Abstract: A disc drive unit is configured with a plurality of disc drives as one unit. At least one of a pair of opposed disc drives arranged on an identical horizontal plane is provided with a tray support member for supporting a front end of a tray of the other disc drive when the tray is ejected. The tray support member is capable of protruding from the one disc drive and withdrawing into the same.

Abstract: An optical disc device according to the present invention performs, in parallel, a first control to convey a first tray in the first optical disc drive group from the disc replacing position to the recording and reproducing position, and a second control to convey a second tray in the second optical disc drive group 40R from the recording and reproducing position to the disc replacing position. The second tray is opposed to the first tray.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides an optical disc device with which the disc replacing time can be further suppressed. The optical disc device according to the present disclosure performs, in parallel, a first control to convey a first tray in the first optical disc drive group 40L from the disc replacing position to the recording and reproducing position and a second control to convey a second tray in the second optical disc drive group 40R from the recording and reproducing position to the disc replacing position, the second tray being opposed to the first tray.

Abstract: [Problem] The problem is to provide a system with a large capacity as the recording and regenerating apparatus through piling optical disks and stocking the piled optical disks compactly. [Means to solve the Problem] An optical disk recording and regenerating apparatus to make a holding means, which includes an optical disk sucking part to suck an upper surface of an optical disk, and a partition sheet sucking part to suck a partition sheet by sucking a held area of the partition sheet and which sucks and holds at least one of the optical disk and the partition sheet, move to an optical disk drive from a tray loaded with a plurality of the optical disks which are piled through the partition sheet having the held area projecting from an edge of the optical disk and not overlapping with the optical disk when the optical disk and the partition sheet are piled.

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.

Abstract: To develop optical discs stored while being stacked and to load them to a plurality of recording/reproducing devices simultaneously. Trays for mounting optical discs are stacked to configure an optical disc transportation body, and the portions being exposed without overlapping when the stacked trays are viewed from the stacking direction are utilized as tray operation portions for handling. Supporting portions abutting against the tray operation portions inherent to respective trays in one to one correspondence are fixed with an interval in the vertical direction to the frames configuring a tray distributing/holding portion. The tray operation portion of each tray is held by the supporting portion at each position by moving the optical disc transportation body downward along the frames, and intervals corresponding to the arrangement pitch of recording/reproducing devices are formed between respective trays.

Abstract: A disk holding device for a disk having a center hole is provided. A disk holding mechanism is movable between a holding position and a release position, for engagement with an edge of the center hole when in the holding position, and for coming away from the edge when in the release position. A solenoid as actuator shifts the disk holding mechanism, to hold the disk by setting the disk holding mechanism in the holding position, and to release the disk by setting the disk holding mechanism in the release position. A regulating portion contacts a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the disk, to keep the disk retained on the disk holding mechanism by preventing skew relative to the disk holding mechanism. Preferably, the disk holding mechanism enters the center hole downwards and holds the disk on a lower side.

Abstract: A disc transportation mechanism for a disc processing device holds and transports discs by gripping the center hole of the disc. The disc transportation mechanism has a hole position detector and a position adjustment mechanism. The hole position detector detects the position of the center hole in a disc discharged to a disc transfer position from a label printer. The position adjustment mechanism can change the position of the gripping mechanism on the arm. After moving the arm to the disc transfer position, the transportation mechanism control unit controls the arm moving mechanism and/or position adjustment mechanism based on the detected position of the center hole to move the gripping mechanism to a picking position where it can grip the disc. The gripping mechanism can therefore correctly grip the disc even when the disc is not correctly discharged to the disc transfer position, and label damage can therefore be prevented.

Abstract: A disk holding device is for use with a disk having a center hole. A disk holding mechanism with coupling levers is movable between a holding position and a release position, for engagement with an edge of the center hole when in the holding position, and for coming away from the edge when in the release position. A solenoid shifts the disk holding mechanism, to hold the disk by setting the disk holding mechanism in the holding position, and to enable loading or unloading of the disk by setting the disk holding mechanism in the release position. A separating projection is opposed to the edge when inserted in the center hole, for receiving the edge while the disk holding mechanism moves to the release position, to ensure separation of the disk from the disk holding mechanism.

