Stocker Or Internal Magazine Is Adjustable Or Movable Patents (Class 369/30.78)
  • Patent number: 10438629
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. The disc cassette further includes a bottom side including track connectors configured to position the disc cassette relative to one or more track portions that hold the disc cassette in place. The disc cassette is slideable along the one or more track portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 10351366
    Abstract: A manual tray device comprises a tray storage body; a tray main body rotatably supported on the tray storage body with a lower end side as a rotation fulcrum; an assistance tray arranged at an upstream side of the tray main body in a sheet feed direction; a rotation regulation link, one end part side of the rotation regulation link being rotatably supported on the tray storage body, the other end part side being slidably supported on the tray main body in a predetermined stroke range; and an interlocking mechanism configured to interlock displacement of the other end part side of the rotation regulation link with forward and backward displacement of the assistance tray. The assistance tray protrudes from the tray main body in a state where rotation of the tray main body in the opening direction is regulated by the rotation regulation link.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuya Oshida
  • Patent number: 9802772
    Abstract: A long sheet loader, which is included in an image forming apparatus, includes an attaching device and a base loading body. The attaching device is attached to a bypass tray configured to be openable or closable relative to a side face of an apparatus body of an image forming apparatus. The base loading body is attached to the bypass tray via the attaching device and movably in a sheet feeding direction of the bypass tray. The base loading body loads a long length sheet set on the bypass tray in a case in which a length of the long length sheet exceeds a length of the bypass tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventor: Kiho Sai
  • Patent number: 9741389
    Abstract: An apparatus includes one or more disc media cassettes configured to store multiple disc-based media. Multiple disc drives are configured to read and write data to the multiple disc-based media. A robotic delivery device is configured to transport a selected disc-based media to and from at least one disc drive of the multiple disc drives, and to transport the selected disc-based media directly to a spindle on the at least one disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 9415727
    Abstract: On an on-vehicle apparatus that is installed on a vehicle, a display that has a long side and a short side and displays an image is rotated so that a vertical position of an upper side of the display in a first position where the long side becomes the upper side substantially coincides with the vertical position of the upper side of the display in a second position where the short side becomes the upper side. This allows the display to be set at an easily visible position for a user with less eye movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomohisa Koseki, Masashi Hida
  • Patent number: 9058848
    Abstract: The disc device includes a picker which conveys, in a horizontal direction, a magazine tray in which a plurality of discs are stored, a lifter which pushes out the plurality of discs from the magazine tray, and a carrier which shifts in a vertical direction, which retains in a stacked manner the plurality of discs pushed out by the lifter, and which supplies the discs to a plurality of disc drives, respectively. The lifter is flexibly mounted such that the lifter shifts relative to the picker in the horizontal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuro Nishi, Norikatsu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8873356
    Abstract: A disc device with which the disc replacing time can further be suppressed includes a picker for conveying a plurality of discs in a stacked state, and a carrier which retains the plurality of discs in a stacked state, which supplies the retained plurality of discs to a respective one of a plurality of disc drives, respectively, and which collects the supplied plurality of discs in a stacked state. The carrier is structured to retain a stacked object made up of a first plurality of discs collected from the plurality of disc drives and a second plurality of discs to be supplied next to the plurality of disc drives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takuto Yamazaki, Masanori Ohnishi, Yasue Chihara
  • Publication number: 20130336098
    Abstract: A disc device with which the disc replacing time can further be suppressed includes a carrier which retains a plurality of discs in a stacked state, which supplies the retained plurality of discs to a plurality of disc drives, respectively, and which collects the supplied plurality of discs in a stacked state. The carrier is structured to retain a stacked object made up of a first plurality of discs collected from the plurality of disc drives and a second plurality of discs to be supplied next to the plurality of disc drives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Takuto YAMAZAKI, Masanori OHNISHI, Yasue CHIHARA
  • Patent number: 8498126
    Abstract: A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris R. Snider, Vineet Gupta, Joseph K. Huntzinger, Michael G. Coady
  • Patent number: 7826313
