EP0143442A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cartridge loading apparatus
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1984-11-22
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2004-11-22
Abstract
Abstract A cartridge loading apparatus comprises a loading/ ejecting ans opening/closing mechanism (64) disposed in a housing (60). The mechanism (64) receives a cartridge (A) which encloses an optical recording disk (1) therein and includes first and second cases (4 and 6) from a port (61) formed on the housing (60 in a closed state wherein the first and second cases (4 and 6) are in contact with each other, opens the cartridge (A) by separating the first and second cases (4 and 6) from each other to expose an area of the disk (1) during the receiving operation, ejects at least part of the cartridge (A) outside of the housing (60) through the port (61), and closes the cartridge (A) by bringing the first and second cases (4 and 6) into contact with each other during the ejecting operation. The central portion of the disk (1) after the opening thereof by the mechanism (64) is clamped between a turntable (65) and clamper (69), and the exposed area of the disk (1) between the first and second cases (4 and 6) is recorded/reproduced by an optical head (70) using a laser beam.
Inventors
- 👤 Masao C/O Patent Division Shiosaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:17
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B17/00; G11B17/02; G11B17/04; G11B17/041; G11B17/043; G11B17/0434; G11B17/022; G11B17/028; G11B17/03; G11B23/00; G11B23/02; G11B23/03; G11B23/0301; G11B23/0308; G11B23/0313; G11B23/0316
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
An apparatus for loading a cartridge (A) which encloses an information recording disk (1) therein, includes first and second cases (4 and 6), and is adapted to be in a closed state to completely enclose and seal the disk (1) when the first and second cases (4 and 6) are brought into contact with each other and in an opened state to expose an area of the'disk (1) between the first and second cases (4 and 6) when the first and second cases (4 and 6) are separated from each other, said apparatus (B) comprising: a housing (60) having a port (61) at one side of said housing (60) for receiving and discharging the cartridge (A) therethrough; cartridge handling means (64), disposed in said housing (60), for receiving the cartridge (A) from said port (61) in the closed state, and for ejecting at least part of said closed cartridge (A) outside of said housing (60) through said port (61); and disk holding means (65), disposed in said housing (60), for holding the disk (1), characterized in that said cartridge handling means (64) opens the cartridge (A) by separating the first and second cases (4 and 6) from each other to expose the area of said information recording disk (1) during the receiving operation, and closes the cartridge (A) by bringing the first and second cases (4 and 6) into contact with each other during the ejecting operation, and said disk holding means (65) holds the disk (1) after the opening thereof by said cartridge handling means (64).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
257 words
An apparatus for loading a cartridge (A) which encloses an information recording disk (1) therein, includes first and second cases (4 and 6), and is adapted to be in a closed state to completely enclose and seal the disk (1) when the first and second cases (4 and 6) are brought into contact with each other and in an opened state to expose an area of the'disk (1) between the first and second cases (4 and 6) when the first and second cases (4 and 6) are separated from each other, said apparatus (B) comprising: a housing (60) having a port (61) at one side of said housing (60) for receiving and discharging the cartridge (A) therethrough; cartridge handling means (64), disposed in said housing (60), for receiving the cartridge (A) from said port (61) in the closed state, and for ejecting at least part of said closed cartridge (A) outside of said housing (60) through said port (61); and disk holding means (65), disposed in said housing (60), for holding the disk (1), characterized in that said cartridge handling means (64) opens the cartridge (A) by separating the first and second cases (4 and 6) from each other to expose the area of said information recording disk (1) during the receiving operation, and closes the cartridge (A) by bringing the first and second cases (4 and 6) into contact with each other during the ejecting operation, and said disk holding means (65) holds the disk (1) after the opening thereof by said cartridge handling means (64).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said cartridge handling means (64) comprises a path (81) for conveying said cartridge (A) in said housing (60), said conveying path (81) having first and second terminal portions, said first and second cases (4 and 6) being separated at said second terminal portion of said conveying path (81).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
106 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized by further comprising displacing means (68) connected to said cartridge handling means (64) for moving said cartridge handling means (64) between an upper position wherein said first terminal portion of said conveying path (81) opposes said port (61) and a lower position wherein the disk (1) is held by said disk holding means (65) at said second terminal portion of said conveying path (81), the disk (1) when located at said first terminal portion of said conveying path (81) being disengaged from said disk holding means (65) when said cartridge handling means (64) is located in said upper position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by further comprising means (190) for checking that the cartridge (A) is held in said housing (60) and the disk (1) is held by said disk holding means (65).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said checking means includes an observation window (190) formed in said housing (60) to oppose said first terminal end of said conveying path (81) when said cartridge handling means (64) is located in said lower position for allowing visual checking of part of the cartridge (A) located in said conveying path (81) of said cartridge handling means (64).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said disk comprises an optical recording disk.(1), said disk holding means comprises a rotatable turntable (65), said optical recording disk (1) in the cartridge (A) being placed on said turntable (65) for rotation therewith when said disk handling means (64) is in said lower position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by further comprising supporting means (143), disposed in said housing (60), for supporting the cartridge (A) in said cartridge handling means (64) when said disk handling means (64) is located in said lower position, and said supporting means (143) for supporting the cartridge (A) is supported in such a manner that said optical recording disk (1) floats in said cartridge (A) while said optical recording disk (1) is being placed on said turntable (65).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said supporting means (143) comprises a plurality of rods (142) extending vertically in said housing (60).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