Abstract: A storage device includes a first loading tray to comprise a loading surface on which to abut a non-recording surface of said portable recording medium, a second loading tray to comprise a loading surface, parallel with the loading surface of said first loading tray, on which to abut a recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded in the way of being turned in the same direction as that of the recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded into said first loading tray, and an access unit disposed on the side of the recording surface to access the recording surface of said portable recording medium even in such a case that said portable recording medium is loaded into any one of said first loading tray and said second loading tray.

Abstract: [Problem] The problem is to provide a system with a large capacity as the recording and regenerating apparatus through piling optical disks and stocking the piled optical disks compactly. [Means to solve the Problem] An optical disk recording and regenerating apparatus to make a holding means, which includes an optical disk sucking part to suck an upper surface of an optical disk, and a partition sheet sucking part to suck a partition sheet by sucking a held area of the partition sheet and which sucks and holds at least one of the optical disk and the partition sheet, move to an optical disk drive from a tray loaded with a plurality of the optical disks which are piled through the partition sheet having the held area projecting from an edge of the optical disk and not overlapping with the optical disk when the optical disk and the partition sheet are piled.

Abstract: A disk player includes a body, a tray having a first seating recess and a second seating recess to load disks of a first size and a second size and slidably inserted into or ejected from a replay unit of the body, a single sensor disposed in the body to detect loading or unloading of a disk on the tray, size of the loaded disk, and insertion or ejection of the tray, and a plurality of slits penetratingly formed on the tray with different lengths to correspond to the sensor when the tray is inserted or ejected.

Abstract: The invention provides a disc changer including a plurality of trays which can be moved respectively in a horizontal direction, a tray driving gear unit capable of shuttling the trays between a standby position and a disc exchange position, a gear driving mechanism for driving the tray driving gear unit, a tray triggering unit capable of locking/unlocking the trays in the standby position, pushing all trays to engage with the tray driving gear unit after unlocking the trays, and driving the trays toward the disc exchange position, wherein all trays in the standby position can be unlocked and pushed to engage with the tray driving gear unit, and ejected outward from a mechanical chassis by a predetermined tray stroke, thereafter the trays are driven back to the standby position one by one, and when the last tray reaches the standby position all trays are locked.

Abstract: The invention provides a disc changer including a plurality of trays which can be moved respectively in a horizontal direction, a tray driving gear unit capable of shuttling the trays between a standby position and a disc exchange position, a gear driving mechanism for driving the tray driving gear unit, a tray triggering unit capable of locking/unlocking the trays in the standby position, pushing all trays to engage with the tray driving gear unit after unlocking the trays, and driving the trays toward the disc exchange position, wherein the tray driving gear unit can be used for checking the discs by driving all trays to protrude outward from the mechanical chassis to the disc exchange position, and can drive the trays individually from the disc exchange position to the standby position from top to bottom, thereby each disc can be checked until its tray is closed.

Abstract: An optical disc device is disclosed. In the optical disc device, a cam portion configured to include a holder that is supported on the outside of a cam member to turn and move vertically is provided in a position that is in vicinity of a tray being supported by elevator cam gears. In disc loading/ejecting operations, the cam portion is turned and a projecting portion pushes down a tray projecting portion of the tray, so that a space S if formed between the tray and the disc. Since the tray is shaped into a closed circular tray, a rigidity of the tray can be ensured and also the space used to avoid a contact between a projecting portion on a lower face of the disc and a surface of the tray can be provided by bending the tray.

Abstract: A disc changer device, that houses discs, and transports a selected disc to carry out a recording/reproducing operation on the disc, includes a plurality of trays, a first tray driving unit for moving the tray in a reciprocating manner between a stand-by position and a recording/reproducing position, a traverse unit having an optical pickup and a turn table, a clamp unit for moving the traverse unit to a clamp position as well as to a retreat position, a pickup moving unit for moving the optical pickup, a first motor for driving the first tray driving unit, the pickup moving unit and the clamp unit, an elevation unit that raises and lowers the traverse unit, a second tray driving unit for moving the tray in a reciprocating manner between the stand-by position and an exchange position, and a second motor for driving the elevation unit and the second tray driving unit.

Abstract: The removable optical disc storage cartridge stores a plurality of optical disc media in a substantially stacked orientation for later extraction and presentation to a picker in an optical disc storage library. Each optical disc media is stored on a separate extractor that slides between a retracted and a stored position. An extractor tab, accessible outside or inside of the removable optical disc storage cartridge, is connected to each one of the extractors located within the removable optical disc storage cartridge. The removable optical disc storage cartridge further includes a security front door that operates between a closed and open position and further includes a locking element. The locking element may be operated by the picker or a release element contained on a magazine that handles multiple disc storage cartridges. The removable optical disc storage cartridge also includes seals to prevent dust from entering the removable optical disc storage cartridge.

