Abstract:
A storage medium player includes a base defining a medium-receiving area, a driving device mounted in the base for driving a medium, a cover pivotably attached to the base adjacent one side of the medium-receiving area, and a safety device mounted in the base adjacent an opposite side of the medium-receiving area. The safety device is capable of being switched between an activated state and a deactivated state upon pivoting the cover with respect to the base. When the cover is closed, the safety device is in the activated state and the driving device is enabled. When the cover is open, the safety device is in the deactivated state and the driving device is disabled.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to storage medium players and, more particularly, to a safety device for a storage medium player.  
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
       [0002]     Generally, storage medium players, such as digital versatile disc (DVD) players and compact disc (CD) players, can be classified into three types: tray type, slot-in type, and cover-type. A traditional cover-type storage medium player includes a base, an electronic unit mounted in the base, and a cover pivotally connected to the base. The base defines a medium-receiving area in a top plate thereof. The cover is provided for selectively covering or exposing the medium-receiving area. The electronic unit includes a turntable for carrying a medium, a pick-up head for reproducing information recorded on the medium, and a driving device (e.g. a spindle motor) for driving the turntable to rotate. A lock assembly mounted on the base is utilized for engaging with the cover so as to firmly position the cover at a closed position.  
         [0003]     When the lock assembly is manipulated, the cover can be rotated to an open position by elastic force or manual power. The medium-receiving area is thus exposed so that a user can insert or remove a medium. When the cover is rotated to the closed position, it is firmly locked to the base by the lock assembly.  
         [0004]     During operation, the driving device drives the turntable holding the medium to rotate at a high velocity. The pick-up head directs a laser onto the medium to reproduce data. However, when a user tries to open the cover and reach for the medium as it is rotating, the user may be hurt by a thin, sharp edge of the medium.  
         [0005]     Therefore, a safety device is needed to stop the rotation of the medium when the cover is opened.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0006]     A storage medium player includes a base and a cover pivotally connected to the base. The base includes a medium-receiving area, a driving device for rotating a medium received in the medium-receiving area, and a safety device connected in series with the driving device. The cover is configured for selectively covering the medium-receiving area. The safety device is capable of toggling between an activated state and a deactivated state. When the cover is closed, the safety device is in the activated state and the driving device is enabled. When the cover is open, the safety device is in the deactivated state and the driving device is disabled.  
         [0007]     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of a storage medium player in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged, partial view of an upper housing portion of the storage medium player of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an inverted, isometric view of a cover of the storage medium player of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a first switch of the storage medium player of  FIG. 1 ; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an assembled, isometric view of the storage medium player of  FIG. 1 , with the cover being located at an open position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a storage medium player  10  includes a main module  12 , a base  13  for housing the main module  12 , and a cover  14  pivotally connected to the base  13 .  
         [0014]     The main module  12  includes a driving device  120  for rotatably supporting a medium (not shown) thereon, a pick-up unit  122  for reproducing information recorded on the medium, a printed circuit board (PCB)  124 , and a safety device  129 . The PCB  124  is electrically connected to the driving device  120 , the pick-up unit  122 , and the safety device  129 . The PCB  124  includes a control circuit (not shown) for controlling operation of the storage medium player  10 . The driving device  120  is electrically connected in series with the safety device  129  in the control circuit. The driving device  120  is capable of toggling between a first working state and a second working state. In the first working state, the driving device  120  is ready to rotate the medium when given a PLAY command. On the contrary, when in the second working state, the driving device  120  is unable to work even if it receives a PLAY command because a power supply to the driving device  120  is cut off. The safety device  129  is used for controlling the working states of the driving device  120 . When the safety device  129  is activated, the driving device  120  is in the first working state. On the contrary, when the safety device  129  is deactivated, the driving device  120  is in the second working state.  
         [0015]     The base  13  includes a lock assembly  16 , an upper housing portion  17 , and a lower housing portion  18 . The upper housing portion  17  is substantially rectangle, and includes a top plate  70 . The lock assembly  16  is formed at a front edge of the base  13 . The lock assembly  16  is provided for selectively locking the cover  14  in a closed position or unlocking the cover  14  allowing the cover  14  to rotate to an open position. The lock assembly  16  extends downwardly from an upper side of the top plate  70  to a bottom side of the top plate  70 . The lock assembly  16  defines a latch  160  at a lower end thereof. The upper housing portion  17  and the lower housing portion  18  cooperate to define a housing for accommodating the main module  12  therein. The top plate  70  defines a through hole (not labeled) at a front corner thereof from which the latch  160  retractably protrudes. The top plate  70  defines a first connecting portion  52  near a back edge of the base  13 . The top plate  70  defines a recessed medium-receiving portion  72  in the center thereof for receiving a medium (not shown). The medium-receiving portion  72  is adjacent to the first connecting portion  52 . The medium-receiving portion  72  includes a substantially round bottom surface  720  and a sidewall  722  surrounding the bottom surface  720 . An opening  724  is defined through the top plate  70  at the medium-receiving portion  72 , extending radially from the center to a lateral edge of the medium-receiving portion  72 . Therefore, the driving device  120  is allowed to rise up via the opening  720  to support the medium, and the pick-up unit  122  is allowed to move along a radial direction of the bottom surface  720  to reproduce information recorded in the medium.  
