JPH10106112A - Optical disk changer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provid an optical disk changer capable of not only automatically changing a large number of optical disks for others in a magazine system but also easily changing only one optical disk for another. SOLUTION: A window hole 32d is provided in the uppermost stage of a magazine and an optical disk 20 in the uppermost stage is loadable onto and unloadable from an upper surface of the magazine, and since the magazine is driven to be housed in and drawn out like a tray by a magazine driving mechanism for loading and unloading the magazine into and from the main body, if only one optical disk 20 is desired to be changed for another, the magazine is traywise drawn out, and the optical disk 20 is repleaced from the upper surface with the required disk, and after housing this required disk again into the upper surface, this optical disk 20 in the uppermost stage is accessed by an optical disk access mechanism 50. Therefore, access to the just changed optical disk 20 can extremely easily be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to an optical disk changer, and more particularly to a so-called magazine type optical disk changer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an optical disc changer of this type has a magazine capable of storing a plurality of optical discs, and the optical disc is exchanged by detaching the magazine. In addition, the magazine is formed in a box shape and has a slit-shaped optical disk storage chamber that opens laterally, and an optical disk is inserted and stored in the slit-shaped optical disk storage chamber.

[0003]

The above-mentioned conventional optical disc changer has the following problems.
Even when only one optical disc is replaced, the box-shaped magazine is to be detached, and the trouble of detachment is troublesome.
The insertion of the optical disk into the magazine must be performed in a predetermined slit, and the operation must be performed with care to prevent damage, which is troublesome. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides an optical disc changer capable of automatically exchanging a large number of optical discs in a magazine type and easily exchanging only one optical disc. With the goal.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, an invention according to claim 1 is an optical disc changer having a detachable magazine containing a plurality of optical discs, wherein a plurality of optical discs are stored therein. A magazine that can be stored and on which an optical disk can be placed,
A main body, and a magazine driving mechanism capable of holding the optical disk on the upper surface of the magazine at a position that can be exchanged from the outside when storing and pulling out the magazine in the main body,
An optical disk access mechanism for accessing a desired one of the optical disks held in the magazine in the main body.

[0005] In the invention according to claim 1 configured as described above, the magazine is stored in and pulled out of the main body by the magazine driving mechanism, and the magazine is detachable from the main body. Here, a plurality of optical disks can be stored inside the magazine, and an optical disk can be mounted on the upper surface. On the other hand, the magazine drive mechanism can hold the optical disk on the upper surface of the magazine at a drawer position that can be exchanged from the outside when storing and pulling out the magazine. Therefore, if the magazine is held at the same pull-out position, the optical disk on the upper surface can be replaced. When the magazine is housed in the main body, the optical disk access mechanism accesses a desired one of the optical disks held in the magazine.

[0006] The magazine only needs to be capable of mounting a plurality of optical disks therein and mounting the optical disks on the upper surface, and the number of stored optical disks and the shape and the like can be appropriately modified. As an example, the invention according to claim 2 is the optical disc changer according to claim 1, wherein the magazine includes a tray slidable on an upper surface. The optical disk to be housed therein may be provided with a slit-like housing chamber, but it is necessary to move the optical disk mounted on the upper surface in order to be read by the optical disk access mechanism. Here, the optical disk on the upper surface is placed on the tray, and the tray is slidable, so that by sliding the tray, the optical disk on the upper surface can be moved to a predetermined position.

The configuration for supporting such a tray can be appropriately modified. For example, a groove may be formed in one of the magazine and the tray, and a protrusion which can slide into the groove may be formed in the other. In addition, the tray itself does not necessarily need to support the entire lower surface of the optical disk, but may be one that contacts and supports a part of the optical disk. Further, as another example of the shape of the magazine, the invention according to claim 3 includes:
2. The optical disc changer according to claim 1, wherein the magazine includes a slit-shaped accommodation chamber for accommodating the optical disk from a side, and a window hole on an upper surface through which the optical disk can be detached while communicating with the uppermost accommodation chamber. Is provided.

When the magazine is provided with a large number of slit-shaped accommodation chambers that open to the side, a window hole communicating with the uppermost accommodation chamber is formed so that the uppermost accommodation chamber can pass through the window hole. The optical disk can be accommodated and removed, and the optical disk access mechanism can access the optical disk accommodated in the uppermost accommodation room in the same manner as accessing the optical disk in the accommodation room in the other stage.
In this case, the window hole only needs to be able to insert the optical disk into the uppermost accommodation room while allowing the optical disk to pass therethrough, and need not be circular. In addition, due to the structure of the storage chamber, it is not always necessary to form a slit, and in the case where the upper surface may be completely open, the entire upper surface of the magazine is opened and used as the window hole. You may do it.

