Abstract: An apparatus for changing optical disks including a plurality of driving shafts, supported on the bottom plate of an optical disk drive, and a plurality of elastic devices. The driving shafts rotate synchronously around their vertical axes to raise and lower the trays. Each of the driving shafts includes a thread region, threads of which can be engaged with the trays, and an upright region located on the thread region. The pitch for threads in the upper thread portion is larger than that in the lower thread portion of the thread region. Each of the elastic devices has one end fixed to a top end of the upright region of the corresponding driving shaft or fixed beneath the top plate, and the other end provided together with the flat surface between the upright region and the thread region for clamping the trays in the range of the upright regions.

Abstract: According to the invention, a changer with a tray loading mechanism, wherein a tray holding a recording medium is transported from a storage position to a playback position and vice versa with a transport hook, which engages a recess of the tray, has a transport hook which is provided with a torsion spring for rotating the transport hook from a tray grabbing position into a tray transport position, wherein the transport hook can be rotated into the tray grabbing position in mid-travel.

Abstract: A disc recording and/or reproducing device includes a disc compartment that has a plurality of disc mounts placed one upon another, on which discs are mounted. The device also includes a recording and/or reproducing mechanism for selectively recording and/or reproducing a disc mounted on one of the plurality of disc mounts. An injection mechanism is included for ejecting the disc mounted on the disc mount. A control mechanism is included that moves along a line substantially perpendicular to the placing direction and is configured to start the recording and/or reproducing mechanism when in a first position and start the ejection mechanism when reaching a second position on another side of the line.

Abstract: A pair of pins 2c, 2d is arranged on the left and right of each of a plurality of trays 2 placed vertically movably so as to protrude laterally, whereas separating cams 82 are arranged on both sides of the trays 2 in a protrudable and withdrawable way. The separating cams 82 are formed with four first separating control parts 82c1 for moving upward the pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2 and the tray(s) 2 thereabove, four second separating control parts 82c2 for moving upward only the pins 2c, 2d of the tray(s) 2 above the selected tray 2, and four third separating control parts 82d each for engaging with only a pair of pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2. Movement of the separating cam 82 forms spaces above and below the selected tray 2 to hold a disc on the selected tray 2 from above and below for reproduction on the spot.

Abstract: A recording medium playback device is provided which comprises: a recording medium accommodation unit for accommodating a plurality of recording mediums in a stacked array; a carriage chassis having at least a pickup, a turntable and a pickup moving means, the pickup moving means being adapted to move the pickup in the direction of playing back the recording medium; a moving means for moving the carriage chassis from a standby position to a position between the recording mediums accommodated in the recording medium accommodation unit to play back the recording medium; and a recording medium loading means for loading the recording medium inserted from outside into the recording medium accommodation unit; wherein when the carriage chassis is in the standby position, the pickup is situated on a vertical tangential plane which is tangent to an outer circumferential edge of the recording medium on the carriage chassis side at a point where the outer circumferential edge is intersected by a loading center line of t

Abstract: An optical disk changer that is capable of automatically playing both sides of a dual-sided optical disk. By coordinated rotation and delivery of disks taken from a linear disk storage handling mechanism bin, both sides of a dual-sided optical disk can be automatically accessed.

Abstract: A disk playback apparatus has a lower chassis unit carrying a stack of disk holders. A stage unit carries major components of the disk playback apparatus including side select plates for selectively lifting or lowering the disk holders, a drive base unit for playing back a disk, a horizontal driving gear mechanism for moving the drive base unit into a space which is formed as a result of the selective upward or downward movement of the disk holders, and a loading roller for loading and ejecting a disk. The stage unit is moved up and down in accordance with the position of a selected disk holder, by the power of a first motor, through the actions of a gear mechanism, mode pate and slide plates.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an optical disk driving apparatus for selectively driving a plurality of optical disks, comprising: a housing; and an optical disk driving unit accommodated in the housing, the optical disk driving unit including: a turntable for selectively retaining the optical disks; a supporting member for rotatably supporting the turntable; a base plate pivotably retained by the housing; a plurality of vibration isolators for isolating the supporting member from outside vibrations by intervening between the supporting member and the base plate; a supporting member fixing mechanism for fixing the supporting member on the base plate by preventing the vibration isolators from isolating the supporting member from outside vibrations; a base plate driving mechanism for driving the base plate to pivotably move with respect to the housing; and a cam gear for transmitting a rotation torque to each of the supporting member fixing mechanism and the base plate driving mechanism.

