GB2349011A

GB2349011A - CD changing device

Info

Publication number: GB2349011A
Application number: GB9908635A
Authority: GB
Inventors: J Y Huang
Original assignee: Ya Horng Electronic Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ya Horng Electronic Co Ltd
Priority date: 1999-04-15
Filing date: 1999-04-15
Publication date: 2000-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-15
Also published as: GB9908635D0; GB2349011B

Abstract

A CD changing device includes a bottom disc 3 moved back and forth by a projecting gear 70, a CD turn-table 5 on the bottom disc and a limit rod 702 on the projecting gear. A slide block 704 has two parallel projections (706, 707, fig. 6) to limit the limit rod. A slide groove 10 has two ends provided respectively with a left-biasing mouth and a right-biasing mouth (10A, 10B, fig. 7). The two parallel projections form a single-direction moving sector for the projecting gear to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise. The case 1 has a rack 11 engaging a bottom gear 73, and the bottom disc 3 has a teeth base (2, fig. 10) facing the rack. The teeth base carries a spring to let teeth of the teeth base located in the same direction of the rack, permitting the bottom gear engage the rack. The teeth base has a hook pin and the bottom disc has a hook to hook the hook pin. The hook pin and the hook offer function for the bottom disc to move back and forth in a stabilized condition and prevent the bottom disc from being pulled out.

Description

TfTLE : CD CHANG ING DEV ICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a CD changing device for a compact disc player, particularly to one having a turntable combined on a bottom disc moving back and and forth straightly without swaying and Preventing the bottom disc from pulled out by exterior force so as to elevate stability in changing CD and keeping its service life as normal.

There is a known conventional CD changing device disclosed in a Japanese patent of publication number Toku-Kai-lSei 49959 on 20 February, 1998, as shown in a copy of the patent enclosed. It can store a plurality of CD and is convenient to change to any one of the stored CD for playing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention has been devised to offer a new simple GD changing device moving back and forth straightly without swaying and preventing a bottom disc from pulled out by exterior force to keep movement of the changing process stabilized and thus keeping its service life normal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS This invention will be better understood by refer ring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a CD changing device in the Present invention ; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a gear group in the present invention ; Figure 3 is an upper view of the gear group in the present invention ; Figure 4 is an upper view of a projecting gear in the Present invention ; Figure 5 is a side view of the projecting gear in the Present invention ; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a slide block in the Present invention ; Figure 7 is a view of a first CD changing action in the present invention ; Figure 8 is a view of a second CD changing action in the present invention ; Figure 9 is a view of a third CD changing action in the present invention ; Figure 10 is a view of a first anti-pull ing safe action in the present invention ; Figure 11 is a view of a second anti-Pulling safe action in the present invention ; and, Figure 12 is a view of a third anti-pulling safe action in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a CD changing device in the present invention, as shown in Fig. 1, inclues a case 1, a teeth base 2, a bottom disc 3, a CD reading mechanism 4, a turntable 5, a position unit 6, a gear group 7, and a middle gear 8 as main components.

The case 1 is stationary, hollow with an upper open side, having a straight slide groove 10 opening upward and a rack 11 abutting along the groove 10 formed at one side, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The two ends of the straight slide groove 10 are formed respec- tively with a right-biasing mouth 10A, and a leftbiasing mouth 10B, as shown in Fig. 7. The rack 11 is located inside and along the straight slide groove 10, with its teeth facing the groove 10, having a recessed surface 110 in a lower portion of t. he case 1. as shown in Fig. 10. Further, a connect pin 12 is fixed on an upper surface of the bottom of the case 1 and near the rack 11 for connecting with the teeth base 2.

The teeth base 2 as shown in Figs. 1 and 10, having a curved surface facing the rack 11 and a curved slot 20 in an intermediate portion for the connect pin 12 to fit movably therein. Further the teeth base 2 is urged by a torque spring 21 so that the curved surface always fits in the recessed surface 110 of the rack 11.

Further, the curved surface has plural teeth 22 to form a short rack aligned to the rack 11. The teeth base 2 further has a hook 23 formed on an upper side and having its curve portion facing the rack 11.

The bottom disc 3 shown in Fig. 1 is closed movably on the case 1, having a turntable rotating section 30 recessed in an upper front surface, a support section 31 formed respectively at two sides behind the turntable rotating section 30 for supporting the CD reading mechanism 4, and a gear group section 32 for arranging the gear group 7 for driving the turntable 5 Placed in the turntable rotating section 30. The bottom disc 3 further is provided with a slide member 33 formed on the bottom surface and located to correspond to the location of the teeth 22 of the teeth base 2. Then the slide member 33 may push the teeth base 2 move for an angle when the slide member 33 is moved, with Fig. 11 referred to. Further, the bottom disc 3 has a hook pin 34 provided on a bottom surface for the hook 23 to hook on when the bottom base 3 moves inward, as shown in Fig.

