Patent ID: 7665100
Filing Date: 2010-02-16
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A disk drive comprising: a device housing having formed at the front side thereof a disk slot through which an optical disk is to be loaded and removed; a base unit having provided integrally on a base thereof: a disk transport mechanism including a plurality of pivoting members each having formed at the free end thereof an abutment that abuts the periphery of the optical disk introduced through the optical disk slot and pivotably supported at the base end thereof, the plurality of pivoting members loading the optical disk by bringing the optical disk introduced through the disk slot to a disk setting position where the optical disk is to be placed on the disk mount and ejecting the optical disk by bringing the optical disk to outside the device housing through the disk slot; first and second sliding members made to slide in synchronization with each other to make loading and ejection of the optical disk by the plurality of pivoting members; a sliding-member movement driving mechanism to move the first sliding member and have the second sliding member slide in synchronization with the sliding of the first sliding member; and a shock absorbing mechanism interposed between the first and second sliding members, the shock absorbing mechanism including either: a first shock absorbing member to absorb a difference in movement between the first and second sliding members, caused by an external force applied to the optical disk brought into the housing through the disk slot in a direction opposite to the disk introducing direction when the first sliding member is moved by the sliding-member movement driving mechanism in one direction, or a second shock absorbing member to absorb a difference in movement between the first and second sliding members, caused by an external force applied to the optical disk brought to outside the housing through the disk slot in a direction opposite to the disk ejecting direction when the first sliding member is moved by the sliding-member movement driving mechanism in the other direction.