Abstract: A disc changer includes: a disc cartridge having a case body in which a plurality of disc-shaped recording media are storable by being arrayed in the axial direction of the center axis, and an information input medium to which at least information relating to pitch between disc-shaped recording media and the number of stored disc-shaped recording media is input; a disc holder configured to hold the disc cartridge, a portion of which is moveable in the center axial direction of the disc-shaped recording media; and a movement mechanism including an encoder, configured to determine a stop position in the center axial direction of the disc holder based on information input to the information input medium.

Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration.

Abstract: A component placement apparatus includes: a tray storing device having slots for storing trays, a tray transporting device for transporting a tray from the tray storing device to a pickup area, a controller for controlling the transport of the trays into and out of the tray storing device, and at least one component pickup and placement device for picking-up a component in a tray located in the pickup area and placing the component on a substrate. The tray storing device includes first and second parts located proximal and distal the pickup area, respectively. The first part stores trays (i) from which at least one component may be removed and/or (ii) that are expected to be needed at the pickup area in the short term. The second part stores trays, which are empty, full, or are not expected to be needed in the pickup area in the short term.

Abstract: A method of efficiently inspecting a thin film magnetic head is provided. The method including holding a slider bar having a plurality of the thin film magnetic head elements in a row by an inspecting holding jig made of a nonmagnetic material; loading the slider bar held by the inspecting holding jig to a sampling placing part of a scanning electron microscope; and sequentially executing shape inspection of the plurality of thin film magnetic head elements on the slider bar by the scanning electron microscope.

Abstract: A disk holder springing-out prevention device is constituted by utilizing an existing loading block LB. A disk holder 3 is restricted to an accommodated position within a magazine M by means of a stopper 1a provided on a holder guide rail 1. In general, the initial position of the loading block LB is adapted to be a raised/lowered position corresponding to the uppermost disk holder 3 and the stopper 1a is adapted to be superimposed in the vertical direction with an engagement projection 2a of a holder extracting member 2 when the holder extracting member 2 is in the initial position in the feed direction. In this way, positional restriction of the uppermost disk holder 3 is effected by the holder extracting member 2 whereas the stopper 1a performs positional restriction of the remaining disk holders 3. As a result, springing out of the disk holders 3 from the magazine M can be reliably prevented.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved disc changer adapted to exactly detect whether a magazine storing a plurality of discs has been attached in the disc changer. When a magazine storing a plurality of discs is inserted into the disc changer, a detection arm and a lock arm both serving as moving members are moved by such an insertion. The lock arm, by virtue of the movement of itself, engages into an insertion groove provided on the backside of the inserted magazine and locks the magazine on the disc changer. The detection arm, by virtue of the movement of itself, actuates a lock detection switch. Here, since the detection arm and the lock arm are both urged by an urging spring, it becomes possible to exactly detect the attachment of the magazine by allowing the moving members locking the magazine on the disc changer to actuate the lock detection switch.