JP3539089B2 - Cartridge eject device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disk recording apparatus having a cartridge changer capable of storing and reproducing a plurality of magneto-optical disks (so-called mini disks) having a diameter of 64 mm stored in a cartridge for each disk cartridge. Related to a playback device,
More specifically, the present invention relates to a cartridge ejecting apparatus used in the disk recording / reproducing apparatus, wherein each of the disk cartridges is separately ejected.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, a disk reproducing apparatus for reproducing a disk such as a magnetic disk or an optical disk housed in a cartridge is known. In this disk reproducing apparatus, when the disk cartridge is replaced with another disk cartridge after the reproduction, the reproduced disk cartridge is ejected by pressing an eject button provided on the front of the apparatus body or the like. Also, a disk reproducing apparatus with a cartridge changer for continuously reproducing a plurality of disks has been developed. In a disk reproducing apparatus with a cartridge changer, a mechanism is generally adopted in which a cartridge ejecting unit for discharging a disk cartridge to the outside is combined with a cartridge holder of a loading mechanism for loading and unloading the disk cartridge.

[0003]

However, in the above-described conventional disk reproducing apparatus with a cartridge changer, the cartridge holder portion of the loading mechanism which holds the disk cartridge and moves horizontally or moves up and down, and discharges the disk cartridge to the outside. Therefore, it is not possible to exchange another disk cartridge (eject another disk cartridge) during reproduction of the disk because of the structure in which the cartridge ejection device is combined with the cartridge ejecting device. In addition, since the cartridge eject device has a structure that is separated into the cartridge holder side and the apparatus main body side, there are disadvantages in that the number of parts is increased, the cost is increased, and the mechanism of the entire apparatus is complicated. Was.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a cartridge ejecting apparatus which has a simple structure and can easily and separately eject cartridges without being affected by other mechanisms such as a loading mechanism.

[0005]

An apparatus is provided with an opening storage section for taking a cartridge in and out of the apparatus body, and the cartridge stored in the opening storage section can be ejected via an eject lever which is rotated by pressing an eject button. And the cartridge contained in the cartridge
Shutter that opens and closes the opening for recording and playback
In the cartridge ejecting device provided so as to be freely ridable, a plurality of the opening storage portions are provided adjacent to the device main body, and are turned to predetermined positions in the device main body on the side portions of the respective opening storage portions via a support shaft portion. An eject lever which is movably supported and one end of which can be freely inserted into and retracted from the opening storage portion; and an engaging portion which engages with a locking portion of the eject lever. An eject button to be operated, and an elastic body locked to at least one of the eject lever and the eject button to return the eject lever and the eject button to their original positions, and are rotated when each of the eject buttons is pressed. The cartridge housed in each of the opening storage sections is formed by one end of each of the eject levers protruding into each of the opening storage sections. Formed on one side of the cartridge
Press the end of the slide groove to slide the
Then, the cartridges can be individually discharged.

[0006] The cartridges stored in the respective opening storage sections of the apparatus main body are separately and easily ejected through the respective ejection levers by pressing the respective ejection buttons arranged corresponding to the respective opening storage sections. You. In addition, since an eject button or the like is provided for each of the opening storage sections, other cartridges other than the loading operation are reliably ejected even during the operation of the loading mechanism. Further, since the cartridge is reliably ejected by the eject button, the eject lever, and the components having a small amount of elastic body, the structure of the entire apparatus is simplified, and a small-sized cartridge eject apparatus is provided at low cost.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 with a cartridge changer according to an embodiment of the present invention. This disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1 with a cartridge changer is, for example, a thin cartridge 1
01 and a magneto-optical disk (a so-called mini disk) 110 having a diameter of 64 mm.
A cartridge ejecting device 10 for separately ejecting each of the disk cartridges 100 is provided at substantially the center of a main body 2 of a housing type of the disk recording and reproducing device 1. Built-in.

