Abstract: There is provided an optical disc drive that can maintain contact between an optical disc and a conveying roller, while allowing the number of components to be reduced. A conveying roller includes a right roller that is rotatable around an axis and a left roller that is rotatable around an axis. The right roller portion and the left roller portion are arranged in a lateral direction. One of a right end portion of the right roller portion and a left end portion of the left roller portion is movable in an up-down direction relative to the other of the right end portion of the right roller portion and the left end portion of the left roller portion, with a relative position between the axis and the axis unchanged.

Abstract: Provided is an optical disc drive that can implement a conveying roller position manipulation mechanism, a centering mechanism, and a chucking pulley operation mechanism, while allowing the number of components to be reduced. A base frame includes a spindle motor and an optical element. An inner case houses the base frame, and supports a conveying mechanism configured to convey an optical disc to the position of the spindle motor. An outer case houses the inner case. The base frame is fixed in the inner case via a first damper, and the inner case is fixed in the outer case via a second damper.

Abstract: An operating device has an operating shaft, engagement protrusions, and a movable body. The movable body can rotate relative to the operating shaft. The movable body engages with the engagement protrusions at positions separate from its rotation center. The movable body rotates relative to the operating shaft through the engagement with the engagement protrusions according to the translation of the operating shaft. A base abuts against the movable body in the rotational direction of this movable body and receives a force due to the movement of the operating shaft from the movable body. Sensors detect the force acting on the base. According to this, an operating device having a novel structure allowing detection of the translation of the operating shaft is implemented.

Abstract: Provided is an optical disk drive including a carrying roller for carrying an optical disk in a first direction. The carrying roller includes a first roller portion and a second roller portion which are aligned in a second direction along the optical disk and orthogonal to the first direction and which are so disposed as to make contact with a surface on one side of the optical disk. An axis of the first roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the first roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward a central portion of the carrying roller. An axis of the second roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the second roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward the central portion.

Abstract: An operating device has an operating shaft, engagement protrusions, and a movable body. The movable body can rotate relative to the operating shaft. The movable body engages with the engagement protrusions at positions separate from its rotation center. The movable body rotates relative to the operating shaft through the engagement with the engagement protrusions according to the translation of the operating shaft. A base abuts against the movable body in the rotational direction of this movable body and receives a force due to the movement of the operating shaft from the movable body. Sensors detect the force acting on the base. According to this, an operating device having a novel structure allowing detection of the translation of the operating shaft is implemented.

Abstract: Provided is an optical disk drive including a carrying roller for carrying an optical disk in a first direction. The carrying roller includes a first roller portion and a second roller portion which are aligned in a second direction along the optical disk and orthogonal to the first direction and which are so disposed as to make contact with a surface on one side of the optical disk. An axis of the first roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the first roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward a central portion of the carrying roller. An axis of the second roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the second roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward the central portion.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a rotation section to engage with a disk in a housing and rotate the disk around an axis of the disk; an information reading/recording section to carry out reading and/or recording from/to the disk; a holding member to hold the rotation section and/or the information reading/recording section; and a moving section to move the holding member in a direction that the holding member moves toward the disk and/or that the holding member moves away from the disk. The moving section includes a first cam member surrounding at least part of the holding member for arcuate movement along the holding member around an axis. The holding member and/or the first cam member has a grooved portion inclined with respect to a direction along the axis of the arcuate movement while the other has a first engaging portion for engaging with the grooved portion.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a rotation section to engage with a disk in a housing and rotate the disk around an axis of the disk; an information reading/recording section to carry out reading and/or recording from/to the disk; a holding member to hold the rotation section and/or the information reading/recording section; and a moving section to move the holding member in a direction that the holding member moves toward the disk and/or that the holding member moves away from the disk. The moving section includes a first cam member surrounding at least part of the holding member for arcuate movement along the holding member around an axis. The holding member and/or the first cam member has a grooved portion inclined with respect to a direction along the axis of the arcuate movement while the other has a first engaging portion for engaging with the grooved portion.

Abstract: A disk loading apparatus (disk apparatus) includes: a pair of front arms that are disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to a virtual straight line extending along a loading direction of a disk and passing a substantially central position of an insertion opening of an apparatus main body and are pivotally supported at one end thereof in the proximity of the opposite ends of the insertion opening such that the other ends thereof are spaced away from each other to load the disk; and a pair of link arms that are disposed substantially symmetrically around the virtual straight line and crossing with each other to synchronize the pivotal motions of the arms. The link arms have a restricting portion for abutting with the disk loaded to the loaded position to restrict the movement of the disk.

Abstract: A carrying section of a disk apparatus includes a pair of arms disposed in a substantially symmetrical relationship with respect to the carrying direction of a disk in the proximity of the opposite ends of an opening formed in a housing such that the arms pivot around end portions thereof adjacent the opening in synchronism with each other in directions toward and away from each other, and a biasing element which biases the arms in a direction in which ends of the arms remote from the opening approach each other. The arms individually have rollers provided thereon which grip and carry the disk to a predetermined position. At least one of the rollers is rotated by the driving member to carry the disk.

