Disc device

Details Disc device Disc device

2001-08-23

2004-03-30

Nguyen, Hoa T. (Department: 2652)

Dynamic information storage or retrieval

Dynamic mechanism subsystem

Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production

C369S075210

Reexamination Certificate

active

06714507

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc device whose structure can be made thin, in which a disc having a center aperture is loaded, and the center aperture of the disc is held by a rotatable table.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 13
is an enlarged sectional view of a disc-clamping means of a conventional disc device.
A rotatable table
1
is secured to a rotatable shaft
2
a
of a spindle motor
2
, and is rotationally driven by the spindle motor
2
. In the rotatable table
1
, a disc-receiving portion
1
a
and a protrusion
1
b
are integrally formed. A clamping member
3
, which opposes the rotatable table
1
, is rotatably supported by a clamping arm
4
.
While the clamping member
3
and the rotatable table
1
are separated from each other as a result of the upward rotation of the clamping arm
4
, a disc D transported by a transporting roller
5
is supplied between the rotatable table
1
and the clamping member
3
. When the disc D is positioned at a location where a center aperture D
1
of the disc D matches the location of the protrusion
1
b
, the clamping arm
4
moves downward, so that the surrounding portion of the center aperture D
1
of the disc D is clamped by the disc-receiving section
1
a of the rotatable table
1
and the clamping member
3
.
As shown in
FIG. 13
, while the disc D is clamped to the rotatable table
1
, the disc D is rotationally driven by the spindle motor
2
in order to reproduce or record data by a head opposing the disc D.
In the conventional disc clamping means shown in
FIG. 13
, the clamping member
3
, disposed above the rotatable table
1
, opposes the rotatable table
1
, so that, as a mechanism for clamping a disc, a height equal to or greater than the sum of the thickness of the spindle motor
2
, the thickness of the rotatable table
1
, and the thickness of the clamping member
3
is required. Therefore, the overall height becomes large, so that there is a limit as to how thin the clamping means can be made.
One type of disc-clamping means is what is called a self-chucking type, in which a disc-holding means that elastically applies pressure to the peripheral edge portion defining the center aperture D
1
of the disc D is provided at the protrusion
1
b
of the rotatable table
1
. When the rotatable table of the self-chucking type is used, the clamping member
3
is not required, thereby making it possible to make the disc-clamping means thinner.
However, in the rotatable table of the self-chucking type, it is necessary to use a pushing means for pushing the peripheral portion defining the center aperture of the disc against the disc-receiving section of the rotatable table in order to elastically fit the disc-holding means to the center aperture of the disc. Therefore, the structure of the disc-clamping means becomes complicated.
Accordingly, in order to overcome the above-described problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a disc device which makes it possible to clamp a disc by using a self-chucking-type rotatable table and a simple structure, and whose overall structure can be made thin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a disc device with a simplified structure that can be made thin.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the disc device includes a rotatable table including a disc-receiving portion for receiving a surface of a disc, a protrusion for insertion into a center aperture of the disc, and a disc-holding member for elastically applying pressure to an inner peripheral edge surrounding the center aperture of the disc. A pressing member is provided that opposes the disc-receiving portion of the rotatable table. A pressing driver drives at least one of the rotatable table and the pressing member in a direction in which the rotatable table and the pressing member move towards each other in a manner that causes the disc-holding member to engage the inner peripheral edge of the disc.
According to another aspect of the invention, a disc device is provided that includes a rotatable table including a disc-receiving portion for receiving a surface of a disc, a protrusion for insertion into a center aperture of the disc, and a disc-holding member for elastically applying pressure to an inner peripheral edge surrounding the center aperture of the disc. A plate member is provided that opposes the disc-receiving portion of the rotatable table. A driving chassis, which supports the rotatable table, is movable relative to the plate member. A pressing driver drives the rotatable table toward the plate member in a manner that causes the disc-holding member to engage the inner peripheral edge of the disc. A disc passage space is formed between the plate member and the table when the plate member and the rotatable table are separated from each other. The plate member functions as a guide plate for the disc that passes into the passage space.
According to another aspect of the invention, a disc device is provided that includes a rotatable table including a disc-receiving portion for receiving a surface of a disc, a protrusion for insertion into a center aperture of the disc, and a disc-holding means for elastically applying pressure to an inner peripheral edge surrounding the center aperture of the disc. A pressing member opposing the disc-receiving portion of the rotatable table. A pressing member support shaft rotatably supports the pressing member. A pressing driver drives the pressing member toward the rotatable table in a manner that causes the disc-holding member to engage the inner peripheral edge of the disc.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4969140 (1990-11-01), Koiwa et al.
patent: 5956315 (1999-09-01), Sawai et al.
patent: 6072767 (2000-06-01), Iwazawa
patent: 6353591 (2002-03-01), Kato
patent: 0428382 (1991-05-01), None
patent: 58-194181 (1983-11-01), None
patent: 2-235250 (1990-09-01), None

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