Patent ID: 6141310
Filing Date: 2000-10-31
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A disc playing apparatus wherein a disc inserted through a disc inserting slot is capable of being held on a disc holding surface of a turntable for playing back data with an optical pick-up, and wherein said disc can be released from said turntable and forced back out of said disc inserting slot by a disc unloading operation, comprising:a disc holder capable of moving said disc from a disc receiving position in which said disc holder engages only the outer edge of said disc, through a disc transfer position in which said disc holder transfers said disc onto or from said turntable, to a remote position in which said disc holder is remote from said disc supported on said turntable, said turntable having a vertical axis around which said turntable can be rotated, and being fixed in a vertical direction, said turntable having no higher level portion than said disc holding surface;a rack operatively connected to said disc holder;a partial gear having a with-teeth portion and a without-teeth portion, said partial gear being operable such that said with-teeth portion engages said rack when said disc holder is in said disc receiving position, and such that it rotates in one direction to move said disc holder to said disc transfer position to cause said disc to be transferred onto said turntable, wherein said with-teeth portion can be disengaged from said rack, and then re-engaged with said rack, thereby moving said disc holder into said remote position;a loading motor adapted to rotate in a first direction to cause said partial gear to be rotated in said one direction when it is sensed that said disc is held by said disc holder in said disc receiving position, and to cause said partial gear to stop rotating when it is sensed that said disc holder reaches said remote position, and wherein said loading motor is caused to be rotated in a second direction opposite said first direction upon the beginning of said disc unloading operation so as to rotate said partial gear in a reverse direction opposite said one direction, and to cause said partial gear to stop rotating in said reverse direction when it is sensed that said disc holder has returned to said disc receiving position;a disc clamper movable between a clamped position for urging said disc onto said turntable, and a released position for releasing said disc from said turntable;means for operatively connecting said disc clamper with said partial gear so as to move said disc clamper to said clamped position when said partial gear is rotating in said one direction while said with-teeth portion is disengaged from said rack, and to move said disc clamper to said released position when said partial gear is rotating in said reverse direction; andwherein said disc holder which has been released from said disc held on said turntable is elastically locked in said remote position by an elastic locking member.