermined position when a force is exerted thereon; and an elastic plane-like member mounted within the disc-clamping member for enhancing the restoration force of the deformed raised portions. As such, the compact disc is secured by the raised portions and the turntable when loaded onto the disc-clamping member. This compact disc clamp mechanism finds a particular application in the CD-ROM products which require a relatively low precision.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6205111 (2001-03-01), Hayakawa
patent: 60-273672 (1985-11-01), None
patent: 8-180629 (1996-07-01), None
patent: 9-320158 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 9-326149 (1997-12-01), None
patent: 10-3720 (1998-01-01), None
patent: 11-66788 (1999-03-01), None
Chen Chun-Min
Chiu Wan-Wen
Hsu Hung-Kuang
Liou Yea-Jiun
Pan Hsu-Pin
Davis David
Industrial Technology Research Institute
Liauh W. Wayne
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