Abstract: A disk drive apparatus is provided. The disk drive apparatus includes: a frame which includes a slot to insert a disk therethrough; a spindle motor assembly which includes a turntable including a disk seating part and a chucking member, and a spindle motor to rotate the turntable; a traverse assembly which mounts the spindle motor thereon and is movable in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the disk; a conveyance roller which is movable between a contact position and a non-contact position with the disk and conveys the disk using a friction force; and a roller driving unit which moves the conveyance roller from the non-contact position to the contact position after an unchucking operation of the disk is completed, when the disk is unloaded.

Abstract: A portable electronic device includes a first main body and a disc drive. The disc drive is received in the first main body. The disc drive includes a second main body, a driving element, and a laser assembly. The second main body is rotatably received in the first main body. The driving element is arranged on the second main body for driving a disc. The laser assembly includes a laser slidably received in the first main body. The disc drive is in a use state when the second main body is rotated to cause the driving element to face the laser.

Abstract: A lifting frame has a lifting pin that fits into a lifting cam groove of a follower slider, and swings up and down about a rod near a disk slot. A holding member is swingably attached to front end of the lifting frame. This holding member supports a turntable unit for holding a disk. The holding member has a cam follower pin that fits into a swinging cam groove of a loading slider to raise and lower the holding member. When the lifting frame swings down from a read/write position to a lowered position, the holding member inclines from the lifting frame so as to place the turntable unit substantially parallel to a disk carrying direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a recording medium drive apparatus configured to drive a recording medium, including a case, a drive source used for loading/ejecting the recording medium into/from the case, a motor unit configured to hold the recording medium and rotate the recording medium held, a pickup unit configured to record a signal on the recording medium rotated by the motor unit or reproduce the recorded signal, a first slider driven by the drive source to slide a first distance in a first direction, a second slider that is cam-engaged with the pickup unit and slides in a second direction to move the pickup unit upward and downward, a moving member that is releasably engaged with the first slider, engaged with the pickup unit, and cam-engaged with the motor unit, and moves the motor unit upward and downward, and a link mechanism configured to link the first slider and the second slider.

Abstract: A slot-in type disk apparatus configured to prevent fine traverse base vibration at disk playback. A base body and a lid constitute a chassis outer sheath having a front surface formed with a disk insertion slot. The base body has a traverse base with a spindle motor, a pickup and a driving unit moving the pickup. A cam displaces the traverse base between the base body and the lid. The cam is provided on each of a main slider and a sub-slider. The main slider and the sub-slider are located sideways of the spindle motor and are connected to each other through a cam lever which is moved by the main slider, and the traverse base is displaced by moving the sub-slider. The cam lever has a resilient member which abuts against the traverse base at the time of playback of a disk.

Abstract: An optical disk device has superior vibration characteristics by preventing vibration of a rotating arm. A desired optical disk is selected from the plurality of optical disks which are stacked and accommodated. The rotating arm is rotated to a working space provided for the desired optical disk. A turntable is positioned, and an optical head is moved to perform the recording/reproduction. Because the tip part of the rotating arm of a cantilever structure is supported by a support member extending along the axial line CL of the optical disk, it has a structure supported by both ends. Thus, the vibration of the rotating arm can be prevented. Because the support member extends along the axial line CL of the optical disk, it passes through a holding hole at the center of the optical disk and a notch provided at the center of a tray, without interference on its way, thereby supporting the rotating arm.

Abstract: The position of an optical pickup with respect to a disk is maintained accurately by preventing the free end portion of a cantilever movable member from being displaced lower than its proper position during the rotation of the disk even if the movable member is heavy to have improved vibration characteristics. There are provided a movable member 4, a chassis 1, a clamp mechanism 3, and a cam mechanism 5. The cam mechanism 5 includes a shift lever 51 connected to the free end portion of the movable member 4 via elastic bodies 42 and a cam main body 55. Positioning means 8 is composed of a protrusion 53 on the shift lever 51, a stepped engaging surface 15 for supporting the protrusion 53 thereon, and a guide mechanism 71. There is also provided anti-positioning means 9 for disengaging the protrusion 53 from the engaging surface 15.

Abstract: An optical disc device includes a first optomechanical mechanism, a second optomechanical mechanism, and a positioning mechanism. The first optomechanical mechanism is located under an optical disc insertable into the optical disc drive to optically access a bottom surface of the optical disc. The second optomechanical mechanism is located over the optical disc insertable into the optical disc drive to optically access a top surface of the optical disc. The positioning mechanism is to precisely locate the second optomechanical mechanism over the optical disc for optically accessing the top surface of the optical disc and to prevent the second optomechanical mechanism from interfering with movement of the optical disc during insertion and removal of the optical disc into and from the optical disc drive.

