Abstract: A portable compact disc player has a transparent lid that is the same size as a compact disc storage case or so-called jewel box. The lid of the portable compact disc player is formed with a pocket or slot therein with an open side at the front side of the portable compact disc player. The slot has a minimal thickness to receive the album cover printed material that can be removed from the compact disc storage case; so that the design aspects of the portable compact disc player can be determined by the album cover. Other artwork, mirrors, leaves, wood veneers could be substituted for the album cover artwork, so that the user can customize and personalize the visual appearance of the portable compact disc player. In another embodiment, an additional slot is formed in the lid to receive and store a compact disc.

Abstract: A recording medium reproducing apparatus includes a recording medium inlet member through which a recording medium is inserted, a recording medium reproducing unit which reproduces said recording medium, and a recording medium supporting member including wing portions which support said recording medium. The wing portions are elastically warped by the recording medium and support the recording medium by an elastically restoring force. Each of the wing portions is provided obliquely in a direction in which the recording medium is inserted in the recording medium reproducing unit.

Abstract: A disc changer for bringing disc-shaped information carriers into and out of a position. The disc changer includes a supporting body and a disc-shaped disc which is supported by the supporting body, is arranged to be movable relative to the body, and is rotatable about an axis of rotation. The disc support has supporting surfaces for the information carriers and further includes a first toothed ring which extends around the axis of rotation and is not rotatable relative to the disc support, which toothed ring is adapted to cooperate with a second toothed ring which is not rotatable relative to the supporting body. The second toothed ring extends around an axis of the supporting body, which axis extends parallel to and at a distance from the axis of rotation. The disc changer further includes a drive member which is rotatable about the axis of the supporting body, the disc support being rotatably connected to the drive member at the location of the axis of rotation, for rotating and guiding the disc support.

Abstract: A disk carrier mechanism for carrying a disk between an inserting port for inserting the disk into a housing and a reproducing position in which said disk is held on a turn-table for reproduction. A pair of carrier levers swinging within a plane parallel to a major surface of the disk are respectively provided with abutting members each abutting onto a peripheral edge section of the disk for enabling holding of the disk therewith in cooperation with each other. The abutting members are respectively provided with inclined surfaces respectively along which the disk can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the major surface of the disk when the carrier leaves swing to approach the peripheral edge sections of the disk or to leave left away from the disk.

Abstract: An apparatus for suppressing warping of a rotating optical disk including a disk warp suppressing member facing a surface of the upturned side of the optical disk in a manner to be in sliding contact with the optical disk, and an elastic member for supporting the disk warp suppressing member and forcing it toward the optical disk. The apparatus also has a carriage which faces a rotation region of the optical disk so as to move freely in the radial direction of the optical disk, and is provided with light beam irradiating means, with the elastic member being fitted to the carriage.

Abstract: An apparatus for reproducing a disc includes an operating member for manually operating an unloading tray from the body of the apparatus when the disc is clamped. The operating member is supported on a shaft and fixed to the main chassis and is thus capable of rotating around the shaft. The operating member is also provided with a protrusion for permitting a cylindrical cam to support the mechanical unit when the disc is being driven. With a supporting member of the operating member and the cylindrical cam positioned on the front side of the mechanical unit, fluctuations in disc can be reduced.

Abstract: A disk-shaped information memorizing medium having as small as possible a gap formed between a cartridge housing and an opening and closing door to prevent dust from entering. To this end, an opening window is provided through one plane portion of the cartridge housing opposing an information memorizing surface of an optical disk and the opening and closing door is swung along a plane of this plane portion.

Abstract: A disk driving apparatus provided by the present invention comprises: a motor; a turntable mounted on the rotational shaft of the motor, the turntable used for mounting and driving into rotation a multi-disk set comprising a plurality of disk plates stuck to each other; and a disk holding mechanism comprising a fixed portion with such a height that only a particular one of the disk plates of the multi-disk set to be mounted on the turntable is brought in contact with the fixed portion, and a movable portion capable of moving in the radial direction of the turntable in contact with the particular disk plate. As a result, even a multi-disk set can be centered at the center of the turntable with a high degree of accuracy by means of a centering mechanism having a simple configuration which can be implemented at a low cost.

Abstract: Provision of a disc loading apparatus for a disc player, which permits a disc being inserted to be safely pulled out without being held between a turntable and a clamper. A clamper supporting member having an engagement portion carries the clamper, and a stopper is disposed on the line of movement of the engagement portion. The stopper is normally at a preventing position of being in contact with the engagement portion to prevent the clamper from approaching the turntable. When a disc has been inserted up to a position that it can be held on the turntable, it pushes the stopper to an approach allowable position to allow the clamper to approach the turntable. When the clamper approaches the turntable, the stopper is pushed by the engagement portion of the clamper supporting member to a retreated position, at which the stopper is out of contact with the disc.

Abstract: An optical disc is read by being mounted on a turntable which rotates about a vertical axis, and moving an optical pick-up radially relative to the vertical axis. The optical pick-up is slidably mounted on a horizontal guide shaft and is threadedly mounted on a lead screw which is rotatable about a horizontal axis extending parallel to the guide shaft. A first end of the lead screw is connected to a motor, and the second end is mounted in a holder which is displaceable relative to the base to enable the second end to be displaced horizontally, in order to correct the horizontal orientation of the lead screw.