Abstract: The tray carry-out method for a disc changer device, comprising, while transporting the tray from a recording/reproducing position to a stand-by position by driving the first motor, starting to drive the second motor for bringing a tray driving gear unit into a tray simultaneously transportable state, and upon completion of the transport of the tray to the stand-by position, with the tray driving gear unit being set to the tray simultaneously transportable state, starting to drive the second motor to carry out the tray from the stand-by position to an exchange position.

Abstract: The disc changer device, for transporting a tray to a stand-by position where trays are housed in a stacked state, to a disc exchange position where a disc on the tray is exchanged, as well as to a disc recording/reproducing position where a recording/reproducing operation is carried out on the disc on the selected tray, is provided with a plurality of tray locking units that are prepared in association with the respective trays, and engaged with a corresponding trays so that each of the corresponding trays is prevented from being transported from the stand-by position to the disc exchange position, and an engagement releasing unit for releasing engagement between the selected tray and the tray locking unit related to the selected tray as well as engagement between a tray adjacent to the selected tray on a lower side thereof and the tray locking unit related to the adjacent tray.

Abstract: To provide a disk device, which can reliably lead and house a disk into a disk housing section requiring only a small space. The disk device is provided with: a pick arm 130 which swings and inserts a drive unit for playing a disk D into a space created by splitting a plurality of trays 250; and a loading arm 256 which can move between a leading position for abutting on the disk D inserted/ejected with respect to the tray 250 and leading the disk D, and a withdrawing position for withdrawing from the disk to be played. A pick swing cam plate 138, which controls the drive of the pick arm 130 and the loading arm 256, is provided so as to be slidingly moved by a drive mechanism.

Abstract: A disk carrier for teaching disk positioning in a substrate changing system. The disk carrier composed of a panel having a disk opening configured to receive a disk and a plurality of beam sensors disposed around the disk opening to project beams parallel to a surface of the disk when secured within the disk opening. The plurality of beam sensors may be composed of at least one beam sensor on each of a front side and rear side of the panel.

Abstract: A disk selecting device for storing a plurality of disks that can be separated to provide a space for receiving a disk drive unit to play a selected disk within the disk selecting device. A plurality of trays are mounted within the disk selecting device including a drum cam that can be rotated by a drum gear driven by a drive mechanism so that a disk selecting cam groove does not contact those trays that do not contain the disk to be selected for playing whereby a sufficient space is provided to drive the selected disk.

Abstract: A mounting apparatus includes a receiving tray receiving a data storage device, a rack receiving the receiving tray, a rotatable shaft, two pivoting members fixed to the rotatable shaft, two resilient members, and a cover detachably mounted to the rack. The clamping protrusion protrudes out from the receiving tray. The rotatable shaft includes a latching portion. The resilient members are mounted to the corresponding pivoting members, and each resilient member resists against the rack and the corresponding pivoting member. When the cover is mounted to the rack, the pivoting members are rotated together with the rotatable shaft. Therefore, the latching portion rotates to engage with the clamping protrusion, and the resilient members are deformed. When the cover is removed from the rack, the resilient members are released to rotate the pivoting members together with the rotatable shaft. The latching portion rotates to disengage from the clamping protrusion.

Abstract: A disc device is capable of suppressing movement of discs remaining on standby. Discs are moved upward and downward, thereby providing an operation space S at a lower side of the desired disc, and a pivotal arm is located in a predetermined position, and thereafter the desired disc is set on the pivotal arm, and recording/reproduction is effected. At this time, the standby discs disposed at the lower side of the desired disc are disposed below the operation space (S), and are fixed by pressing pressing members of disc fixing portions against outer peripheral surfaces thereof.

Abstract: A disk holder, disk alignment mechanism and disk drive employing same that for permitting accurate alignment of a disk are provided. The disk drive comprises a disk holder 10 that comprises a plurality of holder plates 11 that individually hold disks D, a drive unit 62 that plays back disks D, disk selectors 41A and 41B that form a space above and below a desired disk D by raising and lowering the holder plates 11, and a drive base 60 that moves the drive unit 62 into the space that is formed as a result of raising and lowering the holder plates 11. Disk hold links 17 and 18 comprising catches 17a and 18a respectively that engage with and disengage from the center hole of disk D are provided on the holder plates 11 such that the disk hold links 17 and 18 are able to turn, and a disk hold arm 16 that allows the disk hold links 17 and 18 to turn is provided so as to be able to perform a sliding movement.