As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the front (front panel) of a housing type main body 2 of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1.
Is formed with a concave portion 2A, and a lid 4 is supported in the concave portion 2A via a pair of left and right support shafts 3, 3 so as to be openable and closable in a horizontal direction forward from a standing state. At the center and the lower side of the lid 4, rectangular large and small transparent windows 5 and 6 are provided, respectively. Even when the lid 4 is closed, the apparatus main body is moved from the central transparent window 5 to the main body. 2. Five horizontally long opening storage sections 1 for inserting and removing the disk cartridge 100 of the cartridge ejection device 10 built in the front center portion of FIG.
., And the display unit 7 can be viewed from the lower transparent window 6.

A stop button 8a, a recording / playback button 8b, a review button 8c, and a cue button 8d are arranged from the lower right side of the front of the apparatus main body 2 to the center thereof. Five indicators 9a to 9e are arranged from the side to the lower side. These indicators 9a to 9e indicate the presence / absence of the disc cartridge 100 and recording / reproduction.
For example, if the magneto-optical disk 110 (indicated by DISC1 in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the disk cartridge 100 stored (held) in the uppermost opening storage section 12 is recording, the red light emitting diode (LED) is turned on. The LED is turned on, and the green light emitting diode is turned on during reproduction. In addition, a large rectangular opening 2B is formed in the center of the concave portion 2A on the front of the apparatus main body 2, and the concave portion 2A is formed.
At the position near the recess 2A of each of the indicators 9a to 9e, five horizontally long small rectangular openings 2a to 2e are arranged at equal intervals in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cartridge ejecting device 10 has five openings 2a from the opening 2B of the front recess 2A in the apparatus main body 2 of the disk recording / reproducing device 1.
To 2e. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 7, the cartridge ejecting apparatus 10 includes a holder (apparatus main body) 11 and five rotatably supported boxes 13 integrally formed on the right side of the holder 11. Each eject lever 14 and the holder 1
Five eject buttons 15 slidably supported in the front-rear direction of the first box portion 13 and the holder 1
One mounting plate (stopper) 16 screwed to the back side of one box portion 13 and each tension coil spring (elastic body) 17 interposed between the mounting plate 16 and each of the eject levers 14. It is composed and unitized.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, a holder 11 forming a main body of the cartridge ejecting apparatus 10 is formed of a synthetic resin into a substantially rectangular cylindrical shape.
A substantially box-shaped box portion 13 is integrally formed on the side a. The upper and lower wall portions 11b, 1
Five partitioning portions 1d, 11d,... Integrally protruding at regular intervals so as to be parallel to 1c.
Are arranged adjacent to each other. That is, each of the opening storage portions 12 is horizontally arranged at five locations in the vertical direction with a minute clearance corresponding to the thickness of each partition piece portion 11d. Further, each partition portion 11d of the right side wall portion 11a of the holder 11
The slits 11e are respectively formed in the center divided by (a total of five places are formed at equal intervals). Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 11, a rectangular cylindrical opening 13 a is formed in the vertical direction on the front surface of the box portion 13 of the holder 11.
Are formed at equal intervals, and each of the eject buttons 15 is slidably supported in the front-rear direction in each of the openings 13a. Step portions (stoppers) 13b are provided above and below each of the openings 13a of the box portion 13.
And a groove-shaped horizontal guide recess 13c is integrally formed on the right side wall 11a side of each opening 13a.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, each eject lever 14 is formed in a substantially T-shaped plane by a metal plate.
The tip portion (one end portion) 14a of the holder 11 projects into each of the opening storage portions 12 of the holder 11 by the slits 11e of the right side wall portion 11a, or sinks into the box portion 13 of the holder 11. It has become. Under the base and the base end of each eject lever 14, a cylindrical support pin (support shaft) 14b and a lock pin (lock portion) 14c made of metal are provided with predetermined means such as caulking. And a bent portion (hook portion) 14 at the center of each eject lever 14 on the side of the support pin 14b.
d is bent downward. The pivot pin 14b of each of the eject levers 14 is horizontally movable between the flat L-shaped protrusion 13d of the horizontal guide recess 13c of the box portion 13 and one side surface (the left side surface in FIG. 8) of each eject button 15. And the horizontal guide recess 13
c is rotatably supported on the protruding portion 13d side.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the operation unit 15 a exposed to the outside from each opening 13 a of the box unit 13 (each opening 2 a to 2 e of the front panel of the apparatus main body 2) of each eject button 15. Are arranged so as to project left and right alternately (alternately). 8 to 1
As shown in FIG. 1, a hollow portion 15b is formed from the center to the rear of one side surface of each eject button 15, and a guide groove portion (engaging portion) 15c is formed on the lower surface side of the hollow portion 15b. It is formed so as to be parallel to the horizontal guide recess 13c. The base end side of each of the eject levers 14 is inserted into the hollow portion 15b of each of the eject buttons 15, and the guide groove 15 of the hollow portion 15b is inserted.
The engagement pin 14c of the eject lever 14 is loosely engaged with the ejection lever 14c. Further, a flange portion 15d is integrally formed on the upper and lower sides of the rear portion of each eject button 15, and the flange portion 15d hits a step 13b of each opening 13a of the box portion 13 and does not fall off from the front side. It has become.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the mounting plate 16 is formed in a frame shape in which a central portion of a rectangular metal plate is bent to open the inside. The bent portion 16a at the center of the mounting plate 16
Are bent further at equal intervals in the vertical direction at five locations. Each end 16b is connected to the box 1
3 is in contact with the horizontal guide recess 13c, and the pivot pin 14b of each eject lever 14 is
It does not fall out from the inside. Also, mounting plate 1
The U-shaped notch (locking portion) 16d is formed at five equally spaced intervals on the bent piece portion 16c on the tip end portion 14a side of each of the eject levers 6 in FIG. This bent piece 16
The two ends of the tension coil spring (elastic body) 17 are engaged with the respective notches 16d of FIG. 3c and the bent portions 14d of the eject levers 14 respectively. Each of these tension coil springs 1
7, the eject lever 14 and the eject button 15 are in their original positions (the state shown in FIG. 8, ie, each eject lever 14
4a and the respective eject buttons 15 return to the state where the flange portion 15d is in contact with the step portion 13b of the box portion 13). Further, the frame plate portion 1 on the side of the bent piece portion 16a inside the mounting plate 16
6e is a back surface of each eject button 15 (flange portion 15).
d) serves as a stopper.