The above-mentioned magazine driving mechanism is only required to slide the magazine as described above, and the specific configuration thereof can be appropriately modified. For example, the cam and the cam pin may be engaged to be pulled out or pushed out, or may be driven by a ball screw mechanism. As another example, the invention according to claim 4 is the optical disc changer according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the magazine drive mechanism starts retraction while being elastically engaged with the magazine at the pull-out position. After that, an engagement member for locking is provided, and a slide mechanism for sliding the engagement member is provided.

In this configuration, the engaging member elastically engages with the magazine at the pulled-out position. Therefore, it can be attached or detached by operating with some force. If the slide mechanism pulls the engagement member in the attached state, the magazine is also pulled. At the start of the retraction, the engaging member is locked to the magazine, so that it does not come off during the retraction operation. Further, if the slide mechanism pushes out the engagement member as needed, the magazine is also pushed back to the above-mentioned pulled-out position, and can be detached from the engagement member at the same position. Of course, it is not always necessary to remove the magazine from the engaging member at the pull-out position, and the optical disk on the upper surface may be replaced, and the magazine may be pulled into the main body.

The slide mechanism only needs to slide the engagement member, and can be constituted by a ball screw mechanism or the like as described above. The engaging member only needs to be able to engage with the magazine in an elastic engagement and a locked state. The elastic engagement may be any as long as it can be detached by operating with a predetermined force applied, and may be formed entirely of an elastic member, or may be provided with an elastic member and be inelastic. A member that allows the movement of the lock piece of the member may be used. Also, for the mechanism to lock from the start of retraction, various shapes can be adopted, for example,
The engagement member may be operable at the pull-out position, and may be configured to be inoperable by contacting an obstacle once the retraction starts.

Various configurations are also possible for the optical disk access mechanism, and there is no particular limitation. Even when accessing a desired optical disk, the side of the optical disk may be moved to the position of the pickup,
Both may be moved. Of course, if possible, the access may be made in a magazine. Also, the access means differs depending on the optical disc, and may be appropriately changed depending on the medium.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, an optical disk can be placed on the upper surface of a magazine.
Since the magazine can be driven in a tray shape, there is no need to remove the magazine if one optical disk is replaced, and it is possible to provide an optical disk changer that can be easily operated and improved in convenience. . According to the second aspect of the present invention, the slidable tray is provided in the magazine, so that the configuration is simplified.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention,
Since the window hole is formed on the upper surface of the magazine, it can be implemented without greatly changing the conventional configuration. Claim 4
According to the present invention, the configuration is relatively easy since the magazine can be engaged in the elastic engagement and the locked state.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are perspective views showing the appearance of an optical disc changer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a rectangular opening 11 is formed in a part of the front of the box-shaped main body 10 from the left side.
A magazine 30 for accommodating the optical disk 20 can be inserted into 1. The magazine 30 is formed with a slit-shaped optical disk accommodating chamber 32b partitioned by a plurality of shelves 32 in a frame 31, and the optical disk 20 can be accommodated and taken out between the respective shelves 32 through an opening on the side. ing. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing an assembling process of the magazine 30, in which the shelf plate 32 is accommodated in a frame 31 having an open top and side surfaces. Shelf board 32
Is provided with a stepped portion 32a for securing the thickness of the optical disc 20 at a peripheral portion, and a predetermined gap (optical disc accommodating chamber 32b) is formed even when the optical disc 20 is overlapped. However, the step portion 32a is not formed on the right side portion and the rear side of the shelf board. The right side portion is not formed because it corresponds to the approach path of the optical disk 20, and the rear side portion is not formed because the extraction plate 33 is accommodated.

The take-out plate 33 is provided with a ridge-shaped convex portion 33a slidably inserted into a groove 32c formed in the upper and lower shelves 32, so that the take-out plate 33 can be slid parallel to the side direction. When the optical disk 20 is received from the right side, the optical disk 20 comes into contact with the rear left end of the optical disk 20 and is pushed leftward. The take-out plate 33 has a projection 33b at the rear, and the projection 33b
Project rearward through a slit-shaped opening 31a formed on the rear surface of the frame 31. Therefore, if the projection 33b is supported and moved left and right on the rear side of the frame 31, the takeout plate 33 also slides left and right between the shelf plates 32,
When 0 is stored, the optical disk 20 can be taken out from between the shelves 32 when it is moved to the right.

