Recording/playback apparatus with auto-changer

Claim 1

A recording/playback apparatus comprising: a rotary body (20) on which a plurality of holding means each holding a disk-like recording medium (F) in a freely loadable and unloadable manner are fixedly arranged at predetermined angular intervals circumferentially about the rotary body, and two types of drive units provided at a predetermined angular position with respect to said rotary body and arranged to freely approach and separate from a selected one of said plurality of holding means which has arrived at said predetermined position for rotatively driving the selected recording medium held by said selected one of said plurality of holding means and subjecting the selected recording medium to recording/playback, one of said drive units approaching and separating from one main surface of said disk-like recording medium and the other of said drive units approaching and separating from the other main surface of said recording medium.

Claim 5

A device for engaging and disengaging drive units with a magnetic recording medium which is in a predetermined position in a recording/playback apparatus, which device comprises: a frame; a first support body for supporting a first drive unit which includes a rotative drive device including a motor for rotatively driving the recording medium and a recording/playback head transfer device; a second support body for supporting a second drive unit having a retaining means for maintaining the magnetic head in contact with the recording medium; means for mounting said first and second support bodies to said frame for rotation about respective pivot points; and a synchronous driving mechanism for swingingly driving said first and second support bodies toward and away from each other about said respective pivot points to engage said drive units with said magnetic recording medium located at said predetermined position and to disengage said drive units from said magnetic recording medium, respectively.

Claim 6

A device for engaging and disengaging drive units with a magnetic recording medium which is in a predetermined position in a recording/playback apparatus, which device comprises: a frame; a first support body for supporting a first drive unit which includes a rotative drive device including a motor for rotatively driving the recording medium and a recording/playback head transfer device; a second support body for supporting a second drive unit having a retaining means for maintaining the magnetic head in contact with the recording medium; means for mounting said first and second support bodies to said frame for rotation about respective pivot points; and a synchronous driving mechanism for swingingly driving said first and second support bodies toward and away from each other about said respective pivot points to engage said drive units with said magnetic recording medium located at said predetermined position and to disengage said drive units from said magnetic recording medium, respectively.

Claim 11

An apparatus comprising: a moving body for moving between a recording medium loading/unloading position provided at a first predetermined position and a recording medium recording/playback position provided at a second predetermined position; and holding mechanisms arranged on said moving body at predetermined intervals for holding respective recording media in a freely loadable/unloadable state, said moving body and each of said holding mechanisms being formed to have a cut-away portion in such a manner that a portion of the recording media held by said respective holding mechanism is exposed to the outside at both surfaces thereof; and a drive unit comprising first and second members mounted at a predetermined location with respect to said moving body and arranged to each freely approach and separate said recording media from first and second surfaces, respectively, of a selected one of said holding means which has arrived at said second predetermined position for subjecting the recording media held to recording/playback, said first member having thereon means for effecting recording/playback said first surface when in contact therewith, and said second member having retaining means for contacting said second surface to maintain said first surface and said recording/playback means in contact, one of said members approaching and separating from one main surface of said disk-like recording media and the other of said members approaching and separating from the other main surface of said recording media.

Claim 12

An apparatus comprising: a moving body for moving between a recording medium loading/unloading position provided at a first predetermined position and a recording medium recording/playback position provided at a second predetermined position; and holding mechanisms arranged on said moving body at predetermined intervals for holding respective recording media in a freely loadable/unloadable state, said moving body and each of said holding mechanisms being formed to have a cut-away portion in such a manner that a portion of the recording media held by said respective holding mechanism is exposed to the outside at both surfaces thereof; and a drive unit comprising first and second members mounted at a predetermined location with respect to said moving body and arranged to each freely approach and separate said recording media from first and second surfaces, respectively, of a selected one of said holding means which has arrived at said second predetermined position for subjecting the recording media held to recording/playback, said first member having thereon means for effecting recording/playback said first surface when in contact therewith, and said second member having retaining means for contacting said second surface to maintain said first surface and said recording/playback means in contact, one of said members approaching and separating from one main surface of said disk-like recording media and the other of said members approaching and separating from the other main surface of said recording media.