Abstract: A disc cartridge loading apparatus for a recording/reproducing apparatus for loading a disc cartridge housing an information signal recording medium on a cartridge loading unit in the recording/reproducing apparatus, including a drive unit supporting base plate having a driving unit for a disc loaded on it and supported flexibly on a stationary substrate by an elastic supporting member; a cartridge holder for supporting the disc cartridge inserted into a main body of the recording/reproducing apparatus and movably supported by the drive unit supporting base plate by plural supporting members projected on both sides thereof and a cartridge holder transporting member movably supported by the stationary substrate for movement in a direction of insertion or ejection into or from a main body of the recording/reproducing apparatus; the cartridge holder transporting member having a cam groove and being moved for loading the disc cartridge; the cam groove having an opening at one of its ends and an engagement between

Abstract: A storage box or device for a large number of disks such as optical disks to be stored therein, and also for enabling a disk player having an automatic disk exchanger to be played while being stored in said storage box. The device comprises a plurality of disk storage boxes and a base box with disk storage boxes stacked in series thereon. The disk storage box has a stocker portion enabling multiple disk trays to be stored retractively therein, and tray-retracting devices installed in each storage portion of said stocker portion and a spaced portion placed behind said stocker portion, enabling a disk regenerating device carrier to move vertically therein. The base boxes are provided with an ampliting portion having an electrical system including a controller for the automatic exchanger; and the regenerating device is mounted on the carrier so as to be horizontally movable in the spaced portion and the carrier is activated to move vertically in the spaced portion.

Abstract: Spindle motor electrical- and motor-to-base interfaces. A compliant connector along with a circuit on a support flange is provided below a stator assembly for providing: An insertable spindle motor to drive base with less specific orientation. The support flange may comprise a small printed circuit cable or a printed circuit board. Additionally, non-specific orientation of a spindle motor to drive base assembly is described using circular traces oriented about a support flange. A circular connector is also described, as well as a biased support flange.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a tape cassette having a front lid for protecting a magnetic face of a magnetic tape accommodated in a casing made of upper and lower half members against dust or the like, and a connecting plate and a rear lid suspended from the connecting plate for protecting an upper portion and a lower portion of the rear face of the magnetic tape respectively. The front lid is rotatably supported at sides of the casing. The rear lid is rotatably suspended on the connecting plate which is rotatably supported on the front lid. The magnetic tape is protected between the front lid and the rear lids together with the connecting plate in a lid closed state. A pair of pins provided on the rear lid are snugly fitted in a pair of guide grooves formed in protruding portions provided in the lower half member so that the rear lid may move in opening and closing directions.

Abstract: A double storage multi-carousel recordable media library is provided which includes a plurality of vertically stacked carousels mounted for rotation about a vertically extending central axis. Each carousel has a plurality of receptacles which are angularly spaced about the central axis, each receptacle being capable of storing a pair of recordable media disks. Each carousel has a large peripheral cutout which is located between a pair of receptacles for allowing passage of the disks and each receptacle has a smaller peripheral cutout for allowing movement of a transport device. Each carousel cutout is capable of alignment along a transport axis which is parallel to the central axis so that a disk can be transported vertically therealong. A disk chucking device is mounted for receiving and releasably retaining disks which are moved vertically along the transport axis.

Abstract: A cassette player having a cassette changer function has a cassette drive mechanism on which a tape cassette is loaded and which reproduces (or records) the loaded tape cassette, and a drum-like cassette holder which holds a plurality of tape cassettes in a circle surrounding the cassette drive mechanism 8 and which is rotated so that each of the tape cassettes opposes the cassette drive mechanism in turn, the cassette holder being moved to recede into the cassette player with an arbitrary one of the tape cassettes opposed to the cassette drive mechanism, so that this tape cassette can be loaded on the cassette drive mechanism for reproducing or recording.