The apparatus main body 2 of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus 1
Behind the cartridge ejection device 10, the disk cartridges 100 stored in the respective opening storage portions 12 are provided.
And a loading mechanism (both not shown) for transporting the recording medium to a recording / reproducing unit composed of an optical pickup and a recording head. The loading mechanism includes a cartridge holder (not shown) that moves horizontally with respect to each of the openings 12 and moves up and down with respect to the recording / reproducing unit, and functions as a cartridge changer.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, each of the openings 102 on the upper and lower sides of a synthetic resin housing type cartridge 101 accommodating the magneto-optical disk 110 of the disk cartridge 100 is provided with the opening. A shutter 103 for opening and closing the shutter 102 is slidably supported. Further, a slide groove 101a for shutter slide is provided on the right side surface (one side surface) of the cartridge 101 on the shutter 103 side.
And an end portion 101b of the slide groove 101a.
The shutter 103 is slidable up to.

According to the cartridge ejecting apparatus 10 used in the disc recording / reproducing apparatus (disc player) 1 having the cartridge changer according to the embodiment described above,
As shown in FIG. 9, before the disc cartridge 100 is ejected from each of the opening storage sections 12 of the holder 11, the tip end 14 a of the eject lever 14 disposed so as to correspond to each of the opening storage sections 12 has the holder 11. Box part 1
3, the tip 1 of the eject lever 14
4a is a slit 11e of the right side wall 11a of the holder 11.
It is located in. That is, the tip 14 a of the eject lever 14 is connected to the slide groove 1 of the disc cartridge 100.
01a is separated from the end 101b. Normally, each eject lever 14 is attached to the mounting plate 1 by a tension coil spring 17.
6 is pulled toward the bent piece 16c side,
4b is configured to rotate in a state of contact with the protrusion 13d side of the horizontal guide recess 13c. Also, at this time,
Since the pivot pin 14b of each eject lever 14 is loosely fitted in the guide groove 15c of each eject button 15, the rotation movement of each eject lever 14 and the linear movement of the eject button 15 are linked.

