Disk device

Details Disk device Disk device

1998-01-20

2001-10-09

Miller, Brian E. (Department: 2153)

Dynamic information storage or retrieval

With particular cabinet structure

Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc

Reexamination Certificate

active

06301214

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk device in which both a cartridge in which a disk is accommodated or a single disk which is not accommodated in a cartridge can be inserted and, both the media can be positioned at positions where the media can be driven.
2. Description of the Related Art
As a recording medium using an optical recording scheme, a photomagnetic recording scheme, or a phase-change recording scheme, a disk Da which is accommodated in a cartridge C, as shown in
FIG. 7A
, or a single disk Db which is not accommodated in a cartridge, as shown in
FIG. 7B
is used.
As a disk device on which the single disk Db is loaded shown in
FIG. 7B
, there is a disk device which comprises a tray extending from the front of the device and in which the tray is drawn into the device after the disk Db is placed on the tray, and the disk Db is clamped by the turntable of a drive unit.
In a CD player or the like for vehicle, a convey roller is arranged on the inside of an insertion port, the disk Db inserted from the insertion port is drawn into the device by the rotation force of the convey roller, and then the central portion of the disk Db is placed on the turntable. The disk Db which has been reproduced is extracted from the insertion port by the convey roller.
As a disk device in which the cartridge C shown in
FIG. 7A
is loaded, a disk device having the following arrangement is known. That is, a cartridge C is pressed with a hand to be inserted into the device, and the disk Da in the cartridge C is placed on a turntable. In extraction, an extraction lever or the like arranged outside the device is operated with a hand, and the cartridge C is extracted from the device by the operation force of the extraction lever.
As a disk device on which the cartridge C is loaded, a disk device having the following arrangement is known. That is, when the cartridge C is inserted, a drawing member is hooked on the cartridge C, the cartridge is drawn into the device by the drive force of a motor. When reproduction or the like is completed, the cartridge C is extracted by an operation force in a direction opposing the direction of the drawing member.
As described above, a conventional disk device is either one of a device on which only one of the cartridge C shown in
FIG. 7A
is loaded and a device on which only the single disk Db shown in
FIG. 7B
is loaded. A device on which both the cartridge C and the single disk Db can be loaded has not been realized.
The reason why the above device cannot be realized is as follows. Since the cartridge C and the single disk Db are different from each other in shape, a positioning reference for positioning the cartridge C at a position where the cartridge C can be driven is different from a positioning reference for positioning a position where the single disk Db can be driven.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is to solve the above convention problem, and has as its object to provide a disk device in which both a cartridge and a single disk are positioned, by using a common positioning member, at positions where the cartridge and the single disk can be driven, so that both the cartridge and the single disk can be driven.
According to the present invention, a disk device has an insertion port in which both a cartridge in which a disk is accommodated and a single disk which is not accommodated in a cartridge can be inserted, and is characterized by comprising positioning members which are at standby positions located on both the sides of an insertion path not to prevent the cartridge or the single disk from insertion when the cartridge or the single disk is inserted from the insertion port, are fitted in recessed portions formed in the cartridge when the cartridge is inserted and reaches a position where the single disk in the cartridge can be driven, and are brought into contact with the peripheral portion of the single disk, when the single disk is inserted, to position the single disk at a position where the single disk can be clamped on a turntable.
For example, the disk device comprises: a pair of positioning arms respectively having the positioning members and pivotally supported; a biasing member for biasing the positioning arms in a direction in which the positioning members are brought into contact with the cartridge or the single disk; and a control member for regulating the positioning arms such that the positioning members are located at the standby positions before the cartridge or the single disk is inserted and canceling the regulation of the positioning arms after the cartridge or the single disk is inserted.
In this case, the disk device comprises a stopper for limiting a pivotal operation of the positioning arms when regulation by the control member is canceled and when the positioning arms move in the biasing direction of the biasing member to reach a position where the positioning members can position the single disk, and, when the cartridge is inserted, the positioning members are preferably fitted in the recessed portions before the positioning arms are limited by the stopper.
In the above description, after the single disk is positioned by the positioning members, the peripheral portion of the single disk centered on the turntable and then clamped is separated from the positioning members which are limited by the stopper with respect to position.
In addition, a lock member for locking the control member when the control member regulates the positioning arms is arranged, and, when the cartridge or the single disk is inserted, a locking operation by the lock member is canceled by the insertion force of the cartridge or the single disk.
In addition, the disk device comprises a moving member which is pressed by the cartridge or the single disk when the cartridge or the single disk is inserted to move on a device inner side, a locking operation by the lock member may be canceled by the moving force of the moving member on the device inner side, and the single disk may be positioned at a position where the single disk can be clamped by the moving member reaching a position where the locking operation by the lock member is canceled and the positioning members limited by the stopper.
When the moving member is pressed on the device inner side by the cartridge, a shutter arranged on the cartridge can be opened by the moving member, and a disk in the cartridge can be exposed.
Although the positioning members can be constituted as members arranged on the positioning arms which can be pivoted, for example, the positioning members are arranged such that the positioning members can be linearly slid in Y
1
-Y
2
direction.
The positioning members or the positioning arms are directly biased by a biasing member in a direction in which the positioning members or the positioning arms are brought into contact with a cartridge or a single disk, or a stopper for limiting the positions of the positioning arms or the positioning members at positions where the single disk can be positioned may be formed integrally with a housing or fixed to the housing.
The control member may regulate the positioning arms, or may directly regulate the positioning members. When the cartridge or the single disk is inserted, the control member may be unlocked by pressing force in insertion, and a mechanism for unlocking the control member and the moving member may be completely independently arranged.
In the present invention, the positioning members can be made to be moved from standby positions where the cartridge or the single disk is not prevented from being inserted. When the cartridge is inserted, the positioning members are fitted in recessed portions of the cartridge to position the cartridge. When the single disk is inserted, a disk is positioned by the positioning members at positions where the disk can be driven. When the single disk is used, the positioning members are preferably limited by a stopper to a position where the single disk can be positioned. In this manner, when the positioning membe

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