Recording and/or reproducing apparatus adapted for utilization of record bearing media of a disc type

Claim 2

A recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a disc-shaped record bearing medium, comprising: (A) a recording and/or reproducing head; (B) drive means for rotating the medium relative to said head; (C) holder means movable between a first position for receiving the medium and a second position for placing the received medium at a predetermined position for signal recording and/or reproducing; (D) detecting means for detecting that said holder means has reached said second position; (E) pressing means arranged to apply no pressing action to press a portion of the medium against said drive means until said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position and to apply the pressing action to press said portion of the medium against the drive means thereby to mount the medium on the drive means after said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position and then to release said pressing action after a lapse of a predetermined period of time; (F) instruction means for instructing said drive means to rotate the medium; and (G) control means arranged to monitor the pressing action of said pressing means and to activate said drive means to rotate the medium when said pressing action by said pressing means has been released and said instruction means instructs said drive means to rotate the medium.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressing means includes a plunger.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said plunger is operated according to the result of detection by said detecting means.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pressing means is arranged so as to press said portion of the medium during said predetermined period of time.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detecting means includes: (a) detecting signal generating means for detecting that said medium has reached the predetermined position and for generating a detecting signal; and (b) delaying means for delaying said detecting signal generated by said detecting signal generating means for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said pressing means includes: (a) a solenoid; and (b) activating means for generating an activating signal to activate said solenoid for said predetermined period of time according to the detecting signal delayed by said delaying means.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said control means is arranged so as to activate said drive means to rotate the medium when said activating means stops generation of the activating signal and said instruction means instructs said drive means to rotate the medium.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the instructions of said instruction means include an instruction for initiating recording and/or reproducing operation.

Claim 10

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a disc-shaped magnetic sheet which is provided with a center core having an engaging hole and is housed within a cassette having an opening for exposing a portion of the magnetic sheet, said apparatus comprising: (A) a magnetic head for recording signals on and/or reproducing recorded signals from the magnetic sheet, said head being arranged to confront a recording surface of the magnetic sheet through the opening of the cassette; (B) a spindle engageable with the center core at the engaging hole thereof for rotating the magnetic sheet relative to said head; (C) a motor for rotating said spindle; (D) a pressing member for pressing the center core relative to said spindle to mount the magnetic sheet on the spindle; (E) a cassette holder movable between a first position for receiving the cassette and a second position for placing the received cassette at a predetermined position relative to said head and said spindle; (F) detecting means for detecting that said cassette has reached said predetermined position by means of said cassette holder; (G) pressing member drive means for driving said pressing member so that said pressing member applies no pressing action to press the center core onto said spindle until said detecting means detects that the cassette has reached said predetermined position and applies the pressing action to press the center core against said spindle after said detecting means detects that the cassette has reached said predetermined position and then releases said pressing action after a lapse of a predetermined period of time; (H) instruction means for instructing said motor to rotate said spindle; and (I) control means arranged to monitor the pressing action of said pressing member and to activate said motor to rotate said spindle when said pressing action of the pressing member has been released and said instruction means instructs said motor to rotate said spindle.

