Abstract: An optical recording/reproducing apparatus capable of using disc cartridges of at least two different sizes and/or a naked disc, on only one tray. The optical recording/reproducing apparatus is also capable of recording and/or reproducing information on/from one of the discs mounted on the tray by automatically detecting the disc cartridges and/or the naked disc positioned on the tray.

Abstract: A mechanism for chucking a disk with a first and a second roller includes a base plate provided substantially at a right angle to a surface of the disk, and a first and a second rod that are spaced apart and which move along the base plate either toward or away from the disk. A first block is provided which, when the first rod advances or retracts, moves along the base plate and substantially parallel to the surface of the disk, and a first roller is mounted on the first block. A second block is provided which, when the second rod advances or retracts, moves either toward or away from the first roller and the disk, and a second roller is mounted on the second block. A roller position setting mechanism which is secured to the base plate is provided which allows the first rod to move either toward or away from the disk, thereby causing the first block to move along the base plate such that the first roller comes to a position associated with the size of the disk.

Abstract: A disk playback device includes a magazine for several disks and trays for supporting the disks, a magazine housing for the magazine, a disk playback section for playing back data recorded on a disk and a tray transport section for transporting a tray, supporting a selected disk, between the magazine and the playback section. In one embodiment, the playback device includes a disk guide for securely placing a played back disk onto its associated tray. In another embodiment, the playback device includes a disk guide for guiding disks of various diameters. In another embodiment, the playback device includes an optical detecting element for detecting whether a tray contains a disk. In another embodiment, the playback device includes a switch for detecting whether a magazine has been inserted and locked in the magazine housing. In another embodiment, the playback device includes a guide mechanism for securely guiding a disk clamper to a selected disk for playback.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a compatible disk player, which is capable of playing compact disk CD or laser disk LD. More specifically, the disk player of the present invention reduces the delay time between loading and actually playing a disk. It includes a manual switch on the disk player, from which a person may select the type of disk to play, thereby decreasing the time needed to determine which type of disk is entered. If the CD mode is selected or the last disk to be played was a CD, the player pick-up is placed in the initial playing position of the CD before a disk is entered. After entering a disk, if it determines that an LD is loaded or the CD mode is cancelled (by the manual switch) the pick-up is moved to a ready position for the LD. By including a manual switch and circuitry which assumes the next disk type is the same as the last, the present invention reduces the time needed to determine which type of disk is loaded.

Abstract: In a disc player according to the present invention, a single motor mounted on a chassis is coupled to a disc transport mechanism through a first power transmission system and to a pickup transport mechanism through a second power transmission system. The disc player includes a pickup restraining mechanism for restraining the pickup from moving upon the pickup reaching one end of path of its travel where the pickup is to be restrained. Approximately when the pickup reaches the path end, the restraining mechanism is coupled to the first power transmission system and thereby moved from a first position to a second position, where the restraining mechanism is coupled to the pickup transport mechanism to restrain the pickup at the path end.

Abstract: A rotation control system for disk player in which the player detects the size of a disk housed in the player, varies the starting torque to be given to the disk motor in response to the detected size, and controls the disk motor so as to require substantially the same length of time before a prescribed rotational frequency is attained, irrespective of the size of the disk.

Abstract: A disc-record player comprises a deck plate (1) which carries a rotatable turntable (2) and a pivotable pick-up arm (4). This arm is rigidly connected to a pick-up arm support (24). In the turntable two depressible sensing pins (38,39) are arranged. Further, a control device is provided which comprises inter alia a drive element (20) for controlling the pivotal movement of the pick-up arm (4) and which can be coupled to the pick-up arm support (24). There is also provided a selection element (27) which can be set selectively to two operative positions and which carries first and second positioning projections (29a, 29c). The device also comprises a starting element (17). A positioning element (32) which cooperates with the selection element (27) is provided with two positioning portions (34, 35) against which the sensing pin (38, 39) abuts, after which the selection element (27) is actuated.