JP3061580U - Disc changer - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] A storage section for storing a plurality of discs as disc-shaped information recording media, and reproducing and / or reproducing information from the discs.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the size of a disc changer including a drive unit for recording information on a disc, and a storage-drive-to-storage-drive transport unit for transporting the disk between the storage unit and the drive unit. SOLUTION: When attaching a disk in a storage unit to a disk rotation unit of a drive unit, the magazine transport unit identifies the holder storing the disk by the magazine transport unit while identifying the holder storing the disk by the holder identification unit. The entire disc magazine is transported to the height of the insertion slot. Subsequently, the storage-drive transporting means takes out the holder at the height of the storage section insertion / ejection port in the storage section from the disc magazine and inserts the holder into the drive section through the drive section insertion / ejection port. The disc inserted and removed from the holder is detached from the holder by the disc detaching means and attached to the disc rotating means.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

 The present invention relates to a storage unit for storing a plurality of discs as disc-shaped information recording media, a drive unit for reproducing information from the disc and / or recording information on the disc, and a disc unit between the storage unit and the drive unit. The present invention relates to a disc changer provided with a storage drive-to-storage-drive transfer means for transferring a drive.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Conventionally, in a disk magazine for storing a large number of optical disks stored in a disk cartridge, the disk transfer mechanism of the disk changer is complicated, the transfer distance is long, and there is a limit to miniaturizing the entire apparatus. Also, in the case of a disk magazine containing a plurality of cartridges, a movable portion of the drive tray is indispensable, and the disk changer must be constructed with this portion secured.

[0003]

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

 An object of the present invention is to provide a compact disc changer that can be used in ordinary households by solving the problems. For the purpose of use, it is necessary to realize a size that does not feel uncomfortable with home appliances such as televisions, stereos, personal computers, and video tape recorders.

[0004]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 The disc changer of the present invention includes a storage section for storing a plurality of discs as disc-shaped information recording media, a drive section for reproducing information from the disc and / or recording information on the disc, and a storage section for storing the information on the disc. This is a disc changer provided with a storage drive transfer means for transferring a disk between the storage drives. The storage section is configured by stacking a plurality of holders for storing one disc in a restrained state, and the storage section is provided with a storage section insertion / exit port for inserting the holder or discharging the holder from the storage section. The drive unit has a disk rotating means for rotating the disk, a disk attaching / detaching means for attaching / detaching the disk inserted in the holder to / from the disk rotating means, and a holder inserted into the drive unit and from the drive unit. A drive unit insertion / ejection port for ejecting the holder is provided. The drive section and the storage section are arranged so that the insertion and ejection ports of both sides face each other. The transport means between the storage drives transports the disk together with the holder. Then, when attaching the disc in the storage section to the disk rotation means in the drive section, the storage drive transport means takes out the holder at the height of the storage section insertion / extraction port in the storage section and drives it. The disc is inserted into the drive through the slot insertion / ejection opening, and the disc inserted while it is still in the holder is attached to the disc rotating means by the disc detaching means by releasing the restraint in the holder. The feature of the present invention is that a mechanism is provided to return the disc to the storage section with the disc restrained in the holder in the reverse procedure when the disc is returned to the storage section from the above.

[0005] By using such a configuration, the size of the disc changer can be reduced. Also, in the storage unit of the present invention, a holder for storing one disk in a restrained state, a disk magazine configured by stacking a plurality of holders vertically, and a magazine transport for vertically transporting the disk magazine in the storage unit. Means, storage insertion / ejection opening for inserting or ejecting the holder into / from the storage, and holder identification for identifying which holder in the magazine is at the height of the storage insertion / exit When the disc in the storage section is mounted on the disc rotation means in the drive section, the holder identifying means identifies the holder and the magazine transport means removes the holder containing the disc to be processed from the disc. The entire magazine is transported to the height of the storage section insertion / ejection port. The holder is in the position of height, and taken out from the disk magazine is preferably provided with a mechanism for inserting from the drive unit insertion outlet in the drive unit. This makes it possible to further reduce the size of the disc changer.