213 words
The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said cartridge handling means (64) includes; a plurality of groups of feed rollers (88, 90 and 92) aligned along said conveying path (81) and being engaged with said first and second cases (4 and 6) when the cartridge (A) is being held in said housing (60); detecting means (122, 123, 124 and 125) for detecting that the cartridge (A) is inserted in said housing (60); and driving means (201) arranged to drive said plurality of groups of feed rollers (88, 90 and 92) in such a manner that (1) all of said plurality of groups of feed rollers (88, 90 and 92) are driven to convey the cartridge (A) in the closed state until said detecting means (122, 123, 124 and 125) detects that the cartridge (A) has been inserted into said housing (60), and (2) that a subset of said plurality of groups of feed rollers (88, 90 and 92) are driven to convey one of said first and second cases (4 and 6) to open the cartridge (A) by separating said first and second cases (4 and 6) from each other when said detecting means (122, 123, 124 and 125) detects that the cartridge (A) has been inserted into said housing (60).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
110 words
The apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said driving means (201) includes; a drive source (94); and clutch means (96 and 203) for transmitting a driving force from said drive source (94) to all of said plurality of groups of feed rollers (88, 90 and 92) before said detecting means (122, 123, 124 and 125) detects that the cartridge (A) is inserted in said housing (60), and for transmitting said driving force to said subset of said plurality of groups of feed rollers (88, 90 and 92) after said detecting means (122, 123, 124 and 125) detects that the cartridge (A) has been inserted into said housing (60).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized by further comprising shutter means (180) arranged to be vertically movable upon movement of said cartridge handling means (64) between said upper and lower positions, said shutter means (180) being opening said port (61) when said cartridge handling means (65) is located in said upper position, and being closing said port (61) when said cartridge handling means (64) is located in said lower position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that said shutter means (180) includes; a shutter (181) movable to cover said port (61), and means (183) for biasing said shutter (181) into contact with said cartridge handling means (64), whereby said shutter (181) is vertically moved upon movement of said cartridge handling means (64) between said upper and lower positions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that said shutter means (180) includes a second detecting means (184 and 185) for detecting disengagement of said shutter (181) from said cartridge handling means (64) before said shutter (181) closes said port (61), and said displacing means (68) moves said cartridge handling means (64) to said upper position when said second detecting means (184 and 185) detects said disengagement.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by further comprising press means (69) for urging said optical recording disk (1) against said turntable (65) after said optical recording disk (1) has been placed on said turntable (65).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
98 words
The apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that said press means includes a clamper (69) arranged to be vertically movable upon movement of cartridge handling means (64) between said upper and lower positions, said clamper (69) being located above said conveying path (81) when said cartridge handling means (64) is located in said upper position and being brought into contact with a central portion of an upper surface of said optical recording disk (1) to urge said optical recording disk (1) against said turntable (65) when said cartridge handling means (64) is located in said lower position.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
75 words
The apparatus according to claim 6, characterized by further comprising an information processing means (71) which comprises an optical head (70) for recording and reproducing information with respect to said optical recording disk (1') by using a laser beam, said optical head (70) being arranged to radially traverse the exposed area of said optical recording disk (1) between the first and second cases (4 and 6) when the cartridge (A) is in the opened state.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said cartridge handling means (64) comprises a shaft (86) in said housing (60) and a base member (80) pivotally disposed on said shaft (86) at a side of said housing (60) opposite to a side having said port (61).
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that said displacing means (68) includes; a reversible and rotatable drive source (138), and means (131) for transmitting a rotational force of said drive source (138) to said base member (80) to pivot said base member (80) about said shaft (86) between said upper and lower positions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that said transmitting means (131) includes; an internal gear (133) fixed at an end of said base member (80) which is located at said side of said housing (60) having said port (61), said internal gear (133) being concentric with said shaft (86), and a drive gear (134) meshing with said internal gear (133) and being driven by said drive source (138).
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that said transmitting means (131) includes; a pair of pulleys (210 and 211) vertically spaced apart in said housing (60), one of said pulleys (210 and 211) being driven by said driven source (138), and a belt (212) looped around said pair of pulleys (210 and 211) and being fixed to a part of said base member (80).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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