Apparatus for recording and reproducing signals using a disc-like recording medium

Claim 1

An apparatus for recording and reproducing signals, comprising a disc-like recording medium made of flexible material, a base plate, a turntable having an engaging portion which protrudes from the surface of the base plate and engages with the central portion of said recording medium to support said recording medium, driving means coupled to said turntable for rotating said turntable at high speed, an air inlet port formed in said base plate and located in the position corresponding to the central portion of said recording medium supported by said turntable, a pickup device which moves in a radial direction of and makes contact with said recording medium, and a convexity provided on said base plate and located between said recording medium and said base plate, said convexity being located under the radial moving path of said pickup device and extending from near the outer periphery of said recording medium towards the center of rotation of said recording medium, the height of said convexity from the base plate getting gradually smaller towards the center of rotation of said recording medium.

Claim 2

An apparatus for recording and reproducing signals, comprising a disc-like recording medium made of flexible material, a base plate, a turntable having an engaging portion which protrudes from the surface of the base plate and engages with the central portion of said recording medium to support said recording medium, driving means coupled to said turntable for rotating said turntable at high speed, an air inlet port formed in said base plate and located in the position corresponding to the central portion of said recording medium supported by said turntable, a pickup device which moves in a radial direction of and makes contact with said recording medium, and a convexity provided on said base plate and located between said recording medium and said base plate, said convexity being located under the radial moving path of said pickup device and extending from near the outer periphery of said recording medium towards the center of rotation of said recording medium, the height of said convexity from the base plate getting gradually smaller towards the center of rotation of said recording medium.

Claim 3

An apparatus for recording and reproducing signals comprising a disc-like recording medium made of flexible material, a base plate, a turntable having an engaging portion which protrudes from the surface of the base plate and engages with the central portion of said recording medium to support said recording medium, driving means coupled to said turntable for rotating said turntable at high speed, an air inlet port formed in said base plate and located in the position corresponding to the central portion of said recording medium supported by said turntable, a pickup device which moves in a radial direction of said recording medium, and at least one air baffle plate provided on said base plate, the outer lower periphery of said baffle plate contacting said base plate and maintaining a clearance from said recording medium, the outer upper periphery of said baffle plate being positioned above the plane of rotation of said recording medium.

Claim 4

An apparatus for recording and reproducing signals comprising a disc-like recording medium made of flexible material, a base plate, a turntable having an engaging portion which protrudes from the surface of the base plate and engages with the central portion of said recording medium to support said recording medium, driving means coupled to said turntable for rotating said turntable at high speed, an air inlet port formed in said base plate and located in the position corresponding to the central portion of said recording medium supported by said turntable, a pickup device which moves in a radial direction of said recording medium, and at least one air baffle plate provided on said base plate, the outer lower periphery of said baffle plate contacting said base plate and maintaining a clearance from said recording medium, the outer upper periphery of said baffle plate being positioned above the plane of rotation of said recording medium.

Claim 7

An apparatus for recording and reproducing signals, comprising: a disc-like recording medium having a central portion, said medium being made of flexible material; a base plate; a turntable having a part which protrudes from a surface of the base plate to engage and support said recording medium, said part engaging and supporting said recording medium in the vicinity of said central portion thereof; driving means coupled to said turntable for rotating said turntable at high speed; an air inlet port formed in said base plate and located in a position corresponding to said central portion of said recording medium; a shoe maintained adjacent to and above said recording medium, a first resilient member for supporting said shoe; a second resilient member having a resilient force less than that of said first resilient member, one end of said second resilient member being fixed to said shoe and the other end being spaced from said first resilient member when said shoe is in its rest position; and a pick up device fixed to the one end of said second resilient member and in contact with said recording medium, wherein said shoe is arranged to be held in a predetermined position above said recording medium by a suspending force due to air flow accompanied with rotation of said recording medium against the resilient force of said first resilient member.

Claim 8

An apparatus for recording and reproducing signals, comprising: a disc-like recording medium having a central portion, said medium being made of flexible material; a base plate; a turntable having a part which protrudes from a surface of the base plate to engage and support said recording medium, said part engaging and supporting said recording medium in the vicinity of said central portion thereof; driving means coupled to said turntable for rotating said turntable at high speed; an air inlet port formed in said base plate and located in a position corresponding to said central portion of said recording medium; a shoe maintained adjacent to and above said recording medium, a first resilient member for supporting said shoe; a second resilient member having a resilient force less than that of said first resilient member, one end of said second resilient member being fixed to said shoe and the other end being spaced from said first resilient member when said shoe is in its rest position; and a pick up device fixed to the one end of said second resilient member and in contact with said recording medium, wherein said shoe is arranged to be held in a predetermined position above said recording medium by a suspending force due to air flow accompanied with rotation of said recording medium against the resilient force of said first resilient member.