Patent US2429144A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6327239B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Disc apparatus
Assignee: Alpine Electronics Inc
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Filing: 1999-10-27
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Granted: 2001-12-04
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Expires: 2019-10-27
Abstract
Abstract In a disc apparatus of the type in which a tray is moved to a drawn-out position and a disc on the tray is loaded onto a turntable of a disc driving section arid then the tray is returned to an accommodated position, a cam gear is rotated counterclockwise and clockwise by the drive force of a motor. Movement force is imparted to constraining drive portions of a cam by a slide shaft. A transfer member is reciprocated by a driving member to draw out the tray and clamp the disc, and then the tray is returned to the magazine. By reciprocating the tray by continuous rotation of the cam gear, the tray can be moved with an accurate stroke.
Inventors
- 👤 Hitoshi Shirashima
- 👤 Shoji Suzuki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 12:37
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B17/00; G11B17/02; G11B17/04; G11B17/05; G11B17/051; G11B17/22; G11B17/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
A disc apparatus to be used with a disc, the disc apparatus comprising: a disc driving section, comprising: a turntable for rotating a disc, and a head for recording information on and/or reproducing information from the rotating disc; a tray for carrying a disc; tray transferring means for reciprocating the tray between an accommodated position, at which the tray is spaced apart from the turntable, and a drawn-out position, at which the center of a disc carried by the tray is matched with the turntable; transfer drive means for reciprocating the tray transferring means; and clamp means for clamping the center of a disc to the turntable when the tray is moved from the accommodated position to the drawn-out position, and for canceling the clamping of a disc when the empty tray is moved from the accommodated position to the drawn-out position to enable a disc to return to the accommodated position with the tray, wherein the transfer drive means comprises: a motor; a rotary member rotated by the motor, the rotation occurring continuously in one direction; and converting means for converting the rotation in said one direction of the rotary member into a reciprocating movement of said converting means to cause the tray transferring means to reciprocate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
208 words
A disc apparatus to be used with a disc, the disc apparatus comprising: a disc driving section, comprising: a turntable for rotating a disc, and a head for recording information on and/or reproducing information from the rotating disc; a tray for carrying a disc; tray transferring means for reciprocating the tray between an accommodated position, at which the tray is spaced apart from the turntable, and a drawn-out position, at which the center of a disc carried by the tray is matched with the turntable; transfer drive means for reciprocating the tray transferring means; and clamp means for clamping the center of a disc to the turntable when the tray is moved from the accommodated position to the drawn-out position, and for canceling the clamping of a disc when the empty tray is moved from the accommodated position to the drawn-out position to enable a disc to return to the accommodated position with the tray, wherein the transfer drive means comprises: a motor; a rotary member rotated by the motor, the rotation occurring continuously in one direction; and converting means for converting the rotation in said one direction of the rotary member into a reciprocating movement of said converting means to cause the tray transferring means to reciprocate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: in the transfer drive means, the rotary member is continuously rotated in a first direction by one of forward rotation and reverse rotation of the motor, and in a second direction opposite to the first direction by the other one of forward rotation and reverse rotation of the motor, and the tray transfer means is reciprocated by the converting means during both the continuous rotation of the rotary member in the first direction and the continuous rotation of the rotary member in the second direction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein, when the rotary member rotates in the first direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position by the tray transferring means, the disc center is clamped to the turntable by the clamp means, and when the rotary member rotates in the second direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position by the tray transferring means, the clamp of the disc is canceled by the clamp means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
119 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein: there is provided an elastic support member elastically supporting the disc driving section, and there is provided a lock means which, when the rotary member rotates in the first direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position, switches the disc driving section from a lock state to a non-lock state after the disc center is clamped to the turntable by the clamp means, and which, when the rotary member rotates in the second direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position, switches the disc driving section from the non-lock state to the lock state when the clamp of the disc is canceled by the clamp means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 4 wherein: the converting means provided in the transfer drive means is provided with a, play region which allows the rotary member to rotate in the first direction and in the second direction without returning the tray transferring means to the accommodated position when the tray transferring means is moved to the position in which the tray is in the drawn-out position, and the clamp means, the lock means, or both the clamp means and the lock means are operated by the rotation drive force of the rotary member in the play region.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein: the converting means has a driving member for reciprocating the tray transfer means; one of the rotary member and the driving member is provided with a cam; the other one of the rotary member and the driving member is provided with a follower sliding on the cam; the cam is provided with a drive constraining portion which constrains the follower at the rotation of the rotary member to reciprocate the tray transfer means through the intermediation of the driving member and the play region where the follower slides, and the clamp means or the lock means or both the clamp means and the lock means are driven by the torque of the rotary member when the follower is sliding in the play region.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein there is provided a switching member which is caused to reciprocate by the torque of the rotary member when the follower is sliding in the play region, the switching member operating both the clamp means and the lock means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the tray transfer means is provided with a hook which constrains the tray from above and below and which is engaged with the tray so as to allow movement between the accommodated position and the drawn-out position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein: in the transfer drive means, the rotary member is continuously rotated in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto, and the tray transfer means is reciprocated by the converting means during both the continuous rotation in the first direction of the rotary member and the continuous rotation in the second direction of the rotary member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
