Dynamic information storage or retrieval – Dynamic mechanism subsystem – Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-20
2001-04-24
Davis, David (Department: 2754)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
Dynamic mechanism subsystem
Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222817
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a disk apparatus, and more particularly to a disk apparatus which has a dust proof construction ensuring an effective release of heat, a reduced thickness and easy to assemble.
FIG. 1
shows a conventional optical disk apparatus
10
.
The optical disk apparatus
10
comprises a bottom plate
11
on which a circuit board assembly
12
and a reproducing unit
13
are mounted. A disk tray
14
is movable in directions indicated by arrows A
1
and A
2
. A case
15
having a top plate
15
a
and side plates
15
b
covers the reproducing unit
13
having an optical head
22
(see
FIG. 2
) and the circuit board assembly
12
, and is mounted on the bottom plate
11
by means of screws. Accordingly, the reproducing unit
13
and the circuit board assembly
12
are enclosed in the apparatus, and thus the optical head
22
is protected from external dust.
In the above-mentioned optical disk apparatus
10
, since the circuit board assembly
12
is enclosed in the apparatus, when the apparatus is used, and in particular, uses continuously for a long time, the temperature inside the apparatus considerably increases due to heating of the circuit board assembly
12
.
In order to reduce the temperature increase, hot air inside the optical disk apparatus
10
is released to the outside, and external cool air is introduced into the apparatus. However, in this case, dust may enter inside the apparatus together with the cool air introduced inside the apparatus, and thus there is a problem in that the dust adheres onto the optical head.
FIG. 2
is a schematical perspective view of the conventional optical disk apparatus
10
.
In
FIG. 2
, a mechanical unit
25
comprises a base
19
pivotally provided on a chassis
17
by being supported by a shaft
18
on one end thereof, a turn table driving motor
20
, a turn table
21
and the optical head
22
being mounted on a base
19
.
Reference numeral
23
indicates a gate-type disk clamper supporting member which is mounted on the chassis
17
to be bridged over the mechanical unit
25
.
A stem
16
a
of a disk clamper
16
is fitted in a through hole
23
a
of the supporting member
23
, as shown in
FIG. 3A
, and is attached to the supporting member
23
by a screw
24
serving as a stopper.
A disk
30
is loaded in the optical disk apparatus
10
in the manner as explained below.
In an initial state, the mechanical unit
25
is inclined as shown in
FIG. 3A
, and thus the turn table
21
is located at a lower position. The disk
30
is placed on a tray
14
, and then is carried into the optical disk apparatus
10
. When the disk
30
is carried into the apparatus, a lifting mechanism
26
starts to operate to rotate the mechanical unit
25
in a direction indicated by an arrow A, the mechanical unit
25
being rotated to be horizontally positioned as indicated in FIG.
3
B.
Accordingly, as shown in
FIG. 3B
, the disk
30
is supported by the turn table
21
in a state where the disk
30
is lifted up from the tray
14
. Additionally, the disk clamper
16
is magnetically attracted by the turn table
21
, and thus the disk
30
is clamped. After the disk
30
is clamped, the turn table
21
is rotated by the motor
20
, and then information on the disk
30
is reproduced by means of the optical head
22
.
In the above-mentioned disk loading mechanism, since the disk clamper supporting member
23
is located above the disk clamper
16
, and since the top plate
15
a
of the case
15
covers the supporting member
23
, there is a problem in that a height h
10
(refer to
FIG. 3A
) of the optical disk apparatus
10
is relatively great, thus preventing the thickness of the apparatus from being reduced.
FIG. 4
is a schematic view showing how the optical head
22
is connected to the reproducing unit
13
of the optical disk apparatus
10
. In the optical disk apparatus
10
, the reproducing unit
13
and the circuit board assembly
12
are arranged on the chassis
17
in a state where they are piled on top of each other. The reproducing unit
13
is provided with the turn table
21
and the optical head
22
movable in directions indicated by arrows X
1
and X
2
.
A tape-like flexible printed circuit (FPC)
27
extends from the optical head
22
. The FPC
27
extends through an opening
17
a
formed in the chassis
17
, and is connected to an FPC connector
28
mounted on the circuit board assembly
12
located under the chassis
17
.
An operation for connecting the FPC
27
to the FPC connector
28
is carried out by using a jig
29
as shown in FIG.
5
. One end of the FPC
27
, the other end of which is connected to the optical head
22
, is drawn out to extend to the lower side of the chassis
17
by passing it through the opening
17
a
while the reproducing unit
13
is held in an oblique state by means of the jig
29
. The one end of the FPC
27
is then inserted into the FPC connector
28
, as shown by an arrow B in FIG.
5
.
Since the operation for connecting the FPC
27
to the FPC connector
28
must be performed in a relatively narrow space, there is a problem in that the operation is inconvenient and takes a long time. Additionally, since the FPC
27
is being made as short as possible from the view point of cost reduction, there is a possibility of the FPC
27
being drawn out accidentally by a strong force, thereby damaging the optical head
22
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved and useful disk apparatus in which the above-mentioned problems are eliminated.
A more specific object of the present invention is to provide a disk apparatus having a construction in which only a reproducing unit is accommodated in an enclosed space, and thus an optical head is protected from external dust.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk apparatus having a thickness which is reduced by eliminating the use of a supporting member for a disk clamper.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a disk apparatus in which an operation for connecting the optical head to a circuit board assembly is easily performed by having a connector on a chassis of a reproducing unit.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, there is provided according to one aspect of the present invention a disk apparatus having a head for reading information recorded on a disk, the disk apparatus comprising:
a case accommodating component parts of said disk apparatus;
a chassis, formed substantially in a box-like shape, having a chassis body on which the head is mounted, the chassis body having walls on sides thereof, each of the walls having a contacting surface on an upper end thereof which contacting surface comes into substantial contact with the case; and
a circuit board assembly positioned inside the case and outside the chassis, a circuit which processes information input from the head being provided on the circuit board assembly,
wherein the chassis together with the case form an enclosed space, and the head is accommodated inside the enclosed space so as to be protected from external dust.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disk apparatus in which a disk is lifted by a turn table moving upward, and a clamper positioned above the turn table clamps the disk on the turn table, the disk apparatus comprising:
a case having a top plate which covers the turn table; and
a clamper mounting portion formed on the top plate, the clamper being mounted on the clamper mounting portion.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disk apparatus having a mechanism assembly having a chassis on which a head for reproducing information recorded on a disk is provided and a circuit board assembly having a circuit which processes the information received from the head, the circuit board assembly being positioned under the mechanism assembly, the disk apparatus comprising:
a flexible connecting wire, extended from the head, for transmitting information from the di
Hanai Hiroyunki
Nakamura Mitsunori
Sato Takashi
Uchino Tsutomu
Anderson Kill & Olick P.C.
Davis David
Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd.
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