Patent ID: 6222811
Filing Date: 2001-04-24
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A disk unit comprising:a main housing having a turntable installed therein, the turntable being substantially vertically stationary;a ceiling board arranged within said main housing, said ceiling board vertically movable with respect to the turntable;an insertion area disposed between the ceiling board and the turntable, having an insertion opening in which discs are inserted;an ejection area disposed between the ceiling board and the turntable, having an ejection opening in which discs are ejected, the ejection area disposed below the insertion area;a clamper chassis having a clamper provided therein and vertically movable between the turntable and the ceiling board, the clamper clamping a disc disposed thereon;a slide member slidably arranged in the ceiling board, the slide member having a plurality of support pulleys and holding a second disc inserted from the insertion opening, the second disc being held at an outer circumferential edge of the second disc by said plurality of support pulleys and being fed into an internal region of said insertion area by said slide member, said slide-member slideable in a conveying direction of the second disc with respect to said ceiling board, said slide member arranged at the insertion opening when the second disc is inserted;a movable table vertically movable within the ejection area and disposed below the clamper chassis, the movable table becoming a lower layer of the insertion area to raise a first disc installed on the turntable along with an inserting operation of the second disc with the slide member; andan ejection mechanism disposed on the moving table and abutted against an outer circumferential edge of the first disc to convey the first disc to the ejection opening;wherein the clamper chassis ascends when the second disc is inserted in the insertion opening and causes the clamper pressing the first disc to be positioned above the insertion area, the slide member is conveyed to the internal region of the insertion area while the second disc is held by the plurality of support pulleys and disposed between the turntable and the clamper, the ceiling board and clamper chassis then descend together to clamp the second disc with the clamper and the turntable along with the first disc being transferred to the ejection opening by the election mechanism.