Abstract: A disk device constituted that a disk attitude stabilizing mechanism to rotate a disk when a front arm or a rear arm fails to grip the disk 11 and to retry a griping operation of the disk, is included.

Abstract: A disc changer apparatus includes a disc table, reproducing device, a first tray, a second tray, containing device, and movement device. The first tray carries a disc mounted thereon between a loading position at which a disc is loaded and a mounting position at which a disc is mounted on the disc table and between the disc mounting position and a containing position at which a disc is contained. The second tray is engaged with the first tray, to carry the first tray between the disc loading position and the disc mounting position. The containing device stacks and contains the first trays in a stacking direction substantially perpendicular to principal planes of discs mounted on the first trays. The moving device moves at least one of the first trays contained in the containing device in one direction based on the stacking direction, to form a containing space for containing the first tray located at the disc mounting position on the side, opposed to the side of the one direction, of the containing device.

Abstract: In an on-vehicle disc player having a disc elevator (22) for making a plurality of disc carrying devices each having a CD placed on it stacked one over another, for example, in the vertical direction move in the stacking direction and a holding device (14) for holding and rotationally driving a CD, the disc player is provided with an inner slider (139) which moves in a direction (plane direction of a disc) perpendicular to the direction of stacking the disc carrying devices and makes the disc elevator (22) and the holding device (14) move in the stacking direction, a separating cam (82) which separates the stacked disc carrying devices to form a specified space, and an outer slider (140) which is coupled to the separating cam (82) and moves in a plane direction of a disc is provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a disc-shaped recording medium. A medium is placed on each of a plurality of placement members. The members are stacked and housed in a housing unit. An elevating mechanism elevates the housing unit in the direction almost parallel to the stack direction of the members. A carrying mechanism carries one of the members among a position where a medium can be placed or ejected to/from the member, a position where the member is housed in the housing unit and a position where the medium placed on the member is loaded to the recording and/or reproducing unit. A driving source drives both the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A switching mechanism selectively supplies a driving force from the driving source to the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A photodetector detects the presence/absence of the medium on the members in the housing unit.

Abstract: A pair of pins 2c, 2d is arranged on the left and right of each of a plurality of trays 2 placed vertically movably so as to protrude laterally, whereas separating cams 82 are arranged on both sides of the trays 2 in a protrudable and withdrawable way. The separating cams 82 are formed with four first separating control parts 82c1 for moving upward the pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2 and the tray(s) 2 thereabove, four second separating control parts 82c2 for moving upward only the pins 2c, 2d of the tray(s) 2 above the selected tray 2, and four third separating control parts 82d each for engaging with only a pair of pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2. Movement of the separating cam 82 forms spaces above and below the selected tray 2 to hold a disc on the selected tray 2 fro above and below for reproduction on the spot.

Abstract: A connecting member connects a pair of holder plates toward the end of the holder plates at the recessed end in the direction in which the disk is inserted. By forming the holding member holding disks using three pieces, there is less deformation causes by high temperatures compared to integrally formed units. Also, since this connecting member only serves to connect the pair of holder plates, a thin rod-shaped connecting bar can be used. This allows the clearance between the disks held toward the back of the device and the rear panel to be minimized, thus contributing to a reduced depth dimension for the device.

Abstract: A disk device includes a stock unit with multiple disk holders. When one of the disk holders is selected, the disk holder is moved so as to allow transport of the selected disk to a rotational driving unit. After the selected disk holder has stopped moving, a guide member and a transporting unit are brought closer together to nip a disk held in the disk holder, thereby restricting the disk. A driving unit 50 is then moved to a driving position overlapping the disk which is held in the disk holder, thereby preventing interference between the disk and driving unit. The disk is then transported to the driving unit. Thus, interference between the disk and the rotational driving unit or other structures due to vibrations of the disk within the stock unit can be prevented.

Abstract: With a conventional disk changer, it takes a long time with poor operability to directly and visually confirm which tray has a disk or which tray has which disk in a device. A disk changer of the invention includes a tray transfer unit for shuttling trays between a standby position and an attaching/detaching position and between the standby position and a recording/reproducing position, a tray gear unit engaged separately with the trays, and a tray driving unit for driving the trays separately via the tray gear unit, so that the trays can be separately moved from the standby position to the attaching/detaching position via the tray gear unit and the trays can be protruded to the attaching/detaching position while being arranged like steps. Hence, it is possible to directly and visually confirm which tray has a disk or which tray has which disk in a device with a simple operation in a short time.