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.

Abstract: A disc changer having a swing arm as a reproducing device in a disc drive unit can prevent an arm front end from being fluctuated when the swing arm reproduces the content of a disc or when a disc is mounted. The disc changer takes out a desired one disc from a stocker using the swing arm, and reproduces the information with an optical head. The disc changer has a holding projection that holds the bottom surface of the front end of the swing arm at a disc take-out position. The disc changer also has an auxiliary arm that supports a part of the swing arm near the front end of the swing arm when the swing arm is rotated to the disc reproduction position.

Abstract: A disk holder, disk alignment mechanism and disk drive employing same that for permitting accurate alignment of a disk are provided. The disk drive comprises a disk holder 10 that comprises a plurality of holder plates 11 that individually hold disks D, a drive unit 62 that plays back disks D, disk selectors 41A and 41B that form a space above and below a desired disk D by raising and lowering the holder plates 11, and a drive base 60 that moves the drive unit 62 into the space that is formed as a result of raising and lowering the holder plates 11. Disk hold links 17 and 18 comprising catches 17a and 18a respectively that engage with and disengage from the center hole of disk D are provided on the holder plates 11 such that the disk hold links 17 and 18 are able to turn, and a disk hold arm 16 that allows the disk hold links 17 and 18 to turn is provided so as to be able to perform a sliding movement.

Abstract: A storage device includes a first loading tray to comprise a loading surface on which to abut a non-recording surface of said portable recording medium, a second loading tray to comprise a loading surface, parallel with the loading surface of said first loading tray, on which to abut a recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded in the way of being turned in the same direction as that of the recording surface of said portable recording medium loaded into said first loading tray, and an access unit disposed on the side of the recording surface to access the recording surface of said portable recording medium even in such a case that said portable recording medium is loaded into any one of said first loading tray and said second loading tray.

Abstract: A disk holding device for a disk having a center hole is provided. A disk holding mechanism is movable between a holding position and a release position, for engagement with an edge of the center hole when in the holding position, and for coming away from the edge when in the release position. A solenoid as actuator shifts the disk holding mechanism, to hold the disk by setting the disk holding mechanism in the holding position, and to release the disk by setting the disk holding mechanism in the release position. A regulating portion contacts a peripheral portion of an upper surface of the disk, to keep the disk retained on the disk holding mechanism by preventing skew relative to the disk holding mechanism. Preferably, the disk holding mechanism enters the center hole downwards and holds the disk on a lower side.

Abstract: A disk-storing disk may include multiple supporting members for supporting disks and being stacked in the axial direction; a supporting member selecting mechanism for moving a supporting member to a selecting position; a driving unit having a rotational driving unit for clamping and rotating a disk held by the supporting member at the selecting position; a transporting mechanism for transporting a disk inserted from an insertion opening of the casing to the selected supporting member at the selecting position; and a restriction guide member having a restriction face and being turnably supported between a guiding attitude and a non-acting attitude; wherein, when a disk is transported toward a supporting member at the selecting position by the transporting mechanism, the restriction guide member turns to the guide attitude, and when the supporting member is moved by the supporting member selecting mechanism, the restriction guide member turns to the non-acting attitude.

Abstract: A disk-storing disk device is disclosed. A disk-storing disk device may include: a plurality of supporting members for supporting a disk and disposed stacked in the axial direction of the disk; a supporting member selecting mechanism for spreading the spacing between selected and adjacent supporting members; and holding members moveably supported by each of the supporting members, the holding members for holding a disk between the holding members and each of the supporting member when the supporting member selecting mechanism moves the plurality of supporting members in the axial direction of the disk.

Abstract: A disk holder, disk alignment mechanism and disk drive employing same that for permitting accurate alignment of a disk are provided. The disk drive comprises a disk holder 10 that comprises a plurality of holder plates 11 that individually hold disks D, a drive unit 62 that plays back disks D, disk selectors 41A and 41B that form a space above and below a desired disk D by raising and lowering the holder plates 11, and a drive base 60 that moves the drive unit 62 into the space that is formed as a result of raising and lowering the holder plates 11. Disk hold links 17 and 18 comprising catches 17a and 18a respectively that engage with and disengage from the center hole of disk D are provided on the holder plates 11 such that the disk hold links 17 and 18 are able to turn, and a disk hold arm 16 that allows the disk hold links 17 and 18 to turn is provided so as to be able to perform a sliding movement.