Abstract: An optical disk device of the present invention includes an optical pickup which performs at least recording or reproduction of signals on or from an optical disk; a guiding section which supports and guides the optical pickup along the radial direction of the optical disk; an upper cover which protects the guiding section; a lower cover which protects the guiding section; and a base which supports the guiding sections therein. A height between the upper cover and the lower cover adjacent to an outer periphery of the optical disk is greater than a height between the upper cover and the lower cover adjacent to an inner periphery of the optical disk.

Abstract: There is provided an optical pickup for use in an information reproducing apparatus for playing an optical disc, said optical pickup comprising: a main pickup body carrying an objective lens; a sub-pickup body pivotably connected with the main pickup body; a connecting structure formed in connection with the main pickup body for pivotably supporting the sub pickup body. A space having a predetermined size is formed between the main pickup body and the connecting structure. The material thickness between the main pickup body and the connecting structure is made thinner by virtue of the formation of said groove.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a rotary disk loading mechanism. A disk loading mechanism according to the present invention includes a recording medium holder which is rotatably supported by a chassis and into which a storage medium such as a mini disk (trademark) or the like is inserted, an eject lever as a rotation operation member disposed on one side of the recording medium holder and movably supported by the chassis, an operation converting means formed of a cam and so on for converting movement of the eject lever into rotation of the recording medium holder, a holder locking member rotatably provided on the chassis and biased by a first springy member, and an engagement portion provided on the eject lever and biased by a second springy member in a predetermined direction to thereby be engaged with the holder locking member.

Abstract: A disk unit includes a disk drive frame, a chassis elastically secured to the disk drive frame, a locking plate, connected to the disk drive frame, for moving the disk drive to a locked position, and a spring, connected to the locking plate, for moving the disk drive frame to an unlocked position.

Abstract: A releasable disc adaptor for conforming the central hub of an information storage disc to a standardized magneto-optical disc drive spindle. The disc adaptor includes a hub receiving member having a center connected to a medium receiving member having a center. The centers of the medium receiving and hub receiving members are collinear. The adaptor includes a hub fastener fixedly mounted to the hub receiving member. The hub fastener is utilized to removably secure the hub receiving member to a disc drive spindle. The adaptor also includes a medium fastener connected to the medium receiving member. The medium fastener is used to removably secure the central hub of an information storage disc to the hub receiving member and prevent slippage therebetween so that the disc hub is thereby conformed to properly seat on the disc drive spindle while thereafter allowing the disc to be fully disengaged from the adaptor members for proper seating on an alternate disc drive spindle.

Abstract: An information transfer system which includes a data terminal capable of connecting to networks and a central facility capable of connecting to a plurality of the data terminals which may differ from each other in their capabilities and/or features through the network. The data terminal has a model code which indicates its capabilities and/or features and sends the model code to the central facility at every time the data terminal connects to the central facility. The central facility discriminates the model code sent from the data terminal and detects the capabilities and/or the features of the data terminal. Further, the central facility sends information to the data terminal in a manner appropriate to the capabilities and/or features of the data terminal.

Abstract: An optical disc and a disc cartridge for accommodating the optical disc, wherein the disc cartridge accommodates a disc non-symmetrical in cross-section relative to the center of thickness of the disc. The disc cartridge includes a main cartridge body portion and an opening/closure mechanism, in which the main cartridge body portion has an aperture via which to insert or take out the disc. The main cartridge body portion is configured for accommodating the disc only in the regular state of the disc which permits recording and/or reproduction of the disc. The opening/closure mechanism opens or closes the aperture.

Abstract: There is provided a disc player which comprises a base section, a loading section linearly movably mounted on the base section, a rotary tray rotatably mounted on the loading section for receiving a plurality of discs, a driving motor provided in the loading section for producing a driving force, a turn table provided under the rotary tray. The disc player further includes a first operating mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the driving motor to the rotary tray, and for moving down the turn table when the rotary tray is to be rotated, a second operating mechanism for transmitting a driving force from the driving motor to said loading section to cause the loading section to linearly move with respect to said base section, a change-over for selecting an operation of the first operating mechanism or the second operating mechanism.

Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for monitoring application program execution time in a computer system having an operating system which controls execution of one or more application programs, with each application program including an executable task and one or more executable subtasks. The method includes detecting initiation of a first-executed task associated with an application program, determining a current system time corresponding to that initiation, and setting a starting time for the application program to the current system time. The method also includes detecting termination of a last-executed task or subtask associated with the application program, determining a current system time corresponding to that termination, and setting a final ending time for the application to the current system time.

Abstract: A picker device for engaging the topmost one of a stacked plurality of media having center apertures formed therein includes a resilient spring slidably supported within a support base at its upper edges. A spreader mechanism is supported between the resilient spring to selectively broaden or narrow the spring. The picker is operative by inserting the spring downwardly into the center apertures of the stacked disk media in its narrowed configuration and thereafter expanding the spreader device to force the legs of the V-shaped spring against the interior edge of the topmost disk element of the stacked array.