Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-26
2002-09-03
Klimowicz, William (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
C369S077210, C369S075210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06445666
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device which can play a minidisk (MD) used in cartridge stored form and a compact disk (CD) used as a single disk not stored in a cartridge.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 1
to
FIG. 3
show a conventional disk device as disclosed for example in JP-A 7-220355. In the figures, reference numeral
301
denotes a sub-base supporting a spindle motor
303
and an optical pickup
305
.
304
is a first turntable which is fixed to the spindle motor
303
and which rotates a minidisk (MD)
312
stored in a cartridge
311
.
306
is a second turntable which is retained with a play on a retaining member
302
.
308
is a clamp which is retained with a play on a clamp holder
307
.
310
is a guide member which guides and retains the cartridge
311
.
The retaining member
302
is retained with a buffer with respect to a housing
314
. The sub-base
301
is adapted to be raised and lowered in response to fixed modes. The clamp holder
307
is adapted to approach and be separated from the retaining member
302
in response to fixed modes.
The operation of the conventional disk device will be discussed below.
When a minidisk
312
is played, firstly as shown in
FIG. 1
, the sub-base
301
is raised by the operation of the raising or depressing motor (hereafter elevating motor)
315
when a cartridge
311
is inserted into the guide member
310
. The first turntable
304
is displaced to a position abutting with a fixed clamp area of the minidisk
312
, that is to say, the position as shown in FIG.
3
. In such a position, the minidisk
312
is rotated and played by the rotating spindle motor
303
.
When a compact disk (CD)
313
is played which is used as a single disk not in a cartridge-stored state, the compact disk
313
is inserted into the gap between the retaining member
302
and the clamp
308
. Thereafter the sub-base
301
is raised by the action of the elevating motor
315
until the first turntable
304
is in a position abutting with a fixed clamp area of the compact disk (CD)
313
, that is to say, the position as shown in FIG.
2
.
At this time, a depressing operation is performed on the clamp holder
307
and the second turntable
306
holds the compact disk
313
. The guide member
310
performs a lateral refuging operation in order to create a space to allow the elevation of the sub-base
301
. After the completion of this series of operations, the compact disk
313
is rotated and played by the rotation of the first turntable
304
and the second turntable
306
which is engaged with the first turntable
304
due to the rotation of the spindle motor
303
.
FIG.
4
and
FIG. 5
show a conventional disk device as disclosed for example in JP-A 9-231654. In the figures,
321
denotes a base mounting an optical pickup
325
and a spindle motor
323
. 324 denotes a first turntable which is fixed to the spindle motor. 326 is a second turntable which is retained with a play on a retaining arm
322
. The retaining arm
322
is retained to rotate freely on a shaft
327
fixed to the base
321
and is retained to slide freely in a perpendicular direction.
328
denotes a gear section which is formed on the retaining arm
322
. The gear section
328
transmits the drive force of the drive motor
329
through the gears
330
,
331
.
332
denotes a triangular cam provided on the base
321
. A boss
333
is formed on the rear face of the retaining arm
322
opposite the triangular cam
332
.
The operation of the conventional disk device will be described below.
When a compact disk is played, the compact disk is loaded onto the second turntable
326
which is loaded onto the first turntable
324
. The compact disk is held on the second turntable
326
by a clamp (not shown) and the spindle motor
323
is rotated to perform the playing operation.
When a minidisk is played, a drive motor
329
is rotated when the insertion of a cartridge is detected. That rotational force is transmitted through the gears
330
,
331
,
328
to rotate the retaining arm
322
in the direction designated by the arrow Y. Together with this rotational operation, as shown in FIGS.
5
(
a
)-(
c
), the second turntable
326
which is retained on the retaining arm
322
separates from the first turntable
324
while rotating. The boss
333
elevates along the inclined face of the triangular cam
332
. After the boss
333
passes the apex of the triangular cam
332
, the retaining arm
322
is depressed to refuge rotation and stops at a position which prevents planar interference with the cartridge.
Since the conventional disk device is constructed in such a manner, when playing either a minidisk or a compact disk for example, in the former example of a conventional disk device, the problem has arisen that the width of the device can not be downsized since the first turntable
304
, the second turntable
306
and the clamp
308
are layered vertically.
Furthermore when raising operations for the second turntable
326
are performed in conjunction with rotation operations on the retaining arm
322
in the latter example of a conventional disk device, the possibility exists that accurate separation and linkage of the engagement section will not be realized as a result of the centering of the first turntable
324
and the second turntable
326
. Furthermore the problem has arisen that the highly accurate engagement section may be damaged due to the turntables
324
,
326
being on an angle when linking or separating.
Furthermore the problem has arisen that the latter example of a convention disk device can not be downsized as the second turntable
326
is refuged to a position which does not interfere in a planar direction with the cartridge of the minidisk which thus increases the dimensions of the device with respect to depth.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is proposed to solve the above problems and has the object of providing a disk device with reduced dimensions with respect to height and depth and which enables accurate loading and separation of a second turntable.
The present invention has the further object of providing a disk provided with a simplified driving mechanism for a second turntable.
The present invention has the further object of providing a disk device with reduced dimensions with respect to height and depth which ensures refuging of a CD clamp arm and CD adapter arm into the device to a position not impeding a loaded minidisk and, in particular, by refuging the CD clamp arm and CD adapter arm to displace below a loaded minidisk.
The disk device of the present invention enables the reduction of dimensions of the device with respect to height and depth in a disk device having a first turntable which supports a first disk which is stored in a cartridge and which transmits a rotational force to this first disk, a second turntable which can be loaded onto and separate from the first turntable, which supports a second disk which is not loaded in a cartridge and which transmits a rotational force to the second disk and a spindle motor which rotates the first turntable wherein the disk device is characterized by a retaining arm which retains the second turntable with play, a first shaft which supports the retaining arm to reciprocate vertically so that the second turntable is loaded onto and separates from the first turntable and, a second shaft which supports the retaining arm to rotate and refuge in a planar direction.
The disk device of the present invention enables accurate loading and separation of the second turntable by the provision of a first drive plate which is driven when a first disk is loaded, an arm raising means which raises the retaining arm in a first operational period after the initiation of the first drive plate and which separates the second turntable from the first turntable and an arm rotation means which rotates the retaining arm in a planar direction in a subsequent second operational period of the first drive plate and which refuges the second turntable to a
Fujiwara Tatsunori
Inatani Takeshi
Michimori Atsushi
Sato Masao
Takeshima Masaaki
Klimowicz William
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
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