Abstract: A double-sided playing disc player is disclosed in which recorded signals are reproduced from a disc, on both faces of which signals are recorded, by a pickup disposed on the side of a turntable (4) or another pickup disposed on the side opposite to the turntable. The disc player comprises a first centering hub (6) mounted on the turntable, a clamping mechanism (11) for clamping the disc placed on the turntable, and a second centering hub (14) mounted on the clamper mechanism.

Abstract: A double-sided playing disc player is disclosed in which recorded signals are reproduced from a disc, on both faces of which signals are recorded, by a pickup disposed on the side of a turntable (4) or another pickup disposed on the side opposite to the turntable. The disc player comprises a first centering hub (6) mounted on the turntable, a clamping mechanism (11) for clamping the disc placed on the turntable, and a second centering hub (14) mounted on the clamper mechanism.

Abstract: An information recording disc playback apparatus has an optical pickup for reading recorded information from a disc clamped on a turntable by a disc clamp mechanism while the disc is being rotated. The disc clamp mechanism comprises a presser member for pressing the disc against the turntable under magnetic forces, and a movable member supporting the presser member idly and movable by a drive mechanism for displacing the presser member toward and away from the turntable. After the disc has been pressed against the turntable by the presser member, the movable member is movable within a gap defined between itself and the presser member. By the movement of the movable member within the gap, the height of an optical pickup mounted on the movable member can be adjusted with respect to the recording surface of the disc.

Abstract: A disk drive according to a first embodiment includes a pickup movable along a radial direction of the disk and a reversing mechanism for moving the pickup from one side of the disk to the other side by rotating the pickup about an axis corresponding to the radial direction of the disk. In a second embodiment, there can be only one pickup which can reverse sides of the disk or a pickup on each side of the disk. The pickup(s) are moved along guide rails on either side of the disk and the guide rails are supported by rotatable base members. A linking arm links the two base members together so that rotation of one will cause rotation of the other. In a third embodiment, a pickup and a rack are supported on a slider for moving the pickup along the surface of a disk. The rack has three toothed surfaces including first, second, and third surfaces for engaging first, second and third feed screws, respectively.

Abstract: A double-side playing optical disk player which plays both sides of a disk placed on a turntable by driving and guiding a carriage carrying an optical pickup with a guide driving mechanism along both surfaces of the disk. The guide driving mechanism is composed of first and second guide mechanisms disposed on respective sides of the disk-carrying surface of the turntable, and a transfer mechanism for transferring the carriage between prescribed engaging/disengaging positions on the front and rear sides of the disk.

Abstract: A double-sided playing disc player is disclosed in which recorded signals are reproduced from a disc, on both faces of which signals are recorded, by a pickup disposed on the side of a turntable or another pickup disposed on the side opposite to the turntable. The disc player comprises a first centering hub mounted on the turntable, a clamping mechanism for clamping the disc placed on the turntable, and a second centering hub mounted on the clamper mechanism.

Abstract: A disk clamping device for clamping either one of a disk having a small center hole, such as a compact disk, and a disk having a larger center hole, such as a video disk, to a turntable with which the diameter of the turntable can be increased to reduce the amount of bending and vibration of the disk while it is being played. A first hub for centering a disk having a small center hole is mounted on the disk drive shaft of the drive motor, while a second hub, separate from the first hub, is mounted on the other side of the disk playing position together with a clamper. The second hub has a clamping surface which is brought into contact with the surface of the disk having a small diameter hole when engaged with the disk drive shaft.

Abstract: An optical disc reading apparatus having a reduced overall height and simplified structure. The disc drive motor is mounted with its output shaft extending downward. A turntable is fixed to the output shaft below the body of the motor. A disc carriage is mounted so as to be movable only in a horizontal direction towards and away from the turntable, and a clamper clamps the disc once it has been conveyed by the disc carriage to the playing position on the turntable. A pickup is mounted below the turntable on the side of a loaded disc opposite both the motor and turntable. At least the objective lens of the optical pickup is lowered away from the turntable when the disc is being loaded to allow free movement of the disc toward the turntable.

Abstract: A disk loader for a compact or video disk player with which the disks tray can be extended nearly completely out of the player for receiving a disk to be played without having to increase the overall depth of the player body. A pair of retainers are provided extending parallel to a direction of conveyance of the disk by the disk tray. Racks are formed in at least on one side of the disk tray and on an adjacent one of the retainers. A pair of fixedly mounted guide members guide each of the retainers. A first pinion is engaged with the rack on the retainer, while a gear is engaged with the rack on the tray, the gear being fixed to the first pinion and having a larger diameter than the first pinion. A second pinion is mounted on the output shaft of a drive motor and engaged with the gear.

Abstract: A disk clamping mechanism for a disk player in which centering of a supporting member on a pressing member which performs a pressing operation in cooperation with a turntable is performed accurately and inexpensively. A spherical bearing member is placed in a tapered portion which is at the center of the pressing member, and contacts a bearing reception member on a lower surface of a lift member which lifts the pressing member off a disk when the disk is not being played. The pressing member is balanced on a turntable by means of a protrusion formed in a lower surface of the pressing member at its rotational center, the protrusion fitting into a corresponding recess in the rotational center of the turntable.

Abstract: An automatic loading disc player includes a turntable for rotating a disc to be played back, a disc transfer mechanism for carrying and transferring the disc into a predetermined playback position on the turntable or a position in the vicinity thereof, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the disc in a predetermined position on the disc transfer mechanism. The positioning mechanism is engageable with at least three points on an outer peripheral edge of the disc for positioning the disc and drivable in coaction with disc transferring operation of the disc transfer mechanism. The positioning mechanism is releasable from engagement with the disc while the disc is being played back. The positioning mechanism includes three positioning levers angularly movable by an endless chain for engagement with the outer peripheral edge of the disc. With this arrangement, the disc can accurately and reliably be positioned on the disc transfer mechanism regardless of the diameter of the disc.

Abstract: A disc carrying system is mounted in a disc player of the front loading type and serves to support a disc that will be performed at a predetermined location on a disc supporting surface and to carry the disc to a predetermined performance location by moving the disc horizontally and vertically. This system comprises: a horizontally slidable tray for positioning the disc; a container which can project outside of the player housing together with the tray and which supports the disc in cooperation with the tray; at least a pair of horizontally movable cam members having cam holes adapted to engage the container; and a motor to drive the cam members. The cam holes are formed so as to vertically move the container in association with the horizontal movement of the cam members. Two concave portions are formed in the tray at predetermined locations corresponding to the periphery of the disc when it has been mounted on the disc supporting surface.

Abstract: A front-loading disc player comprises a housing and an electrically driven disc transport mechanism operable to transport a disc from a position external to the housing to a position within the housing above a playing mechanism and to mount the disc on the playing mechanism. The disc transport mechanism is based upon a tray which is slidably mounted in the housing, a container which supports the disc until it is mounted on the playing mechanism, and a cam mechanism slidably mounted on the tray and supports the container, and which is driven through a rack gear to produce all of the requisite movements of the tray and container.

Abstract: A reading device drive mechanism for a video disk player including a chassis, a pair of guide rails mounted parallel to one another on the chassis, a slider contacting corresponding sides of the guide rails through bearings, and a retainer for restricting deviation of the bearings supported and engaged with the guide rails with a retainer being slidable in the longitudinal direction of the guide rails. The retainer has windows formed therein through which the bearings are insertable with a lower edge portions of the windows being formed with a resiliency so that the bearings can be detachably mounted in corresponding ones of the windows.