JPH11353755A - Carrying mechanism of recording medium cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To carry a recording medium cartridge over a level difference even when the cartridge is caught in the recessed/projecting part of a guide. SOLUTION: A feed roller 8 is brought into press-contact with the side face of a recording medium cartridge by pressing an arm freely rotatably supporting the feed roller 8 having rubber elasticity by a spring, the recording medium cartridge is held between the feed roller 8 and a disk guide and, by rotating the feed roller 8, the recording medium cartridge is fed. The shape of the feed roller 8 is made non-uniform in a circumferential direction, and thus its press- contact force to the recording medium cartridge is varied.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording / reproducing apparatus for a recording medium, and more particularly to a transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge for loading and unloading a recording medium contained in a cartridge such as a so-called mini disk.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 5 and 6 show a conventional example of a mechanism for transporting a cartridge of a so-called mini disk, which is an optical disk housed in a cartridge. The optical disk cartridge 1 is provided with a shutter 1a that covers an opening for recording and reproducing a disk, and irregularities 1b that guide the shutter 1a.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the optical disk cartridge 1 is inserted from an insertion opening (not shown). In this state, the optical disk cartridge 1 is held between the disk guide 2 and the feed roller 7. That is, the feed roller 7
Is rotatably supported by a roller arm 3. The roller arm 3 is rotatably supported by a shaft 4 erected on a chassis, and is attached counterclockwise by a tension coil spring 5 hung between the roller arm 3 and the chassis. It is being rushed.

The feed roller 7 is pressed against the side surface of the optical disk cartridge 1 by the elastic force of the tension coil spring 5, and is further rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown). The feed roller 7 conveys the optical disc cartridge 1 onto the turntable 6 of the reproducing unit by rotating counterclockwise as shown by the arrow in the figure.

However, the optical disk cartridge 1 has irregularities 1b, and the disk guide 2 may also be provided with irregularities 2a. The tip of the optical disk cartridge 1 is caught by the irregularities 2a of the disk guide 2 as shown in FIG. May hang. In such a case, the conventional feed roller 7 may not be able to feed the optical disc cartridge 1 over the uneven portion 2a.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 8-212657 proposes a transport mechanism for a cartridge using a feed roller having a large number of pointed projections formed on the surface. The pointed projections increase frictional force. However, the pressure contact force to the disk cartridge is not changed, and even if such a feed roller is used, the disk cartridge cannot get over the step when the disk cartridge is caught on the uneven portion.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to convey over a step when a recording medium cartridge is caught on an uneven portion. It is an object of the present invention to provide a transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge that can perform the above-described operations.

[0008]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge, wherein an arm supporting a rotatable feed roller having rubber elasticity is urged by a spring to move the feed roller to a side surface of the recording medium cartridge. The recording medium cartridge is conveyed by pressing the recording medium cartridge between the feed roller and the disk guide, and rotating the feed roller. The pressing force of the feed roller against the recording medium cartridge is varied.

Further, in the transport mechanism of the recording medium cartridge, a plurality of recesses are provided on a surface of the feed roller.

In the transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge, the feed roller is provided with a plurality of axial through holes around a rotation axis.

Further, in the transport mechanism of the recording medium cartridge, a plurality of recesses are provided along an inner periphery of the feed roller.

Further, in the transport mechanism of the recording medium cartridge, the surface of the feed roller is polygonal.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a feed roller 8 of a transport mechanism for an optical disk cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
In the center of the feed roller 8, a hole 8a for fitting to a rotating shaft is provided.
Are provided, and a plurality of recesses 8b are provided on the cylindrical surface.
8b are provided. The feed roller 8 is used in place of the feed roller 7 shown in FIG. A dent 8 on the surface of the feed roller 8
b, 8b..., the pressing force of the feed roller 8 against the optical disc cartridge 1 fluctuates. Therefore, when the optical disc cartridge 1 is caught on the unevenness 2a, the feed roller 8 is also moved in a direction perpendicular to the advancing direction to get over the step. Can be done.