Abstract: A disk device includes a driving unit and a restricting mechanism that are disposed in a housing. The driving unit moves between a withdrawal position and a driving position. The withdrawal position is separated from an outer peripheral edge of a disk that is positioned in the housing, and the driving position is where the disk is rotationally driven. When the driving unit is at the withdrawal position, the restricting mechanism restricts movement of the driving unit toward the driving position.

Abstract: An optical disc device is capable of achieving a size reduction by ensuring a rigidity of a tray and also executing a stable disc transferring/ejecting operation by preventing such a situation that a projection on the recording face side of the disc is stuck. In an optical disc device, a cam portion configured to include a holder that is supported on the outside of a cam member to turn and move vertically is provided in a position that is in vicinity of a tray being supported by elevator cam gears. In disc loading/ejecting operations, the cam portion is turned and a projecting portion pushes down a tray projecting portion of the tray, so that a space S if formed between the tray and the disc. Since the tray is shaped into a closed circular tray, a rigidity of the tray can be ensured and also the space used to avoid a contact between a projecting portion on a lower face of the disc and a surface of the tray can be provided by bending the tray.

Abstract: The tray carry-out method for a disc changer device, comprising, while transporting the tray from a recording/reproducing position to a stand-by position by driving the first motor, starting to drive the second motor for bringing a tray driving gear unit into a tray simultaneously transportable state, and upon completion of the transport of the tray to the stand-by position, with the tray driving gear unit being set to the tray simultaneously transportable state, starting to drive the second motor to carry out the tray from the stand-by position to an exchange position.

Abstract: The disc changer device, for transporting a tray to a stand-by position where trays are housed in a stacked state, to a disc exchange position where a disc on the tray is exchanged, as well as to a disc recording/reproducing position where a recording/reproducing operation is carried out on the disc on the selected tray, is provided with a plurality of tray locking units that are prepared in association with the respective trays, and engaged with a corresponding trays so that each of the corresponding trays is prevented from being transported from the stand-by position to the disc exchange position, and an engagement releasing unit for releasing engagement between the selected tray and the tray locking unit related to the selected tray as well as engagement between a tray adjacent to the selected tray on a lower side thereof and the tray locking unit related to the adjacent tray.

Abstract: The disc changer device, for housing a plurality of discs, and transporting a selected disc to carry out a recording/reproducing operation on the disc, is provided with a plurality of trays, a first tray driving unit for moving the tray reciprocatingly between a stand-by position and a recording/reproducing position, a traverse unit having an optical pickup and a turn table, a clamp unit for moving the traverse unit to a clamp position as well as to a retreat position, a pickup moving unit for moving the optical pickup, a first motor for driving the first tray driving unit, the pickup moving unit and the clamp unit, an elevation unit that raises and lowers the traverse unit, a second tray driving unit for moving the tray reciprocatingly between the stand-by position and an exchange position, and a second motor for driving the elevation unit and the second tray driving unit.

Abstract: The invention provides a disc changer including a plurality of trays which can be moved respectively in a horizontal direction, a tray driving gear unit capable of shuttling the trays between a standby position and a disc exchange position, a gear driving mechanism for driving the tray driving gear unit, a tray triggering unit capable of locking/unlocking the trays in the standby position, pushing all trays to engage with the tray driving gear unit after unlocking the trays, and driving the trays toward the disc exchange position, wherein all trays in the standby position can be unlocked and pushed to engage with the tray driving gear unit, and ejected outward from a mechanical chassis by a predetermined tray stroke, thereafter the trays are driven back to the standby position one by one, and when the last tray reaches the standby position all trays are locked.

Abstract: A container to hold optical disk media is described, incorporating disc locking arms to loosely retain discs when the container is open, and securely retain discs when the container is closed.

Abstract: A disc device is capable of suppressing movement of discs remaining on standby. Discs are moved upward and downward, thereby providing an operation space S at a lower side of the desired disc, and a pivotal arm is located in a predetermined position, and thereafter the desired disc is set on the pivotal arm, and recording/reproduction is effected. At this time, the standby discs disposed at the lower side of the desired disc are disposed below the operation space (S), and are fixed by pressing pressing members of disc fixing portions against outer peripheral surfaces thereof.

