Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Automatic control of a recorder mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
2002-06-03
2004-09-28
Hudspeth, David (Department: 2651)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Automatic control of a recorder mechanism
C360S099070, C720S612000, C720S647000, C720S655000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06798600
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a recording medium reproducing apparatus and particularly to a recording medium reproducing apparatus in which any component does not project from a principal surface of a housing excluding a period in which a recording medium is inserted or ejected in or from the apparatus.
In recording medium reproducing apparatuses for reproducing information from recording media, it may be desirable that a recording medium insertion port through which a recording medium is inserted or ejected in or from the apparatus be concealed except for a period in which the recording medium is inserted or ejected in or from the apparatus, that is, when information is reproduced from the recording medium or the apparatus is not used, and that a lid body be positioned such that the outer surface thereof is continuous to the outer surface of the housing.
By the way, according to related art recording medium reproducing apparatuses, in the case of exchanging a recording medium in a dark room, it cannot be recognized whether or not an opening/closing lid is opened, and therefore, lamps in the room must be lighted for exchange of the recording medium.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a recording medium reproducing apparatus in which any component does not project from a principal surface of a housing except for a period in which a recording medium is inserted or ejected in or from the apparatus.
To achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a recording medium reproducing apparatus including: a recording medium mounting portion provided such that one end thereof is turnably supported by a chassis main body and the other end thereof has a recording medium insertion port; a housing in which the recording mounting portion is housed; a lid body movable between a lid close position at which the lid body is positioned such that the outer surface thereof is continuous to the outer surface of the housing, to cover the recording medium insertion port, and a lid open position at which the lid body is positioned inside the housing, to open the recording medium insertion port; first moving means for turning the recording medium mounting portion between a reproducing position at which the recording medium insertion port is covered with the lid body and an ejection position at which the recording medium insertion port is directed outwardly; second moving means for moving the lid body from the lid close position to the lid open position; and synchronization means for controlling the first and second moving means in synchronization with each other in such a manner that the lid body is moved inside the housing by the second moving means and at the same time the recording medium mounting portion is turned to the ejection position by the first moving means to allow the recording medium insertion port to be directed outwardly.
With this configuration, since the recording medium insertion port through which a recording medium is inserted or ejected in or from the apparatus is concealed except for a period in which the recording medium is inserted or ejected in or from the apparatus, the inside of the apparatus is prevented from being touched by a user or a foreign matter is prevented from being permeated in the recording medium insertion port. Also, since the lid body in the state covering the recording medium insertion port forms a plane continuous to the outer surface of the housing, any component does not project from the outer surface of the housing, to give a neat external appearance, thereby creating a high-grade feeling.
Further, since the first moving means for moving the recording medium mounting portion and the second moving means for moving the lid body are controlled in synchronization with each other in such a manner that the motions thereof are matched with a good timing by the synchronization means, it is possible to prevent occurrence of an accident due to mismatching between the motions of the two moving means and to give a precise feeling, thereby creating a high-grade feeling.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may further include: a guide hole, formed in the chassis main body, for guiding the movement of the lid body between the lid close position and the lid open position; and biasing means for biasing the lid body to the lid close portion; wherein the movement of the lid body to the lid close position is performed by the biasing means.
With this configuration, even if the movement of the lid body to the lid close position is obstructed, for example, by interposition of a foreign matter between the lid body and the recording medium mounting portion, an excess load is not applied to the moving means, to prevent a member forming the moving means from being damaged, and further, since only the biasing force of the biasing means is applied to the foreign matter, the foreign matter is prevented from being damaged.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may further includes: means for defining a moving path of the lid body along which the lid body is moved in the inward direction of the housing from the lid close position, being separated apart from the recording medium insertion port, and is moved to the back surface side of the housing; and a turning arm provided on the second moving means in such a manner as to be turnable between a first position and a second position, the turning arm having a pressing portion for pressing the lid body to the lid open position when the turning arm is turned to the second position wherein the turning arm is provided with a lock portion for prohibiting the movement of the lid body, located at the lid close position, in the inward direction of the housing when the turning arm is located at the first position.
With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the lid body located at the lid close position from being forcibly opened. Also, since the lock portion is provided on the second moving means, it is possible to simplify the mechanism and to easily take a movement timing of the mechanism with the movement of the lid body.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may further include: one drive member for driving the first moving means and second moving means, the drive member being driven by one motor.
With this configuration, it is possible to simplify the mechanism, and to easily, accurately perform the timing control of the two moving means.
In the recording medium reproducing apparatus, the recording medium mounting portion, located at the reproducing position, may be tilted from the housing such that an end portion in which the recording medium insertion port is formed is offset toward the ejection position side relative to an end portion on a turning fulcrum side.
With this configuration, it is possible to enlarge the gap between the recording medium insertion port and the outer surface of the housing, and hence to facilitate the insertion/ejection of the recording medium through the recording medium insertion port.
The recording medium reproducing apparatus may further include: imperfect state detecting means for detecting an imperfect state that a recording medium is positioned within the recording medium mounting portion but is not perfectly inserted therein; wherein the movement of the recording medium mounting portion to the reproducing position is prohibited when the imperfect state of the recording medium is detected by the imperfect state detecting means.
With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the recording medium or the recording medium reproducing apparatus from being damaged due to a careless operation such as a fail to eject the recording medium.
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patent: 5781232 (1998-07-01), Ejima
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patent: 6219226 (2001-04-01), Bullington et al.
patent: 6268997 (2001-07-01), Hong
patent: 6409450 (2002-06-01), Ostwald et al.
patent: 6690528 (2004-02-01), Kusumi et al.
patent: 04001971 (1992-01-01), None
Habermehl James L
Maioli Jay H.
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