Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Information location or remote operator actuated control – Selective addressing of storage medium
Patent
1995-09-12
1997-11-11
Levy, Stuart S.
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Information location or remote operator actuated control
Selective addressing of storage medium
369191, 360 9806, G11B 1726
Patent
active
056871457
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a disc exchange function. More particularly, it relates to a recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a housing section capable of housing a plurality of discs within its main body and which selectively takes out a disc from the housing section and loads the disc onto its recording/reproducing section for information recording or reproduction. The invention also relates to a disc loading mechanism employed in such apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
There has hitherto been employed a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a disc exchange function in which a plurality of discs housed within its housing section provided within its main body may be selectively taken out (extracted) and loaded on its recording/reproducing section for information recording and/or reproduction.
In this type of the disc recording/reproducing apparatus having the disc exchange function, there has been proposed an arrangement having a housing section 10 for holding plural discs 1 in tiers at a constant interval from one another and with the surfaces of adjacent discs facing each other, as shown in FIG. 32. In this disc recording/reproducing apparatus, a disc tray 3 is placed facing an opening of the housing section 2 so that the discs 1 selectively taken out from the housing section 10 by a disc transfer unit, not shown, will be set thereon. The upper surface of the disc tray 3 is formed with a recessed disc setting portion 4 on which a disc 1, which is pulled out of the housing section 10, is set. The bottom side of the disc setting portion 4 is formed with an aperture 6. A disc table 5 on which the disc 1 set on the disc setting portion 4, is loaded and which constitutes a disc rotating driving unit for rotationally driving the disc 1, is intruded into the aperture 6. An optical pickup for recording/reproducing the information on or from the disc 1 driven by the disc table 5, faces the disc through the aperture 6.
The recording/reproducing unit, inclusive of the housing section 10 and the disc table 5, is supported for movement in a vertical direction perpendicular to the surface of the disc 1 housed within the housing section 10. In order to load a disc 1 housed within the housing section 10 for information recording and/or reproduction, the housing section 10 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the disc surface as shown by arrow Y in FIG. 32 until a disc supporting surface 7a of a supporting groove 7, in which the disc 1 to be loaded on the disc table 5 is inserted and supported, coincides with a disc setting surface 4a of the disc setting portion 4 formed in the disc tray 3. A disc transfer unit, not shown, is then actuated to pull out the disc 1 out of the housing section 10 in the horizontal direction as shown by arrow X in FIG. 33 and to set the disc 1 on the disc setting portion 4 of the disc tray 3.
The recording/reproducing section, inclusive of the disc table 5, is then moved vertically as indicated by arrow Z in FIG. 34 so that the disc table 5 extends, via the aperture 6, into the interior of the disc tray 3. When the disc table 5 is intruded into the inside of the disc tray 3, the disc 1 is lifted slightly above the disc setting surface 4a of the disc setting portion 4, so that it is set on the disc table 5 and can be freely rotated without contact with the disc setting surface 4a. A disc clamper, not shown, provided facing the disc table 5, is pressed against the top of the disc 1 for unifying the disc 1 with the disc table 5.
During operation, the disc 1 is rotated in unison with the disc table 5 along with the clamper. The optical pickup unit is fed radially along the disc 1, while the disc 1 is being rotated, for recording/reproducing the information on or from the disc 1.
With the above-described disc recording/reproducing apparatus, the disc 1 loaded on the disc table 5 is configured to be loaded on the disc table 5 in such a manner that the disc to be loaded 1 is not completely pulled out from between the
REFERENCES:
patent: 5123001 (1992-06-01), Nakamichi et al.
Nayuki Harumitu
Takashina Takeyoshi
Kananen Ronald P.
Levy Stuart S.
Sony Corporation
Watkins Kevin M.
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