JP2008016140A - Tray positioning mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an inexpensive and highly reliable tray positioning mechanism capable of positioning a plurality of trays for mounting thin optical information recording media housed so that end surfaces are arranged with respect to an opening surface in a cartridge having the opening surface. <P>SOLUTION: The tray positioning mechanism is provided with a tray pushing member having a plane part or a linear part joined to the opening surface of the cartridge. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a tray positioning mechanism for positioning a plurality of trays on which thin optical information recording media are placed, each of which is housed in a cartridge having an opening surface so that an end surface is disposed with respect to the opening surface.

In recent years, optical information recording media have been put into practical use as recording media for storing not only computer information but also information such as audio, still images, and moving images. Optical information recording media are being developed for higher density and higher speed transfer, but at the same time, the drive devices that perform recording and playback will be made thinner and smaller, or light when storing media. In view of miniaturization and the like, it is desirable that the optical information recording medium itself is thinner, and the development of an ultra-thin optical information recording medium is being promoted with the aim of realizing it. Taking advantage of its thinness, in order to increase the storage capacity per unit volume, a plurality of such ultra-thin optical information recording media are placed on the tray and stacked inside the cartridge, and any medium can be selectively selected during recording and reproduction. A method of taking it out and using it is considered.
JP 2005-174515 A

  However, the stacked trays inside the cartridge may cause misalignment due to shock, vibration, buoyancy caused by an air gap between ultra-thin optical information recording media, etc. when the cartridge is inserted into the information recording / reproducing apparatus. is there. When such a positional shift occurs, there is a problem that a desired tray cannot be taken out when the tray is taken out from the cartridge, or the take-out mechanism or the tray may be damaged.

  In order to solve the problem of the misalignment of the tray in the cartridge, a method of detecting the position of the tray with a sensor and correcting the misalignment mechanically can be considered. To realize such a method, In addition, complicated mechanisms, sensors, and circuits are required, making it difficult to ensure reliability and increasing costs.

  In view of the above, the present invention positions a plurality of trays on which thin optical information recording media, each of which is housed in a cartridge having an opening surface so that the end surface is disposed with respect to the opening surface, are inexpensive. An object of the present invention is to provide a highly reliable tray positioning mechanism.

  The tray positioning mechanism according to the present invention includes a tray pushing member having a flat portion or a straight portion joined to the opening surface of the cartridge.

Preferably, the flat portion or the straight portion of the tray pushing member pushes the end surface of the tray through the opening surface of the cartridge.
Preferably, the flat portion or the straight portion of the tray pushing member is formed of a flexible material.

  Preferably, the tray pushing member has a rotation shaft and a protrusion, and the protrusion is rotated against the spring force when pressed by the bottom surface of the cartridge, and is joined to the opening surface of the cartridge. .

Preferably, a cartridge raising / lowering means for raising and lowering the cartridge is provided.
Preferably, the cartridge raising / lowering means pushes down the protrusion on the bottom surface of the cartridge by lowering the cartridge.

  Preferably, the cartridge raising / lowering means raises the cartridge to a position where the tray pushing member does not get in the way when the tray is inserted into and removed from the cartridge.

  According to the present invention, a tray positioning mechanism having a simple structure and high reliability is realized.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cartridge using the tray positioning mechanism of the present invention. Inside the cartridge 1, a large number of trays 2 on which ultra-thin optical information recording media 3 are placed are stored in a stacked state. Note that the tray 2 may have a flexible lid as shown in FIG. 1, and when the tray 2 is pulled out from the cartridge 1 by placing the information recording medium 3 in the storage state, the information recording medium 3 can be prevented from being rubbed and scratched directly with the tray 2 immediately above, or the information recording medium 3 can be displaced. The cartridge 1 has an opening surface, and the tray 2 and the information recording medium 3 are taken in and out from the opening surface. The cartridge 1 is inserted into the information recording / reproducing apparatus in the direction of the opening surface. The information recording / reproducing apparatus takes out the tray 2 on which the desired information recording medium 3 is placed from the cartridge 1 with the cartridge 1 inserted, and records / reproduces the information on the information recording medium 3. I do.

  2A and 2B are views showing the tray positioning mechanism of the present invention, where FIG. 2A is a perspective view and FIG. 2B is a side view. The tray pushing member 4 can be rotated about a rotation shaft 5 fixed to the information recording / reproducing apparatus main body or the like. However, the range up to the stopper 6 can move. The tray pushing member 4 is pulled by the spring 7 and is held at the position of the stopper 6 in the absence of external force. However, in the state shown in this figure, since the protrusion 8 is pushed down by the cartridge 1, the tray pushing member 4 is joined to the opening surface of the cartridge 1, pushes the end face of the tray 2 accommodated in the cartridge 1, and Align the positions. The portion of the tray pushing member 4 that joins the opening surface of the cartridge 1 and pushes the end surface of the tray 2 is flat or straight. The shape of the tray pushing member 4 may be a rod shape in addition to the plate shape as in the example shown in this figure. Further, it is desirable that the portion of the tray pushing member 4 that contacts the tray 2 is formed of a flexible material such as sponge. If it does in this way, breakage of tray 2 can be prevented and even if tray pushing member 4 warps by a secular change, all trays 2 can be pushed out. Further, the position where the spring 7 of the tray pushing member 4 is attached is preferably close to the shaft 5. In this way, since the tension acting on the tray pushing member 4 can be reduced, it is possible to reduce the warp due to the secular change of the tray pushing member 4. Such a tray positioning mechanism is usually incorporated in an information recording / reproducing apparatus.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the tray positioning mechanism of the present invention in the information recording / reproducing apparatus.