Abstract: On a loading block LB, there are provided a wire 1 having spring properties and two rollers (disk pressing sections) 2 made of rubber that are capable of rotating about this wire 1 as their rotary shaft. One end of the wire 1 is coupled with a cam hole 4a provided in a large-diameter gear (rotary member) 4 of the loading block LB through a linking plate (operating member) 3 and a coupling pin 3a provided on this linking plate 3, so that the rollers 2 are subjected to drive control between a pressing position and a release position by the operation of this cam hole 4a. During disk feeding or clamping action, the disk D can be pressed against the disk holder DH by pressing the rollers 2 against the disk D.

Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a disk guide member, a disk transfer mechanism, a disk rotating section, a disk clamp mechanism, and a control section. The guide member has a pair of detectors arranged in the disk transfer direction with a predetermined distance therebetween so as to be brought into a detection state by a peripheral edge of a disk when the disk reaches such a position as to be clamped by the disk rotating section. The control section operates the disk clamp mechanism so that the disk rotating section is urged toward the disk when one of the detectors is brought into a detection state during the transfer of the disk, determines that a clamping operation of the disk is completed when both of the detectors are in a detection state and the detection state continues for a predetermined time, and then stops the disk transfer mechanism.

Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a stock section for storing a plurality of stacked disks, a disk transfer mechanism for withdrawing a selected disk out of the stock section, a selection mechanism for causing the selected disk and the disk transfer mechanism to face each other, a rotating section for driving the disk, a common motor, a power transmission mechanism for selectively transmitting the power of the motor to the selection mechanism and to the disk transfer mechanism, and a switching mechanism for switching between a first switching state in which the power of the motor is transmitted to the disk transfer mechanism and a second switching state in which the power of the motor is transmitted to the selection mechanism. The switching mechanism is switched between the states by the moving force of the disk transfer mechanism moving between a transfer-force transmitting position and a transfer-force interrupting position.

Abstract: An optical disk changer that is capable of automatically playing both sides of a dual-sided optical disk. By coordinated rotation and delivery of disks taken from a linear disk storage bin, both sides of a dual-sided optical disk can be automatically accessed.

Abstract: A changer type compact disk reproduction device having a first disk transfer mechanism and a second disk transfer mechanism capable of transferring a disk inserted into the device between a reproduction position and a storage position. The first disk transfer mechanism include first and second disk guide sections that hold the outer peripheral faces of a disk inserted into the reproduction device and transfers the disk to a reproduction position. The second disk transfer mechanism include third and fourth disk guide sections that hold the outer peripheral faces of the disk and transfers the disk between a storage position and a position where the first disk transfer mechanism can hold the disk. Each transfer mechanism includes a timing belt that moves the disk along the transfer mechanism.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a medium includes an elevating mechanism elevating a housing unit in which members are stacked and stored. A carrying mechanism carries at least one of the members between a position where the member is housed in the housing unit and a position where a medium on the member is loaded to a recording and/or reproducing unit. A driving source drives both the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A switching mechanism selectively supplies a driving force from the driving source to the carrying and elevating mechanisms. A rack part is formed in the member. The carrying mechanism includes a feed gear and an arm. The feed gear comes into engagement with the rack part and is rotatably attached to the arm. The switching mechanism swings the arm so that the feed gear is disengaged from the rack part when the elevating mechanism is driven.

Abstract: A changer-type disk device includes a disk storage section holding disks arranged in the axial direction of the disks; a drive unit for reproducing and/or recording information from/in a disk selected from the disks in the disk storage section; a drive activating mechanism for moving the drive unit back and forth between a drive position where the selected disk is driven and a retracted position where no disk is driven; and pressing members. The pressing members come into pressure contact with the circumferential edges of the waiting disks held in the disk storage section to push them toward the disk storage section from the outside in the radial direction, and are separated therefrom when the drive unit is moved from the drive position to the retracted position. Accordingly, the waiting disks can be locked in the radial direction; thus, a rattle noise occurring from the waiting disks during driving of the selected disk can be reduced.

Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a disc-shaped recording medium. A medium is placed on each of a plurality of placement members. The members are stacked and housed in a housing unit. An elevating mechanism elevates the housing unit in the direction almost parallel to the stack direction of the members. A carrying mechanism carries one of the members among a position where a medium can be placed or ejected to/from the member, a position where the member is housed in the housing unit and a position where the medium placed on the member is loaded to the recording and/or reproducing unit. A driving source drives both the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A switching mechanism selectively supplies a driving force from the driving source to the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A photodetector detects the presence/absence of the medium on the members housed in the housing unit.

Abstract: Disk changer apparatus employs a commercially-available drive device that includes a sliding tray having an opening preformed therein. Disk elevator section has a portion movable through the opening of the sliding tray and thereby allows a disk to be transferred between a disk transport section and the sliding tray of the drive device utilizing the opening of the sliding tray.

Abstract: A disk changer device is provided which is capable of maintaining continuity of control, small, and simple, by means of perpetually maintaining a 1-to-1 correspondence relation between the direction of rotation of the driving source and the direction of operation of the disk holding member. A loading unit 40 comprises a transporting plate 43 for transporting disk holding members 11, a chucking plate 44 for driving a drive plate 72 and clamp arm 73, a driving block 45, and so forth. The driving block 45 is provided with a loading pinion 50 which rotates according to the output of a loading motor 47. While the transporting plate 43 makes one reciprocal movement to perform extracting returning operation of the disk holding member 11 by certain rotation control of the loading pinion 50, via the rack 43a, the loading gear 54 is rotated 180° and the chucking plate 44 is driven on the going path or the returning path to perform chucking operation or chucking disengagement operation.

Abstract: To reduce the weight and size of the whole apparatus by decreasing the number of motors as driving sources and to reduce the manufacturing cost. The apparatus comprises: a plurality of disc trays each on which an optical disc is placed; a tray stocker in which the disc trays are stacked and housed; an elevating mechanism for elevating the tray stocker; an optical pickup device and a disc rotating mechanism for performing recording or reproduction; a tray carrying mechanism for moving a disc tray between a stock position and a play position; a driving motor for driving both the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism; and a switching mechanism for selectively supplying a driving force from the driving motor to the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism.

Abstract: To reduce the weight and size of the whole apparatus by decreasing the number of motors as driving sources and to reduce the manufacturing cost. The apparatus comprises: a plurality of disc trays each on which an optical disc is placed; a tray stocker in which the disc trays are stacked and housed; an elevating mechanism for elevating the tray stocker; an optical pickup device and a disc rotating mechanism for performing recording or reproduction; a tray carrying mechanism for moving a disc tray between a stock position and a play position; a driving motor for driving both the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism; and a switching mechanism for selectively supplying a driving force from the driving motor to the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism.

Abstract: A changer apparatus for information discs includes a stacking unit for stacking at least two information discs in at least two stacking positions, the stacking unit having holding trays for holding the information discs in holding planes and a first transport mechanism for moving the holding trays into the stacking positions.

Abstract: A plurality of optical disks 2 and 3 are housed inside one cartridge 1. Cartridge 1 containing a plurality of optical disks 2 and 3 is loaded. Inside the optical disk recording/reproducing device, the two optical disks 2 and 3 inside cartridge 1 are mounted on two turntables and rotated, the two optical disks both being accessible by a single optical head, thereby enabling a recording time that is two or more times that of the prior art and free of any interruptions.

Abstract: A housing includes upper and lower holders in which a number of compact discs are stored. An arm is provided so that the proximal end may turn around a vertical shaft in the housing, and the distal end of the arm holds one of the compact discs in the upper holder. The arm turns sideward through an opening of the housing, and lowers along the vertical shaft to transfer the compact disc to a tray which is drawn from a printer. The compact disc is printed in the printer, held by the end of the arm again and transferred to the lower holder in the housing.

Abstract: A disk apparatus has a playback unit. In the playback unit, a drive plate having thereon a turntable and a spindle motor is compulsively mechanically driven by drive cams of a first and second driving plates, and then mechanically locked at a lower position or upper position. A clamp arm having a clamper is driven toward the drive plate with a biasing force of a spring, and resiliently locked at an upper position or lower position. A disk engaging section for engaging in a disk hole of a disk is formed on the clamper. A projection which is adapted to project through the disk engaging section is formed on the turntable. The disk is well chucked and the disk apparatus is ensured to perform a stable operation.