[0006] In the disc changer of the present invention, it is preferable to use an optical disc as a disc-shaped information recording medium. An optical disk is a large-capacity recording medium with excellent portability, and is suitable for increasing the amount of information stored by using a changer method.

[0007]

【Example】

 FIG. 1 shows the structure of the entire disc changer. The disc changer has a drive section 1 and a storage section 3. The tray 2 is provided inside the drive unit 1. The optical disks are stored and held in a holder 6, and a plurality of the holders 6 are stored in a disk magazine 5 in a stacked state. The disk magazine 5 is fixed to a magazine holder 4 for exchanging the entire disk, and is moved up and down by a vertical drive mechanism 7 and a drive motor 8 as magazine transport means. The holder detector 10 as a holder identification means is mounted at the same height as the disc holder insertion / ejection opening of the tray 2 and functions in cooperation with the magazine transport means.

FIG. 2 shows the holder 6 in a state where the disk is stored and restrained. The release or restraint of the optical disk 16 in the holder 6 is performed by pushing or releasing the open lever 13 to generate a couple in the ring 14, and by opening and closing the attachment 15 that sandwiches the disc by the couple. . A rack 17 is provided on a side surface of the disk holder 6 so as to be movable by a holder transfer driving device.

FIG. 3 shows a disk magazine 5 in which a plurality of holders 6 are stacked vertically. The disk magazine 5 houses a plurality of holders 6 stacked and provided with a detection window 19 for positioning in the height direction.

FIG. 4 shows the storage section 3. The storage unit 3 includes a magazine holder 4 for fixing the disk magazine 5, an elevating drive motor 8 and a driving mechanism 7 as magazine transport means for vertically moving the magazine holder 4 in parallel, and a holder detector as holder identification means. 10 and a holder transfer driving device 9 which plays a role of a transporting means between storage drives.

A holder detector 10 as a holder identification unit is mounted in accordance with the holder insertion / ejection height of the tray 2, and selects an arbitrary holder in the disk magazine in cooperation with the magazine transport unit to select the tray 2. At the height of The holder detector 10 can position the disc holder at a predetermined height by detecting the reflection member provided on the side face of the disc holder using the reflection type light emitting / receiving element. Also, by converting the reflected light from the side of the disk holder into a pulse waveform and counting, it is possible to carry any disk holder to a predetermined height.

FIG. 5 shows the holder transfer driving device 9 in the storage section 3. When the holder 6 is not ejected or inserted from the disk magazine 5, the rack 17 on the side of the holder 6 and the pinion gear 20 of the holder transfer drive 9 are moved by the stress of the spring 22 in the holder transfer drive 9. The magazine holder 4 is separated so as not to hinder the up and down movement of the magazine holder 4. On the other hand, when the holder is inserted and ejected, the pinion carrier 20 is pressed against the rack 17 on the side of the disk holder by the solenoid 23 and driven by the drive motor 21 to perform the transfer at the time of insertion and ejection.

FIG. 6A shows the structure of the tray 2 inside the drive unit 1. FIG. 6B shows a state in which the holder 6 inserted through the drive unit insertion / ejection port is placed on the tray 2. The slide groove 24 is a guide groove for transferring the holder 6 in parallel. The opening / closing groove 25 is a tapered groove. When the holder 6 is moved in parallel on the tray 2 and reaches a predetermined position, the open lever 13 of the holder 6 is pressed to release the constraint of the disk 16 in the holder 6. To work. The transfer of the holder 6 on the tray 2 is assisted by the transfer drive unit 11 in the drive.

FIG. 7 shows a state where the disk 16 is being mounted on a spindle motor which is a disk rotating means. FIG. 7A shows a state in which the holder 6 has been inserted into the drive 1 and has not yet reached a predetermined position. At this time, the attachment 15 is still in a state where the disk 16 is sandwiched. FIG. 7B shows a state where the holder 6 is further inserted and reaches a predetermined position. At this time, the open lever 13 is pushed, the restraint by the attachment 15 is released, and the spindle motor 26 is further raised to hold the disk 16.