Abstract: A disk-clamping device includes a plurality of clamp pawls which project and pull in through a plurality of windows 6c formed on a turntable; a rotating and elevating member which, when it goes up, causes the clamp pawls to project and rotate through the windows, and, when it goes down, causes the clamp pawls to pull in into the windows; an urging member which pushes up and urges the rotating and elevating member; and clamp-releasing levers which move the rotating and elevating member in a direction of pushing down the member and in a direction of releasing the push down against an urging force; and the clamp-releasing levers being arranged to be driven by power of a driving source moving the mounting system of the turntable to a reproducing position and a retracted position.

Abstract: In an optical disk apparatus, a feed motor for moving an optical pickup in approximately the radial direction of a disk is provided on a base, such as unit mechanism mounting member, that pivotally moves about a supporting point together with the optical pickup and a disk motor, and on the base, the feed motor is disposed at an outer circumferential position of the optical disk or at a position near the supporting point, in the projection region of the optical disk in its chucked condition.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a cartridge holding mechanism which has a small size and reduces a damper load. The disk drive includes a spindle motor which mounts and rotates a disk. A traverse base holds the spindle motor, and a rubber damper flexibly holds the traverse base. A mechanical chassis holds the traverse base through the rubber damper, and a tray mounts a cartridge in which a disk is housed. A loading motor moves the disk in the cartridge close to the spindle motor or away from the spindle motor. The cartridge is supported by the mechanical chassis through the tray.

Abstract: A disc apparatus includes a chassis, a drive unit driven by a motor to be moved upward/downward in a prescribed direction, and a pick-up unit having a pick-up and driven by the motor to be moved in a direction orthogonal to the direction of upward/downward movement of the drive unit. The pick-up unit has an interlocking piece, and the chassis has an interlocking portion that can be interlocked with interlocking piece. In the disc apparatus, the interlocking piece provided in the pick-up unit is interlocked with the interlocking portion provided in the chassis when the drive unit is in a lowered state, whereby the pick-up unit is locked into the chassis. Therefore, reduction in the number of components and in the size of the apparatus becomes possible, and the lock mechanism of the pick-up unit can be formed in a simple structure.

Abstract: A method and miniaturizable device is described to read/write information to an optical storage medium (11). A device comprises one or more light sources (12) bounded up with an access unit (10) which is arranged to be controllable to a position, in which light beams (21, 22) are transmitted transversal towards an optical storage medium, and reflected light beams (33) are analysed by a detector element (18, 26) which further informs the access unit whether to move or stand still to keep light beams in focus and on track. A device according to the invention is possible to implement in a small size and low weight due to reduced component count and thin access unit geometries. A communication device (80) according to the invention may be implemented to fulfil a crucial need for ultraminiature range of communication devices.

Abstract: A disk device includes a traverse chassis (20) that supports a turn table (30) or the like, and a main chassis (10) that rotatably supports the traverse chassis (10). The traverse chassis (20) has two coaxial bosses (21a, 21b). The main chassis (10) has two boss supporting portions (1a, 1b) that support the bosses (21a, 21b) of the traverse chassis (20). Protrusions (22a, 22b) are formed on the tips of the bosses (21a, 21b). The protrusions (22a, 22b) abut against the boss supporting portions (1a, 1b), so as to prevent the deformation of the boss supporting portions (1a, 1b) in the directions away from each other, with the result that the dropping of the traverse chassis (20) from the main chassis (10) is prevented.

Abstract: A disk changer apparatus includes a rotation base on which a turntable and a head are mounted. The rotation base can rotate about the rear end thereof as a fulcrum. The disk changer apparatus further includes a base supporter opposed to the top end of the rotation base when the rotation base moves to a driving position where the rotation base can drive a disk selected from a plurality of disks, a lock member movably mounted on the rotation base, and a lock control mechanism for causing the lock member to be connected to the base supporter when the rotation base moves to the driving position. The disk changer apparatus having such a structure stably supports both ends of the rotation base when the rotation base rotates to the driving position.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus that can be ejectably mounted in a rack mount apparatus that includes a first housing and a mechanism adapted to project from the first housing includes a second housing that is fixed onto the mechanism, and mounted in the first housing so that the second housing can be drawn from the first housing; and a provisional fixture member that is attached to the second housing and engageable with the mechanism.