Claim 11

A magnetic recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a disc-shaped magnetic sheet which is provided with a center core having an engaging hole and is housed within a cassette having an opening for exposing a portion of the magnetic sheet, said apparatus comprising: (A) a magnetic head for recording signals on and/or reproducing recorded signals from the magnetic sheet, said head being arranged to confront a recording surface of the magnetic sheet through the opening of the cassette; (B) a spindle engageable with the center core at the engaging hole thereof for rotating the magnetic sheet relative to said head; (C) a motor for rotating said spindle; (D) a pressing member for pressing the center core relative to said spindle to mount the magnetic sheet on the spindle; (E) a cassette holder movable between a first position for receiving the cassette and a second position for placing the received cassette at a predetermined position relative to said head and said spindle; (F) detecting means for detecting that said cassette has reached said predetermined position by means of said cassette holder; (G) pressing member drive means for driving said pressing member so that said pressing member applies no pressing action to press the center core onto said spindle until said detecting means detects that the cassette has reached said predetermined position and applies the pressing action to press the center core against said spindle after said detecting means detects that the cassette has reached said predetermined position and then releases said pressing action after a lapse of a predetermined period of time; (H) instruction means for instructing said motor to rotate said spindle; and (I) control means arranged to monitor the pressing action of said pressing member and to activate said motor to rotate said spindle when said pressing action of the pressing member has been released and said instruction means instructs said motor to rotate said spindle.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said detecting means includes: (a) detecting signal generating means for detecting that said cassette has reached the predetermined position and for generating a detecting signal; and (b) first delaying means for delaying the detecting signal generated by said detecting signal generating means for said predetermined period of time.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said pressing member drive means includes: (a) a solenoid for driving said pressing member; and (b) activating means for generating an activating signal to activate said solenoid for said predetermined period of time according to the detecting signal delayed by said first delaying means.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control means is arranged to activate said motor to rotate said spindle when said activating means stops generation of the activating signal and said instruction means instructs said motor to rotate the spindle.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said control means includes second delaying means for delaying the activating signal generated by said activating means for a further predetermined period of time and said control means is arranged to activate said motor to rotate said spindle when the activating signal delayed by said second delaying means stops its generation and said instruction means instructs said motor to rotate said spindle.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said pressing member drive means is arranged to drive said pressing member so that said pressing member presses said center core against said spindle during said predetermined period of time.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the instructions in said instructions means include an instruction to initate a recording and/or reproducing operation.

Claim 18

A recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a disc-shaped record bearing medium, comprising: (a) a recording and/or reproducing head; (b) drive means for rotating the medium relative to said head; (c) holder means movable between a first position for receiving the medium and a second position for placing the received medium at a predetermined position for signal recording and/or reproducing; (d) detecting means for detecting that said medium has reached said predetermined position by means of said holder means; (e) pressing means arranged to apply no pressing action to press a portion of the medium against said drive means until said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position and to apply the pressing action to press said portion of the medium against said drive means to mount the medium on the drive means during a first period of time after said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position and then to release said pressing action after the lapse of said first period of time; (f) instruction means for instructing said drive means to rotate the medium; and (g) control means arranged to activate said drive means to rotate the medium, when a second period of time, which is longer that said first period of time, has lapsed after said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position, during a time when said instruction means is instructing said drive means to rotate the medium.

Claim 19

A recording and/or reproducing apparatus using a disc-shaped record bearing medium, comprising: (a) a recording and/or reproducing head; (b) drive means for rotating the medium relative to said head; (c) holder means movable between a first position for receiving the medium and a second position for placing the received medium at a predetermined position for signal recording and/or reproducing; (d) detecting means for detecting that said medium has reached said predetermined position by means of said holder means; (e) pressing means arranged to apply no pressing action to press a portion of the medium against said drive means until said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position and to apply the pressing action to press said portion of the medium against said drive means to mount the medium on the drive means during a first period of time after said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position and then to release said pressing action after the lapse of said first period of time; (f) instruction means for instructing said drive means to rotate the medium; and (g) control means arranged to activate said drive means to rotate the medium, when a second period of time, which is longer that said first period of time, has lapsed after said detecting means detects that the medium has reached said predetermined position, during a time when said instruction means is instructing said drive means to rotate the medium.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said detecting means includes: detecting signal generating means for detecting that the medium has reached the predetermined position and for generating a detecting signal.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said detecting means further includes: delaying means for delaying said detecting signal generated by said detecting signal generating means for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said pressing means includes: (a) a solenoid; and (b) activating means for generating an activating signal for actuating said solenoid during said first period of time according to said detecting generated by said detecting signal generating means.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said control means includes delaying means for applying, to said activating signal generated by said activating means, delay of a third period of time corresponding to a difference between said first period of time and said second period of time, thereby producing a delayed output, and said control means being arranged to activate said drive means to rotate the medium when the activating signal delayed by said delaying means stops its generation during the time when said instruction means is instructing said drive means to rotate the medium.

Claim 24

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the instructions of said instruction means includes an instruction for initiating a recording and/or a reproducing operation.