Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
1997-12-19
2003-05-20
Miller, Brian E. (Department: 2153)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
C369S075110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06567361
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk drive apparatus with an arrangement in which a disk is placed on a tray and then loaded, especially to an arrangement for avoiding an invasion of dust and the like.
2. Background of the Invention
A disk drive apparatus such as a CD, a CD-ROM, a DVD, a DVD-ROM and the like, for example, has an arrangement in which a tray is provided being capable of moving between a drawn-out position and an accommodation position relative to an apparatus body, and loading is conducted by putting a disk on the tray, is widely used in practice.
An example of a disk drive apparatus of this kind will be explained with reference to FIG.
1
and FIG.
2
.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, a disk drive apparatus has a main body
1
which comprises an outer housing
2
. The outer housing of the main body
1
accommodates therein a disk drive mechanism unit for recording and reproducing a disk (not shown). The disk drive mechanism unit is constituted by being provided with a spindle motor for driving and rotating the disk, an optical head for reading out and writing a signal from/on the disk and the like.
On a front face as a face for an escutcheon of the main body
1
is attached a front panel
3
. A tray
5
is provided so as to be accommodated in and drawn out from an entry and exit portion
4
which is formed on the front panel
3
. The tray
5
has a disk holding concave portion
6
and is linearly moved by a tray moving mechanism provided inside the main body
1
, between the drawn-out position and the accommodation position relative to the main body
1
.
Also, a moving action of the tray
5
is carried out by depressing a tray moving operation button
7
provided on the front panel
3
. That is, when the tray moving operation button
7
is depressed as the tray
5
is in the accommodation position, the tray
5
moves from the accommodation position to the drawn-out position, and also, when the tray moving operation button
7
is depressed as the tray is in the drawn-out position, the tray
5
is supposed to be moved from the drawn-out position to the accommodation position.
Then, when the tray
5
is at the drawn-out position, if a disk D is held on the disk holding concave portion
6
of the tray
5
, and if the tray
5
is moved to the accommodation position, the disk D is loaded onto the disk drive mechanism portion within the apparatus main body
1
.
When the disk D is loaded in this manner, the spindle motor of the disk drive mechanism unit elevates and a center portion of the disk D is chucked by a turn table fitted to the spindle motor and at the same time, an optical head faces a signal recording face of the disk, whereby a state capable of recording and reproducing of a signal on/from the disk D is in place.
Also, through a middle portion of the tray
5
is formed an opening
8
or an escape portion to the turn table and the optical head of the disk drive mechanism unit.
Also, on a front end face of the tray
5
is fit an escutcheon plate
9
such that when the tray
5
is in the accommodation position, the escutcheon plate
9
may be positioned in the entry and exit portion
4
as shown in FIG.
1
.
Meanwhile, the above mentioned disk drive apparatus is, in many cases, used by being incorporated in computer equipment. In this case, there is a problem that dust and the like easily invade the apparatus main body
1
through the entry and exit portion
4
by a current of air and the like caused by a cooling fan and the like of the computer equipment.
Then, a conventional disk drive apparatus is not so structured as to prevent the intrusion of dust and the like (though the entry and exit portion
4
is closed with the escutcheon plate
9
of the tray
5
since, dust and the like easily invade through the clearance between the escutcheon plate
9
and the entry and exit portion
4
).
If dust and the like easily invade the apparatus main body, they attach onto a signal recording surface of a disk and an objective lens of an optical head, and cause problems associated with recording and reproducing of a signal, and thus reliability is impaired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is implemented with a view to solving those problems.
In order to achieve the above mentioned object, the present invention, in a disk drive apparatus having an arrangement in which a tray is provided capable of moving between a drawn-out portion and an accommodation portion relative to an apparatus main body, and a disk is held on the tray and then is loaded on a disk drive mechanism unit within the apparatus main body with a disk rested on the tray, comprises a wall portion on a front portion of the tray for avoiding an invasion of dust and the like into the apparatus main body. With such an arrangement, problems associated with recording and reproducing due to the dust and the like are decreased and reliability is enhanced.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4561085 (1985-12-01), Funabashi
patent: 4802046 (1989-01-01), Tanaka et al.
patent: 5265072 (1993-11-01), Numata et al.
patent: 5467235 (1995-11-01), Watanabe
patent: 5561653 (1996-10-01), Liou et al.
patent: 5784350 (1998-07-01), Akiba et al.
patent: 5903528 (1999-05-01), Yoshimura
Kupstas Tod A
Maioli Jay H.
Miller Brian E.
Sony Corporation
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