Abstract: A disk loading apparatus (disk apparatus) includes: a pair of front arms that are disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to a virtual straight line extending along a loading direction of a disk and passing a substantially central position of an insertion opening of an apparatus main body and are pivotally supported at one end thereof in the proximity of the opposite ends of the insertion opening such that the other ends thereof are spaced away from each other to load the disk; and a pair of link arms that are disposed substantially symmetrically around the virtual straight line and crossing with each other to synchronize the pivotal motions of the arms. The link arms have a restricting portion for abutting with the disk loaded to the loaded position to restrict the movement of the disk.

Abstract: A carrying section of a disk apparatus includes a pair of arms disposed in a substantially symmetrical relationship with respect to the carrying direction of a disk in the proximity of the opposite ends of an opening formed in a housing such that the arms pivot around end portions thereof adjacent the opening in synchronism with each other in directions toward and away from each other, and a biasing element which biases the arms in a direction in which ends of the arms remote from the opening approach each other. The arms individually have rollers provided thereon which grip and carry the disk to a predetermined position. At least one of the rollers is rotated by the driving member to carry the disk. A controller includes a state decision section which decides a carrying state of the disk and a driving control section which stops, if it is decided that part of the disk is carried out to the outside of the housing, the driving of the driving means in a state wherein the rollers grip the disk.

Abstract: A disk transport apparatus is disclosed which can transport a disk appropriately. First and second arms are mounted for pivotal motion in first and second directions in which they are spaced from each other around second ends thereof to transport the disk. A link pivots the first or second arm in response to pivotal motion of the second or first arm. The first arm and the link have teeth and meshing portions which mesh with each other. The first arm has a blocking portion which blocks, when the second arm is pivoted in the second direction with the disk contacting only with the second arm, meshing engagement between the meshing portions to block pivotal motion of the arms in the first and second directions.

Abstract: A disk apparatus for preventing a disk from being dropped while being inserted or removed therein, including a housing on which an opening through which a disk is inserted into and extracted from is formed; a carrying unit for performing carrying-in and carrying-out of the disk into the housing; first and second motors for driving the carrying means, and for rotating the disk; an optical unit for reading and recording information to/from the disk; and a control unit for controlling the entire apparatus; the carrying unit including a pair of arms disposed in a substantially symmetrical relationship with respect to the carrying direction of the disk in the proximity of the ends of the opening such that the arms pivot around end portions thereof adjacent to the opening in synchronism with each other in directions toward and away from each other.

Abstract: A disk transport apparatus is disclosed which can transport a disk appropriately. First and second arms are mounted for pivotal motion in first and second directions in which they are spaced from each other around second ends thereof to transport the disk. A link pivots the first or second arm in response to pivotal motion of the second or first arm. The first arm and the link have teeth and meshing portions which mesh with each other. The first arm has a blocking portion which blocks, when the second arm is pivoted in the second direction with the disk contacting only with the second arm, meshing engagement between the meshing portions to block pivotal motion of the arms in the first and second directions.

Abstract: There is provided a disk drive including a base chassis, a first optical pickup mechanism including a disk rotation drive disposed on the base chassis, first optical pickup unit to write and/or read data to and/or from a first optical disk and a first pickup moving mechanism to move the first optical pickup unit radially of the first optical disk, a second optical pickup mechanism disposed opposite to the first optical pickup mechanism and including a second optical pickup unit to write and/or read data to and/or from a second optical disk and a second pickup moving mechanism to move the second optical pickup unit radially of the second optical disk, and a controlling means for detecting the movement of one of the optical pickup units and moving the other optical pickup unit to make weight balancing of the base chassis. Thus, the base chassis weight is balanced while one of the two optical pickup units is being moved.

Abstract: A carrying section of a disk apparatus includes a pair of arms disposed in a substantially symmetrical relationship with respect to the carrying direction of a disk in the proximity of the opposite ends of an opening formed in a housing such that the arms pivot around end portions thereof adjacent the opening in synchronism with each other in directions toward and away from each other, and a biasing element which biases the arms in a direction in which ends of the arms remote from the opening approach each other. The arms individually have rollers provided thereon which grip and carry the disk to a predetermined position. At least one of the rollers is rotated by the driving member to carry the disk. A controller includes a state decision section which decides a carrying state of the disk and a driving control section which stops, if it is decided that part of the disk is carried out to the outside of the housing, the driving of the driving means in a state wherein the rollers grip the disk.

Abstract: There is provided a disk drive including a base chassis, a first optical pickup mechanism including a disk rotation drive disposed on the base chassis, first optical pickup unit to write and/or read data to and/or from a first optical disk and a first pickup moving mechanism to move the first optical pickup unit radially of the first optical disk, a second optical pickup mechanism disposed opposite to the first optical pickup mechanism and including a second optical pickup unit to write and/or read data to and/or from a second optical disk and a second pickup moving mechanism to move the second optical pickup unit radially of the second optical disk, and a controlling means for detecting the movement of one of the optical pickup units and moving the other optical pickup unit to make weight balancing of the base chassis. Thus, the base chassis weight is balanced while one of the two optical pickup units is being moved.