Patents Assigned to Nakamichi Corporation
  • Patent number: 6785898
    Abstract: A compact disk player/changer for compact disks fits within the standard half-height disk drive form factor for computer peripherals. A disk, either 5 ¼-inch or 3 ½ inch in size, is inserted through an aperture and supported, at opposite contact points on its edge, between laterally movable left and right-side disk guides. The disk's left side contacts a belt revolved on the left-side disk guide. The disk's right side contacts a fixed wall on the right-side disk guide. The belt slides along a rigid wall that prevents bowing from pressure exerted by the disk's edge. Thus, the right-side disk guide presents a flat movable wall that rolls the disk into the disk player along the fixed wall. The left and right-side disk guides move laterally to accommodate the disk as it is inserted. The spacing between the disk guides, once the disk is fully supported between the disk guides, is detected by a controller to determine the size of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6643250
    Abstract: Resilient members absorb vibrations to limit transmission of vibrations from a chassis to a base of a disk record/playback device. A restricting device limits transverse movement of the base on the resilient members. The restricting device limits sloping of a disk mounted on the record/playback device, and thereby prevents interference of the mounted disk with other disks in a storage device. By minimizing the sloping of the disk, the minimum required clearance from the disk mounted on the turntable is reduced and the available vertical space for use in storing disks is maximized. A compact design is possible permitting conformity to constrained dimensions such as standard DIN dimensions in vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2003
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6587406
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6577578
    Abstract: In a disk playback device, a driven disk guide and a fixed disk guide provide transverse movement for a disk. A pivoting arm with an engagement cavity, engages with an edge of an inserted disk and guides the disk during movement into the apparatus. A spring biases the pivoting arm toward a front of the device so that the pivoting arm is in a correct position when the disk is first inserted. As a disk is inserted into the device, the pivoting arm rotates away from a center of the disk. When the full diameter of the disk enters the apparatus, the pivoting arm rotates completely, moves into a slit disposed in the fixed disk guide, and is thereby recessed from the edge of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6359853
    Abstract: A disk player has a magazine for storing disks and a disk transport mechanism transporting a selected disk between a playback position outside the magazine and a store position located entirely within the magazine. The carriages are stacked upon each other and pivotally supported within the magazine. The carriages are extracted from the stack by lifting a front end of a carriage above a selected carriage. Subsequent to the lifting of the carriage, the selected carriage is withdrawn from the magazine to the playback position. When a selected carriage is moved to the playback position, the disks on carriages above and below the selected carriage are prevented from shifting with the removal of the selected carriage by coaxial opposing shafts which extend through spindle holes in the disks on the carriages above and below the selected disk. A closeable gap between the two shafts permits the selected disk to be shifted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6301205
    Abstract: A disk playback device provides a space above and below a selected disk held in a disk holder. A turntable and optical pickup reside within the space. The turntable is moved inward in the space from a storage position to chuck, and withdraw, the selected disk from its disk holder to a playback position in which the axis of the turntable is within the outline of disks stored in disk holders. The storage position places the axis of the turntable outside the outline of disks stored in the disk holders. In a single play mode, a disk not stored in a disk holder is moved directly from outside the disk playback device to the playback position where it is chucked and played. On conclusion of single play, the disk is transported out of the disk playback device without being resident in a disk holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6125090
    Abstract: A disk changer employs two disk guides to support a recorded disk at opposite points along its edge. One of the disk guides has a belt that revolves around two pulleys. A surface of the belt frictionally engages an edge surface of the disk. The other disk guide has two surfaces, a low-friction guide surface parallel to the recorded surface of the disk and a resilient sloped surface that forms an angle with both the recorded surface of the disk and the perpendicular to the recorded surface of the disk. Both guides are urged together, and, as a result, the sloped surface is urged against the disk edge. Because of the slope of the surface, the sloped surface meets a corner where the recorded surface of the disk meets the edge surface of the disk and urges the disk's recorded surface toward the guide surface. This stabilizes the disk against pitching motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6097693
    Abstract: A clamper mechanism in a changer-type disk playback device has a clamper and a clamper arm with a locking mechanism which engages the clamper. A magnet on the clamper attracts a corresponding magnet on a turntable of the disk playback device. This attraction disengages the locking mechanism thereby releasing the clamper and allowing the clamper to clamp a disk when the clamper arm is moved from a position in axial alignment with the turntable. The clamping mechanism moves in a plane substantially parallel to a recorded surface of stored disks in the playback device so that the space required to operate the clamping mechanism is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6097687
    Abstract: A disk transfer device provides positive, reliable disk transfer. The device comprises a pair of moveable, opposed disk guide members which grip the outer edge of a disk disposed therebetween. A spring constantly urges the disk guide members closer together. A pinion gear connects the disk guide members and controls their movement together or apart. A bias device applies a torque to the pinion gear so as to urge the disk guide members together to increase the disk gripping force of the disk guide members during disk transfer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6058097