    Abstract: A disk accommodating unit accommodates a plurality of disk trays for holding a disk. A disk processing unit reproduces data from or records data to a loaded disk. A loading mechanism loads a selected disk together with the disk tray from the disk accommodating unit to a position of the disk processing unit. The loading mechanism includes a tray drawing pinion provided in the disk processing unit; a disk tray that includes a tray rack engaged with the tray drawing pinion; and a rack plate that includes a tray drawing rack engaged with the tray drawing pinion, and draws a tray in at a first half process of the loading and stops the tray at a second half process of the loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Ichikawa, Hideo Ito
  • Publication number: 20090046546
    Abstract: A controller 27 controls the driving member 2 to move the conveyer 23 as a second member to a target position of the receiving rack 10 as a first member in the other direction after moving the conveyer 23 over the target position when the conveyer 23 is moved in one direction to align the conveyer 23 with the target position. After the conveyer 23 is moved over the target position and when the conveyer 23 is moved in the other direction, the controller controls the conveyer 23 to move by a distance of a mechanical error at a time, and then to move intermittently to the target position for aligning the conveyer 23 with the target position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Publication date: February 19, 2009
    Applicant: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Matsumoto, Takeshi Matsumoto, Katsunori Tamamura, Takao Yoshida, Fumito Inaba, Makoto Ikehata
  • Patent number: 7430749
    Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a supporting mechanism inwardly projecting from an inner surface of a wall of a housing, the wall having a disk insertion/ejection opening, a disk conveying mechanism that is supported by the supporting mechanism so that the disk conveying mechanism can be moved along a disk conveyance path, via which a disk is conveyed, toward a predetermined position within the housing, an engagement groove formed in the supporting mechanism and having a straight portion parallel to the disk conveyance path and a locking portion perpendicular to the straight portion, a locking member that is rotatably disposed on the disk conveying mechanism and that is engaged with the engagement groove so that the locking member is pressed toward the locking portion of the engagement groove, and an actuation mechanism for rotating the locking member to release locking of the locking member when playing back the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7406006
    Abstract: A disk apparatus includes a plurality of stockers each for stocking a disk therein, a plurality of stocker moving mechanism arranged around the plurality of stockers, for, when stocking a disk in one of the plurality of stockers and when playing back a disk stocked in one of the plurality of stockers, moving the one of the plurality of stockers upward or downward, each of the plurality of stocker moving mechanism having small-diameter portions at upper and lower ends thereof, and an actuation member movably arranged in a gap between the small-diameter portion of one of the plurality of stocker moving mechanism and an inner surface of a wall of a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tatsunori Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7339858
    Abstract: A disk device includes a disk tray capable of accommodating disks by stacking; a first driving motor for transferring the disk tray in the disk-stacking direction; a driving unit including an optical head for reading out data recorded in the disks, and a supporting component for supporting the rotation of the disks; a second driving motor for selectively transferring the driving unit between a playback position where the driving unit overlaps with the disks in the disk-stacking direction and a retracted position where the driving unit does not overlap with the disks in the disk-stacking direction; disk detectors for determining whether the disk tray accommodates disks at predetermined positions; and a controlling section for transferring the disk tray in the disk-stacking direction while the driving unit is kept at the playback position when the disk tray does not accommodate disks at predetermined positions on the basis of detection results of the disks during disk checks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Tatekawa
  • Patent number: 7283431
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an elevator type changer for optical recording media including a moveable drawer supporting a number of trays arranged one above the other, each tray capable of holding an optical recording medium, which allows access to all trays at the same time. According to the invention, a changer for optical recording media including a moveable drawer supporting a number of trays arranged one above the other, each tray being capable of holding an optical recording medium, the trays being mounted such that they are pivotable about a horizontal axis of the drawer, is characterized in that the trays are pivoted about the horizontal axis by a rotating movement of a rotation cam connected to the drawer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Thomson Licensing
    Inventor: Jisung Woo
  • Patent number: 7230887
    Abstract: The present invention was developed in order to provide a disc player, whereby even when an inserted disc is not normally set on a stocker, or a normally set disc is dislocated from a stocker, the disc can be reset in the normal position on the stocker during a stocker lifting/division operation, so that the normal operating condition can be quickly recovered without troublesome removing activities, comprising multiple stockers for stocking discs and a lifting division device to conduct the lifting/division of these stockers, wherein disc guides for controlling the movement of a disc unexpectedly dislocated from a stocker are mounted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited
    Inventor: Tomohisa Koseki
  • Patent number: 7111309
    Abstract: A disc changer apparatus includes a stacking unit for stacking at least two holder compartments, adapted to hold one disc each, in at least two stacking positions. The holder compartments are coupled to at least one spindle having a screwthread and are movable in a vertical direction by rotation of the spindles. The holder compartments are stacked in upper and lower stacking zones of the stacking. The changer apparatus has a play position for reading information stored on the information discs and/or writing information on the informaton discs. A central zone of the stacking unit between the upper and the lower stacking zone has a loading position, into which one of the holder compartments is movable by rotation of the spindles. A transporter unit is adapted to move the disc from the holder compartment, which is in the loading position, into the play and eject positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Franz Kletzl
  • Patent number: 6996034
    Abstract: A disk device realizing reducing in size and number of parts, prevention of damage to disks, shortening operation time for plurality of operations, improved vibration resistance and less expensive manufacturing cost is provided. The disk device capable of storing a plurality of disks includes an operation setting means to actuate the disk holding means according to an operation mode of the disk, and an operation mode switching means to switch the operation mode of the operation setting means based on contents of disk operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Taniguchi, Kei Shirahata, Takashi Kuzuu, Shoji Tatehata, Eiji Sasaki, Kiichiro Murotani, Naohiko Obata, Yuichiro Suzui, Ryoto Adachi, Tetsuro Nagami, Takashi Matsuda, Yasuyuki Nakanishi, Masahiro Ieda
  • Patent number: 6883173
    Abstract: A disk device realizing reducing in size and number of parts, prevention of damage to disks, shortening operation time for plurality operations, improved vibration resistance and less expensive manufacturing cost is provided. The disk device capable of storing a plurality of disks loosely fitted and supported at its inner diameter, including separable loose mandrel mechanisms, when the mandrel mechanism is loosely fitted to the disk, the disk holder holds the disk, and one end of the a second mandrel mechanism is connected to another end of a first mandrel mechanism in a state that the disk is raised to a height abutting upon a support of a ceiling side formed on the first mandrel mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Taniguchi, Kei Shirahata, Takashi Kuzuu, Shoji Tatehata, Eiji Sasaki, Kiichiro Murotani, Naohiko Obata, Yuichiro Suzui, Ryoto Adachi, Tetsuro Nagami, Takashi Matsuda, Yasuyuki Nakanishi, Masahiro Ieda
  • Patent number: 6760283
    Abstract: A disc recording and/or reproducing device includes a disc compartment that has a plurality of disc mounts placed one upon another, on which discs are mounted. The device also includes a recording and/or reproducing mechanism for selectively recording and/or reproducing a disc mounted on one of the plurality of disc mounts. An injection mechanism is included for ejecting the disc mounted on the disc mount. A control mechanism is included that moves along a line substantially perpendicular to the placing direction and is configured to start the recording and/or reproducing mechanism when in a first position and start the ejection mechanism when reaching a second position on another side of the line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6751181
    Abstract: A pair of pins 2c, 2d is arranged on the left and right of each of a plurality of trays 2 placed vertically movably so as to protrude laterally, whereas separating cams 82 are arranged on both sides of the trays 2 in a protrudable and withdrawable way. The separating cams 82 are formed with four first separating control parts 82c1 for moving upward the pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2 and the tray(s) 2 thereabove, four second separating control parts 82c2 for moving upward only the pins 2c, 2d of the tray(s) 2 above the selected tray 2, and four third separating control parts 82d each for engaging with only a pair of pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2. Movement of the separating cam 82 forms spaces above and below the selected tray 2 to hold a disc on the selected tray 2 from above and below for reproduction on the spot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6683827
    Abstract: As a front panel of a disk changer apparatus is moved to an open position, a disk rack moving in response to the movement of the front panel operates to hold a plurality of disks in a staggered configuration. Such a staggered configuration of the disks allows a user to easily pick up and take out any desired disk from the disk rack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Omoto, Takehiro Mabuchi
  • Patent number: 6683828
    Abstract: In place of a conventional tray, a pair of mounting stages 2 is arranged as a disc holding device, wherein six pairs of mounting stages 2 are vertically movably placed one upon another by arranging guide supports 23 through guide holes 2i of the pair of mounting stages 2 for mounting a disc thereon. Spring bearings 2j are arranged on the uppermost mounting stages 2, inside which received are the lower ends of coil springs 24 enclosing spring guides 26 arranged between a top plate and a bottom plate, achieving reduced size and weight of the disc holding device for mounting discs thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Publication number: 20030227837
