Recording disc playback apparatus

Dynamic information storage or retrieval – With particular cabinet structure – Slotted for edgewise insertion of storage disc

Patent

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Details

G11B 1704

Patent

active

048072168

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a recording disc playback apparatus in which a disc-like recording medium (hereinafter referred to as "disc") is automatically drawn out of a disc case in which it is accommodated, thereby enabling the reproduction of the signals recorded on the disc.


BACKGROUND ART

Various playback systems used for reproduction of high-density recording discs, such as video discs, have heretofore adopted a so-called "semi-automatic disc-loading mechanism", as disclosed, for example, in the specification of Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 111158. Such a conventional semi-automatic disc-loading type of playback apparatus is arranged in such a manner that a cylindrical disc case accommodating a disc is manually inserted into the interior of the playback apparatus, and the thus-emptied disc case alone is then manually drawn out of the apparatus, with the disc being left inside. However, such a prior-art semi-automatic disc-loading type of playback apparatus has various disadvantages in that the disc case must be moved back and forth to a considerable extent when it to be manually inserted into or drawn out of the apparatus, and also in that it is difficult to constitute a disc loading mechanism which is completely movable even when a user handles the apparatus very roughly.
To overcome the above-described drawbacks, it has been proposed to use a playback apparatus provided with lid release means capable of releasing a lid from a disc case and means for drawing the disc out of the disc case toward the interior of the body of the playback apparatus. With this arrangement, when a user inserts the case very slightly into the apparatus, the disc is automatically drawn out of the case, so that the reproduction of the recording on the disc is then possible. However, this method involves various problems when the lid is again fitted into the disc case.


DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a recording disc playback apparatus arranged in such a manner that a user only needs to insert a disc case very slightly into the apparatus, thereby enabling the disc to be automatically drawn out of the case for reproduction purposes and also a lid is smoothly refitted into the case after completion of reproduction.
A recording disc playback apparatus in accordance with the present invention employing a disc case having: a case body including in the interior thereof an accommodating space in which a disc-like recording medium is capable of being accommodated and at one end, an opening through which the recording medium is drawn out; and a lid which is detachably fitted into the opening, comprising:
a playback apparatus body including playback means;
lid release means for causing the release of the engagement between the opening of the case body and the lid;
lid locking means for detachably locking the lid;
feed means for reciprocally feeding the lid locking means and the recording medium within the playback apparatus body; and
means for restricting the lid locking means to maintain a non-locking state within a portion of a feed path while the feed means is feeding the lid locking means along the feed path.
With this arrangement, when a user inserts the disc case into the playback apparatus body very slightly, the lid is disengaged from the case by the lid release means, the lid is locked by the lid locking means, and thereby the disc together with the lid is fed to a suitable position within the playback apparatus where reproduction is possible. After completion of reproduction, the disc and the lid are returned to their original position by the feed means. At this time, when the lid locking means approaches the end of the feed path, it is restricted to maintain a non-locking state by the restriction means. Therefore, the lid can be smoothly refitted into the case.


BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A and 1B respectively are plan and sectional views diagrammatically showing a disc adaptable for use with a preferred embodiment of the present i

REFERENCES:
patent: 4545045 (1985-10-01), Baer et al.
patent: 4623995 (1986-11-01), Kawamura et al.

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