    Abstract: A disk transfer mechanism in a disk player is sloped upward toward the front of the disk player to align a disk transfer plane passing approximately through the center of a disk insertion opening. The slope of the disk transfer plane avoids interference between the disk playback mechanism and electronic components in the vicinity of the front or rear of the disk player. In addition, the slope of the disk transfer plane improves the clearances of a stocker, and thereby enables storage and playback of a maximum number of disks within a predetermined envelope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Inoue
  • Patent number: 5909420
    Abstract: A compact disk player/changer for compact disks fits within the standard half-height disk drive form factor for computer peripherals. A disk, either a 5-1/4-inch or 31/2 inch in size, is inserted through an aperture and supported, at opposite contact points on its edge, between laterally movable left and right-side disk guides. The disk's left side is frictionally engaged by a belt revolved on the left-side disk guide. The disk's right side rolls along a fixed wall on the right-side disk guide. The belt slides along a rigid wall of the left-side disk guide that prevents bowing from pressure exerted by the disk's edge. A motor that drives the revolving belt is fixedly mounted on a chassis. An extensible transmission transmits rotational force from the motor to a timing pulley to propel the belt on the laterally movable left-side disk guide. The extensible transmission consists of gear train on a pair of hinged members to provide a thin profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 5886968
    Abstract: A disk transport mechanism for a disk player employs a fixed disk guide and drive-side disk guide, the latter with a revolving belt, to support opposite edges of a disk. The disk is held between the fixed and drive-side disk guides to press the revolving belt against the disk edge causing the disk to roll along the fixed disk guide. Both guides have high friction surfaces, such as rubber, to prevent slipping of the disk. For user comfort, the revolving belt is on a side closest to the anticipated position of the user so the disk rotates in the most natural direction. To protect the belt and fixed support surface of the fixed disk guide, a disk guide of low friction material is located at the front of the fixed disk guide opposite the revolving belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1999
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 5883876
    Abstract: A disk player supports a disk between two opposing longitudinal disk guides, one with a moving belt running along it. The belt frictionally engages an edge of the disk to roll the disk along the opposite guide. Disks are inserted through an insertion aperture, normally covered by a flap. When the player is ready to receive a disk, the flap opens outwardly. The disk is inserted between the guides through the aperture. The guides separate to accommodate the disk causing the flap to drop onto the back of the disk. As the disk moves, the flap rides the back face of the disk until it falls off a trailing edge, registering a reference position of the disk. Encoder pulses indicate increments of advancement of the belt position. The pulses are counted after passing the reference position, to determine when the disk has arrived at the playback position. A turntable is moved toward the disk until a spindle inserts into a center hole of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 5878011
    Abstract: A disk transfer device includes first and second edge supporting transfer elements. First and second edge supporting transfer elements are urged toward each other, thereby supporting a disk between them. When no disk is between them the transfer elements are a predetermined distance apart. That predetermined distance is less than the diameter of a disk. Therefore, when a disk is inserted in the disk transfer device at an eject position by a user, the first and second edge supporting transfer elements are pushed apart until they support the disk at diametrically opposed points on the disk. The movement of the first and second transfer elements is detected and the detector to produce a signal indicating that a disk has been inserted in the disk transfer device. In response to this signal, automatic loading of the disk is initiated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 2, 1999
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 5870368
    Abstract: A disk player receives a disk through an insertion aperture and supports the disk opposite contact points on its edge, between laterally movable left and right-side disk guides. The disk's left side contacts a belt revolved on the left-side disk guide causing the disk to roll along the right side disk guide. An outwardly opening flap hinged at the top of the insertion aperture is held open when the disk player is prepared to receive a disk. As the disk is inserted the disk guides begin moving apart which causes the flap, urged by a spring, to drop to the back surface of the disk. The disk holds the flap partly open until a trailing edge of the disk passes inside at which point the flap's closure is detected and the flap locked in the closed position to prevent irregular insertion of additional disks. The closure of the flap registers the precise position of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 5867473
    Abstract: A disk playback device holds a disk in a playback position. A turntable moves toward the disk to a raised position where its support surface is adjacent a back of the disk. A spindle inserts through a center hole of the disk to align the disk with the turntable. A clamper is held above the disk on a side of the disk opposite the turntable. The clamper is supported close enough to the disk that when the turntable is in the raised position, a magnet in the turntable exerts a substantial force on a piece of ferromagnetic material in the clamper. When the clamper is released it clamps the disk to the turntable. By bringing the clamper and turntable to the disk rather than moving the disk toward one or the other, no space is required for the displacement of the disk in a direction perpendicular to its surface. The clamper is supported by a pair of holders, slidable in a direction parallel to the surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Inoue
  • Patent number: D425507
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuo Horikoshi
  • Patent number: D426539
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuo Horikoshi
  • Patent number: D429716
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuo Horikoshi
  • Patent number: D435534
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Nakamichi Corporation
    Inventor: Tatsuo Horikoshi