Abstract:
A media player facing has a device housing with a drawer and a facade. The outer surface of the facade and the outer surface of the device housing are aligned so that the facade outer surface and the device housing outer surface are substantially continuous when the drawer is closed.

Description:
This invention relates to media player facing, and more specifically to a facade for a drawer in a disc media player. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   A typical media player, such as a compact disc player or a DVD player, includes a visible mechanical sliding drawer for loading at least one disc. When the drawer is in a closed position the front of the drawer remains visible. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an important object to provide a facade for a media player. 
   According to an aspect of the invention, a facade for a media player has a device housing, having an outer surface with a first opening and a second opening; said housing further having a faceplate, formed to create a substantially continuous surface with said housing, a drawer, configured to receive media, and movable through said first opening into said device housing, said drawer further being movable between a closed position and an open position, with a base plate connected to one end of said drawer and a spring comprised of a coil portion and at least one arm, said at least one arm coupled to said base plate, with a facade, having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface coupled to said coil portion, wherein the relative distance of said inner surface of said facade and said one end of said drawer is greater in said closed position than in said open position, and wherein, in the closed position, said outer surface of said facade and said outer surface of said device housing are aligned so that said facade outer surface and said device housing outer surface appear substantially continuous. 
   Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  shows a media drawer in an open position with a compliant facade; 
       FIG. 2  shows the media drawer in a closed position; 
       FIG. 3A  depicts a cutaway view of a compliance; 
       FIG. 3B  shows another view of a compliance; 
       FIG. 3C  shows a simplified, exploded view of components of a compliances; and 
       FIG. 4  shows a media drawer with facade removed to illustrate a manual release. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , compliant facade  10  includes a housing  18  having an outer surface with at least one opening  20 . Drawer  16  may be configured to receive media, and may be slidable through opening  20  into housing  18 . Drawer  16  is movable between a closed position, shown in  FIG. 2 , and an open position, shown in  FIG. 1 . Facade  14  has an inner surface and an outer surface. Housing  18  may include faceplate  24 , which may cover a display, and recess  28 . 
   Compliance  22  aligns the inner surface of facade  14  with one end of drawer  16 , such that the relative distance of the inner surface of facade  14  and said one end of drawer  16  is greater in the closed position than in the open position. When drawer  16  is in the closed position, the inner surface of facade  14  may seat in recess  28 , and the outer surface of facade  14  may be aligned with faceplate  24  so that the outer surface of facade  14  and faceplate  24  appears as one continuous surface. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 3A ,  3 B and  3 C, compliance  22  may comprise base plate  36  and spring  34 , which couples facade  14  to one end of base plate  36 , while another end of base plate  36  connects to one end of drawer  16 . Spring  34  comprises a coil portion  37  having arms  38  and  40  extending therefrom. Support member  42  may be molded on the inner surface of facade  14 . Support member  42  may capture and support coil portion  37  for securing spring  34  to facade  14 . Arms  38  and  40  connect with molded supports  44  and  46 , which may be molded on the inside surface of base plate  36 . The ends of arms  38  and  40  may be captured by molded supports  44  and  46  to couple spring  34  to base plate  36 . At least one portion of the inner surface of base plate  36  may mate with protrusions  48 , which may serve to guide the motion of base plate  36  in an axis generally perpendicular to the orientation of facade  14  and to limit motion in other axes. The inner surface of facade  14  may also have at least one guide member  32 , which may align with at least one corresponding guide slot  30  in recess  28  to facilitate the alignment of facade  14  when drawer  16  moves into the closed position. 
   As drawer  16  moves between an open position and a closed position, the relative distance between facade  14  and the end of drawer  16  coupled to base plate  36  may change. As drawer  16  moves into the closed position, facade  14  seats in recess  28 , allowing the outer surface of facade  14  to align with faceplate  24 . The inner surface of facade  14  may remain in recess  28  while drawer  16  continues deeper into housing  18 , moving connected base plate  36  along the axis of motion of drawer  16 , which remains coupled to facade  14  by the spring force of spring  34 . The relative distance of the inner surface of facade  14  and the end of drawer  16  is thus greater in the closed position than in the open position. 
   Typically drawer  16  opens and closes by a motorized drive. However, referring to  FIG. 4 , housing  18  may further include a release pin  52  positioned behind facade  14  to permit a user to manually eject drawer  16  should the motorized ejection mechanism of drawer  16  fail. Release pin  52  may be positioned behind facade  14  to preserve the aesthetic appearance of facade  14 , with one end of release pin  52  in communication with disc media drive  12  such that actuating release pin  52  causes drawer  16  to open. Housing  18  may have a second opening  54  in housing  18  to permit access to release pin  52 . Release pin  52  may be actuated with a tool  56  inserted into second opening  54 , which may be any tool, pin, rod, or other device or element capable of reaching and actuating release pin  52 . Release pin  52  may have a portion formed to receive such a tool, such as a looped portion, to permit actuation. Housing  18  may further have a support to support release pin  52 , and to maintain it in an orientation permitting actuation. 
   It is evident that those skilled in the art may now make numerous uses and modifications of and departures from the apparatus and techniques herein disclosed without departing from the inventive concepts. Consequently, the invention is to be construed as embracing each and every novel feature and novel combination of features present in or possessed by the apparatus and techniques herein disclosed and limited solely by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.