Optical waveguides – Optical waveguide sensor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-30
2001-12-25
Lee, John D. (Department: 2874)
Optical waveguides
Optical waveguide sensor
C385S014000, C385S031000, C385S135000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06334006
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a loading and unloading device (hereinafter referred to merely as “loading device”, when applicable), and an electronic equipment system, and more particularly to a loading device, and an electronic equipment system with which the user can recognize the access or non-access to a hard disk device inserted into an electronic device or the error thereof from the display of a light emitting section which is provided in correspondence to the hard disk device.
2. Description of the Related Art
With respect to the loading of a tape cassette in an electronic device or the unloading of the tape cassette therefrom, for instance Japanese Utility Patent Application (OPI) No. Sho.59-180204 has proposed a tape cassette loading display device. The conventional tape cassette loading display device is designed as follows: The reflection of light at the side surface of the tape cassette is utilized. The emitted in the electronic device is transmitted through an optical fiber to the side surface, so that the reflected light is transmitted outside through another optical fiber, thereby to disclose whether the tape cassette has been loaded.
Now, a related art concerning the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
7
.
FIG. 7
is a perspective view showing the structure of a conventional electronic equipment system. In
FIG. 7
, reference numeral
101
designates an electronic device used for a PC server or the like;
102
, an accommodating chassis (hereinafter referred to merely as “a chassis”, when applicable); and
103
, a loading device which is moved in the directions of the arrow A so that it is inserted into the accommodating chassis
102
or removed from the latter. The device
103
has a hard disk tray
105
which accommodates a hard disk device
104
.
Reference numeral
106
designates a back board which is provided on a backside of the accommodating chassis
102
and is connected through a connector or the like to an electrical connecting section (not shown) of the hard disk device
104
;
107
, a display board secured to the upper portion of the front side of the accommodating chassis
102
with screws or the like; and
108
, light emitting sections such as LEDs which are provided on the display board
107
in correspondence to the hard disk devices
104
inserted in the accommodating chassis
102
. Accordingly, the light emitting sections
108
correspond the hard disk devices
104
which are inserted right below the light emitting sections
108
.
Reference numeral
109
designates a connecting cable which connects the back board
106
to the display board
107
through a connector or the like. The light emitting sections
108
mounted on the display board
107
operate as follows: When the hard disk device
104
inserted in the accommodating chassis
102
is accessed, or when an error occurs with the hard disk device
104
, the light emitting sections
108
emit light in response to a signal from the back board
106
.
With the above-described electronic equipment system, the user can recognize from the display state of the light emitting sections
108
whether the hard disk device
104
is accessed or whether an error occurs with the hard disk device.
FIG. 8
is a sectional side view showing the construction of another example of the conventional electronic equipment system. In
FIG. 8
, parts corresponding functionally to those already described with reference to
FIG. 7
are therefore designated by the same reference numerals or characters. In
FIG. 8
, reference numeral
201
designates a relay board which is provided on the side of the back board
106
, and secured to the hard disk tray
105
with screws;
202
, a connecting cable which electrically connects the relay board
201
to the hard disk device
104
; and
203
, connecting cables which electrically connect the light emitting sections
108
on the front surface of the hard disk tray
105
to the relay board
201
.
The connecting cables
203
of the light emitting sections
108
are provided in the space between the upper surface of the hard disk device
104
accommodated in the hard disk tray
105
and the upper board of the hard disk tray
105
. Reference numeral
204
designates a connector which electrically connects the relay board
201
to the back board
106
; and
205
, a connector which electrically connects the back board
106
to the relay board
201
. The connector
204
of the relay board
201
is electrically connected to the connector
205
of the back board
106
.
The hard disk device
104
is electrically connected to the back board
106
through the connecting cable
202
, the relay board
201
, and the connectors
204
and
205
. The light emitting sections
108
are electrically connected to the back board
106
through the connecting cables
203
, the relay board
201
, and the connectors
204
and
205
.
In the conventional electronic equipment system, the light emitting sections
108
are directly fitted in the hard disk tray
105
or bonded thereto, and are electrically connected to the back board
106
through the connecting cables
203
set in the hard disk tray
105
, and the relay board
201
coupled to the hard disk tray
105
. Therefore, in this case, the space in the direction of height on the accommodating chassis is smaller than in the conventional case where, as shown in
FIG. 7
, the display board
107
, the light emitting sections
108
, and the connecting cables are arranged on the accommodating chassis
102
.
In the conventional electronic equipment system as shown in
FIG. 7
, the display board
107
is provided on the upper portion of the front surface of the chassis
102
, and the light emitting sections
108
are so provided that they correspond to the hard disk devices
104
, and the back board
106
and the display board
107
are so arranged on the chassis
102
that the back board
106
is electrically connected to the display board
107
through the connector and the connecting cable
109
. Therefore, the space in the direction of height on the accommodating chassis
102
in the electronic device
101
is increased as much as the display board
107
, and the light emitting sections
108
and the connecting cable
109
are provided on the chassis
102
. Hence, it is rather difficult to make the electronic device
101
compact in arrangement.
Furthermore, in the conventional electronic equipment system shown in
FIG. 7
, in order that the light emitting sections
107
are located on the front part of the upper surface of the chassis
102
, the display board
107
and the connecting cable
109
are employed. Hence, it is intricate in structure, and is much increased in manufacturing cost.
In the conventional electronic equipment system shown in
FIG. 8
, in order that the light emitting sections
108
and the hard disk device
104
are electrically connected to the back board
106
, the relay board
201
is secured to the hard disk tray
105
with screws. Hence, it is intricate in structure, and is increased in manufacturing cost as much.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, to eliminate the above-described difficulties, It is an object of the present invention to provide a loading device and an electronic equipment system in which the space in the direction of height on an accommodating chassis is reduced to make the device compact, and the structure is simplified thereby to decrease the manufacturing cost of the device.
The present invention provides a loading device which is loaded in an electronic device and unloaded from the electronic device, including an optical fiber transmitting a light beam applied at one end thereof to the other end thereof.
The present invention also provides an electronic equipment system including an electronic device, a loading device loaded in the electronic device and unloaded therefrom, a light emitting section provided in the electronic device in correspondence to the loading device, and an optical fiber provided in correspondence to the loading
Doan Jennifer
Lee John D.
Leydig , Voit & Mayer, Ltd.
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
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