However, the uppermost shelf plate 32 has no step 32a and is formed with a window hole 32d through which the optical disk 20 can be penetrated. The optical disk 20 can be placed on and taken out from the top. The window hole 32d substantially matches the diameter of the optical disk 20, and the diameter of only the left and right ends is enlarged so that the operator can insert a fingertip. What is needed as the magazine 30 is that it can accommodate at least a plurality of optical discs 20 and that the uppermost optical disc 20 can be loaded and unloaded from the upper surface. Therefore, the configuration does not necessarily need to include the shelf plate 32, the take-out plate 33, the window hole 32d, and the like as in the present embodiment. For example, the direction of accommodating and removing the optical disk 20 does not need to be limited to the side, and may be performed from the back side. Further, the shelf 32 is overlapped to form the slit-shaped optical disk storage chamber 32b, but the slit-shaped optical disk storage chamber 32b may be formed integrally with a mold. In the present embodiment, a window hole 32d is formed in the uppermost shelf 32 so that the uppermost optical disk 20 can be accommodated and taken out. However, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the shelf 32 is movable like a tray only at the uppermost stage, and the optical disc 20 is placed on this tray.
In this case, the optical disc 20 is placed on the uppermost shelf 32, so that the work of placing and taking out the optical disc 20 becomes easy. Further, the take-out plate 33 is not limited to the slide type as in the present embodiment, but may be constituted by, for example, a rotatable take-out plate 34 as shown in FIG.

Of course, the main body 10 can be appropriately deformed, and may be vertically long depending on the direction in which the optical disk 20 is taken out of the magazine 30. Particularly, when the main body 10 is a CD-ROM drive of a computer, a predetermined length is required. The standard size may be used. A projection 41 projecting downward is formed on the back side of the lower surface of the magazine 30, and a movable portion 42 shown in FIG. 5 is provided on the bottom surface of the opening 11 in the main body 10. 40. Movable part 42
Is a substantially gutter-shaped casing 42a;
And a ball screw mechanism 42c that slides the engagement arm 42b along the casing 42a.

The engagement arm 42b is formed in a substantially U-shape with a forked tip, and a projection 42
b1 are formed, and the interval between the protrusions 4 is
It is slightly narrower than 1. On the other hand, the engagement arm 42
b is slightly narrower than the width of the casing 42a and is slidable along the casing 42a. When the tip portion protrudes from the casing 42a, the U-shaped portion can bend outward. When it moves to the back of the casing 42a, it cannot abut on the inner wall of the casing 42a and bend. Therefore, when the tip of the engagement arm 42b projects from the casing 42a as shown in FIG. 6, when the projection 41 of the magazine 30 is pushed in, the engagement arm 42b bends outward, and as shown in FIG. Can enter the engagement arm 42b. Then, when the engagement arm 42b starts to be slid backward by the ball screw mechanism 42c, the engagement arm 42b starts to pull the projection 41 of the magazine 30 to the back. Initially, the projection 41 is held by the elasticity of the engagement arm 42b when it starts being pulled in. However, if the engagement arm 42b enters the casing 42a as shown in FIG. It is no longer possible and it is locked.

Here, the ball screw mechanism 42c is connected to a controller (not shown), and the slide position of the engagement arm 42b can be appropriately controlled by rotating the drive motor 42c1 forward and reverse by the controller. Therefore, the tip of the engaging arm 42b is
Waiting for the mounting of the magazine 30 while projecting from the magazine 2a, the tip of the engaging arm 42b slightly protrudes into the casing 42a, locks the magazine 30 and projects like a tray. 4
With the magazine 2b retracted along the casing 42a, the magazine 30 is completely used in the opening 11 of the main body 10 in a use state.

In the present embodiment, the magazine drive mechanism 40 has the above-described structure. However, the magazine 30 can be pulled in and pushed out, and it is sufficient that the magazine 30 can be pushed or pulled out in a tray shape by moving during this time. . Therefore, it is also possible to combine a spiral cam groove and a cam, or to form a rack in the magazine 30 and form a pinion in the opening 11 that can mesh with the rack. When the rack and the pinion are combined, a position detection sensor of the magazine 30 may be provided, and the rotation of the pinion may be appropriately controlled in response to the fact that the magazine 30 is at a predetermined position to perform a predetermined reciprocating drive.
Of course, depending on the storage position of the magazine 30, other driving mechanisms such as vertical movement as well as vertical movement may be combined.

FIGS. 9 to 11 schematically show the optical disk access mechanism 50 in a state where the magazine 30 is housed in the main body 10. The optical disk access mechanism 50
An elevator unit 54 for adjusting the height of a substrate 53 holding the pickup 51 and the spindle motor 52 so as to be at the same height as the optical disk accommodation chamber 32b;
3 slides out in parallel with magazine 3
An optical disk take-out unit 55 which engages with the protrusion 33b of the third optical disk 3 and which is pulled out by a predetermined distance;
3 includes a pair of upper and lower rollers 56a supported at positions adjacent to the magazine 30 and the rollers 56a.
Is rotated forward and reverse, and the optical disk accommodating chamber 32b and the substrate 53
And a roller unit 56 for transferring the optical disk 20 to and from each other.

The spindle motor 52 supported by the substrate 53 can move up and down with respect to the substrate 53, so that the optical disk 20 can be mounted on the substrate 53 when descending, and the optical disk 20 can be mounted on the substrate 53 when ascending. It can be rotated between the holding arm 53a on the upper surface and the holding arm 53a. When the spindle motor 52 is lowered by a cam mechanism (not shown), the optical disc 20 is driven so as to be slightly pushed back to the roller unit 56 side.

The elevator unit 54 includes three ball screw mechanisms 54a1 to 54a3 whose rotations are synchronized.
The rotation of the drive motors 54b1 to 54b3 is controlled so that the motors can move up and down in parallel. The optical disk take-out unit 55 includes a U-shaped engagement arm 55a waiting on the rear side of the magazine 30, and the engagement arm 55a moves up and down in parallel with the substrate 53. When the substrate 53 stops at the front of the optical disk storage chamber 32b to be taken out or returned, the engaging arm 55a is brought into a state of engaging with the projection 33b of the extraction plate 33 in the desired optical disk storage chamber 32b. When the engagement arm 55a is slid toward the substrate 53 by the ball screw mechanism 55b, the extraction plate 33 pushes out the optical disc 20.

The roller unit 56 transports the pushed optical disk 20 onto the substrate 53. When the optical disk 20 rotates forward while holding the optical disk 20, the optical disk 20 is pulled out toward the substrate 53. When the spindle motor 52 is pulled out to a substantially predetermined position, the spindle motor 52 is driven to rise, and is nipped and rotated between the upper holding arm 53a. On the other hand, when returning the optical disk 20, when the spindle motor 52 is lowered, the optical disk 20 is pressed against the roller unit 56, and the roller unit 56 is inverted, so that the optical disk 20 is placed in the optical disk housing chamber 32b from which the optical disk 20 is taken out. Pushed back to. Prior to this, the take-out plate 33 for sliding the engagement arm 55a toward the magazine 30 by the ball screw mechanism 55b is returned to the initial position. Through the above operation, a desired one of the optical disks 20 in the magazine 30 can be accessed. The optical disk 20 accessed by the optical disk access mechanism 50 is the same even if it is stored in any of the optical disk storage chambers 32b, and the uppermost one can be accessed in exactly the same way.

In the present embodiment, the optical disk access mechanism 50 has the above-described configuration, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to these configurations, and various existing mechanisms can be employed. In particular, in the present embodiment, the uppermost optical disk storage chamber 32b which can be removed from the upper surface can be accessed in exactly the same manner as the optical disks 20 in the other stages, so that a general configuration can be adopted. It has become. Of course, the optical disk access mechanism 50 cannot exist independently of the configuration of the magazine 30, but is configured as a set with the magazine 30, and includes a plurality of trays from which the magazine 30 can be pulled out. It is also possible to access the optical disk by pulling out the tray.

In addition to the ball screw mechanism 54a, the elevator unit 54 and the like can be constituted by, for example, a mechanism having arms crossed in an X shape as shown in FIG. Next, the operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. In a state where the magazine 30 is taken out of the main body 10, as shown in FIG.
It is made to approach the inside of the opening 11. As shown in FIG. 14, when the rear end of the magazine 30 slightly enters the opening 11, the projection 41 at the lower end engages with the engagement arm 42 of the magazine drive mechanism 40.
b, the engaging arm 42b is bent and the projection 4
Hold 1

When the magazine attachment / detachment switch 12 on the front of the main body 10 is operated in this state, the drive motor 42c1 of the ball screw mechanism 42c is rotationally driven by a controller (not shown), and the engagement arm 42b is slightly pulled in as shown in FIG. Then, the engaging arm 42b enters the casing 42a, so that the engaging arm 42b locks the projection 41 of the magazine 30, so that the magazine 30 cannot be pulled out thereafter.