Abstract: A compact disk cleaning system comprising a housing further comprising a base with a closeable cover, the base having a hollow interior and a plurality of circular apertures formed thereon, the cover having a plurality of cleaning plates coupled thereto and extended downwards therefrom with each cleaning plate alignable with a separate aperture when the cover is closed; a plurality of revolvable disk pedestals each disposed within the interior of the base and extended upwards within a separate aperature to define a seat adapted for holding a compact disk; an energizable disk pedestal actuation mechanism having an activated orientation for revolving the disk pedestals and a deactivated orientation for preventing such revolving; and a plurality of cleaning pads each securable over a cleaning plate; whereby when compact disks are placed upon the disk pedestals and the cover is closed to place the cleaning pads in contact with the compact disks, placing the actuation mechanism in the activated orientation allows

Abstract: Scratches on the recording disk caused by sliding of a disk cartridge shutter is prevented by slidably inserting first and second shutters between a tray and a case on the opposite side to a recording disk accommodating portion of the tray. The first shutter simultaneously opens and closes a case side driving shaft insert hole, a case side head insert hole, a tray side driving shaft insert hole, and a tray side head insert hole. The second shutter opens and closes a terminal hole. The second shutter is opened independently of the first shutter and is held in a position so that the case side driving shaft insert hole, the case side head insert hole, the tray side driving shaft insert hole, and the tray side head insert hole are not closed. Closing the first shutter, however, causes the second shutter to also close.

Abstract: A pass-thru cassette magazine performs several functions beyond vertically holding a plurality of data cassettes in a position randomly accessible to a data storage subsystem picker assembly, including locking the data cassettes within corresponding storage cells in either an import or export position when the magazine is not interfaced to the storage subsystem (that is during handling by an operator). The "locked" position indicates that a data cassette cannot be removed from the magazine without a force of approximately one kilogram or greater. When a magazine is interfaced to the storage subsystem, the magazine is interlocked thereto such that the magazine cannot be removed without releasing the interlock. While the magazine is interlocked, the lock on the data cassettes is disabled so that the data cassettes can be freely picked by the picker assembly or removed or inserted by an operator.

Abstract: A magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus comprises windbreak members between a rotary head drum and a guide mechanism so as to prevent airflow between the head drum and the tape. Such a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus significantly reduces the rising of the magnetic tape from the outer circumferential surface of the rotary head drum, to enable the tape's close contact with the head drum. Also, tape oscillation and subsequent signal jitter is reduced to enhance high-density and highly accurate magnetic recording and reproduction.

Abstract: A turn table in an optical disk apparatus in accordance with the present invention is provided with a mount section for use in a mini disk (MD) at the top portion thereof and another mount section for use in a compact disk (CD) at the base portion thereof. This arrangement makes it possible to drive optical disks of different types by the use of the same turn table. Below the turn table, are installed an optical pickup and a base plate that is provided with switches for discriminating whether the MD in question is dedicated solely to reproduction use or is used for both recording and reproduction, and positioning pins for the MD. The optical pickup is also allowed to move in the radial direction of the disk by support members. The optical pickup, the support members and the base plate are integrally moved up and down between a station close to the MD and a station close to the CD.

Abstract: A disc-cartridge loading apparatus of a mini-disc player which comprises a turntable, a disc-cartridge tray for receiving and supporting a disc-cartridge, a disc-cartridge pushing plate for fixing the disc-cartridge on the turntable, a disc-cartridge guide plate for loading or ejecting the disc-cartridge gripped in the tray, a driving means for providing power in order to load and eject the disc-cartridge guide plate and pushing the disc-cartridge pushing plate. Such a loading apparatus can improve the stability of inserting, loading, and ejecting operations. Also, this invention has advantages which can automatically use inserting and ejecting operations of the shutter of the disc-cartridge.

Abstract: A head device for a tape player has a head moving plate for bringing a head into contact with or pulling it away from a magnetic tape. The head is attached to a head holder. A forward azimuth adjusting screw and a reverse azimuth adjusting screw are adjustably screwed, in the vertical direction, through the head holder. A head driver moves the head holder up and down along the width of a magnetic tape. When the head driver is in motion, the azimuth adjusting screws are prevented from contacting a surface of the head device, thus reducing wear of the surface. Additionally, while the head driver is in motion, the head is set in a center position. When the head driver ceases motion, the azimuth adjusting screws contact a surface of the head device to adjust the azimuth and cause the head to be held at a height corresponding to the azimuth.

