Abstract: An ejectable disc case is made up of three pieces—a bottom piece, a top piece, and a movable tray, all of which can formed by injection molding and then assembled together by snap fit. The bottom has a hole through which a disc can be ejected and two bottom grooves engaged by groove mechanisms of the tray. The tray has a disc perimeter support for supporting a perimeter of the disc in the tray in the retracted position, a disc locking mechanism for holding the perimeter of the disc in the tray in the retracted position, a center disc rest connected to the disc perimeter support by a center disc rest slant ramp, and a hook with a hook prong that extends upwardly from the center disc rest. The hook prong moves upwardly through the disc hole and engages the disc center to secure the disc center when the tray moves from the extended position to the retracted position but disengages the disc and moves downwardly through the disc hole when the tray moves from the retracted position to the extended position.
Abstract: A data storage cartridge includes a housing and a hard drive. The housing defines an access window and at least one alignment feature. The hard drive is maintained within the housing. The hard drive has at least one electrical connection point, and the at least one alignment feature is configured to interact with the hard drive to align the at least one electrical connection point relative to the access window.
Abstract: A navigation apparatus has a movable face that is allowed to move bidirectionally between a retracted state and an extended state. A range of movement of the movable face is divided at a predetermined position, so that the movement of the movable face has an initial extending stage or initial retracting stage, and a stage subsequent to the initial extending stage or initial retracting stage. A controlling system for driving and controlling the movable face moves the movable face at a lower speed in the subsequent stage than in the initial extending stage or initial retracting stage. Furthermore, a hazard detecting time for the subsequent stage is chosen to be shorter than a hazard detecting time for the initial extending stage or initial retracting stage. Accordingly, the movable face is moved quickly and smoothly in the initial stage while improving safety in the subsequent stage.
Abstract: The present invention is a disc media storage and retrieval system for safely and efficiently storing and conveniently retrieving specific disc media from a plurality of disc media stacked on a central column or spindle. Modified disc media are rotationally aligned on the spindle using corresponding alignment protrusion(s) formed on the spindle and notch(es) on the inner chuck hole of the disc. Accordingly, disc media is further modified with the addition of indexing notches on the outer circumference of the disk, such that each disc within the system is provided a unique notched-index. The aligned stack is protected by a cover member that forms a disc lifting device. A disc of interest is indexed and retrieved from the stack by rotating the cover member relative to the disc stack thereby aligning the disc notch-index with the lifting device. When the cover member is raised, the lifting device separates the stack at the disc of interest.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 9, 2003
Date of Patent:
November 23, 2004
Assignee:
G6 Science Corp.
Inventors:
Gary William Ferguson, Jayson Darek Eppler
Abstract: In an electronic equipment, an equipment body includes a projection portion to be fitted into a depression portion provided in a front panel, a sector gear to be turned when the projection portion is fitted into the depression portion, a drive gear, a flange portion, an engaging member to be engaged with an engaging projection portion, which abuts against the flange portion and is provided in the front panel, and a spring for moving the engaging member to a place, at which the engaging member engages with the engaging projection portion, when the projection portion is fitted into the depression portion and when an abutting state, in which the engaging projection portion abuts against the flange portion, is canceled as the flange portion performs a turning operation.
Abstract: An ejectable compact disc container comprises a housing, an ejector arm, and an ejector link. The housing is solid on five of its six sides, the sixth side of the housing is articulated on one of its ends to a lateral side of the housing and constitutes a lid of the housing. The ejector arm is located in the housing and engages the edge of the compact disc distant from the lid. The ejector arm is operable through a pivotal connection to the ejector link, which is connected to and actuated by the lid. Thus, upon opening the lid, the compact disc is pushed out of the housing.