Next, the tray operation switch 13 of the main body 10
When the controller is operated, the drive motor 42c1 of the ball screw mechanism 42c is rotationally driven by the controller, and the engaging arm 42b is drawn deep into the casing 42a, so that the magazine 30 is housed in the main body 10 as shown in FIG. Normally, in this state, the desired optical disk 20 is accessed by the optical disk access mechanism 50, and music can be played back by a computer in a CD-ROM.

On the other hand, when it is desired to replace only one optical disc, the tray 30 is operated by operating the tray operation switch 13 of the main body 10, so that the magazine 30 is substantially pushed out as shown in FIG. Therefore, the uppermost optical disk 20 can be replaced, and the tray operation switch 1
When the user operates the magazine 3, the magazine 30 is housed in the main body 10 as shown in FIG. Thereafter, the optical disk access mechanism 50 may access the uppermost optical disk 20.

When the user wants to attach or detach the magazine 30, the user operates the magazine attachment / detachment switch 12, and the controller controls the drive motor 42c of the ball screw mechanism 42c.
1 is driven to rotate and pushes the engagement arm 42b to the tip of the casing 42a. Thereby, the magazine 30
14 is easily pushed out as shown in FIG. 14, and the operator can easily pull out the magazine 30 supported only by the engagement arm 42b.

As described above, the window hole 32d is provided at the uppermost stage of the magazine 30, so that the uppermost optical disk 20 can be detached from the upper surface of the magazine 30, and
The magazine drive mechanism 40 for attaching and detaching the magazine 30 therein accommodates and draws out the magazine 30 in the form of a tray. Therefore, when only one optical disc 20 is to be replaced, the magazine 30 is pulled out in the form of a tray and the optical disc 20 is removed from the upper surface. If the optical disk access mechanism 50 accesses the uppermost optical disk 20 after the exchange and re-accommodation, the optical disk 20 that has just been replaced can be extremely easily accessed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a state in which a magazine of an optical disc changer according to an embodiment of the present invention is housed.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the optical disc changer in a state where a magazine is taken out.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the magazine.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of a magazine take-out plate.

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a magazine drive mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a magazine drive mechanism.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the magazine drive mechanism.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the magazine drive mechanism in a state where an engagement arm is slightly retracted.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a magazine and an optical disk access mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a schematic plan view of a magazine and an optical disk access mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a schematic front view of a magazine and an optical disk access mechanism.

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a modification of the elevator mechanism.

FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view showing a state where a magazine is approached to a main body.

FIG. 14 is a schematic plan view showing a state where a magazine is engaged with the main body.

FIG. 15 is a schematic plan view showing a state where the magazine is slightly pulled into the main body.

FIG. 16 is a schematic plan view showing a state where a magazine is housed in a main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Main body 20 ... Optical disk 30 ... Magazine 32b ... Optical disk accommodating chamber 34 ... Extraction plate 40 ... Magazine drive mechanism 50 ... Optical disk access mechanism

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An optical disc changer having a detachable magazine containing a plurality of optical discs, comprising: a magazine capable of storing a plurality of optical discs therein and mounting an optical disc on an upper surface thereof; A magazine drive mechanism for storing and pulling out the magazine in the main body and driving the optical disc on the upper surface of the magazine at a pull-out position where the optical disc can be exchanged from the outside; and a drive mechanism for the optical disc held in the main body in the main body. An optical disk changer comprising: an optical disk access mechanism capable of accessing a desired one. 2. The optical disc changer according to claim 1, wherein the magazine includes a tray slidable on an upper surface. 3. The optical disc changer according to claim 1, wherein the magazine has a slit-shaped accommodation chamber for accommodating the optical disc from a side, and the upper surface thereof communicates with the uppermost accommodation chamber. An optical disc changer comprising a window hole through which a window can be detached. 4. The optical disc changer according to claim 1, wherein the magazine drive mechanism includes an engaging member that elastically engages with the magazine at a pull-out position and locks after the pull-in is started. An optical disc changer comprising a slide mechanism for sliding the engaging member.