Disc clamp mechanism for disc apparatus

Details Disc clamp mechanism for disc apparatus Disc clamp mechanism for disc apparatus

2000-03-10

2002-08-20

Cao, Allen (Department: 2652)

Dynamic information storage or retrieval

Dynamic mechanism subsystem

Specific detail of storage medium support or motion production

C369S262000, C369S263100, C369S271100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06438095

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc drive such as a CD player, and more particularly to a disc clamp mechanism capable of thinning a disc drive.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a conventional disc clamp mechanism for a CD player is shown in
FIGS. 8A
to
10
B. As shown in
FIGS. 8A and 8B
, a disc motor
3
is fixedly mounted on a main chassis (not shown), and a turntable
4
is fixedly connected to a rotary shaft of the disc motor
3
. A clamper holder
2
fixed to a clamper holding chassis
1
holds a clamper
8
over the turntable
4
when a disc
7
is unclamped, as shown in FIG.
8
B.
A lift mechanism for the clamper holding chassis
1
is shown in FIG.
9
and
FIGS. 10A and 10B
. Shafts
1
a
,
1
a
, . . . mounted upright on side walls of the clamper holding chassis
1
are inserted into cam grooves
5
a
,
5
a
, . . . of sliders
5
and
6
.
The sliders
5
and
6
are driven back and forth relative to the main chassis by an unrepresented drive mechanism. As the sliders
5
and
6
move, the clamper holding chassis
1
is raised or lowered. The shafts
1
a,
1
a
, . . . are also inserted into vertical grooves (not shown) of the main chassis.
In the disc unclamp state shown in
FIG. 8B
, the clamper holding chassis
1
is at a raised position. The disc
7
is transported by an unrepresented transport mechanism to a position over the turntable
4
via a space between the turntable
4
and clamper
8
. Thereafter, as the clamper holding chassis l is lowered, the clamper holder
2
places the clamper
8
on the turntable
4
and becomes spaced from the clamper
8
.
The clamper
8
is then attracted by a magnetic force of the turntable
4
to squeeze the disc
7
between the clamper
8
and turntable
4
. This state is a clamp state of the disc
7
as shown in FIG.
8
A. The clamped disc
7
is rotated by the disc motor
3
, and an unrepresented optical pickup element is fed along a disc radial direction to reproduce data recorded in the disc
7
.
Unclamping the disc
7
is conducted by raising the clamper holding chassis
1
from the position shown in FIG.
8
A. The clamper holder
2
is made of a thin plate in order to prevent a contact with the disc
7
clamper
8
while the disc
7
is clamped.
In the conventional disc clamp mechanism described above, the clamper
8
greatly lowers toward the turntable
4
from the bottom surface of the clamper holding chassis
1
in the disc unclamp state. It is therefore difficult to provide a large space between the clamper
8
and turntable
4
. From this reason, the disc
7
may contact the clamper
8
or turntable
4
while it is transported, and the disc
7
may be damaged.
If a lift stroke of the clamper holding chassis
1
is made large, a large space can be formed between the clamper
8
and turntable
4
. However in this case, a height of the apparatus becomes large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention has been made in view of the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a disc clamp mechanism for a disc apparatus capable of providing a large space between a clamper and a turntable in a disc unclamp state even if the apparatus is made compact.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a disc clamp mechanism for a disc apparatus wherein a disc is clamped or unclamped by moving a clamper holding chassis near to or remote from a turntable, the clamper holding chassis holding a clamper with a clamper holder, and a contact portion of the clamper holder with the clamper is deformed relative to the clamper holding chassis along a motion direction of the clamper holding chassis.
In the disc clamp mechanism for a disc apparatus, the clamper holder may be made of a plate spring.
In the disc clamp mechanism for a disc apparatus, the bottom surface of the clamper may be made flush with or higher than a plane extending from the bottom surface of the clamper holding chassis in an unclamp state.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4736358 (1988-04-01), Hoshi et al.
patent: 4797873 (1989-01-01), Nobutani
patent: 5590115 (1996-12-01), Kubo
patent: 5872681 (1999-02-01), Boutaghou
patent: 5907533 (1999-05-01), Choi
patent: 6160780 (2000-12-01), Furukawa et al.
patent: 6229781 (2001-05-01), Fujisawa et al.
patent: 6256278 (2001-07-01), Furukawa et al.
patent: 6275465 (2001-08-01), Shirashima et al.
patent: 2 093 256 (1982-08-01), None
patent: 62-125568 (1987-06-01), None
patent: 1-162154 (1989-11-01), None
patent: 8-221864 (1996-08-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Disc clamp mechanism for disc apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Disc clamp mechanism for disc apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Disc clamp mechanism for disc apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2889610