In such a configuration, when the disk in the storage section is mounted on the disk rotating means of the drive section, the holder carrying the disk in which the target disk is stored is moved by the magazine transport means while the holder identification means identifies the holder. Carry the magazine to the position at the height of the storage section insertion / ejection port. Subsequently, the storage-drive transporting means takes out the holder at the height of the storage section insertion / ejection port in the storage section from the disc magazine and inserts the holder into the drive section through the drive section insertion / ejection port. The disc inserted and removed from the holder is attached to the disc rotating means by the disc detaching means releasing the restraint in the holder. On the other hand, when returning the disk from the disk rotating means of the drive unit into the storage unit, the disk is restrained in the holder in the reverse procedure and stored in the storage unit.

[0016]

[Effect of the invention]

 The disc changer of the present invention is very compact and can be sized so as not to be uncomfortable with general household appliances, and the disc transfer distance is short, so that discs can be exchanged at high speed, and a small and large-capacity information recording / reproducing device is realized. it can.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 Disc changer

FIG. 2 Holder

FIG. 3 is a disk magazine

FIG. 4 Storage section

FIG. 5 Storage section

FIG. 6 tray

FIG. 7: Mounting of disc in drive unit

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Drive part 2 Tray 3 Storage part 4 Magazine holder 5 Disk magazine 6 Holder 7 Vertical drive mechanism 8 Drive motor 9 Holder transfer drive 10 Holder detector 11 Transfer drive in drive 13 Open lever 14 Ring 15 Attachment 17 Rack 20 Pinion gear 21 Pressing drive motor 22 Spring 23 Solenoid 24 Slide groove 25 Opening / closing groove 26 Spindle motor

Claims (3)

[Utility model registration claims] 1. A storage section for storing a plurality of discs as disc-shaped information recording media, a drive section for reproducing information from the disc and / or recording information on the disc, and a storage section between the storage section and the drive section. In a disc changer provided with transport means between storage drives for transporting a disc, the storage section is configured by stacking a plurality of holders for storing one disc in a restrained state, and the holder is inserted or stored in the storage section. A storage unit insertion / ejection port for ejecting the holder from the unit is provided. The drive unit has a disk rotation unit for rotating the disk, and a disk for detaching the disk inserted in the holder from the disk rotation unit. Detachment / removal means, drive unit insertion / ejection for inserting the holder into the drive unit and ejecting the holder from the drive unit The drive section and the storage section are arranged so that the insertion and ejection ports of both sides face each other, and the storage drive transport means transports the disk together with the holder. When attaching to the rotating means, the storage drive transport means takes out the holder at the height of the storage section insertion and ejection port in the storage section, inserts it into the drive section from the drive section insertion and ejection port, and puts it in the holder. When the disc is inserted with the disc inserted, the disc detaching means releases the restraint in the holder and attaches it to the disc rotating means. Characterized in that the disc changer is provided with a mechanism for returning the disc to the storage section in a state in which the disc is confined in the holder and stored. 2. A storage section, a holder for storing one disk in a restrained state, a disk magazine formed by stacking a plurality of holders vertically, and a magazine transport for vertically transporting the disk magazine in the storage section. Means, storage section insertion / ejection port for inserting / ejecting the holder into / from the storage section, and holder identification for identifying which holder in the magazine is at the height of the storage section insertion / ejection port. When the disk in the storage unit is mounted on the disk rotation unit of the drive unit, the holder is identified by the holder identification unit, and the magazine transport unit moves the holder containing the target disk together with the disk magazine. It is transported to the position at the height of the storage unit insertion / ejection port, and then, the conveyance means between the storage drives is moved to the height of the storage unit insertion / ejection port in the storage unit. 2. The disc changer according to claim 1, further comprising a mechanism for taking out the holder at the position (1) from the inside of the disc magazine and inserting the holder into the drive unit through the drive unit insertion / ejection port. 3. The disc changer according to claim 1, wherein the disc-shaped information recording medium is an optical disc.