    Abstract: The present invention was developed in order to provide a disc player, whereby even when an inserted disc is not normally set on a stocker, or a normally set disc is dislocated from a stocker, the disc can be reset in the normal position on the stocker during a stocker lifting/division operation, so that the normal operating condition can be quickly recovered without troublesome removing activities, comprising multiple stockers for stocking discs and a lifting division device to conduct the lifting/division of these stockers, wherein disc guides for controlling the movement of a disc unexpectedly dislocated from a stocker are mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: December 11, 2003
    Inventor: Tomohisa Koseki
  • Patent number: 6654319
    Abstract: In an on-vehicle disc player having a disc elevator (22) for making a plurality of disc carrying devices each having a CD placed on it stacked one over another, for example, in the vertical direction move in the stacking direction and a holding device (14) for holding and rotationally driving a CD, the disc player is provided with an inner slider (139) which moves in a direction (plane direction of a disc) perpendicular to the direction of stacking the disc carrying devices and makes the disc elevator (22) and the holding device (14) move in the stacking direction, a separating cam (82) which separates the stacked disc carrying devices to form a specified space, and an outer slider (140) which is coupled to the separating cam (82) and moves in a plane direction of a disc is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Patent number: 6650602
    Abstract: A disk device includes a rotatable bar-shaped fixing element which is fixed loosely to an inner peripheral hole of each of a plurality of disks and a support element which forms a support section. The support section supports a section of a disk on a peripheral section of the fixing element. The support element is displaced in a direction of a rotational axis of the fixing element based on the rotations of the fixing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuyuki Nakanishi, Ryoto Adachi, Tetsurou Nagami, Takashi Matsuda, Masahiro Ieda
  • Patent number: 6639880
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a disc-shaped recording medium. A medium is placed on each of a plurality of placement members. The members are stacked and housed in a housing unit. An elevating mechanism elevates the housing unit in the direction almost parallel to the stack direction of the members. A carrying mechanism carries one of the members among a position where a medium can be placed or ejected to/from the member, a position where the member is housed in the housing unit and a position where the medium placed on the member is loaded to the recording and/or reproducing unit. A driving source drives both the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A switching mechanism selectively supplies a driving force from the driving source to the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A photodetector detects the presence/absence of the medium on the members in the housing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Nagasaka, Shinji Ito
  • Publication number: 20030198147
    Abstract: A pair of pins 2c, 2d is arranged on the left and right of each of a plurality of trays 2 placed vertically movably so as to protrude laterally, whereas separating cams 82 are arranged on both sides of the trays 2 in a protrudable and withdrawable way. The separating cams 82 are formed with four first separating control parts 82c1 for moving upward the pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2 and the tray(s) 2 thereabove, four second separating control parts 82c2 for moving upward only the pins 2c, 2d of the tray(s) 2 above the selected tray 2, and four third separating control parts 82d each for engaging with only a pair of pins 2c, 2d of the selected tray 2. Movement of the separating cam 82 forms spaces above and below the selected tray 2 to hold a disc on the selected tray 2 fro above and below for reproduction on the spot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 23, 2003
    Applicant: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Watanabe, Kazuyuki Takizawa, Takayuki Ishibashi, Yoshiteru Taka, Toru Hama
  • Publication number: 20030193852
    Abstract: A connecting member connects a pair of holder plates toward the end of the holder plates at the recessed end in the direction in which the disk is inserted. By forming the holding member holding disks using three pieces, there is less deformation causes by high temperatures compared to integrally formed units. Also, since this connecting member only serves to connect the pair of holder plates, a thin rod-shaped connecting bar can be used. This allows the clearance between the disks held toward the back of the device and the rear panel to be minimized, thus contributing to a reduced depth dimension for the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicants: MECHANICAL RESEARCH CORPORATION, ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Publication number: 20030193853
    Abstract: A connecting member connects a pair of holder plates toward the end of the holder plates at the recessed end in the direction in which the disk is inserted. By forming the holding member holding disks using three pieces, there is less deformation causes by high temperatures compared to integrally formed units. Also, since this connecting member only serves to connect the pair of holder plates, a thin rod-shaped connecting bar can be used. This allows the clearance between the disks held toward the back of the device and the rear panel to be minimized, thus contributing to a reduced depth dimension for the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Applicant: MICHANICAL RESEARCH CORPORATION AND ALPINE ELECTRONICS, INC.