Abstract: A stack type disk changer is capable of not only being designed to have a relatively small overall size and to be simple and mounting more many disks thereon, but also allowing a user to easily withdraw a desired tray and check disks mounted on the respective trays by withdrawing the entire trays in a stairway form.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a stack type optical disk changer including a main frame, a cartridge slidably installed on the main frame, a plurality of disk trays slidably stacked in the cartridge, and a cartridge movement preventing means installed in the main frame, for selectively stopping movement of the cartridge. The stack type optical disk changer maintains quality of sound or image of an optical disk, and prevents damages of the optical disk, mis-operations and breakage, by preventing the optical disk from being separated from the tray.

Abstract: A recording medium changer includes a plurality of storage trays that are arranged in alignment in a predetermined direction and each store a recording medium, and a conveying mechanism that is movable in an alignment direction of the plurality of storage trays and conveys a recording medium. The plurality of storage trays are rotatable about an axis extending in the alignment direction of the storage trays. At the time of rotation of each of the storage trays, the conveying mechanism is held in a movement preparing position retracted in the alignment direction from the storage tray that is being rotated. Each of the storage trays has a movement cutout for forming at least a part of a movement space through which the conveying mechanism is moved.

Abstract: A cartridge storage device includes a housing having a front and a back. A plurality of cells are mounted in the housing, each cell adapted for receiving a media cartridge. A drive mechanism drives the cells towards a front opening in the front of the housing for allowing insertion and retrieval of the cartridges from the cells by the picker. Optionally, the back of the housing can have a rear opening for allowing in situ user-insertion and retrieval of the cartridges from the cells as well as viewing of the cartridges.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a main frame; a cartridge slidably installed in the main frame; a plurality of trays stacked in the cartridge and slidably installed therein; an elevation unit for controlling a height of a turn table; a tray selecting unit for locking each tray to a state that each tray can be loaded or unlocking a specific tray among a plurality of locked trays to draw it out of the main frame; a loading unit for loading the specific tray, among the plurality of trays locked by the tray selecting unit to reproduce/record a disk by means of an optical pick-up unit, onto the turn table; and a driving unit for driving the cartridge, the elevation unit, the tray selecting unit and the loading unit.

Abstract: A tray for transporting a recording medium toward or away from a connector is provided with an auxiliary tray coupled thereto, and the auxiliary tray has a pusher for pressing the recording medium as placed on the tray against the connector. A chassis is provided with a pressure fitting mechanism for moving the auxiliary tray toward the connector, with the recording medium transported by the tray to a position opposed to the connector, and the pressure fitting mechanism causes the pusher to press the recording medium into the connector. The chassis is also provided with a guide mechanism for causing the auxiliary tray to escape downward from the path of movement of the tray, with no recording medium inserted in the tray.

Abstract: To provide a disc changer capable of working without any malfunctions in spite of a reduced number of switches, it includes a mode-detecting mechanism having means for identifying an operation, cams respectively operated by powers supplied from a first and second motors, each cam provided with said identifying means, sensors for detecting said identifying means moving according to the operation of said cam, each composed of a set of a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, a control section for receiving operation signals detected by said sensors to control the operation of the disc changer, and transmission gears for driving said cams, said transmission gears interlocking with a transporting gear meshing with a rack of said main tray for carrying the main tray out with the subtray put thereon.

Abstract: With a conventional disk changer, it takes a long time with poor operability to directly and visually confirm which tray has a disk or which tray has which disk in a device. A disk changer of the invention includes a tray transfer unit for shuttling trays between a standby position and an attaching/detaching position and between the standby position and a recording/reproducing position, a tray gear unit engaged separately with the trays, and a tray driving unit for driving the trays separately via the tray gear unit, so that the trays can be separately moved from the standby position to the attaching/detaching position via the tray gear unit and the trays can be protruded to the attaching/detaching position while being arranged like steps. Hence, it is possible to directly and visually confirm which tray has a disk or which tray has which disk in a device with a simple operation in a short time.

Abstract: To achieve a disc device with a disc changer in which number of motors is reduced, and a quiet and stable switching operation, accurate positioning of a sub-tray, smooth clamp and release of a disc are possible, only a first motor for driving a main tray and a second motor for driving the sub-tray are used as driving sources, and a gear switching mechanism is provided, in which driving channels of the first and second motors can be disconnected.