Then, as shown in FIG. 10, when the operation portion 15a of the eject button 15 is pressed, the eject button 15 moves backward. By the movement of the eject button 15, the eject lever 14 moves the pivot pin 1.
4b, and rotates counterclockwise in FIG. The rotation of the ejection lever 14 causes the ejection lever 14 to rotate.
Of the opening storage portion 1 through the slit 11e.
2 and pushes the end 101b of the slide groove of the disk cartridge 100 housed in the opening housing 12.
As a result, the disk cartridge 100 is guided into the opening storage portion 12 and is discharged forward.

Since each of the eject buttons 15 can be pressed by hand, the disc cartridge 1
When loading 00 by the loading mechanism,
Each eject button 15 of each opening storage section 12 other than the one corresponding to the loaded disk cartridge 100 may be pressed. In this case, the portion of the right side of the disc cartridge 100 where there is no slide groove 101a tries to interfere with the distal end portion 14a of the eject lever 14, but as shown in FIG.
, The pivot pin 14b of the eject lever 14 moves to the left side of the eject button 15 along the horizontal guide recess 13c. That is, the support pin 14b of the eject lever 14 is normally located on the protruding portion 13d side of the horizontal guide recess 13c by the tensile force of the tension coil spring 17, but as described above,
When the right side of 00 and the tip 14a of the eject lever 14 interfere with each other, the eject lever 14 moves in parallel to the eject button 15 against the tensile force of the extension coil spring 17. As a result, the tip portion 14a of the eject lever 14 enters the inside of the box portion 13 to prevent interference between the tip portion 14a of the eject lever 14 and the right side surface of the disc cartridge 100. Then, when the interference is eliminated, the eject lever 14 returns to the original position by the tensile force of the extension coil spring 17.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, each opening 13a of the box portion 13 of each eject button 15 is provided.
(Each opening 2a to 2e of the front panel of the apparatus main body 2)
Since the respective operation units 15a that are exposed to the outside are provided so as to alternately protrude left and right, even when the interval between the operation units 15a of the upper and lower eject buttons 15 is narrow,
The operation section 15a of each desired eject button 15 can be pressed easily and reliably.

As described above, by pressing the operation section 15a of each of the eject buttons 15 arranged corresponding to each of the opening storage sections 12 of the holder 11, the disc cartridge 100 stored in each of the opening storage sections 12 is pressed. To each of the eject levers 1 linked to each of the eject buttons 15
4 can be discharged separately and easily. In addition, since the eject button 15 and the like are provided for each of the opening storage sections 12, the disc cartridge 10 other than the loading operation can be reliably ejected even during the operation of the loading mechanism. That is, since the cartridge ejecting device 10 for ejecting the disc cartridge 100 and the loading mechanism for transporting the disc cartridge 100 to the recording / reproducing unit are made independent from each other, any disc cartridge 100 to be ejected can be ejected reliably and easily. Also, there is a degree of freedom in the loading mechanism. Further, since the disc cartridge 100 is reliably ejected by using a small number of components such as the respective eject levers 14, the respective eject buttons 15, and the tension coil springs 17, the structure of the entire apparatus can be simplified, and a small cartridge eject device can be used. The device 10 can be provided at low cost.

According to the above-described embodiment, a tension coil spring is used as means for elastically urging the eject lever. However, the elastic body is not limited to the tension coil spring, and other elastic bodies such as a torsion coil spring and a leaf spring may be used. May be used. In addition, although the description has been given of the ejection of the disk cartridge in which the disk is stored in the cartridge, it is needless to say that the embodiment can be applied to the tape cartridge in which the magnetic tape is stored in the cartridge.

