Abstract: An optical disc apparatus is configured so that a cover member covering a second base, which is displaceable relative to a first base as an apparatus base and makes up a support portion of a unit mechanism section, covers plane areas located on both sides of an optical pickup move area of the unit mechanism section of the second base plane areas, and during loading or unloading of an optical disc, supports a rotated and displaced eject arm member by a plane part covering the plane area on the side of the eject arm member, of the both plane areas. The eject arm member is made to be located outside an orthogonal projection area of the optical disc upon completion of the loading.

Abstract: An optical disc drive is fitted with a pickup, a non-contacting cooling plate, and a resinous movable spacer. The cooling plate adjacently faces and is fixed to the under, right, or left side of the pickup. The movable spacer is fitted to one of the facing sides of the pickup and cooling plate and prevents direct contact between the pickup and the plate. This drive structure prevents pickup movement interference due to collision between the pickup and the cooling plate, contamination production, needless electric conduction, etc., so that the clearance between the facing sides of the metallic pickup and metallic non-contacting cooling plate is narrow. The narrow clearance results in an improved heat conduction and radiation characteristic, improving the cooling of the whole pickup.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus includes position restricting component for restricting the position of a unit mechanism portion in a disc plane direction when the unit mechanism portion is in a raised state. The position restricting component includes a first portion that restricts the position of a base of the unit mechanism portion when the base is at a height position for write or read of information to or from an optical disc and a second portion that cancels the position restriction on the base of the unit mechanism portion in the disc plane direction or makes the position restriction easier than in the first portion when the base is at a height position corresponding to a chucked portion of the optical disc onto the turntable. At the height position where the optical disc is chucked the position restricting component makes the turntable displaceable in the disc plane direction so that the axis of the turntable becomes nearly coincident with the center of a center hole formed in the optical disc.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus includes, as a raising/lowering mechanism for moving a second base constituting a unit mechanism portion pivotally about a fulcrum so as to raise or lower the second base with respect to a first base as a base of the optical disc apparatus, a cam mechanism which is provided pivotably on the first base side within an orthographic projection area of the optical disc that is in a chucked state and which has a cam surface formed around and in the direction of a pivot shaft. In addition, a cam pin provided on the second base side is brought into engagement with the cam surface. When the optical disc inserted into the optical disc apparatus is chucked onto a turntable so as to be rotatable, the cam mechanism is pivoted about the pivot shaft by a cam drive section.

Abstract: In an optical disk apparatus for recording and/or reading information with respect to an optical disk, comprising, a chassis for containing the optical disk, and a tray being movable with respect to the chassis and adapted to support the optical disk thereon so that the optical disk is movable with respect to the chassis, the chassis has an opening for discharging an air from an inside of the chassis to an outside of the chassis through the opening.

Abstract: A disk drive device has a configuration in which one of stepped parts defined by a circular recess for guiding a disc, formed in a disc tray is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the circular recess even in an area beyond the outer peripheral part of a disc so that no air cavity part facing the outer peripheral side surface of the disc is induced around the disc. Thereby, it is possible to aim at lowering cavity noise caused by the air cavity during high speed rotation and fluid noise caused by turbulence.

Abstract: In an optical disk drive device, in order to reduce structural vibration noise and aerodynamic sound during high-speed revolution, a recess is formed at the deeper end. This recess is in a position axially symmetric to a hole for the movement of an optical head with respect to the axis of a spindle motor, and its size is substantially equal to that of the movement hole. This recess serves to suppress the vibration mode of a disk tray and the air flow between the disk and the disk tray. Noise is reduced even when the disk is turning at high speed.

Abstract: In a recording disk drive apparatus including, a chassis including a chassis body, a spindle motor fixed to the chassis body to support and rotationally drive a recording disk, and a head supported on the chassis body to be movable on the chassis body in a radial direction of the recording disk so that an information is recorded into the recording disk and/or read from the recording disk through the head, a base member on which the chassis is supported, and an elastic member through which the chassis is supported on the base member so that a vibration transmitted from the chassis is absorbed at least partially by an elasticity of the elastic member, the chassis includes a counter member elastically supported on the chassis body with a spring constant for the counter member in which spring constant the counter member is elastically movable with respect to the chassis body.

Abstract: A magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus has main and sub chassis relatively movable between a first position in which a tape cassette is allowed to be mounted on and demounted from the reel bases and a second position in which magnetic tape extracted from the tape cassette is wound on the head assembly for recording or reproduction of electric signals. The apparatus has a braking mechanism designed for producing a braking effect on at least one of the reel bases when the sub chassis is in the first position. When the sub chassis is in the second position, the braking mechanism is engaged with a brake actuating mechanism on the main chassis so as to selectively brake the reel base in accordance with the state of the brake actuating mechanism operative in response to a manual input.

Abstract: A brake system for a magnetic recording and reproducing apparatus especially suited to an apparatus wherein an operation mode is provided on both sides of a stop mode. A braking of the brake system can be released in the respective modes upon both sides of the stop position, and the braking can be instantly applied at the time of transfer from the fast-foward or rewind mode to the stop mode. The brake system includes a turning arm constructed so as to be extensible and contractable and operable both for an application and release of the braking in dependence upon whether the turning arm is turned in a contracted or extended state.

Abstract: A cassette loading device comprises a motor rotatable in a normal direction and in a reverse direction, a driving mechanism for transmitting a power of the motor to a cassette holder and moving the cassette holder, and elastic member mounted on the driving mechanism for generating an elastic force against a depression of a tape cassette when the tape cassette is depressed from an initial position to a cassette-in position. A position detecting device detects that the cassette holder reaches a predetermined position in its moving path and generates a signal, with an initial position detecting device detecting an initial position of the elastic member upon initializing generating a signal. An eject signal generating device generates a signal commanding a cassette unloading, and a micro-processor controls the motor in response to output signals from the position detecting device, the initial position detecting device and the eject signal generating device.