Centering mechanism for automotive disk player

Claim 2

A vehicle disk player in which a compact disk is inserted through a disk inserting opening, said disk is fixedly mounted on a turntable by a clamper arm when conveyed to a predetermined position in said player, and said turntable is rotated for reproduction of data recorded in said disk, comprising: a centering mechanism which has a pair of centering boards which are slidably piled one on another and are urged towards each other; a pair of centering pins which are embedded in said pair of centering boards, respectively, to abut against the periphery of said disk; a pair of U-shaped guide holes formed respectively in said centering boards in such a manner that said guide holes are symmetrical with each other; and guide pins which are connected to said centering boards and are loosely fitted in said guide holes, respectively.

Claim 3

A vehicle disk player in which a disk is inserted through a disk inserting opening, said disk is fixedly mounted on a turntable by a clamper arm when conveyed to a predetermined position in said player, and said turntable is rotated for reproduction of data recorded in said disk, said disk player comprising: a centering mechanism provided near said disk inserting opening, for guiding a disk inserted therein to the middle of said disk inserting opening, said centering mechanism comprising: a pair of stopper arms which are arranged in such a manner that said stopper arms are spaced from each other and are substantially in parallel with each other, and are rockable about fulcrums provided at middle portions thereof; a pair of centering cams which are interposed between said pair of stopper arms at both ends, and are urged to take reference positions, respectively, each centering cam having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion; and a pair of centering pins connected to said pair of centering cams, respectively, to abut against the periphery of said disk, in such a manner that the small diameter portion of one of said centering cams and the large diameter portion of the other of said centering cams are in contact with one of said stopper arms, while the large diameter portion of the one centering cam and the small diameter portion of the other centering cam are in contact with the other stopper arm, and wherein when said disk abuts against only one of said centering cams, said stopper arms are locked by the other centering cam, thus preventing rotation of the one centering cam, and when said disk abuts against both of said centering cams simultaneously, said centering cams are turned in opposite directions while unlocking said stopper arms, to incline said stopper arms in parallel, thus permitting the passage of said disk.

Claim 4

A vehicle disk player in which a disk is inserted through a disk inserting opening, said disk is fixedly mounted on a turntable by a clamper arm when conveyed to a predetermined position in said player, and said turntable is rotated for reproduction of data recorded in said disk, said disk player comprising: a centering mechanism provided near said disk inserting opening, for guiding a disk inserted therein to the middle of said disk inserting opening, said centering mechanism comprising: a pair of stopper arms which are arranged in such a manner that said stopper arms are spaced from each other and are substantially in parallel with each other, and are rockable about fulcrums provided at middle portions thereof; a pair of centering cams which are interposed between said pair of stopper arms at both ends, and are urged to take reference positions, respectively, each centering cam having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion; and a pair of centering pins connected to said pair of centering cams, respectively, to abut against the periphery of said disk, in such a manner that the small diameter portion of one of said centering cams and the large diameter portion of the other of said centering cams are in contact with one of said stopper arms, while the large diameter portion of the one centering cam and the small diameter portion of the other centering cam are in contact with the other stopper arm, and wherein when said disk abuts against only one of said centering cams, said stopper arms are locked by the other centering cam, thus preventing rotation of the one centering cam, and when said disk abuts against both of said centering cams simultaneously, said centering cams are turned in opposite directions while unlocking said stopper arms, to incline said stopper arms in parallel, thus permitting the passage of said disk.

Claim 5

A vehicle disk player in which when a disk inserted into a disk inserting opening is abutted against loading rollers, said disk is conveyed by loading rollers to a predetermined position in said player, and is fixedly mounted on a turntable by a clamper arm, and said turntable is rotated for reproduction of data recorded in said disk, which player comprises: a centering mechanism provided near said disk inserting opening, for positioning said disk inserted into said disk inserting opening at the middle of said disk inserting opening, said centering mechanism including a pair of abutting members spaced away from each other, said abutting members being adapted to abut against the periphery of said disk thus inserted, and provided between said loading rollers and said disk inserting opening in such a manner that, when said disk is positioned substantially at the middle of said disk inserting opening when inserted thereinto, said abutting members are abutted against the periphery of said disk after the front end of said disk has been nipped by said loading rollers.

Claim 6

A vehicle disk player in which when a disk inserted into a disk inserting opening is abutted against loading rollers, said disk is conveyed by loading rollers to a predetermined position in said player, and is fixedly mounted on a turntable by a clamper arm, and said turntable is rotated for reproduction of data recorded in said disk, which player comprises: a centering mechanism provided near said disk inserting opening, for positioning said disk inserted into said disk inserting opening at the middle of said disk inserting opening, said centering mechanism including a pair of abutting members spaced away from each other, said abutting members being adapted to abut against the periphery of said disk thus inserted, and provided between said loading rollers and said disk inserting opening in such a manner that, when said disk is positioned substantially at the middle of said disk inserting opening when inserted thereinto, said abutting members are abutted against the periphery of said disk after the front end of said disk has been nipped by said loading rollers.