79 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein: when the rotary member rotates in the first direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position by the tray transferring means, the disc center is clamped to the turntable by the clamp means, and when the rotary member rotates in the second direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position by the tray transferring means, the clamp of the disc is canceled by the clamp means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein: there is provided an elastic support member elastically supporting the disc driving section, and there is provided a lock means which, when the rotary member rotates in the first direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position, switches the disc driving section from a lock state to a non-lock state after the disc center is clamped to the turntable by the clamp means, and which, when the rotary member rotates in the second direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position, switches the disc driving section from the non-lock state to the lock state when the clamp of the disc is canceled by the clamp means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
100 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein: the converting means provided in the transfer drive means is provided with a play region which allows the rotary member to rotate in the first direction and the second direction without returning the tray transferring means in the tray accommodating direction when the tray transferring means is moved to the position in which the tray is in the drawn-out position, and the clamp means, the lock means, or both the clamp means and the lock means are operated by the rotation drive force of the rotary member in the play region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
131 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein: the converting means has a driving member for reciprocating the tray transfer means; one of the rotary member and the driving member is provided with a cam; the other one of the rotary member and the driving member is provided with a follower sliding on the cam; the cam is provided with a drive constraining portion which constrains the follower at the rotation of the rotary member to reciprocate the tray transfer means through the intermediation of the driving member and the play region where the follower slides; and the clamp means, the lock means, or both the clamp means and the lock means are driven by the torque of the rotary member when the follower is sliding in the play region.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
65 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a plurality of said trays are provided in a magazine so as to be capable of being drawn out and are arranged in a predetermined direction, and the disc driving section and the tray transferring means are moved in said predetermined direction in which the trays are arranged to thereby select the tray to be transferred.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein: in the transfer drive means, the rotary member is continuously rotated in a first direction and a second direction opposite thereto by forward rotation and reverse rotation of the motor, and the tray transfer means is reciprocated by the converting means during both the continuous rotation in the first direction of the rotary member and continuous rotation in the second direction of the rotary member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
79 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein: when the rotary member rotates in the first direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position by the tray transferring means, the disc center is clamped to the turntable by the clamp means, and when the rotary member rotates in the second direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position by the tray transferring means, the clamp of the disc is canceled by the clamp means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
119 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein: there is provided an elastic support member elastically supporting the disc driving section, and there is provided a lock means which, when the rotary member rotates in the first direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position, switches the disc driving section from a lock state to a non-lock state after the disc center is clamped to the turntable by the clamp means, and which, when the rotary member rotates in the second direction and the tray is moved to the drawn-out position, switches the disc driving section from the non-lock state to the lock state when the clamp of the disc is canceled by the clamp means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
98 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein: the converting means provided in the transfer drive means is provided with a play region which allows the rotary member to rotate in the first direction and the second direction without returning the tray transferring means in the tray accommodating direction when the tray transferring means is moved to the position in which the tray is drawn out, and the clamp means, the lock means, or both the clamp means and the lock means are operated by the rotation drive force of the rotary member in the play region.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
131 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein: the converting means has a driving member for reciprocating the tray transfer means; one of the rotary member and the driving member is provided with a cam; the other one of the rotary member and the driving member is provided with a follower sliding on the cam; the cam is provided with a drive constraining portion which constrains the follower at the rotation of the rotary member to reciprocate the tray transfer means through the intermediation of the driving member and the play region where the follower slides; and the clamp means, the lock means, or both the clamp means and the lock means are driven by the torque of the rotary member when the follower is sliding in the play region.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
48 words
A disc apparatus according to claim 19 , wherein there is provided a switching member which is caused to reciprocate by the torque of the rotary member when the follower is sliding in the play region, the switching member operating both the clamp means and the lock means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-12-03 | 2005-06-04 | 2005-12-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-12-03 | 2009-06-04 | 2009-12-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-12-03 | 2013-06-04 | 2013-12-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |