JPH09251700A - Disk stocker and disk exchanging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely prevent a recording disk from falling off in a disk exchanging device when the plural recording disks are housed therein and to simplify the constitution of the disk exchanging device by reducing the force required for taking out the recording disk. SOLUTION: A fall-off preventing lever 15 for preventing the fall-off of the recording disk 101 from a casing-like disk stocker 5 is made to abut on the recording disk 101 in the biting direction (in the state the angle θ between the turning direction N of the fall-off preventing lever 15 and the falling off direction M of the recording disk 101 is larger than 90 deg.) against the recording disk 101.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disc stocker for storing and holding a plurality of discs serving as recording media, and a disc exchange for selectively recording or reproducing information signals with respect to the discs stored and held in the disc stocker. It belongs to the technical field of devices.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a disc exchange device (disc changer device) for accommodating and holding a plurality of discs, which are recording media such as optical discs, and recording or reproducing an information signal on any disc selected from these discs. ) Is proposed.

Such a disk exchanging device is composed of a disk stocker for accommodating and holding a plurality of disks, a disk driver for recording or reproducing an information signal for the disk, and the disk stocker and the disk driver. It is configured to have a carrier (conveying mechanism) that conveys the disc between them.

That is, in this disc exchange apparatus, one or a plurality of discs are selected from the plurality of discs stored in the disc stocker by the operation of the carrier. The disk selected by the carrier is carried to the chucking position on the disk driver by the carrier.

The disc conveyed to the chucking position is chucked on the disc table of the disc driver to record or reproduce an information signal. In this disc driver, the disc table is rotated by a spindle motor together with the chucked disc.

The disc driver has an optical pickup device for writing or reading an information signal to or from a disc that is chucked on the disc table and is rotated.

Further, the disc on which the recording or reproduction of the information signal has been completed is returned from the chucking position to the disc stocker by the carrier.

Further, the disc exchanging device has a disc tray which can be moved in and out of the outer casing of the disc exchanging device for loading and unloading the disc into and from the disc exchanging device. .

When loading the disc into the disc exchanging device, the disc tray is moved to the outside of the outer casing, the disc is placed on the disc tray, and then the disc tray is loaded. Are moved into the outer housing. The disc placed on the disc tray is carried from the disc tray into the disc stocker by the carrier.

In order to take out the disc loaded in the disc exchanging device from the disc exchanging device, after the disc in the disc stocker is placed on the disc tray by the carrier, the disc tray is removed. It is moved to the outer side of the outer casing.

[0011]

In the disk exchanging apparatus as described above, the disk stocker and the carrier have a shelf-like mounting portion formed in the disk stocker. It is conceivable that each of the above-mentioned disks is directly placed on top of the disk and stored therein, and the selected disk is fed by a link or belt to be conveyed into the carrier.

Further, in this disk exchange device,
It is necessary to prevent each of the disks from dropping from the disk stocker due to an impact applied from the outside during transportation of the disk exchange apparatus.

Therefore, in the disc stocker, other discs at the positions corresponding to the carriers need to be locked in the disc stocker by a leaf spring or a rope provided in the disc stocker. There is. The locking with respect to the disc as described above needs to be stronger than a predetermined force in order to reliably prevent the disc from dropping from the disc stocker.

However, if the locking of the disk with respect to the disk stocker is made strong, the transportation of the disk to the carrier is made against the force of the locking, which is difficult. Will end up. In this case,
This leads to an increase in the size and complexity of the structure of the carrier.

Therefore, the present invention has been proposed in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and a plurality of disks to be recording media are housed and held in a disk stocker, and information signals are recorded or recorded on these disks. A disc exchanging device for reproducing, which surely prevents the respective discs from dropping from the disc stocker due to an impact applied from the outside during transportation or the like, and discs selected for recording or reproducing information signals. It is an object of the present invention to solve the problem of providing a disk exchanging device that can be easily taken out from the disk stocker and that can be downsized and simplified.

The present invention is also intended to solve the problem of providing a disk stocker suitable for constructing the above-described disk exchange apparatus.

[0017]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a disk stocker according to the present invention stores and holds a plurality of disks as recording media so that they face each other, and the disks come out in one direction. A disk stocker capable of performing the following, and a disk slip-off preventing member which is arranged corresponding to each of the stored and held disks, rotatably supported at the base end side thereof, and which makes the tip end contact the peripheral edge of each disk. ,
Urging means for urging the disc retaining members to rotate so as to press the tip end portions of the disc retaining members into pressure contact with the peripheral edge of the corresponding discs. When the direction in which the disk can be pulled out from the stocker is set to the front side, the tip of the disk is brought into contact with the disks at the contact points located on the front side and the side of each disk, and the rotation of the base side is performed. The fulcrum is located on the front side and the outer side of the contact point.

The disk exchange apparatus according to the present invention is
A disk stocker for housing and holding a plurality of disks to be recording media, and a disk stocker corresponding to each disk housed and held in the disk stocker, which is rotatably supported at its base end side and has its tip end A disk retaining member that abuts the peripheral edge of each disk to prevent the disk from slipping out of the disk stocker, a disk driver that records or reproduces an information signal on or from the disk, a holding unit, and a chucking plate. One disc selectively ejected from the disc stocker is fixed and held by the holding means and is moved to convey the disc to the chucking position on the disc driver, and the disc is chucked. When the disc is conveyed to the king position, the holding means releases the disc from holding the disc. A carrier for chucking the disk in cooperation with the disk table of the disk driver by a locking plate, and a take-out and storing means provided on the carrier for moving the disk between the carrier and the disk stocker; And a retainer release member provided on the carrier for operating the disc retainer member to release the prevention of the disc from being removed from the disc stocker by the disc retainer member.

Also, in the disc exchanging device according to the present invention, the retaining release member operates in conjunction with the take-out and storing means and the holding means to release the holding of the disc by the holding means, and When the moving operation of the disk by the ejecting and storing means is performed, the prevention of the disk from coming out of the disk stocker by the disk retaining member is released.

Further, according to the present invention, in the disc exchanging device, the retaining release member is operated by a cam means for operating the take-out and storing means.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in the following order with reference to the drawings.

[1] Overview of Configuration of Disk Exchanger (FIGS. 1 to 3) [2] Configuration of Disk Stocker as First Disk Storage (FIGS. 1, 2, 6, 9, and 10) , FIG. 11 and FIG. 43) [3] Configuration of the disc tray that is the second disc storage portion (FIGS. 1, 3, 33 to 36, 40, and 4)
1) [4] Configuration of disk driver (FIGS. 1 to 3) [5] Configuration of carrier (FIGS. 1 to 11, 37 to 39, 42) [6] Operation of disk exchange device (FIGS. 12 to 12) 32) [7] Another example of the configuration of the disk exchanging device (FIGS. 44 and 45) [1] Overview of the configuration of the disk exchanging device (FIGS. 1 to 3) A plurality of discs such as optical discs and magnetic discs to be used as the recording medium are stored and held.
It is a device that selects a plurality of disks and records or reproduces information signals on the selected disks.

In this embodiment, the disc exchanging device according to the present invention is configured as a device which uses an optical disc as the disc and reproduces an information signal from the disc.

As shown in FIG. 1, the disk has a disk-shaped substrate made of a transparent material such as polycarbonate (PC) having a diameter of 12 cm, for example. Fine irregularities (for example, a width of about 0.5 μm and a length of 0.9 μm to 3.2 are formed on one main surface portion of the substrate.
.mu.m and height of about 0.11 .mu.m), that is, by forming pits, an audio signal,
Various information signals such as video signals and computer data are recorded. On the surface where the pits are formed, a reflection film made of a metal thin film such as aluminum is deposited by so-called sputtering or vapor deposition. The pits are arranged in a substantially concentric spiral shape to form a recording track.

The disk 101 has a chucking hole 102 at the center thereof. This chucking hole 1
Reference numeral 02 is a circular through hole having a diameter of, for example, about 15 mm, and is formed with its center aligned with the center of curvature of the recording track.

In this disc, the substrate is penetrated from the main surface portion side opposite to the one main surface portion where the pits are formed,
The recorded information signal can be read by detecting the shape of the pit by an optical pickup device described later.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, this disk exchanging device has an outer casing 1. A disk stocker 5 according to the present invention, which is a first disk housing portion for housing and holding a plurality of disks 101, and a disk driver 9 for reproducing information signals from the disks 101 are provided in the outer housing 1. , A disk tray 8 which is a second disk storage portion that can be moved between the inside and outside of the outer casing 1, between the disk stocker 5 and the disk driver 9, and between the disk tray 8 and the disk driver 9. And a carrier 6 for transporting the disk 101 between them.

In this disc exchange apparatus, the disc tray 8 is moved to the outer side of the outer casing 1,
The disc 101 can be carried into the outer casing 1 by placing and storing the disc 101 on the disc tray 8 and moving the disc tray 8 into the outer casing 1. The disc 101 placed on the disc tray 8 is stored in the disc stocker 5 by the carrier 6 or mounted in the disc driver 9.

The disc 101 mounted in the disc driver 9 reproduces an information signal by the disc driver 9.

The carrier 6 selectively mounts any one of the plurality of disks 101 stored in the disk stocker 5 on the disk driver 9 or the disk tray. It can be stored in 8.

The disc 101 placed and stored in the disc tray 8 by the carrier 6 is moved outside the outer casing 1 by moving the disc tray 8 to the outer side of the outer casing 1. It is taken out to one side.

[2] Structure of the disk stocker which is the first disk storage portion (FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 6, FIG. 9, FIG.
(FIGS. 11 and 43)) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the disk stocker 5 according to the present invention is arranged in the outer housing 1 above the bottom surface of the outer housing 1 from the bottom surface. It is supported and arranged in a separated state.

The disc stocker 5 is formed in a housing shape whose rear side is open. That is, the disc stocker 5 has both side wall portions and a front wall portion. The disc stocker 5 has a distance between both side walls and a front-rear length corresponding to the diameter of the disc 101. Therefore, in the disc stocker 5, the disc 101 can be horizontally inserted between the both side wall portions from the opened rear side, and the disc 101 thus inserted has a front end edge portion and The disk stocker 5 is housed over the rear edge portion.

This disk stocker 5 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of horizontal shelf-shaped disc holding portions 31 are provided on the inner side surface portions of the both side wall portions which face each other. Discs 10 stored in this disc stocker 5
As shown in FIGS. 10 and 43, 1 is held in the disc stocker 5 by placing the edge portions on both sides on the disc holding portions 31, 31 of the both side wall portions. As described above, the disc 101 stored and held in the disc stocker 5 has its front end edge abutted against the front wall portion of the disc stocker 5.

In this disc stocker 5, when the discs 101 are stored and held in the plurality of disc holding portions 31, the plurality of discs 101 are face-to-face with each other and are stored and held in a laminated form. Becomes

The disk stocker 5 is capable of slipping out in one direction, that is, the rear side, of each of the disks 101 stored and held. As shown in FIG. 6, the disc stocker 5 has a plurality of disc retaining members 15 corresponding to the stored and held discs 101, which prevent the discs 101 from coming out of the disc stocker 5. ing.

Each of the disc retaining members 15 is rotatably supported at the base end side on the outer side of the side wall portion on one side of the disc stocker 5 via the support shaft 85, and the tip end side portion 87 is provided. The disk stocker 5 is made to enter through the through hole formed in the side wall portion, and the tip end is brought into contact with the peripheral edge of each disk 101 housed and held in the disk stocker 5. The support shaft 85 is provided in the rear portion of the disc stocker 5.

The disc stocker 5 is provided with a plurality of leaf springs 16 which serve as a biasing means for pivotally biasing each of the disc removal preventing members 15. These leaf springs 16 are supported with their base ends located outside the one side wall of the disc stocker 5 at the front part of the disc stocker 5, and the tip end part extended to the rear side. The disk retaining members 15 are brought into contact with the outer side portions of the respective members. These leaf springs 16 press the outer side portions of the disc retaining members 15 to urge the disc retaining members 15 to rotate in the direction in which the tip side portion 87 enters the disc stocker 5. The tips of the disc retaining members 15 are pressed against the peripheral edge of the corresponding disc 101.

The disc retaining members 15 prevent the discs 101 from coming out of the disc stocker 5 by abutting the tips of the disc retaining members 15 on the peripheral edges of the discs 101, and the leaf springs 16 are also provided. The disc stocker 5 is rotated from the disc stocker 5 of each of the discs 101 by rotating the tip end side to the outer side of the disc stocker 5 and separating the tip end from the peripheral edge of each disc 101. It is possible to escape.

The disc retaining members 15 are provided in the disc stocker 5 to hold the discs 101.
When the direction in which the disc can be pulled out from the disc stocker 5 is defined as “the front side in the pulling-out direction”, the front side in the pulling-out direction of each of the discs 101 and the side (to one side wall portion of the disc stocker 5 At the contact point 108 located on the approaching side), the tip end portion is brought into contact with the disc 101, and the rotation fulcrum on the base end side, that is, the support shaft 85 is located in front of the contact point 108 in the exit direction.
And it is located on the outer side.

That is, as shown in FIG. 43, the direction M (arrow M) of withdrawing the disc 101 from the disc stocker 5 at the contact point 108 between the tip of the disc retaining member 15 and the disc 101, The angle θ formed by the tangential direction N (arrow N) of the movement path of the tip portion about the support shaft 85 toward the outside of the disk stocker 5 is larger than 90 °.

Therefore, when each disc 101 tries to come out of the disc stocker 5 in a state in which the tip of each disc removal preventing member 15 is in contact with the peripheral edge of each disc 101, each disc comes out. The stop member 15 is rotationally biased by the discs 101 in a direction in which the tip portion is pulled inward to the disc stocker 5. That is, the respective disc retaining members 15 are in contact with the respective discs 101 in the so-called "bite" direction with respect to the ejection of the respective discs 101 from the disc stocker 5. Surely prevent the stocker 5 from coming out.

Further, each of the above disc retaining members 15
When the disc 101 is inserted into the disc stocker 5, the disc 101 is rotated by the disc 101 against the biasing force of the leaf spring 16.
It does not interfere with the insertion of 1.

An operated rod 86 extends toward the rear side of the disc stocker 5 at the base end side of each disc retaining member 15. In each of the disc retaining members 15, each of the operated rods 86 has the disc stocker 5
By being pressed in the direction of approaching the side wall portion, the rotary operation is performed against the biasing force of each leaf spring 16.

That is, in the disc stocker 5, the disc stoppers 15 are rotated through the operated rods 86 against the biasing force of the leaf springs 16. Of the discs 101 stored and held in the stocker 5, the disc 10 corresponding to the disc retaining member 15 that is being rotated.
1 can be taken out from the disc stocker 5.

The disc retaining members 15 and the leaf springs 16 may be arranged so as to correspond to each disc 101, or a plurality of discs (for example,
It may be arranged corresponding to each of the three to five disks 101.

On the other side wall of the disc stocker 5, as shown in FIG. 11, a plurality of slit openings 91 corresponding to the discs 101 stored and held in the disc stocker 5 are formed. . That is, these slit openings 91 are formed by the respective disc holding portions 31.
Corresponding to the above, they are formed horizontally along the disc holding portions 31 and extending from the front side portion of the disc stocker 5 to substantially the central portion. These slit openings 91 are for allowing the front rotation arm 28, which constitutes the take-out and storage means described later, to enter into the disc stocker 5.

[3] Configuration of the disc tray which is the second disc storage portion (FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 33 to FIG. 36, FIG. 4)
0 and FIG. 41) This disk exchange device, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
It has a disc tray 8 which is a second disc storage portion. As shown by the arrow K in FIG. 1, the disc tray 8 is arranged so as to be movable over the inside of the outer casing 1 and the outside of the outer casing 1.

That is, the disc tray 8 is formed in a substantially rectangular flat plate shape, and a pair of left and right guide plates 18, 18 are attached to the lower surface portion. These guide plates 18,
18 is attached to one side portion and the other side portion of the lower surface of the disc tray 8 with the longitudinal direction being the front-rear direction. The front end portions of the guide plates 18, 18 substantially correspond to the front edge portion of the disc tray 8, and the rear end side thereof is projected rearward of the rear edge portion of the disc tray 8.

The outer edges of the guide plates 18 and 18 are engaged with the pair of guide rails 17 and 17 arranged in the outer casing 1 so that the disc tray 8 can be retained. It is slidable in the front-back direction along the guide rails 17, 17. Each of the above guide rails 17,
The reference numeral 17 is provided on the bottom surface of the outer housing 1 so as to be supported via posts. These guide rails 17, 17
Is located below the disc stocker 5.

As shown by the solid line in FIG. 3, the disc tray 8 is housed in the outer casing 1 in a state where the front edge of the disc tray 8 substantially corresponds to the front end portions of the guide rails 17, 17. To be done. At this time, the disc tray 8 is located immediately below the disc stocker 5.

The disk stocker 8 is shown in FIG.
As indicated by the alternate long and short dash line, the guide rails 17,
Each of the guide plates 1 is slid forward with respect to 17
In a state where the rear end side portions of the guide rails 17, 18 correspond to the front end side portions of the guide rails 17, 17, through the through holes provided in the front plate portion of the outer housing 1, It is projected outward from the front side of the housing 1.

The disc tray 8 is moved by the driving force of a tray moving motor (not shown).

The disc tray 8 has a disc accommodating concave portion 107 corresponding to the disc 101 on the upper surface thereof, and the disc 101 is accommodated and held in the disc accommodating concave portion 107. A front portion of the disc storage recess 107 has a semicircular shape corresponding to the disc 101, and a rear portion thereof is open toward a rear edge side of the disc tray 8. The disc 101 is stored in the disc storage recess 107 by being placed on the bottom surface of the disc storage recess 107.

The disc tray 8 has a pair of left and right disc stoppers 19 and 19 for preventing the disc 101 housed in the disc housing recess 107 from moving rearward of the disc tray 8. ing. As shown in FIG. 2, the disc stoppers 19 and 19 are such that the front edge portion of the tip side portion is placed and stored in the front side portion inside the disc storing recess 107.
1 has a shape along the trailing edge portion.

As shown in FIG. 40 and FIG. 41, the disk stoppers 19, 19 are such that the tip end side portions thereof can be projected and retracted with respect to the bottom surface portion of the disk storage recess 107. That is, these disk stoppers 19, 19 are
The rear end side portions are supported on the guide plates 18, 18 via support shafts 90, 90, respectively, and the front end side portions are provided on the upper side via through holes formed in the bottom surface portion of the disc housing recess 107. To face. These disc stoppers 19 and 19 are rotated around the respective support shafts 90 and 90 so that the tip end side portion thereof is the disc storage recess 1
It is made to appear and disappear with respect to the bottom part of 07.

Then, these disk stoppers 19, 1
9 has copying pins 92, 92 in the middle part. These copying pins 92, 92 are provided with the guide rails 17, 1 described above.
It is mounted on the cam ridges 95, 95 which serve as the cam means projectingly provided on 7. These cam protrusions 95, 95 have lower portions corresponding to the copying pins 92, 92 in a state where the disc tray 8 is housed in the outer casing 1. In the state where 8 is slid to the front side, the copying pins 92,
The part corresponding to 92 is made high. The rear ends of the cam protrusions 95, 95 are formed as inclined portions 94.

That is, the disk stoppers 19,
When the disc tray 8 is slid forward from the inside of the outer housing 1, the disc tray 19 has a tip side portion at the disc storage recess 107 of the disc tray 8 as shown in FIGS. 33, 34 and 40. Is set to an initial position in which the disc 101 is projected upward from the bottom surface of the disc, and the disc 101 accommodated in the disc accommodating recess 107 is moved rearward (inward of the outer casing 1) with respect to the disc tray 8. Block. At this time, the disc 1 on the disc tray 8
01 indicates the front edge portion of the disc storage recess 107 and the tip side portions of the disc stoppers 19 and 19,
Positioning is performed on the disc tray 8.

Then, the above-mentioned disk stoppers 19 and 1
Reference numeral 9 denotes an arrow J in FIG. 35 and an arrow Q in FIG. 41 when the disc tray 8 is housed in the outer casing 1.
As shown in FIG. 5, the tip side portion is set to be recessed below the bottom surface of the disc storage recess 107 of the disc tray 8. At this time, the disc storage recess 107
Disk 1 stored and held in the front position inside
Reference numeral 01 is a coaxial position (directly below) with respect to the disk 101 housed and held in the disk stocker 5.

At this time, the tip end side portions of the disc stoppers 19 and 19 are the disc storage recesses 1
The disc storage recess 107 in the rear side direction of the disc 101 stored in the disc 07 with respect to the disc tray 8.
This is a position deviating from the movement locus along the bottom surface of the disk 101 and allows the disk 101 to be carried out to the rear side from the disk tray 8.

In this way, each of the above disk stoppers 1
9 and 19 are moved in conjunction with the movement of the disc tray 8 inside and outside the outer casing 1, and when the disc tray 8 is housed in the outer casing 1, the disc tray 8 is moved. The upper disc 101 can be moved to the rear side of the disc tray 8, and when the disc tray 8 is slid forward, the disc 101 on the disc tray 8 is moved to the disc storage recess 10 described above.
7 is positioned at the front position.

As shown in FIGS. 33 to 36, the side wall of the disc tray 8 is formed with a slit opening 100 corresponding to the disc 101 housed and held in the disc housing recess 107. In other words, the slit opening 100 is the same as the disk storage recess 10 described above.
Corresponding to No. 7, it is formed horizontally along the bottom surface portion of the disc storage recess 107 and extending from the front side portion of the disc tray 8 to substantially the central portion. The slit opening 100 is provided for the front rotation arm 28, which constitutes a take-out and storage means described later, to enter into the disc storage recess 107.

The slit opening 1 of this disc tray 8
00 is on the same side as the plurality of slit openings 91 formed in the disc stocker 5, and these slit openings 9
The disk tray 8 is formed to have substantially the same shape as that of the disk tray 1. When the disk tray 8 is housed in the outer casing 1, the disk tray 8 is located below the slit openings 91.

[4] Configuration of Disc Driver (FIGS. 1 to 3) At the rear side position of the disc tray 8 in the outer casing 1, as shown in FIGS.
A disk driver 9 for reproducing the information signal from 01 is provided. The disk driver 9 has a chassis supported on the bottom surface of the outer housing 1 via a plurality of dampers 21, and a spindle motor 20 and an optical pickup device 22 are arranged on the chassis. It is configured.

The spindle motor 20 is attached to the lower surface of the chassis, and the drive shaft is projected to the upper surface side of the chassis through a through hole provided in the chassis. On the tip side of the drive shaft of this spindle motor 20,
A disk table 10 is attached. The disc table 10 is formed in a substantially disc shape, and has a substantially frustoconical centering protrusion in the central portion of the upper surface portion. This centering protrusion is the disc 101
Of the chucking hole 102.

When the center portion of the disc 101 is placed on the upper surface of the disc table 10 and the center portion of the disc 101 is sandwiched (chucked) in cooperation with a chucking plate 26 described later, The centering (centering) of the disc 101 is performed by fitting the centering protrusion into the chucking hole 102, and the peripheral portion of the chucking hole 102 is placed on the peripheral portion of the centering protrusion 102. The disk 101 is positioned.

The disc table 10 is formed of a magnetic metal material such as iron at least on the peripheral side so that the chucking plate 26 can be attracted to the built-in magnet.

The optical pickup device 22 has an optical block section, and a light source such as a semiconductor laser, a beam splitter and an objective lens 23 are provided in the optical block section.
Etc., and a photodetector such as a phototransistor are built in. The optical pickup device 22 focuses the light flux emitted from the light source on the recording track of the disk 101 by the objective lens 23, and reflects the reflected light from the recording track by the photodetector through the beam splitter. Upon detection, a read signal of the information signal recorded on the disc 101 is output.

The optical pickup device 22 is located on the chassis of the disk driver 9 on the rear side of the spindle motor 20, and is guided by a guide shaft 24 provided in the chassis in the front-rear direction. It is movably supported along the shaft 24. The optical pickup device 22 is arranged such that the optical axis of the objective lens 23 is parallel to the drive axis of the spindle motor 20 and the light flux is emitted upward from the objective lens 23.

Then, the optical pickup device 22
Is driven along the guide shaft 24 by the driving force of the pickup feed motor attached to the chassis.
It is moved in the front-back direction. The drive force of the pickup feed motor is transmitted from the drive gear 25 attached to the drive shaft of the pickup feed motor to the rack gear provided on the side surface of the optical pickup device 22 via the transmission gear.

The optical pickup device 22 is moved along the guide shaft 24 so that
Disc 10 placed on the disc table 10
Since the moving operation is performed over the inner and outer circumferences of 1, the entire surface of the disc 101 can be irradiated with the light flux emitted through the objective lens 23. That is,
The optical pickup device 22 includes the disc 101
The information signal recorded on the disc 101 can be read over the entire surface of the disc.

[5] Structure of carrier (FIGS. 1 to 11,
(Figs. 37 to 39, 42) This disk exchange device, as shown in Figs.
Inside the outer housing 1, above the disk driver 9,
That is, it has a carrier 6 located on the rear side of the disk stocker 5.

As shown in FIG. 4, the carrier 6 is connected to the rear flat plate portion located on the rear side of the disc stocker 5 and the rear flat plate portion so as to be connected to the disc stocker 5.
A substantially L-shaped top plate portion including a side flat plate portion located on the other side (that is, the side wall portion side where each slit opening 91 is formed). It is configured.

This carrier 6 is shown in FIGS. 6, 9 and 10.
As shown in FIG. 5, the front edge of the rear flat plate portion is along the rear side of the disc stocker 5, and the side edge portion of the side flat plate portion is the side face portion on the other side of the disc stocker 5. It is possible to move up and down in a state of being aligned with.

That is, the thrust slave 7 is attached to the side edge of the top plate of the carrier 6. The first guide shaft 30 is inserted through the thrust slave 7. This first guide shaft 3
0 has a lower end portion supported by the bottom plate portion of the outer casing 1 and an upper end portion supported by the top plate portion of the outer casing 1, and is disposed vertically. Further, on the rear end side of the lateral side flat plate portion, there is formed a defective portion for the second guide shaft 4 to be fitted and engaged. The second guide shaft 4 is vertically arranged with its lower end supported by the bottom plate of the outer casing 1 and its upper end supported by the top plate of the outer casing 1. The carrier 6 is restricted from rotating around the first guide shaft 30 because the second guide shaft 4 is fitted and engaged in the cutout portion on the rear end side of the side flat plate portion. , Figure 1
As indicated by the middle arrow L, it is possible to move only along the first and second guide shafts 30 and 4 in the vertical direction.

An endless timing belt 3 is attached to the thrust slave 7. The timing belt 3 includes a lower elevating gear 2 rotatably disposed on the bottom surface of the outer casing 1 by a supporting member 106 and a supporting member 106 on the lower surface of the top plate of the outer casing 1. It is bridged between the upper and lower gears 2 which are rotatably arranged by and is meshed with these upper and lower gears 2, 2. The lifting gears 2 and 2 are rotated by a carrier lifting motor (not shown).

That is, the carrier 6 follows the timing belt 3 when the timing belt 3 is fed through the lifting gears 2 and 2 by the driving force of the carrier lifting motor. It is moved up and down.

The carrier 6 is provided with a chucking plate 26 located substantially in the center of the rear flat plate portion.
have. The chucking plate 26 has a substantially disc shape, and is rotatably fitted in a circular through hole formed in the rear flat plate portion. The chucking plate 26 has a recess at the center of the lower surface to which the centering protrusion of the disk table 10 of the disk driver 9 fits.
The chucking plate 26 is located immediately above the disc table 10 and is coaxial with the disc table 10.

The chucking plate 26 is
It has a built-in magnet for attracting the disk table 10.

When the carrier 6 is moved to the lowermost position, the chucking plate 26 is placed on the disc table 10 and fitted into the centering protrusion, and the disc table 10 is moved. Adsorb. At this time, if the disc 101 is placed on the disc table 10, the chucking plate 26 cooperates with the disc table 10 to clamp (chuck) the disc 101.

The chucking plate 26 is rotated together with the disk table 10 when the disk table 10 is rotated by the spindle motor 20 while the disk table 10 is attracted.

The carrier 6 has a pair of left and right holding blocks 36, 37 serving as holding means, a pair of left and right holding plates 38, 42, and a holding rod 45.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the holding blocks 36 and 37 are located at the left and right end portions of the rear flat plate portion, and are arranged below the rear flat plate portion. ing. One holding block 36 is fixed and attached to the lower surface of the rear flat plate portion. Further, the other holding block 37 is fixedly attached to the upper surface of a lower plate portion 51 arranged in parallel with the side flat plate portion below the side flat plate portion. The lower plate portion 51 is attached to the side flat plate portion via support members 49 and 50. In addition, between the upper surface of the other holding block 37 and the lower surface of the top plate of the carrier 6,
A void is formed.

The holding blocks 36 and 37 are respectively provided on the inner side surface portions facing each other, and the disk mounting step portion 8 is formed.
It has 8,89. These disk mounting step portions 8
Reference numerals 8 and 89 are formed by removing the inner upper portions of the holding blocks 36 and 37. Between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89, the edge portions on both sides of the disc 101 are placed on the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89, so that the disc holding portion of the disc stocker 5 is provided. 31 like the disk 10
1 is placed.

Further, the disc mounting step portions 88 and 8 are provided.
9 are parallel to each other toward the front side of the carrier 6, and the rear side portion of the carrier 6 has an arc shape along the outer edge of the disc 101 to narrow the width between them. ing. That is, the disc 101 is horizontally inserted from the front side of the carrier and placed between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89. Further, the disc 101 placed between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89 is prevented from slipping out to the rear side of the carrier 6.

Each of the holding plates 38 and 42 is formed in a substantially flat plate shape, and includes a pair of left and right holding shafts 40 and 43 which are vertically penetrated through the holding blocks 36 and 37. By being attached to the upper end, it is located above the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89. The holding shafts 40 and 43 are inserted into through holes formed through the holding blocks 36 and 37, and are vertically slidable with respect to the holding blocks 36 and 37.

The holding plates 38, 42 approach the disk mounting step portions 88, 89 by sliding the holding shafts 40, 43 downward, and the holding plates 38, 42 are shown in FIGS. 5, 7 and 38. As shown in FIG. 5, the disk mounting step portions 88 and 89 cooperate with each other to sandwich and hold both side edge portions of the disk 101 mounted between the disk mounting step portions 88 and 89.

The holding plates 38 and 42 are shown in FIG.
39, the holding shafts 40 and 43 are slid upward, so that the holding shafts 40 and 43 are separated from the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89 as indicated by an arrow P in FIG. The disc 101 placed between the step portions 88 and 89 is attached to each of the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89.
It is possible to separate to the upper side.

Then, the holding shafts 40 and 43
Is located between the retaining ring 111 attached to the middle of the holding shafts 40 and 43 and the holding blocks 36 and 37, and the compression coil spring 41 is wound around the holding shafts 40 and 43. , 44, they are elastically urged downward as indicated by arrow A in FIGS. 5, 37 and 38.

The lower ends of the holding shafts 40 and 43 are projected below the lower surface of the holding blocks 36 and 37. When the carrier 6 is moved to the lowest position and the chucking plate 26 holds the disk 101 on the disk table 10 in cooperation with the disk table 10, the holding shafts 40, 43 are As shown in FIG. 39, the lower end portion of the contact column 9 is erected on the bottom surface portion of the outer casing 1.
It abuts against the upper ends of 3, 93 and stops, and is slid upward relative to the holding blocks 36, 37.

As shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 42, the holding rod 45 is formed in a substantially columnar shape, and is formed by horizontally penetrating the other holding block 37 in the lateral direction. It is installed by being inserted through the tunnel. The holding rod 45 has one end located on the disc mounting step portion 89 of the other holding block 37 and the other end located on the lower plate portion 51 so as to project from the other holding block 37. And faces a cam plate 48 described later. The holding rod 45 is slidable in one end side direction on the side of the disc mounting step portion 89 and in the other end side direction separated from the disc mounting step portion 89.

When the holding rod 45 is slid toward the disc mounting step portion 89 side, the holding rod 45 is positioned slightly forward of the side edge portion of the disc 101 mounted between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89. One end is brought into contact with
It is possible to prevent the disc 1 from slipping out to the front side (that is, the disc stocker 5 side) from between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89.

When the holding rod 45 is slid to the side separated from the disc mounting step portion 89,
One end of the disc 101 is separated from the side edge of the disc 101 placed between the disc placing step portions 88 and 89, and the disc 101 is moved forward from the space between the disc placing step portions 88 and 89. Allows you to escape. At this time,
The holding rod 45 allows the disc 101 to enter between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89 from the front side.

The holding rod 45 is wound around the holding rod 45 and is located between the other end side of the holding rod 45 and the other holding block 37 by a compression coil spring 46 in FIG. As indicated by arrow B and arrow U in FIG. 42, it is elastically biased in a direction away from the disk mounting step portion 89. A roller 47 is rotatably attached to the other end of the holding rod 45 so as to be in rolling contact with a cam plate 48 described later.

Then, the carrier 6 is taken out and stored as a storage means for moving the disk 101 between the carrier 6 and the disk stocker 5 and between the carrier 6 and the disk tray 8. It has a mechanism. This take-out and storage means is a take-out means and a storage means.

This take-out and storage mechanism is constructed on the side flat plate portion of the top plate portion and on the lower plate portion 51.

That is, this take-out and storage mechanism is shown in FIG.
And as shown in FIG. 42, a spindle 80 is provided on the lower plate portion 51.
A substantially fan-shaped partly tooth-missing gear 5 rotatably arranged via
7. The tooth-chipped gear 57 has a gear portion that extends over an angle range of about 90 ° around the support shaft 80, and
The operation pin 54 is planted at a position on the opposite side of the gear portion via the support shaft 80.
The part other than the planting position is cut out to have a substantially fan shape.

The tooth-chipped gear 57 is located between the central portion of the gear portion and the support shaft 80, and the spring locking portion provided on the tooth-chipped gear 57 and the inner edge of the lower plate portion 51. As shown by an arrow T in FIG. 42, the gear portion is moved to the inner side (see the arrow T in FIG. 42) by the tension coil spring 58 stretched between the spring locking claw 110 provided on the portion (the edge portion on the disk stocker 5 side). It is urged to rotate toward the initial position toward the disk stocker 5 side).

The operation pin 54 is planted below the tooth-chipped gear 57, and through the slit-shaped through hole formed in the lower plate portion 51 around the support shaft 80 in an arc shape. The lower plate portion 51 is projected downward.

The take-out and storage mechanism has front and rear turning levers 28 and 29.

The front side rotation lever 28 is rotatably supported on the lower plate portion 51 at the front end side of the partly tooth-missing gear 57 and at the base end side thereof. A transmission gear 60 is attached to the base end side of the front rotation lever 28 with the rotation center of the front rotation lever 28 as the central axis. The transmission gear 60 is arranged at a position where the gear portion of the tooth-chipped gear 57 meshes when the tooth-chipped gear 57 is rotated in one direction. The front side rotation lever 28 has its tip end side extended forward. A substantially cylindrical contact member 76 for contacting and engaging with the peripheral edge of the disk 101 is attached to the tip of the front-side turning lever 28.

The rear side turning lever 29 has a base end side on the rear side of the toothless gear 57 and the lower plate portion 51.
It is rotatably supported above. This rear rotation lever 2
A transmission gear 61 is attached to the base end side of 9 with the center of rotation of the rear side rotation lever 29 as the central axis. The transmission gear 61 is arranged at a position where the gear portion of the tooth-chipped gear 57 meshes when the tooth-chipped gear 57 is rotated in the other direction. This rear rotation lever 29
Has a tip end extending rearward. An abutting member 77 having a substantially columnar shape for abuttingly engaging with the peripheral edge portion of the disc 101 is attached to a tip end portion of the rear side turning lever 29.
Is installed.

A tension coil spring 59 is stretched between the base ends of the rotary levers 28 and 29. The tension coil spring 59 engages both ends of the rotating levers 28 and 29 on the outer side of the rotating centers of the rotating levers 28 and 29 (side away from the disk stocker 5). There is. Therefore, the rotating levers 28 and 29 are acted upon by the urging force of the tension coil spring 59, so that the arrow S and the arrow R in FIG.
As shown by, the respective tip ends are urged to rotate toward the outer side of the carrier 6 (the side separated from the disc stocker 5).

As shown in FIG. 4, the rotating levers 28 and 29 are brought into contact with the column members 49 and 50 which connect the lower plate portion 51 and the top plate portion, respectively.
It is positioned at the initial position.

The take-out and storage mechanism has a cam plate 48 serving as a cam means. This cam plate 48 is
It is formed in a substantially flat plate shape, and is supported slidably in the front-rear direction at a side edge portion on the outer side of the lower plate portion 51. That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, the cam plate 48 has support slit portions formed in the front-rear direction, and the support slit portions project outward from the lower plate portion 51. It is slidable in the front-rear direction by inserting the provided support pins 78 and 79.

The cam plate 48 is moved in the front-rear direction by the driving force of the take-out and storage motor 27 disposed on the side flat plate portion. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the drive worm gear 32 is attached to the drive shaft of the take-out and storage motor 27. The drive worm gear 32 meshes with a worm wheel 33 rotatably arranged on the side flat plate portion. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the worm wheel 33 rotates via a support shaft 69 which is inserted into a support hole 73 provided in a support piece 72 projecting from the side flat plate portion. Supported as possible. A first transmission gear 34 is coaxially and integrally attached to the worm wheel 33.

A second transmission gear 35 meshes with the first transmission gear 34. The second transmission gear 35 is
It is rotatably supported via a support shaft 70 that is inserted into a support hole 97 provided in a support piece portion 96 protruding from the side flat plate portion. A third transmission gear 66 having a diameter smaller than that of the second transmission gear 35 is coaxially and integrally attached to the second transmission gear 35.

The cam gear 6 is included in the third transmission gear 66.
2 are engaged. The cam gear 62 is rotatably supported via a support shaft 71 that is inserted into a support hole 98 provided in the support piece portion 96. A cam connecting plate 67 is attached to the cam gear 62. A cam connecting pin 63 is provided on the cam connecting plate 67 so as to project toward the outer side of the carrier 6.

The cam connecting pin 63 is provided on the cam plate 48.
Is inserted and engaged with a cam slit 68 formed on the front end side of the. The cam slit 68 is formed in a straight line in the vertical direction.

When the take-out / storing motor 27 is rotationally driven, the driving force of the take-out / storing motor 27 causes the cam gear 62 to rotate via the respective transmission gears, and the cam connecting pin 63 and the cam slit 68. Then, the cam plate 48 is moved to the front side or the rear side according to the rotation direction of the take-out and storage motor 27.

A torsion coil spring having two coil portions is arranged at approximately the center of the cam plate 48 by fitting the coil portions to the support shafts 64 and 65 provided on the cam plate 48. It is set up. In this torsion coil spring, both end portions 55 and 56 extend in parallel to each other below the lower plate portion 51. Both ends 5 of this torsion coil spring
5 and 56 have an elastic force in a direction of approaching each other, but they are positioned at the initial position by being brought into contact with both ends of the locking piece 109 provided on the cam plate 48 and locked. Has been done.

When the cam plate 48 is slid forward by a predetermined distance or more, the rear end portion 56 of the both ends 55, 56 of the torsion coil spring located on the rear side.
Comes into contact with the operation pin 54 of the toothless gear 57. In this state, when the cam plate 48 is further slid forward, the tooth-chipped gear 57 is rotatably operated, and the gear portion of the tooth-chipped gear 57 meshes with the transmission gear 61 on the rear side to transmit the gear. The gear 61 is rotated to rotate the rear rotation lever 29.

When the cam plate 48 is slid rearward by a predetermined distance or more, the front end side portion 55 of the both ends 55, 56 of the torsion coil spring, which is located on the front side, has the tooth missing portion. The gear 57 comes into contact with the operation pin 54.
In this state, when the cam plate 48 is further slid rearward, the tooth-chipped gear 57 is rotated, and the gear portion of the tooth-chipped gear 57 meshes with the transmission gear 60 on the front side to transmit the transmission. By rotating the gear 60, the front side rotation lever 2
8 is rotated.

When the rear side rotation lever 29 is rotated by the movement operation of the cam plate 48, the rear side rotation lever 29 is rotated in a direction to bring the tip side portion closer to the chucking plate 26, and the tip side contact member. 77, the disc 101 mounted between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89
The disk 101 is brought into contact with the rear edge portion of the rear side to move the disk 101 forward.

That is, the rear side turning lever 29 is
It is possible to perform an operation of moving the disc 101 placed between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89 and held by the carrier 6 to the disc stocker 5 or the disc tray 8.

The disk 10 held by the carrier 6
1 is moved to the disk stocker 5 or
Alternatively, the movement of the disc tray 8 is selected by selecting the height position of the carrier 6. Also, the disk 10 held by the carrier 6
Which disc holding portion 31 in the disc stocker 5 is to be moved is also selected by selecting the height position of the carrier 6.

When the rear rotation lever 29 is rotated by the operation of moving the cam plate 48, the front end portion is located between the other holding block 37 and the top plate portion of the carrier 6. Through the void.

When the front side rotation lever 28 is rotated by the movement operation of the cam plate 48, the front end side portion is moved to the inside of the disc stocker 5 through the slit opening portions 91 and 100. Alternatively, the disc tray 8 accommodated in the outer casing 1 is rotated in a direction to be inserted into the disc accommodating recess 107, and is accommodated in the disc stocker 5 by the abutting member 76 on the front end side. The disk 101 or the front edge portion of the disk 101 housed in the disk housing recess 107 is abutted and engaged,
This disc 101 is moved to the rear side.

That is, the front turning lever 28 is
The disc 101 accommodated in the disc tray 8 is slid along the disc mounting surface of the disc tray 8 (bottom surface of the disc accommodating recess 107), and the disc 101 is moved from the disc tray 8 to the carrier 6. The operation can be performed.

Further, the front side rotation lever 28 slides the disc 101 stored in the disc stocker 5 along the disc holding portion 31 of the disc stocker 5, and the carrier 6 from the disc stocker 5 is moved.
It is possible to perform an operation of moving the disk 101 to.

The disk 101 stored in the disk stocker 5 is moved with respect to the carrier 6, or
Alternatively, the selection of whether to move the disk 101 stored in the disk tray 8 with respect to the carrier 6 is made by selecting the height position of the carrier 6. Further, which of the disc holding portions 31 in the disc stocker 5 is operated to move the disc 101 with respect to the carrier 6 is also selected by selecting the height position of the carrier 6.

Then, the cam plate 48 moves the holding rod 45 in conjunction with the rotation of the rotary levers 28 and 29. That is, the roller 47 at the other end of the holding rod 45 is pressed against the cam plate 48 by the urging force of the compression coil spring 46 and is in rolling contact therewith. A cam convex portion 53 is formed on the portion of the cam plate 48 with which the roller 47 is rollingly contacted so as to bulge toward the roller 47 side.

When the roller 47 is located on the cam convex portion 53, the holding rod 45 is moved to the disc mounting step portion 89 side against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 46, and one end portion thereof is moved. Thus, the disc 101 mounted between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89 is held. The holding rod 45 is moved to the side separated from the disc mounting step portion 89 by the urging force of the compression coil spring 46 when the roller 47 is in the position displaced from the cam convex portion 53, The holding of the disc 101 placed between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89 is released.

The position of the cam convex portion 53 is the same as that of the holding rod 4.
It is set that the moving operation of 5 is performed in conjunction with the turning operation of the turning levers 28 and 29. That is,
The holding rod 45 is in a state of releasing the holding of the disc 101 when the moving operation of the disc 101 is performed by the rotating levers 28 and 29.

In addition, the carrier 6 operates the disc retaining member 15 to operate the disc retaining member 1.
5, the disc stocker 5 of the disc 101
Stopper release member 1 for releasing the prevention of further disengagement
Three.

As shown in FIG. 4, FIG. 6, FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, the retainer release member 13 is formed as a substantially rod-shaped member, and on the one side portion of the top plate portion of the carrier 6, The support shaft 39 rotatably supports the middle portion. The retainer release member 13 has a front end side portion that protrudes forward of the front edge of the top plate portion, so that the operated rod 86 of the operated rod 86 provided on the disc retainer member 15 of the disc stocker 5 can be removed. It is located on the side.

An engagement pin 75 is provided on the rear end side of the retaining release member 13. The rear end side of the retainer releasing member 13 is provided with the engaging pin 75,
It is engaged with one end side portion of a slider 12 mounted on the top plate portion of the carrier 6 so as to be slidable in the lateral direction.

The slider 12 is slidably supported by the support pins 81, 81 planted on the top plate. The other end of the slider 12 faces the cam plate 48. On the other end side of this slider 12,
A roller 82 is attached to be in rolling contact with the cam plate 48. The slider 12 is biased toward the other end side by the tension coil spring 14 stretched between the slider 12 and the top plate portion, as shown by an arrow C in FIG. It is pressed against 48 and rolled.

Then, the roller 82 of the cam plate 48 is
The pair of front and rear cam projections 83, 84
Are bulged toward the roller 82 side.

When the roller 82 is located on either of the cam projections 83 and 84, the slider 12 is moved toward the one end side against the urging force of the tension coil spring 14, Via the engagement pin 75,
The retaining release member 13 is rotated. At this time,
The retaining release member 13 pushes the operated rod 86 at the corresponding position toward the disc stocker 5 side by the tip end side portion, and the disc retaining member 15 connected to the operated rod 86 is pushed. The disc is prevented from coming out of the disc stocker 5 by the disc retaining member 15 by rotating the disc.

When the roller 82 is at a position separated from the cam projections 83 and 84, the slider 12 is moved toward the other end by the urging force of the tension coil spring 14 to prevent the slip-out. Release member 13
The rotation operation for the disk slip-off preventing member 15 is canceled.

The positions of the cam projections 83 and 84 are set so that the moving operation of the slider 12 causes the turning levers 28 and 29 to move.
It is set to be performed in conjunction with the turning operation of the.

That is, the retainer release member 13 is
The rotary levers 28, 29 and the holding rod 45 are operated in conjunction with each other. The retainer releasing member 13 releases the retaining of the disc 101 by the retaining rod 45, and when the disc 101 is moved by the rotating levers 28 and 29, the disc retaining member 15 is released. The blocking of the disk 101 from coming out of the disk stocker 5 is canceled.

As described above, the height position of the carrier 6 is selected by driving the carrier elevating / lowering motor, and the rear side of the one disc 101 selected from the disc stocker 5 is selected by the front rotation lever 28. To the side, or the disc 1 from the disc tray 8
01 can be carried out to the rear side.

Then, the carrier 6 can fix and hold the disc stocker 5 or the disc 101 carried out from the disc tray 8 by the holding plates 38 and 42 and the holding rod 45.

By moving the carrier 6 in the vertical direction, the disk 101 fixedly held by the holding plates 38, 42 and the holding rod 45 is chucked at the disk driver 9, that is, at the chucking position. ,
It can be transported onto the disc table 10.

When the disc 101 is transported to the chucking position, the carrier 6 releases the holding of the disc 101 by the holding plates 38 and 42 and the disc 1 by the holding rod 45.
01 is released, and the chucking plate 26 cooperates with the disk table 10 of the disk driver 9 to chuck the disk 101. That is, at this time, as shown in FIG. 31, the cam plate 48 is moved and operated within a range in which the rotary levers 28 and 29 are not rotated, and the holding rod 45 is separated from the disc 101.

Further, the carrier 6 is mounted on the disk table 10 by the chucking plate 26.
The disc 101 that has been chucked by is held again by the holding plates 38, 42 and the holding rod 45, and is moved upward, and is moved by the rear turning lever 29 in the disc stocker 5, or , And can be returned to the disc tray 8.

[6] Operation of the disk exchange apparatus (FIGS. 12 to 32) In the disk exchange apparatus configured as described above,
Each of the motors and the optical pickup device 22 operates under the control of the control circuit according to the input operation performed on the input device.

In this disc exchange apparatus, as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the operation is started in a state where the disc 101 is accommodated in the disc stocker 5 and the disc 101 is not accommodated and held in the carrier 6. . In the initial state, the cam gear 62 is in the initial position (0 ° position), and the rotary levers 28, 2 are
9 is also an initial position housed between the side flat plate portion and the lower plate portion 51.

Next, in order to select a desired disk 101 in the disk stocker 5, the carrier 6 is moved to a height position corresponding to the desired disk 101. Then, the take-out and storage motor 27 is driven and the cam gear 62 is rotated. In the state where the cam gear 62 is rotated to the left by 45 ° (left 45 ° position), the cam plate 48 is slid rearward as shown by an arrow D in FIG. 14, as shown in FIG. The rotary levers 28 and 29 are set to the initial positions.

When the cam gear 62 is rotated to the left by 68 ° (the left 68 ° position), the cam plate 48 is moved further rearward as shown by an arrow D in FIG. 15, as shown in FIG. The front side rotation lever 28 is slid,
When the disc 101 is rotated, the operation of moving the selected disc 101 to the rear side is started. At this time, the slider 12 is slid as shown by the arrow E in FIG. 15, the retaining release member 13 rotates the disc retaining member 15, and the disc retaining member 15 causes the disc 101 to move. The prevention of slipping out of the disk stocker 5 is released.

When the cam gear 62 is rotated 90 ° to the left (left 90 ° position), the cam plate 48 moves as shown by the arrow D in FIGS. 16 and 17, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. Further, the front rotation lever 28 is slid rearward, and the front rotation lever 28 is rotated to select the selected disc 101.
Is moved into the carrier 6. At this time, the holding rod 45 is moved in a direction away from the disc mounting step portion 89, and allows the disc 101 to enter between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89. Further, at this time, the slider 12 is returned to the initial position as shown by the arrow F in FIG. 17, and the retaining release member 13 releases the rotation operation with respect to the disc retaining member 15.

When the disc 101 is moved into the carrier 6, the cam gear 62 is rotated 90 ° to the right to the initial position (0 ° position) as shown in FIGS. 18 and 19. Will be returned. At this time, the rear rotation lever 28 is returned to the initial position. At this time,
The holding rod 45 is moved to the disc mounting step portion 89 side, and the tip end portion of each of the disc mounting step portions 88,
The disk 101 placed between 89 is held.

When the carrier 6 is lowered in this state, as shown in FIGS. 29 and 30, the carrier 6 brings the held disc 101 closer to the disc driver 9. When the carrier 6 is moved to the lowermost position, the disc 10 held by the carrier 6 is moved as shown in FIGS. 31 and 32.
1 is a disk table 10 of the disk driver 9
The disk table 10 and the chucking plate 26 are chucked on the top. At this time,
The holding plates 38, 41 have the holding blocks 36, 41
The disc 10 is moved to the upper side with respect to 37.
Separate from 1. At this time, the cam plate 48
31, as shown in FIG.
The holding rod 45 is moved so as to be separated from the disc 101 within a range in which is not rotated.

The disk 101 thus chucked on the disk table 10 is rotated by the spindle motor 20 and the information signal is read by the optical pickup device 22.

Then, the disc 101 chucked on the disc table 10 is returned to the initial position by the cam gear 62 and the carrier 6 is moved upward so that the holding plate 3 is held.
It is held between the disc mounting step portions 88 and 89 by the holding rods 8 and 41 and is moved upward.

Further, the carrier 6 is the disk 10
In the state of holding 1, the carrier 6 is
The disc 101 is replaced with any disc holding portion 31 in the disc stocker 5 or the disc tray 8
Can be stored on top.

That is, first, in order to select the desired disc holding portion 31 of the disc stocker 5 or the disc tray 8 as the storage position of the disc 101, the carrier 6 is shown in FIGS. 20 and 26. As described above, the moving operation is performed to the height position corresponding to the desired storage position. Then, the take-out and storage motor 27 is driven and the cam gear 62 is rotated. In the state where the cam gear 62 is rotated 45 ° to the right (right 45 ° position), the cam plate 48 is slid forward as shown by an arrow G in FIG. 20, as shown in FIG. The rotary levers 28 and 29 are set to the initial positions.
At this time, the holding rod 45 has its tip end in the disk 1
It is separated from 01.

21 and 27 when the cam gear 62 is rotated right 68 degrees (right 68 degrees position).
21, the cam plate 48 is further slid forward as shown by an arrow G in FIG. 21, the rear rotation lever 29 is rotated, and the disc 101 is moved forward. To start.

At this time, the slider 12 is slid as shown by the arrow E in FIG. 21, the retaining release member 13 rotates the disc retaining member 15, and the disc retaining member 15 moves. Stocker 5
It prevents the disk 101 coming into the inside from abutting.

At this time, when the disc holding portion 31 in the disc stocker 5 is selected as the storage position, the disc 101 is inserted into the disc stocker 5 as shown in FIG. At this time, when the disc tray 8 is selected as the storage position, the disc 101 is moved onto the disc tray 8. At this time, the tip ends of the disc stoppers 19 and 19 are located outside the movement track of the disc 101.

In the state where the cam gear 62 is rotated 90 ° to the right (90 ° right position), FIG. 22, FIG. 23 and FIG.
22 and 23, the cam plate 48 is further slid forward, and the rear rotation lever 29 is rotated to move the disk 10 to the front side.
1 is moved into the disc stocker 5 or onto the disc tray 8. At this time, the slider 1
2 is returned to the initial position, and the retainer release member 13 is
The rotation operation on the disk retaining member 15 is released. That is, at this time, the disc retaining member 15 is provided with the disc 1 from the disc stocker 5.
Prevent 01 from coming out.

When the disc 101 is moved into the disc stocker 5, the cam gear 62 is rotated 90 ° to the left and returned to the initial position (0 ° position). At this time, the front rotation lever 29 is returned to the initial position.

When the disc 101 is moved onto the disc tray 8, the cam gear 62 is moved.
As shown in FIG. 28, until the disc tray 8 is moved to the outer side of the outer casing 1, or the disc 101 moved to the disc tray 8 is moved to the carrier 6 side again. Until the movement operation is started, the state of being rotated 90 ° to the right (90 ° right position) is maintained.

As described above, the rear rotation lever 29 is maintained in the rotated state so that the tip ends of the disk stoppers 19 and 19 are moved when the disk tray 8 is moved forward. By the time the side portion is projected onto the bottom surface of the disc storage recess 107 of the disc tray 8, the disc 1 in the disc storage recess 107 is formed.
01 is prevented from moving to the rear side with respect to the disc tray 8 due to inertia.

When the disc tray 8 is moved to the front side and is moved to the outer side of the outer casing 1, the cam gear 62 moves to the left by 9 as shown in FIG.
It is rotated by 0 ° and returned to the initial position (0 ° position).
At this time, the front rotation lever 29 is returned to the initial position.

As described above, when the disc tray 8 is moved to the outer side of the outer casing 1, the disc 101 is taken out from the disc storing recess 107 of the disc tray 8, and the disc storing recess is formed. The disk 101 can be placed and replaced in the 107.

Then, the disc tray 8 on which the disc 101 is placed is moved rearward to operate the outer casing 1.
After being stored inside, the disc 101 placed on the disc tray 8 is moved to the carrier 6 side by the front side rotation lever 28, as shown in FIG.
It can be retained in this carrier. As described above, the disc 101 held by the carrier 6 can be chucked by the disc table 10 and the chucking plate 26 on the disc table 10 by the vertical movement operation of the carrier 6. When the carrier 6 is moved in the vertical direction and the rear turning lever 29 is turned, the disc stocker 5 is stored in the disc stocker 5.
Can be held by the desired disc holding portion 31.

[7] Another example of the structure of the disk exchanging device (FIGS. 44 and 45) As shown in FIG. 44, this disk exchanging device has the second disk driver 1 above the disk stocker 5.
12 may be arranged and configured. The second disk driver 112 has the same structure as the disk driver 9 described above. Above the second disk driver 112, a second chucking plate 114 for chucking the disk 101 in cooperation with the disk table 113 of the second disk driver 112.
Are arranged.

In the disk exchanging apparatus having the above-described structure, the second disk driver 112 is similar to the disk 101 held by the carrier 6 in the disk stocker 5. It can be attached by the operation of.

Further, as shown in FIG. 45, this disc exchanging device has a second disc driver 112 arranged below the disc stocker 5 (that is, between the disc stocker 5 and the disc tray 8). It may be provided and configured. Above the second disk driver 112 (that is, between the second disk driver 112 and the disk stocker 5), the disk table 113 of the second disk driver 112 cooperates with the above-mentioned disk. A second chucking plate 114 for chucking 101 is provided.

In the disk exchanging apparatus having such a structure, the second disk driver 112 has the same structure as that in which the disk 101 held by the carrier 6 is stored in the disk stocker 5. It can be attached by the operation of.

As described above, by providing the two disk drivers, in this disk exchanging device, the second disk driver 112 is replaced while the disk 101 of the disk driver 9 is being replaced and mounted. It is possible to continue the reproduction of the other disc 101 in step 1, and to execute a continuous continuous reproduction operation.

[0165]

As described above, the disc stocker according to the present invention is a disc stocker that accommodates and holds a plurality of discs serving as recording media so that they face each other so that the discs can be ejected in one direction. There is a disc retaining member corresponding to each stored and held disc,
Urging means for rotationally urging the disk retaining members to press the tip end portions of the disk retaining members against the peripheral edges of the corresponding disks. When the direction in which the discs can be removed from the disc stocker is the front side, the disc retaining members are located at the contact points located on the front side and the side sides of the discs. The tip portion is brought into contact with the disc, and the rotation fulcrum on the base end side is located on the front side and the outer side of the contact point.

Further, the disk exchange apparatus according to the present invention is
The inside of the disc stocker is provided by a carrier having the disc stocker and having a retainer release member for operating the disc retainer member to release the prevention of the disc coming out of the disc stocker by the disc retainer member. This disc is mounted on a disc driver that records or reproduces information signals on this disc. In the state where the prevention of the disc from slipping out of the disc stocker by the disc stopper member is released, the disc can be easily transported from the disc stocker.

That is, the present invention is a disk exchanging apparatus for storing or holding a plurality of disks as recording media in a disk stocker and recording or reproducing information signals to or from these disks. It is possible to reliably prevent the respective discs from dropping from the disc stocker due to a shock applied from the other side, and to easily take out the disc selected for recording or reproducing the information signal from the disc stocker. It is possible to provide a disk exchanging device that can be downsized and simplified.

Further, the present invention can provide a disk stocker suitable for constituting the above-mentioned disk exchanging apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a disc exchange device according to the present invention having a disc stocker according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a part of the structure of the disk exchanging device as seen through.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of the structure of the disk exchanging device as seen through.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a part of a structure of a carrier of the disk exchanging device as seen through.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a part of a structure of a carrier of the disk exchanging device as seen through.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing a configuration of a main part of a carrier and a disc stocker of the disc exchanging device with a part thereof broken away.

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the structure of a main part of a carrier of the disk exchanging device with a part thereof broken away.

FIG. 8 is a side view showing a part of a structure of a main part of a carrier of the disk exchanging device as seen through.

FIG. 9 is a front view showing the structure of a main part of a carrier and a disk stocker of the disk exchanging device with a part thereof broken away.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a partially broken configuration of a carrier and a disk stocker of the disk exchange device.

FIG. 11 is a side view showing a part of the structure of the carrier and the disk stocker of the disk exchanging device as seen through.

FIG. 12 is a plan view partially showing the initial state (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 0 °) of the main part of the carrier and the main part of the disk stocker of the disk exchange device.

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing an initial state (a rotation angle of a cam gear is 0 °) of a carrier and a disc stocker of the disc exchanging device, with a part thereof seen through.

FIG. 14 is a plan view partially showing a starting state (a rotation angle of the cam gear is 45 ° to the left) of the disk transport operation to the carrier of the main part of the carrier and the main part of the disk stocker of the disk exchanging device. Is.

FIG. 15 is a plan view partially showing a starting state of a disc transport operation to the carrier of the disc exchanging device and the carrier of the disc stocker (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 68 ° to the left).

FIG. 16 is a plan view partially showing the completion state of the disc transfer operation (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 90 ° to the left) to the main part of the carrier and the main part of the disc stocker of the disc exchange device. Is.

FIG. 17 is a plan view partially showing a completed state (a rotation angle of the cam gear is 90 ° to the left) of the disc transport operation to the carrier of the disc exchange device and the carrier of the disc stocker.

FIG. 18 is a partial perspective view of a state (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 0 °) in which the main part of the carrier and the main part of the disk stocker of the above-described disc exchanging device have returned to the initial state after the disc transfer operation to the carrier is completed. FIG.

FIG. 19 is a plan view showing a part of the state in which the disc transfer operation to the carrier of the disc exchanging device and the disc stocker carrier has been completed and the initial state has been returned (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 0 °), with a part of it seen through; is there.

FIG. 20 shows the start state of the disc transport operation to the disc stocker of the main part of the carrier and the main part of the disc stocker of the above-mentioned disc exchange device (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 45 to the right).
FIG. 3A is a plan view showing a part of FIG.

FIG. 21 is a plan view partially showing a starting state (a rotation angle of a cam gear is 68 ° to the right) of a disc transfer operation of the carrier and the disc stocker of the disc exchanging device to the disc stocker.

FIG. 22 is a completed state of the disc transport operation to the disc stocker of the main part of the carrier and the main part of the disc stocker of the above-mentioned disc exchange device (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 90 to the right).
FIG. 3A is a plan view showing a part of FIG.

FIG. 23 is a plan view partially showing a completed state of the disc transport operation of the carrier and the disc stocker of the disc exchange device (the rotation angle of the cam gear is 90 ° to the right).

FIG. 24 is a plan view showing a part of a state where the disc tray is moved outward in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 25 is a partially transparent plan view showing a state where the disc is moved from the disc tray to the carrier in the disc exchanging device.

FIG. 26 is a plan view showing a state in which a disc is chucked in the disc exchange device, with a part thereof seen through.

FIG. 27 is a plan view partially showing a state in which the disc is returned from the carrier to the disc tray in the disc exchanging device.

FIG. 28 is a plan view showing a part of the state in which the disc tray, in which the disc has been returned, is moved outward in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 29 is a plan view showing a state where a carrier holds a disc in the disc exchanging device, with a part thereof seen through.

FIG. 30 is a front view showing a state where a carrier holds a disc in the disc exchanging device, with a part thereof seen through.

FIG. 31 is a plan view showing a state in which a carrier and a disk driver are chucking a disk in the disk exchanging device, with a part thereof seen through.

FIG. 32 is a front view showing a state in which a carrier and a disk driver are chucking a disk in the disk exchanging apparatus, with a part of the disk seen through.

FIG. 33 is a side view showing a part of the state in which the disc tray has been moved outward in the disc exchanging device.

FIG. 34 is a side view showing a part of the state in which the disc tray is being pulled in in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 35 is a side view showing a part of the state where the disc tray is completely retracted in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 36 is a front view showing a part of the positional relationship between the disc tray and the disc driver in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 37 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of a holding means in the disk exchange device.

FIG. 38 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state where the holding means holds the disc in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 39 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which the holding means releases the holding of the disc in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 40 is a side view of essential parts showing a state where the disc stopper is projected in the disc tray of the disc exchanging device.

FIG. 41 is a side view of essential parts showing a state where the disc stopper is retracted in the disc tray of the disc exchanging device.

FIG. 42 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the take-out and storing means in the disc exchange device.

FIG. 43 is a plan view showing the configuration of a disc retaining member in the disc stocker of the disc exchanging device.

[Fig. 44] Fig. 44 is a front view schematically showing another example of the configuration of the disk exchanging device (one in which a second disk driver is provided on the disk stocker).

[Fig. 45] Fig. 45 is a front view schematically showing another example of the configuration of the disk exchanging device (one in which a second disk driver is provided under the disk stocker).

[Explanation of symbols]

1 outer casing, 2 lifting gears, 3 timing belt, 5
Disc stocker, 6 carriers, 8 disc tray, 9 disc driver, 10 disc table,
13 retainer release member, 15 disc retainer member, 19 disc stopper, 20 spindle motor, 26 chucking plate, 27 take-out / storing motor, 28 front turning lever, 29 rear turning lever, 38, 42, 45 holding means , 48 cam plate, 62
Cam gear, 95 cam protrusion, 101 disc, 112
Second disk driver

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A disk stocker in which a plurality of disks, which are recording media, are housed and held so as to face each other, and the disks can be pulled out in one direction. The disk disengagement prevention member that is disposed and rotatably supported at the base end side and that brings the tip end into contact with the peripheral edge of each disk and the disk disengagement prevention members are urged to rotate, and Urging means for pressing the tip of the stopper member against the peripheral edge of the corresponding disc, wherein each of the disc retaining members has a direction in which the disc can be removed from the disc stocker when the front side is the front side. , The front end of each disc is contacted with the disc at a contact point located on the front side and a lateral side, and a pivotal fulcrum on the base end side is in front of the contact point, And the disk stocker is supposed to be located on the outer side. 2. A disc stocker for accommodating and retaining a plurality of discs serving as recording media, and a disc stocker provided corresponding to each disc accommodated and retained in the disc stocker so that the base end side is rotatable. A disk retainer member that is supported and has its front end abutted against the peripheral edge of each disk to prevent the disk from slipping out of the disk stocker, and a disk driver that records or reproduces an information signal to or from the disk. And a holding means and a chucking plate, and the one disk selectively carried out from the disk stocker is fixed and held by the holding means, and the disk is chucked on the disk driver by being moved. When the disc is conveyed to the king position and the disc is conveyed to the chucking position, A carrier for releasing the holding of the disk and chucking the disk by cooperating with the disk table of the disk driver by the chucking plate, and a disk provided between the carrier and the disk stocker. A take-out and storing means for performing a moving operation, and a retainer releasing member provided on the carrier for operating the disc retaining member to release the prevention of the disc coming out of the disc stocker by the disc retaining member. Disk exchange device equipped. 3. The retaining release member operates in conjunction with the ejecting and accommodating means and the holding means to release the retaining of the disc by the retaining means and to move the disc by the ejecting and accommodating means. The disk exchange apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the prevention of the disk from slipping out of the disk stocker by the disk slip-off prevention member is released. 4. The disk exchanging device according to claim 3, wherein the retaining release member is operated by a cam means for operating the take-out and storing means.