         [0016]     Referring also to  FIG.2 , the bottom surface  720  of the medium-receiving portion  72  defines a recessed portion  726 . The sidewall  722  defines a through hole (not labeled) so that the lock assembly  16  is capable of extending out from the through hole to the recessed portion  726 . The bottom surface  720  of the medium-receiving portion  72  further defines first and second through holes  728  and  729 . The first and second through holes  728  and  729  are located respectively near front and back edges of the bottom surface  720 .  
         [0017]     Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the cover  14  forms a second connecting portion  54  at a back edge thereof, corresponding to the first connecting portion  52 . The first connecting portion  52  defines a pair of pivot holes  520  at two opposite side edges thereof. The second connecting portion  54  includes a pair of pivots  540  at two opposite side edges thereof, corresponding to the pair of pivot holes  520 . The pivots are configured for being rotatably received in the pivot holes  520 . Therefore, the cover  14  is capable of being pivotally connected to the base  13 . The cover  14  includes a top plate  40  adjacent to the second connecting portion  54 , and a lateral surface  42  extending downwardly from the top plate  40 . The top plate  40  of the cover  14  forms first and second posts  48  and  49  respectively corresponding to the first and second through holes  728  and  729 . The first and second posts  48  and  49  are configured to be inserted into the through holes  728  and  729  to activate the safety device  129 . The lateral surface  42  forms an engaging portion  46  corresponding to the recessed portion  726 . The engaging portion  46  defines a latching hole  460  for receiving the latch  160 . When the cover  14  is rotated to the closed position, the latch  160  protruding out from the though hole of the sidewall  722  inserts into the latching hole  460 . Thus, the cover  14  is firmly locked at the closed position. When the lock assembly  16  is depressed, the latch  160  withdraws from the latching hole  460 . Thus, the cover  14  is unlocked and is capable of being rotated to the open position.  
         [0018]     The safety device  129  includes a first switch  92  and a second switch  94  connected in series with the first switch  92  in the control circuit. The first and second switches  92  and  94  are electrically connected in series with the driving device  120  in the control circuit. The first and second switches  92  and  94  are respectively located at front and back edges of the PCB  124  corresponding to the through holes  728  and  729 . Both the first and second switches  92  and  94  are plunger switches with a same structure. The second switch  94  is provided for safety requirements. If the first switch is out of order, such as having a short circuit, the second switch  94  will serve as a back-up switch to control the working states of the driving device  120 .  
         [0019]     Referring also to  FIG. 4 , the first switch  92  includes a plunger  920  located below the through hole  728 . In an alternative embodiment, the plunger  920  extends from the first switch  92  into the through hole  728  so that a portion of the plunger  920  is received in the through hole  728 . When the plunger  920  is depressed, the first switch  92  is activated. When the plunger  920  is not depressed the first switch  92  is deactivated. The first and second switches  92  and  94  are electrically connected in series in the control circuit, either one of the first switch  92  and second switch  94  being deactivated will cause the driving device  120  to change to the second working state and cease operating.  
         [0020]     As the cover  14  is rotated down, the second post  49  inserts into the through hole  729  depressing a plunger of the second switch  94 . The second switch  94  is activated. Following the cover  14  being rotated further down, the first post  48  inserts into the first through hole  728  and depresses the plunger  920  of the first switch  92 . The first switch  92  is thus also activated. Therefore, the driving device  120  changes to the first working state.  
         [0021]     Referring also to  FIG. 5 , when a user wants to replace the original medium with another medium, the lock assembly  16  is pressed to release the engaging portion  46 , and then the cover  14  is rotated away from the base  13 . As the cover  14  rotates away from the base  13 , the first post  48  withdraws releasing the plunger  920  deactivating the first switch  92  at a minimum height. The driving device  120  changes to the second working state and gradually the medium stops rotating. Once the cover  14  is at the open position the medium is rotating slowly if not actually stopped altogether. At that time, the medium is in a relatively stationary state and is not likely to hurt the user when the user reaches for the medium.  
         [0022]     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.