JP2002056602A - Auto-changer of disk - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an auto-changer for disks which is small in size and is capable of housing and transporting the disks of different diameters. SOLUTION: This auto-changer for the disks have a disk housing section which arrays both of the large-diameter disks and the small-diameter disks and houses plural sheets thereof, the disk player which has a pickup, turntable, etc., and a disk transporting mechanism which is capable of transporting both of the large-diameter disks and the small-diameter disks from the disk housing section to the disk player. The disk transporting mechanism has a pair of first turning arms and second turning arms which grasp the disks by abutting the outer peripheral edges of the disks and are turntable around the fulcra of rotation existing lower than the large-diameter disks and the small-diameter disks which are housed in the disk housing section. The spacings in grasping the disks of the first turning arms and the second turning arms vary according to the diameters of the disks.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disc autochanger for storing a plurality of discs and reproducing a selected disc.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There is known an autochanger for storing a plurality of discs and selecting an arbitrary one of the discs for reproduction. In particular, as a type for storing about several tens of disks, there is known an autochanger in which disks are vertically arranged in a horizontal direction and stored.

FIG. 17 shows an automatic changer of this type. In the figure, reference numeral 300 denotes a disk storage unit in which a plurality of disks 310 are vertically stored in a horizontal direction (the direction of arrow P in the figure).
The disc player 200 can be moved in the disc arrangement direction (the direction of arrow P in the figure) by a drive mechanism (not shown). Further, a disk transfer arm 220 for transferring a disk between the disk player 200 and the disk storage section 300 is provided integrally with the disk player 200.

The disk transfer arm 220 is rotatable about a fulcrum 221 with respect to the disk player 200, and transfers the disk by moving in the direction of arrow Q in the figure. The disk transfer arm 220 is located above the stored disk while the disk player 200 is moving, so that the movement of the disk player 200 is not hindered.

[0005]

However, this type of autochanger apparatus can accommodate both a large-diameter disk (for example, a compact disk having a diameter of 12 cm) and a small-diameter disk (for example, a compact disk having a diameter of 8 cm). In addition, it is desired to provide a disk transport mechanism that can transport any disk from the disk storage unit to the disk player.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an autochanger for a disk which solves the above-mentioned problems, and the invention according to claim 1 provides both a large-diameter disk and a small-diameter disk. A disk storage unit that arranges and stores a plurality of disks, a disk player including a pickup and a turntable, and a disk transfer mechanism that can transfer both large-diameter disks and small-diameter disks from the disk storage unit to the disk player. An autochanger for a disk comprising: a disk transport mechanism that abuts and clamps the outer peripheral edge of the disk, with a rotation fulcrum positioned below the large-diameter disk and the small-diameter disk stored in the disk storage unit as a center; A first rotatable arm and a second rotatable arm which are rotatable;
The distance between the rotating arm and the second rotating arm when the disk is clamped is different depending on the diameter of the disk.

According to the disk autochanger of the first aspect of the present invention, the first disk constituting the disk transport mechanism.
Since the rotation fulcrum of the rotation arm and the second rotation arm are located below the disk stored in the disk storage portion, the size of the apparatus in the height direction can be suppressed as much as possible, and The distance between the rotating arm and the second rotating arm when the disk is clamped is made different according to the diameter of the disk, so that even disks with different diameters can be securely clamped and transported. It is possible to realize an automatic disc changer.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 12 show the present invention from the side. FIGS. 1 to 6 show the operation of transporting a large-diameter disk stored in the disk storage unit to a disk player, and FIGS. 7 to 12 show the operation of transporting a small-diameter disk in the same manner. It is a thing.

Reference numeral 10 denotes a disk storage unit for storing a plurality of large-diameter disks 1 arranged vertically in a horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing). The stored large-diameter disks 1 are partitioned one by one by a partition plate 11, and the lower edge of the disks is supported by two disk support portions 12, 13.
A passage hole 14 is formed between the disk supports 12 and 13. The passage hole 14 is a hole through which a first rotating arm described later passes. Here, the two disk support portions 12 and 13 are arranged at intervals so as to support disks of two different diameters.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a disc player, which includes a pickup, a turntable, and the like (not shown). The disc player 20 is guided and driven in the direction in which the large-diameter discs 1 are arranged (perpendicular to the plane of the paper) by a guide shaft 21, a drive mechanism (not shown), and the like. Is going.

A disk transport mechanism for transporting a disk between the disk storage unit 10 and the disk player 20 includes a first rotating arm 30 and a second rotating arm 40. The first rotating arm 30 is rotatable around the rotation fulcrum 31 so that the disc player 2 can rotate.
The rotation fulcrum 31 is provided below the disk stored in the disk storage unit 10. Similarly, the second rotation arm 40 is provided to the disk player 20 so as to be rotatable around the rotation fulcrum 41, and the rotation fulcrum 41 is also provided for the disk stored in the disk storage unit 10. It is configured to be located below.

Next, the operation of the disk autochanger of the present invention for transporting a large-diameter disk will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a state where the large-diameter disk 1 is stored in a disk storage unit 10. At this time, the first rotating arm 30 is located below the disk storage unit 10, and the second rotating arm 40 is located on the disk player 20 side. By the way, the disc player 20
The operation of selecting the desired disk by moving the
It is performed in the state of.

When a disk transport command is issued from this state, first, as shown in FIG. 2, the second rotary arm 40 rotates in the direction approaching the large-diameter disk 1 (clockwise in the figure), and finally. The tip of the second rotating arm 40 contacts the edge of the large-diameter disc 1. The operation of the second rotating arm 40 also serves to detect the size of the disk.
This will be described later.

Further, the first rotating arm 30 is also rotated in a direction approaching the large-diameter disk 1 and after passing through the passage hole 14,
As shown in FIG. 3, it contacts the edge of the large-diameter disk 1. At this time, the large-diameter disk 1 is sandwiched between the first rotating arm 30 and the second rotating arm 40. Here, the contact portion 32 that contacts the disk has a shape that is curved with substantially the same curvature as the circumference of the large-diameter disk.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, the first rotating arm 30 continues to rotate in the same direction, the second rotating arm 40 rotates in the opposite direction, and the large-diameter disc 1 The rotary arm 30 is sandwiched between the contact portion 32 of the rotary arm 30 and the contact portion 42 of the second rotary arm 40, and is transported toward the disc player 20 in this state.

Then, as shown in FIG. 5, when the large-diameter disk 1 is transported to the disk reproduction position of the disk player 20, the large-diameter disk 1 is clamped by a turntable and a clamper (not shown). When the large-diameter disk 1 is positioned on the turntable by this clamping operation, the large-diameter disk 1 moves slightly upward and is separated from the second rotating arm 40 as shown in FIG. Further, immediately after this clamping operation, the first turning arm 30 is turned in a direction away from the large-diameter disc 1. As a result, the operation of transporting the disk is completed, and the disk can be reproduced. Incidentally, the operation of returning the large-diameter disk 1 to the disk storage section is the reverse of the above-described disk transport operation, and a description thereof will be omitted.

Next, the operation of the disk autochanger of the present invention for transporting a small-diameter disk will be described with reference to FIGS.
The transport operation is performed in substantially the same manner as the above-described large-diameter disk.

FIG. 7 shows that the small-diameter disk 2 is
The first rotating arm 30 and the second rotating arm 40 are waiting at the same position as in FIG. When a disk transport command is issued from this state, the second rotating arm 40 rotates in the direction approaching the large-diameter disk 1 (clockwise in the drawing) as shown in FIG. The tip contacts the edge of the small-diameter disc 2.
At this time, the second rotating arm 40 is connected to the second rotating arm 40 shown in FIG.
Is in a different rotation position than when the rotation arm 40 contacts the large-diameter disk. Therefore, the disc type can be recognized by detecting the position or the amount of rotation of the second turning arm 40 when the second turning arm 40 comes into contact with the disc by the detecting means (not shown).

Thereafter, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the small-diameter disk 2 is conveyed toward the disk player while being held between the first rotating arm 30 and the second rotating arm 40. The first rotating arm 30 at this time
The distance between the second rotating arm 40 and the second rotating arm 40 needs to be narrower than when a large-diameter disk is transported. So the second
The rotation drive of the rotation arm 40 is controlled to be different from the case of transporting a large-diameter disk, to cope with this. The switching of the drive control of the second rotating arm 40 is performed based on the above-described detection result of the disc type.
Further, since the first rotating arm 30 is driven to rotate in the same manner as in the case of transporting a large-diameter disk, it is possible to minimize the complexity of drive control and the complexity of the mechanism. There is no danger of worsening the feeling.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. Numeral 50 denotes a disk storage section for storing a plurality of large-diameter disks 1 arranged vertically in a horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of the drawing). The stored large-diameter disk 1 is composed of a plurality of partition plates 5.
Each of the discs is partitioned by one, and the lower edge of the disc is supported by the first rotating arm 52. The first rotating arms 52 are provided by the number of disks that can be stored, and are provided one by one between the partition plates 51.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a disk player, which includes a pickup, a turntable, and the like (not shown). The disc player 60 is guided and driven by a guide driving mechanism (not shown) in the direction in which the large-diameter discs 1 are arranged (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface). The disc player 60 is provided with a second rotating arm 61,
A moving member 62 for driving the first rotating arm 52 and the second rotating arm 61 is provided.

FIG. 13 shows a state where the large-diameter disk 1 is stored in the disk storage section 50. At this time, the large-diameter disk 1 is stored while being supported by the first rotating arm 30. When a command to convey a disc is issued from this state, the moving member 62 moves and presses the projection 53 of the first rotating arm 51, thereby rotating the first rotating arm 51. As a result, the large-diameter disc 1 moves from the storage position, and the first turning arm 52 and the second turning arm 61 sandwich the disc as shown in FIG.

When the moving member 62 further moves from this state, the second turning arm is also turned by the moving member together with the first turning arm 52, and as shown in FIGS. Are the first rotating arm 52 and the second
Is transported to the disc player 60 while being sandwiched by the rotating arms 61 of FIG. The return of the disk is performed by the reverse operation.

According to this embodiment, the first rotating arm 52
The disk player 60 is provided separately from the disk player 60, so that the disk player 60 is light in weight and has an advantage that the disk player can be moved smoothly when selecting a desired disk.

[0025]

As described above in detail, according to the disk autochanger of the first aspect of the present invention, the rotation fulcrum of the first rotation arm and the second rotation arm which constitute the disk transfer mechanism is provided. Since the apparatus is located below the disk stored in the disk storage unit, the size of the apparatus in the height direction can be suppressed as much as possible, and the first rotating arm and the second
The distance at the time of clamping the disc with the rotating arm of the disc is made different according to the diameter of the disc, thereby realizing a disc autochanger that can securely clamp and transport discs having different diameters. It becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an operation of conveying a large-diameter disc in a disc autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing an operation of conveying a large-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an operation of conveying a large-diameter disc in the disc autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing an operation of conveying a large-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view showing an operation of conveying a large-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view showing an operation of conveying a large-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view showing an operation of conveying a small-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view showing an operation of conveying a small-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a view showing an operation of conveying a small-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a view showing an operation of conveying a small-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a view showing an operation of conveying a small-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view showing an operation of conveying a small-diameter disk of the disk autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the disc autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a view showing another embodiment of the disc autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another embodiment of the disc autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a view showing another embodiment of the disc autochanger according to the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional disk autochanger.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 large-diameter disk 2 small-diameter disk 10 disk storage unit 20 disk player 30 first rotating arm 40 second Rotating arm 50 ... Disc storage section 52 ... First rotating arm 60 ... Disc player 61 ... Second rotating arm

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A disk storage section for arranging a large-diameter disk and a small-diameter disk together and storing a plurality of disks, a disk player including a pickup and a turntable, and the disk storage section from the disk storage section to the disk player. A disk transport mechanism capable of transporting any of the small-diameter disks, wherein the disk transport mechanism abuts against the outer peripheral edge of the disk and is held in the disk storage portion. A first pivot arm and a second pivot arm rotatable about a pivot point located below the large-diameter disc and the small-diameter disc, the first pivot arm The distance between the disk and the second rotating arm when the disk is clamped differs according to the diameter of the disk. Autochanger.