[0024]

As described above, according to the cartridge ejecting apparatus of the present invention, the opening main body is provided in the main body of the cartridge for inserting and removing the cartridge, and the cartridge stored in the opening main body is pressed by the eject button. The cartridge can be ejected freely through the eject lever that rotates.
Slide the shutter that opens and closes the opening for recording and playback.
In the cartridge ejecting device provided freely, a plurality of the opening storage portions are provided adjacent to the device main body, and the opening storage portions are turned to predetermined positions in the device main body on the side portions of the respective opening storage portions via a support shaft portion. An eject lever which is movably supported and one end of which can be freely inserted into and retracted from the opening storage portion; and an engaging portion which engages with a locking portion of the eject lever. And an elastic body that is locked to at least one of the eject lever and the eject button to return the eject lever and the eject button to their original positions, and is rotated when the eject buttons are pressed. the one end of the respective ejector lever projecting above the opening storage portion and, cartridge housed in the respective opening housing part The Shah is formed on one side of the
Press the end of the slide groove to slide the
In addition, since the cartridges can be ejected separately, the structure of the entire cartridge ejecting apparatus can be simplified to reduce the cost, and the cartridge can be ejected without being affected by other mechanisms such as a loading mechanism. Each can be easily discharged separately.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a disk recording / reproducing apparatus with a cartridge changer having a cartridge ejecting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the disk recording / reproducing apparatus with the cartridge changer, showing a state in which a lid at the center of the front is opened to expose an opening accommodating portion for inserting and removing a disk cartridge of the cartridge ejecting apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the cartridge ejection device.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the cartridge ejection device.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the cartridge ejection device.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the cartridge ejection device.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the cartridge ejection device.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of a main part of the cartridge ejection device in a cross section.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a state before the disk cartridge of the cartridge ejecting apparatus is ejected.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing a state after the disk cartridge of the cartridge ejection device is ejected.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the eject lever of the cartridge eject device slides to the eject button side and the disc cartridge is not hindered at all even when the eject button is kept pressed;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Cartridge eject apparatus, 11 ... Holder (apparatus main body), 12 ... Open storage part, 14 ... Eject lever, 14a ... Tip part (one end part), 14b ... Support pin (support shaft part), 14c ... Lock pin (Locking portion), 15: eject button, 15a: operating portion, 15c: guide groove portion (engaging portion), 17: tension coil spring (elastic body), 10
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cartridge 101a ... Slide groove, 101b ...
End .

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-8-221868 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G11B 17/26

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A provided with an opening accommodating portion for loading and unloading a cartridge in the apparatus main body, the cartridge accommodated in the opening housing part, is freely discharged through the eject lever which rotates by the pressing operation of the eject button, the cartridge Is inside
Opening and closing the opening for recording and playback on the disc stored in the
A cartridge ejecting device having a shutter slidably provided, wherein a plurality of the opening storage portions are provided adjacent to the device main body, and a support shaft portion is provided at a predetermined position in the device main body on a side portion of each of the opening storage portions. An eject lever rotatably supported via one end of the eject lever, the end of which can freely move into and out of the opening storage portion; and an engaging portion that engages with a locking portion of the eject lever. And an elastic body locked to at least one of the eject lever and the eject button to return the eject lever and the eject button to their original positions. the one end of the respective ejector lever projecting above the opening storage portion and at pivot, each of said openings accommodating It is formed on one side of the accommodated cartridges to the sliding the shutter
A cartridge ejecting device , wherein the cartridge is ejected separately by pushing an end of a slide groove . 2. The cartridge ejecting device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the opening storage sections are provided in parallel with a small clearance in a vertical direction of the apparatus main body, and a vertical direction of the apparatus main body near each of the opening storage sections. A cartridge ejecting device characterized in that the ejecting buttons are arranged in parallel in the direction with a minute clearance therebetween, and that the operating portions of the ejecting buttons that are exposed outside the apparatus main body are alternately protruded left and right, respectively. . 3. The cartridge ejecting device according to claim 1, wherein each of the elastic bodies is interposed between each of the ejecting levers and a predetermined position in the apparatus main body, and a support shaft of each of the ejecting levers is provided. Each eject button in the apparatus main body is supported so as to be reciprocally movable, and even when the respective eject buttons are pressed, one end of each of the eject levers is immersed into the apparatus main body from the inside of each of the opening storage sections. A cartridge ejecting device characterized in that: