US5022020A — Multiple play compact disk player

Claim 1

Independent Claim 355 words

A multi-compact disk player comprising: means for playing back electronic signals recorded on compact disks mounted within said housing having a turntable portion thereon with an aperture therein for receiving a compact disk therein, and a hub adapted to engage a centrally mounted hole in a compact disk when disposed in said turntable portion in a friction-fit manner, said playback means being adapted to move said hub to and from said turntable portion whereby said hub is movable between a first position disposed within the aperture in said turntable portion and, to a second position disposed away from the aperture in said turntable portion; a magazine adapted to hole a plurality of compact disks being secured to said main housing, said magazine having spacing means interiorly thereof for maintaining a plurality of compact disks therein spaced from on another and slanted from the horizontal so that, when a plurality of compact disks are disposed within said magazine, said spacing means maintains said compact disks both spaced from adjacent compact disks while exposing an upper surface of said slanted compact disks; said magazine having an open central area with said spacing means disposed in a circular array about said open central area; rotating means associated with said housing for rotating said playback means; a cover pivotally connected to said playback means having a compact disk retaining portion adapted to engage a compact disk disposed in said turntable portion and retain said compact disk in said turntable portion when said cover is lowered to a position adjacent said turntable portion; cover raising and lowering means associated with said housing for selectively raising and lowering said cover; and a compact disk pick-up arm associated with said cover having compact disk pick-up means at one end thereof adapted to move from a first position adjacent to said magazine and above the exposed surface of a compact disk when placed in said magazine to a second position adjacent said playback means and above said turntable portion whereby said pick-up means can pick up one of said compact disks disposed in said magazine and move the same to said turntable portion.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 355 words

A multi-compact disk player comprising: means for playing back electronic signals recorded on compact disks mounted within said housing having a turntable portion thereon with an aperture therein for receiving a compact disk therein, and a hub adapted to engage a centrally mounted hole in a compact disk when disposed in said turntable portion in a friction-fit manner, said playback means being adapted to move said hub to and from said turntable portion whereby said hub is movable between a first position disposed within the aperture in said turntable portion and, to a second position disposed away from the aperture in said turntable portion; a magazine adapted to hole a plurality of compact disks being secured to said main housing, said magazine having spacing means interiorly thereof for maintaining a plurality of compact disks therein spaced from on another and slanted from the horizontal so that, when a plurality of compact disks are disposed within said magazine, said spacing means maintains said compact disks both spaced from adjacent compact disks while exposing an upper surface of said slanted compact disks; said magazine having an open central area with said spacing means disposed in a circular array about said open central area; rotating means associated with said housing for rotating said playback means; a cover pivotally connected to said playback means having a compact disk retaining portion adapted to engage a compact disk disposed in said turntable portion and retain said compact disk in said turntable portion when said cover is lowered to a position adjacent said turntable portion; cover raising and lowering means associated with said housing for selectively raising and lowering said cover; and a compact disk pick-up arm associated with said cover having compact disk pick-up means at one end thereof adapted to move from a first position adjacent to said magazine and above the exposed surface of a compact disk when placed in said magazine to a second position adjacent said playback means and above said turntable portion whereby said pick-up means can pick up one of said compact disks disposed in said magazine and move the same to said turntable portion.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein said magazine is removably secured to said housing.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 23 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein said turntable portion is slanted at the same angle to the horizontal as said spacing means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

In the player of claim 3 wherein said spacing means and said turntable portion are slanted at an angle of about 25° with respect to the horizontal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 34 words

In the player of claim 3 wherein said compact disk engaging portion is slanted at the same angle to the horizontal as said turntable portion and said spacing means when said cover is lowered.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 32 words

In the player of claim 5 wherein said compact disk engaging portion, said spacing means and said turntable portion are slanted at an angle of about 25° with respect to the horizontal.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 36 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein cover raising and lowering means includes a solenoid mounted on said playback means having a solenoid arm with a terminal end movable within a slot mounted in said cover.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 55 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein said compact disk pick up means includes a resilient hollow apertured pad carried by said arm at one end thereof, a vacuum chamber coupled to said pad for selectively creating a vacuum at said pad to adhere a compact disk thereto by vacuum until said vacuum is broken.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

In the player of claim 8 wherein said pad is moved along said arm by a motor actuated gearing mechanism.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 14 words

In the player of claim 8 wherein said pad is crescent-shaped in plan view.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein said playback means is vertically movable within said housing and within the open area of said magazine.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 38 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein said magazine is detachably secured to said housing by a plurality of releasable bolts extending through spaced openings in said magazine and threadably receivable in threaded aligned apertures in said housing.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 64 words

In the player of claim 12 wherein a second magazine is detachably secured to and on top of said first mentioned magazine, said first mentioned bolts extending through a plurality of spaced openings in said second magazine into threaded apertures in a spacer disposed between said first and second magazines, each of said spacers having threaded shafts receivable in said first mentioned aligned apertures.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 27 words

In the player of claim 13 wherein said playback means is vertically movable within said housing and within the open areas of said first and second magazines.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 61 words

In the player of claim 14 wherein said playback means is vertically movable by a motor driven vertical worm screw mounted at one end in said housing and at the other end in a block in which said screw is threaded fixed to a subhousing mounted within said housing between said playback means and a centrally mounted cavity within said housing.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 23 words

In the player of claim 15 wherein said subhousing is keyed to said housing for non-rotating vertical movement with respect to said housing.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 39 words

In the player of claim 15 wherein said worm screw includes a first potion threaded into said block and a second portion removably secured to said first portion having the one end of said screw mounted in said housing.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 61 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein said playback means is vertically movable by a motor driven vertical worm screw mounted at one end in said housing and at the other end in a block in which said screw is threaded fixed to a subhousing mounted within said housing between said playback means and a centrally mounted cavity within said housing.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 23 words

In the player of claim 18 wherein said subhousing is keyed to said housing for non-rotating vertical movement with respect to said housing.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 25 words

In the player of claim 1 wherein said spacing means includes a plurality of spaced slanted partitions disposed in a circular array within said magazine.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 56 words

In the player of claim 20 wherein said spacing means includes said magazine having a bottom wall with a plurality of abutment shoulders disposed at spaced locations on a circular array on said bottom wall, each of said abutment shoulders being spaced from a respective partition a distance sufficient to accommodate a slanted compact disk therebetween.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-06-03	1994-12-03	1995-06-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-06-03	1998-12-03	1999-06-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-06-03	2002-12-03	2003-06-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Multiple play compact disk player

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