Abstract: A disk device includes a disk tray capable of accommodating disks by stacking; a first driving motor for transferring the disk tray in the disk-stacking direction; a driving unit including an optical head for reading out data recorded in the disks, and a supporting component for supporting the rotation of the disks; a second driving motor for selectively transferring the driving unit between a playback position where the driving unit overlaps with the disks in the disk-stacking direction and a retracted position where the driving unit does not overlap with the disks in the disk-stacking direction; disk detectors for determining whether the disk tray accommodates disks at predetermined positions; and a controlling section for transferring the disk tray in the disk-stacking direction while the driving unit is kept at the playback position when the disk tray does not accommodate disks at predetermined positions on the basis of detection results of the disks during disk checks.

Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a chassis fixed to an apparatus body, a drive unit being ascendable or descendable with respect to the chassis through a plurality of gears by driving a motor, a pickup unit provided with an optical pickup that is movable by driving the motor, a cam slider arranged on the chassis and being movable in a direction, and a plate trigger provided with an inclined cam groove and being movable in the direction through cam engagement with the pickup unit and causes the drive unit to ascend or descend through cam engagement with the cam slider. The plate trigger and the cam slider move integrally in mesh with the gears coupled with the motor respectively. The tip of the tooth of the gear to be in mesh with a triangular tooth formed in the plate trigger is made sharp.

Abstract: When a disk (1) is placed at a playback position, a clamp arm (15) clamps the disk (1). The clamp arm (15) has an engagement hook (16) for engaging with an engagement groove (12) of a fixed base (11) when the clamp arm (15) pivots on a slide base (13) so as to return to a standby position for waiting for a pivot while the slide base (13) slides.

Abstract: While a tray moves into a disk drive, a clamper and a turntable are used to clamp a disk. While the tray is moving into the disk drive without a disk thereon, the clamper and turntable hit with each other, which generates an uncomfortable noise. The apparatus for reducing the noise is an improved clamper with holes thereon. Alternatively, the clamper is replaced by a clamping part, which includes a metal plate and a plastic plate. The plastic plate has a holder, which clips tight an extension of the metal plate. Therefore, the noise, which is generated from the collision of metal plate and the turntable, is reduced.

Abstract: The present invention provides a disc drive apparatus including a rotation drive mechanism for driving or rotating an optical disc, which has a disc table onto which the optical disc is to be placed, and a motor for rotating the disc table, a clamp member for clamping the optical disc jointly with the disc table, the optical disc being placed on the disc table, and a hold mechanism for rotatably holding the clamp member, which causes the clamp member to shift toward the disc table with the axis of the clamp member being substantially parallel to the axis of the disc table when the clamp member clamps the optical disc jointly with the disc table, and causes-the clamp member to shift away from the disc table with the axis of the clamp member being inclined against the axis of the disc table when the clamp member releases the clamp state of the optical disc clamped by the clamp member and the disc table.

Abstract: A mechanism deck provided with a turntable for rotating a disk and movable upward or downward as coupled to a slide member comprises a subchassis having the turntable mounted thereon, and a frame fitting to the slide member and supporting the subchassis. The chassis is provided with a holding mechanism for upwardly or downwardly pivotally movably supporting the frame as fitted to the slide member through a space between the clamp support plate and the chassis. The frame is provided with a pin projecting outward therefrom and supported by the holding mechanism for restraining the frame from backlashing upward or downward, and the projecting pin has a projection for preventing the frame from backlashing laterally.

Abstract: A disc drive includes a main body, a disc tray movable with respect to the main body between a loading position for loading an optical disc and an eject position, and a chassis on which a rotational drive mechanism for rotating a loaded optical disc is provided. The chassis is pivotally provided with respect to the main body about a pivotal axis near the rear end of the chassis so that the front end thereof can be displaced between a lowered position when the disc tray is ejected and a raised position for placing the optical disc on the rotational drive mechanism when rotating the optical disc. The disc drive prevents the chassis and/or the optical disc rotational drive mechanism from interfering or colliding with other elements of the disc drive.

Abstract: A head lifting device includes a head-supporting member, a magnetic or optical head supported by the head-supporting arm and a base member for supporting the head-supporting arm. This arm is formed with at least one hole, while the base member is provided with a protrusion coming into contact with the inner wall of the hole. The head-supporting arm and the base member are held together by an elastic clip, with the protrusion held in sliding engagement with the hole.