Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-08
2001-03-06
Ometz, David L. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
active
06198713
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disk apparatus which performs transporting of disks such as CD or DVD disks using dedicated loading means and dedicated discharging means, and particularly to a power transmitting mechanism for a disk apparatus wherein the loading means and discharging means are driven by the same power.
2. Description of the Related Art
With known slot-insertion type disk devices, a transporting roller serving as a disk transporting means is provided near the rear plane of the insertion opening, and loading or discharging of the disk is performed by the feeding force of this transporting roller. Examples of such arrangements include a type wherein the disk is pinched between the aforementioned transporting roller and a slave roller provided parallel with the transporting roller, or an arrangement wherein the disk is pinched between the aforementioned transporting roller and a disk guide member provided on the ceiling plane or some other like position in the disk apparatus.
With known disk devices, the disk which has been inserted from the inserting opening is transported to a disk driving unit provided at the rear portion of the apparatus by means of the feeding force of the transporting roller rotating in the forward direction, whereby the disk is placed on a turntable within the disk driving unit. Then, as the disk transporting means escapes the disk, a clamper descends so that the disk is pinched between the clamper and the turntable. Next, a certain rotation is provided thereby by a spindle motor, following which the disk is played or recorded onto using a pick-up.
Also, when discharging the disk, the rotation of the spindle motor is stopped, the clamper rises so as to release the disk, and the disk is pinched once more by the disk transporting means as described above. Then, providing reverse rotation to the transporting roller discharges the disk from the disk driving unit, and further from the above-described inserting opening.
With such disk apparatuses as described above, a transporting roller is used, and the disk is loaded or discharged by rotating the transporting roller forwards or backwards. However, with known disk apparatuses, in the event of the user exchanging disks, any disk which was being played or recorded onto has to be externally discharged, and the new disk inserted into the disk apparatus, necessitating time for exchanging disks.
As one way for solving this problem, an arrangement may be conceived wherein the disk loading means and disk discharging means are separated, so that the disk loading means performs the action of introducing a new disk into the apparatus, and the disk discharging means performs the action of discharging the disk which is already loaded, thereby reducing the time required for exchanging disks. However, driving the disk loading means and discharging means with individual driving forces is problematic since the disk apparatus itself becomes complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems of the known art, and accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple power transmitting mechanism for a disk apparatus by driving the disk loading means and disk discharging means with the same power.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a power transmitting mechanism for a disk apparatus comprises: a first gear provided to the upper side of a disk inserting area; a second gear provided to the lower side of the disk inserting area; and a third gear which meshes with both the first gear and the second gear, thereby simultaneously driving both of the gears; wherein both of the gears are rotated coaxially and at the same pitch circle; and wherein the second gear causes action of a disk discharging means at the time of the first gear causing action of a disk loading means.
With the power transmitting mechanism for a disk apparatus according to the present invention, power to the loading mechanism which loads the disk is transmitted by the first gear and power to the discharging mechanism which discharges the disk is transmitted by the second gear, with the first and second gears being simultaneous driven by the third gear, whereby the disk loading action and disk discharging action can be performed in a parallel manner. Accordingly, time required for exchanging disks can be reduced.
Also, an arrangement is preferable wherein the third gear comprises an upper toothed wheel for meshing with the first gear, and a lower toothed wheel for meshing with the second gear, so that in a state wherein a fitting portion formed on the first gear and a fitting portion formed on the second gear are engaged, the upper toothed wheel and lower toothed wheel approach one another or are distanced.
With this arrangement, the third gear can freely move in the axial direction, so certain force can be supplied to the first gear and the second gear in a sure manner even in the event that the lid plate having transporting members or clamp chassis having a clamping mechanism move up or down.
It is further preferable that the disk on the turntable be clamped when the upper toothed wheel and lower toothed wheel approach one another.
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Abe Kenji
Nakayama Keisuke
Sakurai Toshihiro
Alps Electric Co. ,Ltd.
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione
Chen Tianjie
Ometz David L.
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