Abstract: A recording or reproducing apparatus for performing recording or reproduction by winding a tape around a rotary drum on which a plurality of heads are mounted includes a tape supply side guide post and a tape take-up side guide post for guiding the tape to the rotary drum, a tape supply side guide member and a tape take-up side guide member for respectively guiding the tape supply side guide post and the tape take-up side guide post, and a sensor for detecting an end portion of the tape. The sensor moves along a space portion formed by the tape supply side guide member and the tape take-up side guide member as the tape is being loaded and is located in the space portion when tape loading is completed.

Abstract: An apparatus for translating and rotating a cartridge (such as an optical disk cartridge) which utilizes a U-shaped rack engaged with a non-translating (but rotating) pinion; a carrier for the cartridge connected to the rack, and a motor for spinning the pinion on its axis. The apparatus enables the cartridge to be inserted with a shutter face forward, and translates and rotates the cartridge into the final (loaded) position with the shutter face in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A compatible disc player includes a first tray for carrying an LD arranged to protrude and withdraw from and into a player housing and a second tray for carrying a CD mounted on the first tray, in such a manner as to be movable in directions of the movement of the first tray, and the first and second trays are latched or released to and from each other by use of a latch mechanism in response to a selected one of an LD playing mode and a CD playing mode. The disc player is provided with a single position signal generating switch for sensing positions of the trays, for example, a position in which the trays are completely protruded, and the timing of operation of the switch is changed depending on whether the first tray is moved or the second tray only is moved. Further, the operation of the latch mechanism is controlled by an engagement of a pickup of the player with the latch mechanism.

Abstract: A latch mechanism, especially for use in a disk drive, includes a locking arm that rotates about a pivot and engages a slot on the moving member that is to be locked, such as a head-arm. In a fixed coil embodiment, a permanent magnet is attached to an inboard end of the locking arm within the windings of a coil. Ferrous elements are mounted between the coil and the pivot of the locking arm. The ferrous elements attract the permanent magnet to hold the locking arm securely in either a latching or an unlatching state. When the coil is energized, poles are induced in the ferrous elements such that one repels the permanent magnet away from its then current state into the opposite state, while the other ferrous element attracts the permanent magnet to the other state. The magnetic field of the coil simultaneously applies a pure torque to the locking arm. This torque rotates the locking arm so that the arm changes to its other state.

Abstract: A cassette loading apparatus for transporting a selected tape cassette from an insertion opening to a playing position. The tape cassette is selected from among different size cassettes including a large size and a small size. A holder receives the tape cassette. A pair of cassette guides disposed on an inner face of the holder receives the tape cassette between the guides if the tape cassette is of the small size and, when the tape cassette is of the large size, each of the cassette guides is covered by a corresponding one of a pair of grooved portions provided on the bottom of the tape cassette. A resilient arm is provided integrally on an upper face portion of one of the cassette guides and is arranged so as to be pressed and resiliently deformed by the tape cassette received in the holder if such tape cassette is of the large size and not pressed and deformed if such tape cassette is of the small size.

Abstract: In a multi-disk player having a loading and unloading equipment for selecting an arbitrary disk cassette from a containing portion for containing a plurality of trays each supporting one disk cassette in which a disk-shaped record medium is contained in a cassette case with they being arranged in a lot of upper and lower stages, loading the selected disk cassette into a record playing equipment disposed behind the containing portion and returning the same to its original position in the containing portion from the recording playing equipment after the playing of the disk cassette is terminated,the containing portion has a plurality of ejecting operating means for each releasing a locking function for disk cassette so that the operating means corresponding to an arbitrary disk cassette in the containing portion is operated to eject the disk cassette toward the front of the containing portion.

Abstract: A sliding type magnetic head for magneto-optical recording which can prevent a jump thereof caused by a variation in profile of a surface of a disk and can realize reduction of a load force and provide a countermeasure against an external impact. A magnetic head body includes a head element having a coil wound on a magnetic core and has a sliding element provided on one side of the head element for slidably contacting with a magneto-optical disk. The magnetic head body is mounted on a gimbal of a slider arm at a position thereof corresponding to the position of the center of gravity thereof or to a position in the proximity of the position of the center of gravity. The slider arm is supported for pivotal motion on a head arm at a position thereof corresponding to the position of the center of gravity thereof or to a position in the proximity of the position of the center of gravity. A coil spring is interposed between the head arm and the sliding element of the magnetic head body.