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6633517
    Abstract: A connecting member connects a pair of holder plates toward the end of the holder plates at the recessed end in the direction in which the disk is inserted. By forming the holding member holding disks using three pieces, there is less deformation causes by high temperatures compared to integrally formed units. Also, since this connecting member only serves to connect the pair of holder plates, a thin rod-shaped connecting bar can be used. This allows the clearance between the disks held toward the back of the device and the rear panel to be minimized, thus contributing to a reduced depth dimension for the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignees: Mechanical Research Corporation, Alpine Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Niro Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6580668
    Abstract: An apparatus for recording and/or reproducing a disc-shaped recording medium. A medium is placed on each of a plurality of placement members. The members are stacked and housed in a housing unit. An elevating mechanism elevates the housing unit in the direction almost parallel to the stack direction of the members. A carrying mechanism carries one of the members among a position where a medium can be placed or ejected to/from the member, a position where the member is housed in the housing unit and a position where the medium placed on the member is loaded to the recording and/or reproducing unit. A driving source drives both the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A switching mechanism selectively supplies a driving force from the driving source to the carrying mechanism and the elevating mechanism. A photodetector detects the presence/absence of the medium on the members housed in the housing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Nagasaka, Shinji Ito
  • Publication number: 20030012089
    Abstract: A disk autochanger having good operability is provided while implementing miniaturization of an apparatus. First holding means that can contain a plurality of disks and second holding means that can contain a plurality of disks are provided, wherein a disk is transferred between said first holding means and said second holding means so that necessary space can be reserved above or below the disk to be played to allow said disk playing means to play the disk. Therefore, a new disk can be inserted even while the other disk is being played, resulting in an improvement in operability. Further, the apparatus can be miniaturized by configuring the disk autochanger so that the disks contained in the first holding means, the disks contained in the second holding means, and the disk that is being played are overlapped, at least partially, on a projected area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2002
    Publication date: January 16, 2003
    Inventor: Fumihiko Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 6507542
    Abstract: A changer apparatus for information discs includes a stacking unit for stacking at least two information discs in at least two stacking positions, the stacking unit having holding trays for holding the information discs in holding planes and a first transport mechanism for moving the holding trays into the stacking positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventors: Christian Hopf, Norbert Kunze, Stefan Müller, Horst Rumpf, Cornelius Wouters
  • Patent number: 6445652
    Abstract: A magazine assembly containing numerous media units is disposed adjacent to a picker assembly. One of the two assemblies is normally stationary, while the other assembly is a traveling assembly. In either case, the two assemblies cooperate with one another to selectively provide the picker assembly with access to the media units that are stored in the magazine assembly. A motion reversal assembly is coupled to the normally stationary assembly and is engageable by the traveling assembly when it enters an end portion of its excursion path. When the motion reversal assembly is so engaged, it moves the normally stationary assembly in the direction opposite to that of the traveling assembly's movement. The effect is an apparent increase in the traveling assembly's available excursion length, which makes it possible for the picker assembly to access media slots that would otherwise be disposed in the dead spaces located on either end of the traveling assembly's excursion path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company
    Inventors: Wayne E Foslien, Robert W Luffel, Matthias A Lester, Kelly J. Reasoner
  • Patent number: 6396796
    Abstract: A changer apparatus for information discs comprises a stacking unit for stacking at least two holder compartments, adapted to hold one information disc each, in at least two stacking positions, the holder compartments being coupled to at least one spindle having a screwthread and the holder compartments being movable in a vertical direction by rotation of the spindles, an upper stacking zone and a lower stacking zone of the stacking unit being provided for stacking the holder compartments, and the changer apparatus having a play position for reading information stored on the information discs and/or writing information on the information discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2002
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Franz Kletzl
  • Patent number: 6392981
    Abstract: A disk system capable of sharing portions at which disks are disposed, thereby miniaturizing the entire structure of the system. The disk system includes a plurality of stockers for containing disks in such a manner as to substantially align rotational axial lines of the disks to each other. The disk system also includes a stocker moving mechanism for moving the stockers to specific positions. The disk system also includes a disk driving mechanism for rotating the disks contained in the stockers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Electric Engineering Company Limited, Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidetaka Watanabe, Shigehiro Itou, Takashi Matsuda, Yoshisada Ishimoto