Supports – Brackets – Adjustable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-28
2001-10-02
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Adjustable
C403S059000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296217
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a movable body supporting mechanism for supporting a movable body which is moved in a direction orthogonal to a flat surface on which a fixed member and the movable body are both mounted and, and more particularly relates to a movable body supporting mechanism which is effective when it is applied to a disc clamping mechanism for a disk player and a disc selecting mechanism for a changer.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, a movable body for carrying a disc and a fixed member such as a magazine and the like, in which a plurality of discs are accommodated, are both mounted in a changer. Then, the movable body is moved in a direction orthogonal to a flat surface on which the fixed member and the movable body are both mounted, and is raised and lowered up to a position corresponding to a particular disc. In general, since the discs are accommodated in parallel to each other in many cases, it is desirable to move the movable body while keeping it in parallel to the discs so that the relative position thereof to the respective discs are identical to each other.
The inventor of the present application knows a mechanism shown in
FIG. 18
as a mechanism of supporting this kind of movable body. That is, a base
3
is projected from a fixed member
1
toward underneath a movable body
2
, three screw shafts
4
a
,
4
b
and
4
c
are stood up from this base
3
, and nuts screwed on the screw shafts
4
a
,
4
b
and
4
c
are mounted in the movable body
2
. The synchronous drive of the three screw shafts
4
a
,
4
b
and
4
c
enables the movable body
2
to be moved in a Z axis direction on coordinates. At this time, the movement of the movable body
2
in an X or Y axis direction or a rotation around each axis is restricted.
Also, the inventor of the present application knows a movable body supporting mechanism shown in
FIG. 19
in which a movable body
2
and a base
3
projected from a fixed member
1
are linked to each other through a X-shaped link
4
. This movable body supporting mechanism also enables the movable body
2
to be supported movably only in a Z axis direction on coordinates.
However, each of the above mentioned movable body supporting mechanisms has a large number of parts constituting the supporting mechanism and is difficult in assembling. Moreover, in order to support the movable body
2
, it is necessary to project the base
3
projected toward underneath the movable body
2
from the fixed member
1
. Since it is difficult to ensure a rigidity and an accuracy of the base
3
, it is impossible to obtain a movable body supporting mechanism suitable for a miniaturization and a high accuracy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a movable body supporting mechanism, which can support a movable body to be moved in a direction orthogonal to a flat surface on which the movable body and a fixed member are both mounted by use of a rather simple configuration, and which can further support the movable body without projecting a base portion from the fixed member.
In the following summary of the invention, although reference numerals for the accompanying drawings are appended in respective brackets after corresponding constitutional elements for the sake of easy understanding, the invention is never limited by these reference numerals or the accompanying drawings.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a first movable body supporting mechanism for supporting a movable body (
12
,
42
) to be moved in a direction orthogonal to a flat surface on which a fixed member (
11
,
41
) and the movable body are both mounted. The first movable body supporting mechanism is provided with: a lever (
13
a
,
13
b
,
46
a
,
46
b
) rotatably linked to the fixed member and the movable body; a movable body gear (
18
a
,
18
b
,
52
) mounted on the movable body at a side thereof opposed to the fixed member; and a pinion (
14
a
,
14
b
,
44
a
,
44
b
) engaged with the movable body gear and driven in conjunction with the lever.
According to the first movable body supporting mechanism, by virtue of a rather simple configuration of the lever, the pinion etc., it is possible to support the movable body to be moved in the direction orthogonal to the flat surface on which the fixed member and the movable body are both mounted. Further, since one end of the movable body is supported by a fact that the movable body gear is engaged with the pinion and since another end of the movable body is supported by the lever bridged between the movable body and the fixed member, it is possible to support the movable body without protruding a base portion from the fixed member toward the movable body. Since the base portion is not disposed around the movable body, the movable body supporting mechanism suitable for the miniaturization and the light weight can be attained. Further, since the base portion is not necessary, only the achievement of the rigidity and the accuracy of the lever enables the movable body supporting mechanism with a high accuracy to be easily attained.
In one aspect of the first movable body supporting mechanism, it is further provided with: a fixed member gear (
16
a
,
16
b
) mounted on the fixed member (
11
) at a side thereof opposite to the movable body (
12
) and engaged with the pinion (
14
a
,
14
b
); and a rotational shaft (
31
) of the pinion mounted on the lever (
13
a
,
13
b
).
According to this aspect, it is possible to gang the rotation of the lever with the rotation and up-and-down reciprocation of the pinion.
In this aspect, it may be further provided with a linkage mechanism (
20
,
15
a
,
15
b
,
17
a
,
17
b
), through which the lever (
13
a
,
13
b
) is linked to the fixed member (
11
) and the movable body (
12
), for enabling the lever to be slid and rotated with respect to the fixed member and the movable body.
According to this aspect, as the lever is slid with respect to the fixed member and the movable body, it is possible to absorb the change in the distance accompanying the movement of the movable body from the linkage position between the lever and the fixed member to the linkage position between the lever and the movable body.
In this case of having the linkage mechanism, a lever ratio of (i) a distance from the linkage mechanism (
20
,
15
a
,
15
b
) at a side thereof opposed to the fixed member (
11
) to the rotational shaft (
31
) of the pinion (
14
a
,
14
b
) with respect to (ii) a distance from the linkage mechanism (
20
,
15
a
,
15
b
) at the side thereof opposed to the fixed member to the linkage mechanism (
20
,
17
a
,
17
b
) at a side thereof opposed to the movable body (
12
) may be set to 1:2.
By setting the lever ratio to 1:2, the movement amount of the movable body gear position of the movable body and the movement amount of the linkage mechanism position of the movable body can be made equal to each other. Thus, the movable body moves while keeping its attitude parallel to the fixed member, i.e., performs a strictly parallel movement. Therefore, it is possible to attain the movable body supporting mechanism suitable for a disc changer in case of accommodating discs parallel to each other in a magazine.
Alternatively in this case of having the linkage mechanism, a lever ratio of (i) a distance from the linkage mechanism (
20
,
15
a
,
15
b
) on a side thereof opposed to the fixed member (
11
) to the rotational shaft (
31
) of the pinion (
14
a
,
14
b
) with respect to (ii) a distance from the linkage mechanism (
20
,
15
a
,
15
b
) on the side thereof opposed to the fixed member (
11
) to the linkage mechanism (
20
,
17
a
,
17
b
) at a side thereof opposed to the movable body (
12
) may be selected to such a predetermined value as to support the movable body which carries out a rotational motion.
By setting the lever ratio in this manner, the lowering amount of the movable body gear position of the movable body becomes greater than the lowering amount of the li
Ikedo Yuji
Ito Hideo
Ohkawara Masamitsu
Oizumi Kenjiro
Onodera Katsuhiro
Pioneer Corporation
Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch LLP
Ramirez Ramon O.
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