Patent ID: 6226249
Filing Date: 2001-05-01
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A pickup unit, comprising:a first chassis having mounted thereon a turntable for placing a disc thereon, a spindle motor for rotationally driving the turntable, and a DC motor serving as a drive source; anda second chassis having a disc clamper a tray loading mechanism for pulling in a tray having the disc placed thereon, and a driving force transmission gear for driving said tray loading mechanism, said first and second chassis being rotatable about a rotary shaft from an open position to a closed position whereby the disc placed on said turntable is pressed by said clamper;wherein a drive shaft of said DC motor is provided with a worm gear, and an intermediate gear meshing with the worm gear is provided on said second chassis to transmit a driving force to said driving force transmission gear via said intermediate gear, and wherein an axis of the drive shaft of said DC motor is placed in line with the axis of said rotary shaft such that the worm gear engages the intermediate gear when the first and second chassis are in the open position and when the first and second chassis are in the closed position.