12. Its detail will be described later.

The CD reading mechanism 4 is for reading CD, located in the support section 31 of he bottom disc 3, having a connect rod 40 provided on an outer surface and facing to-the gear group section 32 of the bottom disc 3.

The turntable 5 is located in the turntable rotating section 30, having a plurality of CD Placing sections 50, a shaft hole 51 formed in the center, and a turntable gear 52 positioned in a center portion of a lower surface of the bottom, as shown in Fig. 2.

The position unit 6 is placed on the turntable 5, having an engage plate 60 provided with a hook 61 at one end to extend in the shaft hole 51 of the turntable 5, and the other end engaging tightly with a rear side edge of the bottom disc 3 with which the turntable 5 is combined, and then the turntable 5 is secured steady by the engage Plate 60.

The gear group 7, as shown in Fig. 1, is positioned in the gear group section 32 of the bottom disc 3, having a projecting gear 70, a middle gear 71, four pla- netary gears 72, and a bottom gear 73. The projecting gear 70 has a section of continuing teeth 700 on an outer circumferential edge, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, mu tDctining-up groove 701 formed in a lower portion of the connect rod 40 of the CD reading mechanism 4 to fit therein. When the projecting gear 70 rotates, it moves the CD reading mechanism 4 rise or descend. Further, a limit rod 702 is provided at the bottom of the inclining-up groove 702, extending downward having a spring 703 fixed at its bottom to let the limit rod 702 move elastically and straightly. Further, a slide block 704 is provided under and moves together with the limit rod 702, having two feet 705 to fit and move in the slide groove 10 in the case 1, as shown in Fig. 7, with the slide block 704 moving on the slide grooves 10. The slide block 704 has two parallel projections 706A, 706B spaced aPart with a certain distance, and the limit rod 702 is fitted in the aperture of the two projections 706A, 706B. The-two projections 706A, 706B respectively have a vertical face to face to each other, a curveddown face 707A. 707B extending down from the vertical face, and a recess 708A, 708B respectively formed at an or > posite end, as shown in Fig. 7,8 and 9.

The middle gear 71, the four planetary gears 72, the bottom gear 73 are rotated by the belt 74 driven by a motor. The bottom gear 73 engages the rack 11 of the case 1, as shown in Fig. 10, forcing the bottom disc 3 move along the rack 11 by rotation of the bottom gear 73 moved by the belt 74. Meanwhile the bottom gear 73 also rotates the four planetary gears 72, which then rotate the projecting gear 70. As the projecting gear 70 has the section of teeth 700 engaging the middle gear 8, the middle gear 8 then rotates the turntable gear 52.

Thus, the belt 74 driven by the motor rotates the bottom gear 73, which then rotates along the rack 11, so that the bottom disc 3 carrying the turntable 5 can move straightly back and forth. On the other hand, the belt 74 also rotates the bottom gear 73, the four planetary gears 72, the projecting gear 70, the middle gear 8 and the turntable gear 52 so that the turntable 5 is rotated at the same-time. Therefore, the two kinds of movement, a linear one and a circular one, do not collide with each other.

The middle gear 8 is rotated by the section of teeth 700 of the projecting gear 70, and the turntable gear 52 then receives rotating power from the middle gear 8.

As seen from the aforesaid description, rotation of the turntable 5 depends on the turntable gear 52 rotated by the middle gear 8 driven by the teeth 700 of the projecting gear 70, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. But during when the teeth 700 of the projecting gear 70 do not yet reach the middle gear 8, the turntable 5 carrying CD never rotates. Linear movement of the bottom disc 3 depends on the engagement of the bottom gear 73 with the rack 11, and when the bottom gear 73 is rotated, the bottom gear 73 (the bottom disc 3) can move straight aIong the rack 11. So in changing CD, the gear group 7 have to be moved by the motor, and then utilizing engagement of the bottom gear 73 with the rack 11 can move the bottom disc 3 out of the case 1. Then the CD placed on the turntable 5 may be replaced with a new one. And in the movement of the bottom disc 3, the limit rod 702 at the bottom of the projecting gear 70 of the gear group 7 is stopped by the two limit projections 706A, 706B of the slide block 704 (as shown in Fig. 8). but the recesses 708A, 708B of the slide block 704 do not align to the limit rod 702 to permit the rod 702 move together with the projecting gear 70. Consequently the projecting gear 70 do not produce action error during movement of the bottom disc 3. Further, the CD reading mechanism 4 driven by the projecting gear 70 accordingly does not sway to cause noise, nor the turntable 5 rotate at random.

When the slide block 704 slides to the outermost point of the slide groove 10 (as shown in Fig. 7), the slide block 704 slides along the slide groove 10 to bias to the left side because of the right-biasing mouth lOB at the outermost point of the slide groove 10, permitting the recess 708B align to the limit rod 702. At this time the bottom disc 3 is no more moved, with the pro iecting gear 70 driven towards the recess 708B. Then the limit rod 702 is no longer limited by the slide block 704, permitting the projecting gear 70 to rotate freely.

When the he 1 i m i t r-od 702 rotates to contact the projection 706A, the curved projection 707A facing the limit rod 702 presses upward the spring 703 and slides over the projection 706A, letting the projecting gear 70 rotate freely to rotate the turntable 5 smoothly.

On the other hand, when the bottom disc 3 retreats to above the case 1, with the slide block 704 also retreating to the innermost point of the slide groove 10 (as shown in Fig. 9),-the slide groove 10 has a right- biasing stop mouth 10A at the innermost point, forcing the limit rod 702 bias to the right side and face the recess 708A, no more stopped by the projection 706A. So when the projecting gear 70 rotates clockwise, the limit rod 702 is no more stopped so that the projecting gear 70 rotates smoothly to let CD read one by one. Especial- ly, whether the bottom disc 3 retreats to above the case 1 or extends out of the case 1, with the projecting gear 70 rotating clockwise or counterclockwise, rotating rounds of the projecting gear 70 has function of linear elastic movement of the limit rod 702. When the limit rod 702 is rotated together with the projecting gear 70 in the two conditions, the limit rod 702 may contact the projections 706A in its rotating route after nearly one round of rotation, but always slide over and rotate and not affect the projecting gear 70 to rotate. And more minutely saying, as shown in Fig. 7, when the projecting gear 70 is rotated counterclockwise, the limit rod 2 necessarily rotates together for a round and comes to contact the projection 706A in its route. Then the limit rod 702 may slide over the inclining-down face 707A (shown in Fig. 6) to the recess 708B and over the slide block 704, as the limit rod 702 itself has straight elastic moving capacity, causing no problem of limiting its rotation.

In addition, the bottom disc 3 depends on the bottom gear 73 of the gear group 7 engaging the rack 11 in retreating back in the case 1, as shown in Fig. 10.

And the bottom disc 3 has a slide base 33 formed integral to face the teeth base 2 provided with the case 1, as shown with a dotted line in Fig. 10. So in retreating process of the bottom disc 3, the slide base 33 not only goes to contact the teeth base 33, but the bottom gear 73 engages and moves along the rack 11 to the end to subsequently engage the teeth 22 of the teeth base 2 (as shown in Fig. 11). Then the teeth base 2 is rotated for a certain angle by the bottom gear 73 (as shown in Fig.

12), Perm i tt i ng the hook pin 34 fixed under the lower surface of the bottom disc 3 hooking with the hook 23 of the teeth base 2, securing the bottom disc 3 stabilized in the retreated position, without possibility of sliding out at random or pulled out by exterior force.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made therein and the appende claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scoPe of the invention.

Claims

I CLAIM :

1. A CD changing device comprising : a case having a hollow cavity and an open upper side: a bottom disc positioned above said case ; a turntable Position on said bottom disc for a CD to be placed thereon ; a CD reading mechanism ; a gear group ; a motor for driving said gear group and said turntable : and, characterized by said case having a straight slide groove and a rack on an upper surface of a bottom, said slide groove having two ends respectively provided with a right-biasing mouth and a left-biasing mouth, said gear group having a-projecting gear rotating said turntable, said projecting gear having a limit rod extending down from a lower surface, said limit rod having a spring to force said limit rod move straightly, said limit rod carrying a slide block under its bottom to move together, said slide block having two feet extending in said slide groove of said case and two Parallel projections facing to each other and separated with an aperture, said two projections respectively having a recess at one end, a vertical face and a curved face extending gradually down from said vertical face, said limit rod positioned at connect ends of said two projections and prevented from moving by said two projections and said projecting gear also Prevented from rotation and said turntable also impossible to rotate when said slide block moves in said slide groove : said projecting gear possible to rotate the turntable when said slide block is moved to the innermost or the outermost point of said slide groove, forcing said limit rod separate from one of said projections of said slide block and move towards said recess and rotate along said curved face clockwise or counterclockwise : said bottom disc having a bottom gear engaging said rack of said case to permit said bottom disc move straightly when said bottom gear is rotated ; a teeth base provided to Face said rack and carrying a spring to let its teeth located in the same direction and having a hook with its curved portion facing said rack, said bottom disc having a hook pin to hook with said hook of said teeth base so as to let said bottom disc move back in said case, said bottom gear driving said teeth base to let said hook pin of said bottom disc hooking said hook of said teeth base so that said bottom disc may be prevented from pulled out by exterior force.

2. The CD changing device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said gear group is driven by a motor, including four flat planetary gears located between said projeting gear and said bottom gear for rotating said projet ing gear, said projecting gear having a section of teeth on an outer circumferential edge, said teeth of projeting gear engaging a middle gear, said middle gear engaging a turntable gear rotating said turntable, said single motor rotating said bottom gear for moving said bottom disc back and forth straightly : said single motor also rotates said bottom gear, which then rotates said projecting gear, said projecting gear also rotated by said four planetary gears to force said section of teeth to rotate said middle gear, which then rotates said turntable gear, thus said single motor drives said gear group to let said bottom disc move back and forth straightly and let said turntable on said bottom disc rotate at the same time, with the two action not colliding with each other.

3. The CD changing device as claimed in 1 or 2 wherein said bottom disc has slide base in the corresponding location of said toothed member which permits said slide base to push said toothed member so as to rotate through a certain angle, thereby allowing said bottom gear to engage said section of teeth of said toothed member so that said hook may hook the hook pin of said bottom disc, thereby preventing said bottom disc from pulled out by an exterior force, with said toothed member being rotated for the certain angle by said bottom gear.

3. The CD changing device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said bottom disc has a slide base in the corres ponding location of said teeth base, Permitting said slide base push said teeth base rotate for a certain angle so as to let said bottom gear engage said section of teeth of said teeth base so that said hook of said teeth base may hook said hook pin of said bottom disc so as to prevent said bottom disc from pulled out by exterior force, with said teeth base rotating for the certain angle by said bottom gear.

4. A CD changing mechanism, in which a turntable, adapted to carry one or a plurality of CD's, is mounted on a bottom disk, said bottom disk being positioned in a stationary hollow case, characterised in that: i) said bottom disk co-operates with a slide groove in said stationary case by means of a slide block; ii) said slide groove has two ends, each provided with a biassing means to indicate that the said bottom disk is at the end of said slide groove; and iii) drive means which, in response to said bottom disk reaching the end of said slide groove, allows said turntable to rotate.

5. A CD changer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying diagrams.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS: 1. A CD changing device comprising: i) a tray comprising a hollow cavity and having an open upper side, wherein said tray has a rack and a straight slide groove provided on the inside bottom surface thereof, and wherein each end of said slide groove is provided with a biassing means; ii) a bottom disk positioned above said tray, wherein said bottom disk is provided with a bottom gear which engages with said rack such that during the rotational motion of the bottom gear the bottom disk is caused to move in a linear fashion; iii) a toothed member having a curved portion located adjacent to said rack, said toothed member having a plurality of teeth adapted to compliment said rack, wherein said toothed member is also provided with a hook which engages with a hook pin on said bottom disk when said toothed member is driven by said bottom gear; iv) a turntable mounted on said bottom disc and adapted to carry a plurality of CDs; v) a CD reading mechanism; vi) a slide block having two feet adapted to extend into the slide groove, and two parallel projections which face-each other so as to define an aperture there between, and wherein each of said projections is provided with a recess, the recesses being located at the opposite ends of the respective projections; vii) a gear group having a projecting gear which is adapted to rotate said turntable wherein said projecting gear has a rod which extends down from a lower surface thereof; viii) a motor for driving said gear group and said turntable; wherein the slide block is caused to move along the slide groove until it reaches one of the two said biassing means, characterised in that during the motion of the slide block along the length of the slide groove, the rod extends into the aperture between said two projections thereby. restricting the rotational motion of said projecting gear, until said slide block reaches said biassing means whereupon said rod is forced to move into one of said recesses thereby allowing the projecting gear to rotate causing rotational motion of said turntable.

2. The CD changing device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said gear group is driven by a motor, including four flat planetary gears located between said projecting gear and said bottom gear for rotating said projecting gear, said projecting gear having a section of teeth on an outer circumferential edge, said teeth of projecting gear engaging a middle gear, said middle gear engaging a turntable gear so as to rotate said turntable, said single motor rotating said bottom gear so as to move said bottom disc back and forth in a linear fashion; wherein said single motor also rotates said bottom gear, which then rotates said projecting gear, and wherein said projecting gear is also rotated by said four planetary gears so as to force said section of teeth to rotate said middle gear, which then rotates said turntable gear, thus said single motor drives said gear group to let said bottom disc move back and forth linearly and allows said turntable to rotate at the same time.