FIG. 2 shows a feed roller 9 of a transport mechanism for an optical disk cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
In the center of the feed roller 9, a hole 9a for fitting to a rotating shaft is provided.
Are provided, and a plurality of through-holes 9b in the axial direction are provided in an intermediate portion. This feed roller 9
Is used in place of the feed roller 7 shown in FIG. 5 to constitute a transport mechanism of the optical disk cartridge. Since the feed roller 9 has the through holes 9b, the through hole 9 is pressed by the press contact of the feed roller 9 with the optical disc cartridge 1 and deformed so as to be crushed. Is fluctuated, and therefore, when the optical disc cartridge 1 is caught on the unevenness 2a, the optical disc cartridge 1 is also moved in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, so that the step can be overcome.

FIG. 3 shows a feed roller 10 of a transport mechanism for an optical disk cartridge according to a third embodiment of the present invention. At the center of the feed roller 10, there is provided a hole 10a for fitting to the rotating shaft, and a plurality of recesses 10b, 10b... Are provided in this hole. This feed roller 1
0 is used in place of the feed roller 7 shown in FIG. Since the feed roller 10 has the dents 10b, 10b,...
The pressure contact force of the optical disc cartridge 1 with the
Therefore, when the optical disk cartridge 1 is caught on the unevenness 2a, the optical disk cartridge 1 is also moved in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, so that the step can be overcome.

FIG. 4 shows a feed roller 11 of a transport mechanism for an optical disk cartridge according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. At the center of the feed roller 11, there is provided a hole 11a for fitting to the rotating shaft, and the outer periphery thereof is formed in a polygonal shape. The feed roller 11 is used in place of the feed roller 7 shown in FIG. Since the surface of the feed roller 11 is polygonal,
The pressing force of the feed roller 11 against the optical disk cartridge 1 fluctuates, and therefore, when the optical disk cartridge 1 is caught on the unevenness 2a, it is also moved in a direction perpendicular to the traveling direction, and can move over a step.

Although the embodiment is constituted as described above, the invention is not limited to this. For example, a material (rubber, resin, metal, or the like) having a different hardness is partially contained in the feed roller by press-fitting or multicolor molding. Instead, the elasticity may be changed in the circumferential direction.
Further, the present invention can be applied to a transport mechanism of a video cassette or a floppy disk cartridge in addition to the transport mechanism of the optical disk cartridge.

[0018]

According to the conveyance mechanism of the recording medium cartridge of the present invention, the recording medium cartridge can be sent over the step even if the recording medium cartridge is caught on the unevenness of the guide.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a front view showing a feed roller of an optical disk cartridge according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
(B) is sectional drawing which shows the same feed roller.

FIG. 2A is a front view showing a feed roller of an optical disk cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
(B) is sectional drawing which shows the same feed roller.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a feed roller of an optical disk cartridge according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a feed roller of an optical disk cartridge according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional optical disk cartridge transport mechanism.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing another state of the optical disk cartridge transport mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 optical disk cartridge, 1a shirtter, 1b
Uneven part 2 Disc guide, 2a Uneven part 3 Roller arm 4 Shaft 5 Tension coil spring 6 Turntable 7 Feed roller 8 Feed roller, 8a hole, 8b recess 9 Feed roller, 9a hole, 9b Through hole 10 Feed roller, 10a hole, 10a recess 11 feed roller, 11a hole

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Yasushi Kuroda 1-14-6 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Co., Ltd. Inside Kenwood Corporation (72) Inventor Hisanori Togawa 1-16-16 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Stock Company Inside Kenwood

Claims (5)

[Claims] An arm, which rotatably supports a feed roller having rubber elasticity, is urged by a spring to press the feed roller against a side surface of a recording medium cartridge, and clamps the recording medium cartridge between the feed roller and a disk guide. In the transport mechanism of the recording medium cartridge that sends the recording medium cartridge by rotating the feed roller,
A conveying mechanism for a recording medium cartridge, wherein the shape of the feed roller is made non-uniform in the circumferential direction, and the pressing force of the feed roller against the recording medium cartridge is varied. 2. The transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of recesses are provided on a surface of said feed roller. 3. The transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge according to claim 1, wherein said feed roller has a plurality of through holes in an axial direction around a rotation axis. 4. The transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of recesses are provided along an inner periphery of said feed roller. 5. A transport mechanism for a recording medium cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the surface of said feed roller is polygonal.