Abstract: When a CD is inserted in an insertion/ejection slot of a CD playback apparatus, an insertion/ejection roller in an insertion/ejection mechanism draws the CD into a housing. A shutter mechanism closes a portion of the insertion/ejection slot. A control circuit drives the insertion/ejection roller in the reverse direction to cause the CD to abut against the shutter mechanism, whereby the CD becomes set in a reference position. The CD thus set in the reference position can be mounted on a turn table of a PU unit. A stocker installed inside the apparatus is capable of accommodating a plurality of CDs, and the turn table can be moved to transport the CD to an accommodating position selected by a lifting mechanism and separated by a separating mechanism. Since the space necessary to handle recording media such as CDs can be reduced, the entire construction can be reduced in size.

Abstract: A cam structure is equipped with a first cam that displaces a first follower section in a radial direction, a second follower section that rotates with the first cam and has at least three support pins, and a second cam that displaces the second follower section in an axial direction. The first cam is formed from divided segments defining at least three arcuate surfaces with different radiuses and sloped connection surfaces that connect the arcuate surfaces and are provided in ranges that give appropriate pressure angles with respect to the first follower section, and the second cam is provided with cam sections, each of the cam sections being divided in the radial direction in the number corresponding to the number of the support pins. The divided cam sections of the second cam are disposed at positions arranged in a circumferential direction in a manner that displacements in the axial direction of the second follower section are timed with displacements in the radial direction of the first follower section.

Abstract: A supporting mechanism is provided to be moved between a disc insertion opening and a disc storing device, and a driving roller is rotatably mounted on the supporting mechanism for carrying a disc inserted in the opening toward the disc storing device. The supporting mechanism is moved between the opening and the disc storing device, and the driving roller is driven for carrying the disc from the opening to the disc storing device.

Abstract: A disc changer apparatus includes a disc table, reproducing means, a first tray, a second tray, containing means, and movement means. The disc table is rotated together with a disc mounted thereon. The reproducing means reproduces information from a disc rotating together with the disc table. The first tray carries a disc mounted thereon between a loading position at which a disc is loaded and a mounting position at which a disc is mounted on the disc table and between the disc mounting position and a containing position at which a disc is contained. The second tray is engaged with the first tray, to carry the first tray between the disc loading position and the disc mounting position. The containing means stacks and contains a plurality of the first trays in a stacking direction substantially perpendicular to principal planes of discs mounted on the first trays.

Abstract: Provided forwardly of a stacker accommodating trays in a plurality of stages for placing a disk on each tray is a recording-playback unit which is movable upward and downward for recording or reproducing data on or from the disk. A clamp plate covering the recording-playback unit is pivoted to the unit. When one of the trays is to be ejected from the stacker, the recording-playback unit is moved upward or downward to a level where the disk carrying face thereof is displaced from the tray to be ejected, to block the path of movement of the tray to the recording-playback unit with the clamp plate or the recording-playback unit, and the tray is thereafter ejected.

Abstract: A disc player for containing a plurality of discs and playing back a disc selected therefrom, comprises a disc holding/separating mechanism which holds the plurality of discs concentrically and which separates the selected disc from the remaining discs to form a first space below the selected disc; a turntable; an optical pickup; a turntable support mechanism which supports the turntable and which moves between an outside of the discs held by the disc holding/separating mechanism and the first space; a disc carrier mechanism which holds and conveys the selected disc between the disc holding/separating mechanism and the turntable; a clamper which secures the selected disc to the turntable; a clamper support mechanism which supports the clamper and which moves between an outside of the discs held by the disc holding/separating mechanism and a second space formed above the selected disc; and a control mechanism which controls motions of the turntable support mechanism and the clamper support mechanism.

Abstract: A changer apparatus for information discs comprises a stacking unit for stacking at least two holder compartments, adapted to hold one information disc each, in at least two stacking positions, the holder compartments being coupled to at least one spindle having a screwthread and the holder compartments being movable in a vertical direction by rotation of the spindles, an upper stacking zone and a lower stacking zone of the stacking unit being provided for stacking the holder compartments, and the changer apparatus having a play position for reading information stored on the information discs and/or writing information on the information discs.

Abstract: A memory storage disk handling system includes a housing, an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks, a servo motor with a cam arm. The servo motor rotates to pivot the cam arm, which cams against the elevator pin to lift the elevator pin.