JPH04163782A - Optical disk subsystem device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the shortage of the quantity of cooling air due to the clogging of a filter for purification by monitoring the state of clogging of the filter for purifying external air installed by the notch section of an optical fiber on the surface of the filter at all times. CONSTITUTION:When a filter 7 for purification is brought to the state of clogging by dust in air and dust adheres on the surface of the filter 7 for purification, dust also adheres on the notch sections 8a of the optical transmission processes of optical fibers 8, the amount of light passing through the notch sections 8a is reduced, and the electric generating power of a photodetecting element 10 is lowered. The electric generating power is transmitted over an indicator 11 through an interchange circuit and a lamp is lit, and the state of clogging of the filter 7 for purification is displayed. Accordingly, the unavailable state of a device by the shortage of the quantity of cooling air due to the clogging of the filter 7 for purification is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an optical disk subsystem device, and particularly to an optical disk subsystem device that cools the subsystem by introducing external air through a purifying filter.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, this type of optical disk subsystem device uses a motor fan to introduce external air into the device for cooling in order to prevent the temperature of the device from rising.

In addition, in order to prevent the inside of the optical disk device from getting dirty, especially the lens of the optical head, the air introduced into the device is passed through a purifying filter installed at the inlet when it is introduced into the device. Although the filter is introduced into the device after removing dust, it does not have a means for detecting the state of the purifying filter.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

When the above-mentioned conventional optical disk subsystem device is used in a natural environment, the air purifying filter becomes clogged due to dust in the air, and the introduced air flow rate decreases, causing problems when used for a long time. Eventually, the air flow rate decreases to a level that is insufficient to cool the inside of the device, and the device becomes inoperable. Therefore, it is necessary to replace the purification filter, but since there is no built-in mechanism to monitor the clogging status of the purification filter, the clogging status of the purification filter cannot be detected and it is replaced early, resulting in economic loss. However, if the optical disk is used in an environment with a lot of dust in the air, the purification filter may become clogged early and the device may become inoperable during operation, resulting in data destruction. This has the disadvantage that the initial performance and reliability of the device cannot be maintained.

[Means to solve the problem]

An optical disk subsystem device of the present invention includes an optical disk device that uses an optical disk storage medium to read and write information, a control device that controls this optical disk device, and a power supply device that drives these optical disk devices and the control device. In an optical disk subsystem device that includes a fan motor for feeding external air to prevent a temperature rise in the entire subsystem and a filter for purifying the external air, the device includes a light emitting element and a purifying filter that has the light emitting element at one end. An optical fiber cable with a part of the optical transmission path provided on the surface of a filter, a photodetector provided at the other end of the optical fiber cable, and a display that uses the electrical output from the photodetector. It is configured by having a device.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be explained with reference to the drawings.

1(a) and (b) are a side view and a rear view, respectively, of an embodiment of the present invention, partially showing the internal configuration. In FIG. 1, an optical disk storage medium 1 is used to store information. An optical disk device 2 for reading and writing, a control device 3 for controlling the optical disk device 2, a power supply device 4 for driving the system, and a motor fan for blowing in external air to prevent the temperature of the entire subsystem from rising. 5 is covered by a subsystem housing 6, and the motor fan 5 is attached to an air inlet 6a provided at the rear of the subsystem housing 6, and a purification filter for purifying the external air is installed. 7 is attached to the outside of the air inlet 6a.

Further, an optical fiber 8 having a notch 8a in its light transmission path is attached on the surface of the purifying filter. A light emitting element 9 is attached to one end of the optical fiber 8, and a photodetecting element 10 is attached to the other end of the optical fiber 8 so as to be able to receive light emitted from the optical fiber 8. Further, a display 11 is attached to the surface of the subsystem housing 6, and air introduced into the subsystem housing 6 from the insertion slot 6b for the optical disk storage medium 1 provided on the front surface of the subsystem housing 6 is displayed. The structure is such that it is discharged to the outside.

In the above configuration, when the optical disc subsystem device is in operation and the purification filter 7 is in a normal state, the light emitted from the light emitting element 9 enters the optical fiber 8, passes through the notch 8a, and becomes light. The light is emitted from the other end of the fiber 8 and enters the photodetector element 10, and the photodetector element 10 outputs an electrical output based on the received light. By the way, when the purification filter 7 becomes clogged with dust in the air and dust adheres to the surface of the purification filter 7, the dust also adheres to the notch 8a in the optical transmission path of the optical fiber 8, causing the notch to become clogged. 8a
The amount of light passing through decreases, and the electrical output of the photodetecting element 10 decreases. As a result, an electric output is applied to the display 11 via a relay circuit (not shown) and the display 11 lights up to indicate the clogging state of the purification filter.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention constantly monitors the clogging state of the external air purification filter attached to the optical disk subsystem device using the notch of the optical fiber on the surface of this filter. This prevents the optical disk subsystem from becoming unusable due to a lack of cooling air due to filter clogging, which not only improves the reliability of the optical disk subsystem, but also allows for appropriate replacement of external air purification filters. Since the timing can be known, there is no unnecessary replacement of the purification filter, which has the effect of eliminating economic and time losses.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1(a) and (b) are a partially sectional side view and a rear view, respectively, of an embodiment of the present invention. 1. Optical disk storage medium, 2. Optical disk device,
3... Control device, 4... Power supply device, 5... Motor fan, 6a... Air inlet, 7... Purification filter, 8... Optical fiber, 8a... Notch part ,9...
Light emitting element, 10... Photodetecting element, 11... Display device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] Preventing the temperature rise of an optical disk device that reads and writes information using an optical disk storage medium, a control device that controls this optical disk device, a power supply device that drives these optical disk devices and the control device, and the entire subsystem. In an optical disk subsystem device that includes a fan motor for feeding external air and a filter for purifying the external air, the optical disc subsystem device includes a light emitting element and a light transmitting element having the light emitting element at one end and provided on the surface of the purifying filter. It is characterized by having an optical fiber cable with a part of its path missing, a photodetection element provided at the other end of the optical fiber cable, and a display device that displays information using electrical output from the photodetection element. Optical disk subsystem device.