  In the state of FIG. 3A in which the cartridge 1 is not inserted into the information recording / reproducing apparatus, the tray pushing member 4 is pulled to the position of the stopper 6 by the spring 7.

  First, the cartridge 1 is inserted to a position where the protrusion 8 is located immediately below as shown in FIG.

  When the cartridge 1 is inserted, the cartridge lifting / lowering means 9 lowers the cartridge 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 2 c, the bottom surface of the cartridge 1 pushes down the protrusion 8, the tray pressing member 4 rotates about the rotation shaft 5, and the planar or linear portion of the tray pressing member 4 is the cartridge 1. The tray 2 is aligned by pushing the end surface of the tray 2 which is joined to the opening surface and stored in the cartridge 1. In this state, since the position of the tray 2 inside the cartridge 1 is fixed by the tray pushing member 4, it cannot move even when an external force such as vibration is applied.

  Next, the cartridge raising / lowering means 9 raises the cartridge 1 to move to the operation position for recording / reproducing. As the cartridge 1 moves up, the bottom of the cartridge 1 does not have the force to push the protrusion 8. Then, the tray pushing member 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow by the contraction force of the spring 7 and moved to the position of the stopper 6 to be held.

  When the cartridge lifting / lowering means 9 further raises the cartridge 1 and moves it to the operating position above the position of the tray pushing member 4, the object that blocks the opening of the cartridge 1 disappears. In this state, the tray loading / unloading means 10 can load / unload the tray 2 containing the information recording medium 3 with respect to the cartridge 1.

  When the tray pushing member 4 is separated from the end surface of the tray 2 stacked in the cartridge 1, the position of the tray 2 is no longer forced. The tray 2 is loaded and unloaded for recording and reproduction, vibration, and an air gap between the trays. May cause the cartridge 1 to move in the direction of being pulled out from the opening. In such a case, if the cartridge 1 is lowered again to the position shown in FIG. 3C, the bottom surface of the cartridge 1 pushes down the protrusion 8, and in conjunction with this, the tray pushing member 5 rotates to rotate the cartridge 1. The end face of the tray 2 that is joined to the opening surface and jumps out and becomes uneven can be pushed and aligned to eliminate the positional deviation.

  As described above, according to the tray positioning mechanism of the present invention, even when the tray inside the cartridge is displaced, the tray positioning mechanism eliminates the displacement when the cartridge is inserted into the information recording / reproducing apparatus. When the tray insertion / removal means inserts / removes the tray with respect to the cartridge for recording / reproduction in the information recording / reproducing apparatus, the positioning member does not interfere with the tray, and in other cases, the tray pushing member is moved from the opening surface of the cartridge to the internal tray. Therefore, even if a force that causes a displacement occurs, the tray does not cause a displacement.

  Since the tray positioning mechanism according to the present invention has a very simple and simple configuration, the reliability of the mechanism is high, and the size can be reduced at low cost.

It is a perspective view which shows the cartridge and tray which use the tray positioning mechanism of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the tray positioning mechanism of this invention. (A) thru | or (e) are sectional drawings explaining operation | movement of the tray positioning mechanism of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cartridge 2 Tray 3 Ultra-thin information recording medium 4 Tray pushing member 5 Rotating shaft 6 Stopper 7 Spring 8 Protrusion 9 Cartridge raising / lowering means 10 Tray taking in / out means

Claims (7)

A tray positioning mechanism for positioning a plurality of trays each mounting a thin optical information recording medium, housed in a cartridge having an opening surface so that an end surface thereof is disposed with respect to the opening surface,
A tray positioning mechanism comprising a tray pressing member having a flat surface portion or a straight line portion joined to an opening surface of the cartridge.   The tray positioning mechanism, wherein the flat portion or the straight portion of the tray pushing member pushes the end surface of the tray from the opening surface of the cartridge.   The tray positioning mechanism according to claim 2, wherein the flat portion or the straight portion of the tray pressing member is formed of a flexible material.   The tray pushing member has a rotation shaft and a protrusion, and the protrusion is rotated against the spring force when pressed by the bottom surface of the cartridge, and is joined to the opening surface of the cartridge. The tray positioning mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3.   5. The tray positioning mechanism according to claim 4, further comprising cartridge lifting / lowering means for lifting / lowering the cartridge.   6. The tray positioning mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the cartridge raising / lowering means pushes down the protrusion on the bottom surface of the cartridge by lowering the cartridge.   7. The tray positioning mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the cartridge lifting / lowering means lifts the cartridge to a position where the tray pushing member does not get in the way when the tray is inserted into and removed from the cartridge.

Images