Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-24
2001-08-07
Letscher, George J. (Department: 2754)
Dynamic information storage or retrieval
With particular cabinet structure
Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc
Reexamination Certificate
active
06272092
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a recording and reproducing apparatus for use in recording and/or reproducing and recording and reproducing information in and/or from and in and from a recording medium stored in a cartridge, in particular, a magneto-optical disk.
BACKGROUND ART
In general, a magneto-optical disk apparatus for recording and reproducing a magneto-optical disk is known as a disk apparatus capable of recording and reproducing or recording and/or reproducing an information signal in and from or in and/or from a magneto-optical disk rotatably stored within a cartridge of a disk cartridge.
The magneto-optical disk apparatus generally comprises a cartridge loading mechanism having a cartridge holder for holding a disk cartridge, a spindle motor disposed under the cartridge loading mechanism for rotating a magneto-optical disk, a rotation mechanism including a disk table for holding a magneto-optical disk, an optical pickup device located behind the rotation mechanism and having an objective lens, an external magnetic field generating apparatus disposed above the optical pickup device and having a magnetic head applying head, an elevation mechanism disposed ahead of the external magnetic field generating apparatus and the optical pickup device for elevating the rotation mechanism, etc.
In the thus arranged magneto-optical disk apparatus, after the disk cartridge is conveyed to a predetermined cartridge loading position, the magneto-optical disk is rotated at this cartridge loading position and an information signal is written in and read out from the magneto-optical disk.
In such a conventional magneto-optical disk apparatus, a slider apparatus for moving a cartridge holder with the disk cartridge held thereon between a loading position and an unloading position has cam portions formed on right and left portions thereof for supporting the cartridge holder. It is difficult to form the cam portions with a proper positioning relation therebetween. As a consequence, it is frequently observed that the cartridge holder cannot be moved smoothly. Moreover, the cartridge holder is skewed so that the disk cartridge cannot be inserted into and ejected from the cartridge holder satisfactorily.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
In view of the aforesaid aspect, it is an object of the present invention to provide a recording and reproducing apparatus in which a cartridge holder can constantly be supported at a correct position and moved smoothly, a disk cartridge can be inserted into and extracted from the cartridge holder smoothly and information can be reliably recorded on or reproduced from and recorded and reproduced from a magneto-optical disk.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 through 4
, a recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes a holder in which a cartridge with a recording medium stored therein is inserted and held and the recording medium is loaded on or unloaded from the recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information as the holder is elevated and lowered. The recording and reproducing apparatus includes drive means on which the recording medium rests and driving the recording medium for recording and/or reproducing operation and elevating means having cams for elevating operation formed at its side portions for elevating and lowering the holder relative to the recording and reproducing position when slid in parallel to the insertion direction of the cartridge. The elevating means includes first and second slide members each having cam grooves defined on it side surfaces, the first and second slide members being coupled with a predetermined clearance such that the first and second slide members can be relatively finely moved.
Further, the first slide member has a through-hole and the second slide member has a protrusion which is engaged with the through-hole with a clearance.
Further, the elevating means elevates and lowers the drive means relative to the recording medium, whereby the recording medium rests on the driving means.
Furthermore, the elevating means further includes a first elevating member with the driving means attached thereto and a second elevating member for rotatably supporting the first elevating member, the second member being elevated and lowered together with the first elevating member as the elevating means is slid.
The recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes a disk drive comprising a holder in which a disk cartridge is inserted and held, a slider engaged with the holder and slid so as to load and unload the disk cartridge at recording and/or reproducing position, a chucking member on which the disk stored within the disk cartridge loaded at the recording and/or reproducing position rests and a motor for rotating the disk resting on the chucking member, in which the slider includes first and second sliders each having cam grooves formed at its side surfaces and the first and second sliders are coupled with a predetermined clearance so as to be finely moved.
The recording and reproducing apparatus further includes elevating means for elevating and lowering the chucking member. This elevating means includes a first elevating member with a motor being attached thereto and a second elevating member for rotatably supporting the first elevating member and elevated and lowered together with the first elevating member in accordance with the movement of the slider.
Further, the recording and reproducing apparatus includes a supporting shaft for rotatably supporting the first elevating member relative to the second elevating member. This supporting shaft is engaged with an inclined portion provided on the slider.
Further, the recording and reproducing apparatus includes a positioning member for the chucking member fixed to a chassis and having a guide member for guiding movement of the first elevating member.
Further, the disk cartridge includes a circular hole into which the chucking member is inserted and a square hole into which a recording and/reproducing head is inserted when the disk cartridge is loaded on the recording and/or reproducing position, and a bridge portion provided between the circular hole and the square hole for partitioning both holes formed on the lower surface side, the positioning member including a first supporting protrusion member for supporting a surrounding portion of the circular hole and a second supporting protrusion member for supporting the bridge portion.
Further, the second supporting protrusion portion has a height larger that of the first supporting protrusion portion.
Further, the recording and reproducing apparatus includes a disk cartridge lock means provided in the holder for locking the disk cartridge within the holder when the disk cartridge lock means is engaged with the side surface portion of the inserted disk cartridge, the disk cartridge lock means for locking the holder when it is engaged with the slider at the unloading position of the holder.
The recording and reproducing apparatus according to the present invention includes a disk drive apparatus comprising a chucking member with a flat surface on which a disk rests, a motor for rotating this chucking member and a holding member for holding the motor, an elevating means with the holding member attached thereto for elevating and lowering the motor and a motor positioning means having a guide member for guiding elevating and lowering of the motor, the elevating means including a first elevating member with the holding member attached thereto and a second elevating member for rotatably supporting the first elevating member and being elevated and lowered together with the first elevating member.
Further, the recording and reproducing apparatus includes an operation means engaged with the first and second elevating member and which elevates and lowers the motor when it is slid.
Further, the recording and reproducing apparatus includes a support shaft for rotatably supporting the first elevating member relative to the second elevating member, the suppor
Aoki Sunao
Aoki Yoshitaka
Arai Shizuo
Funawatari Takatsugu
Kanazawa Takakiyo
Letscher George J.
Limbach & Limbach L.L.P.
Oh Seon-Kun
Sony Corporatin
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