Abstract:
A disc braking device is utilized in an optical disc drive. The disc braking device is installed on a disc tray of an optical disc drive. Without being affected by an covering component or the location of the disc braking device, the disc braking device makes a disc stop rotating in a more direct and efficient way. The disc braking device contains a structure portion; a braking rod installed and not fixed on the structure portion; and a braking component installed on the braking rod and utilized for making the disc stop rotating.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a disc braking device utilized for making a disc stop rotating, and more specifically, to a disc braking device utilized in a slim type optical disc drive.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Recently, computer peripheral products have improved while prices have decreased. Generally speaking, the prices of optical disc drives are acceptable for consumers. A slim type optical disc drive is a computer peripheral device for storing information in a notebook computer. Because the consumers use notebook computers more than before, the need of the global market for notebook computers is growing and the future market for notebook computers is expected to remain strong. Hence, the need for slim type optical disc drives is growing and expectable. The reading speed of optical disc drives is getting higher and the techniques relating to optical disc drives are improving.  
           [0005]    Please refer to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a slim type optical disc drive  1 B having loaded a disc  9  according to the prior art. The disc  9  is positioned on a turn table  12  of a spindle motor of the slim type optical disc drive  1 B according to the prior art. After loading the disc  9 , the disc tray  10  slides into the slim type optical disc drive  1 B. Afterwards, the disc  9  rotates at a high speed and the data stored on the disc  9  is optically read. Before the disc  9  is ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 B according to the prior art, electric power that is supplied to the spindle motor for driving the turn table  12  is cut. However, inertia causes the turn table  12  to keep rotating. Therefore, to force the turn table  12  to stop rotating, a disc braking device  11  is designed and installed on the upper cover or the bottom cover of the slim type optical disc drive  1 B according to the prior art. Before the disc  9  is loaded or ejected, the disc  9  touches the disc braking device  11  and is stopped from rotating. Please refer to FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the slim type optical disc drive  1 B loading the disc  9  according to the prior art. When the slim type optical disc drive  1 B is loading the disc  9 , the disc  9  touches the disc braking device  11  installed on the bottom cover  13  and then stops rotating. Please refer to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the slim type optical disc drive  1 B after the disc  9  has been ejected according to the prior art. Before the disc  9  is ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 B, the disc  9  touches the disc braking device  11  installed on the bottom cover  13  and then stops rotating. Therefore, it can be ensured that the disc  9  stops rotating before it is ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 B. Afterwards, a user can immediately change the disc. A problem with the prior art is that the position of the disc braking device  11  is affected by the shape of the upper cover and the bottom cover  13  of the slim type optical disc drive  1 B and the variations during manufacturing. Thus the disc braking device  11  may be disposed improperly and fail to function appropriately.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0006]    It is therefore an objective of the claimed invention to provide a disc braking device utilized in an optical disc drive to solve the above-mentioned problem. The disc braking device is installed on a disc tray of an optical disc drive. Without being affected by a covering component or the location of the disc braking device, the disc braking device can stop a disc from rotating in a more direct and efficient way. The disc braking device contains a structure portion; a braking rod installed and rotatable on the structure portion; and a braking component installed on the braking rod and utilized for making the disc stop rotating.  
           [0007]    These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a slim type optical disc drive having loaded a disc according to the prior art.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the slim type optical disc drive loading the disc according to the prior art.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the slim type optical disc drive after the disc has been ejected according to the prior art.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a slim type optical disc drive comprising a disc braking device after the slim type optical disc drive has loaded a disc according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive comprising the disc braking device after the disc has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the slim type optical disc drive comprising the disc braking device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of individual components of the disc braking device shown in FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 8 is a detailed perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device shown in FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 9 is a top view of the disc braking device after loading the disc shown in FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive comprising the disc braking device after the slim type optical disc drive has loaded the disc according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 11 is a top view of the disc braking device after the disc has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive comprising the disc braking device after the disc has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a slim type optical disc drive comprising a disc braking device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 14 is a detailed perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device shown in FIG. 13 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 15 is a perspective view of relative positions of the braking rod and the elastic component according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive comprising the disc braking device after the disc has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 17 is a top view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device shown in FIG. 16 after the disc has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 18 is a perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device shown in FIG. 16 when the slim type optical disc drive is loading the disc according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive comprising the disc braking device when the slim type optical disc drive is loading the disc according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive comprising the disc braking device after the slim type optical disc drive has loaded the disc according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0028]    The following description of the embodiments according to the present invention is related to a slim type optical disc drive. However, the present invention can be utilized in all kinds of optical storage products, including CD-ROM drives, CD-RW drives, half height optical disc drives, COMBO drives, DVD-R/RW drives, external optical disc drives and all kinds of optical media recorders and players.  
         [0029]    The first embodiment of the present invention is described as follows. Please refer to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a slim type optical disc drive  1  comprising a disc braking device after the slim type optical disc drive  1  has loaded a disc  9  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The slim type optical disc drive  1  comprises a disc tray  10 . The disc tray  10  comprises a turn table  12  utilized for positioning and rotating the disc  9  at a high speed for accessing the data from the disc  9 . Please refer to FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive  1  comprising the disc braking device  8  after the disc  9  has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The slim type optical disc drive  1  comprises a bottom cover  13 . The bottom cover  13  comprises two lateral sides  13   a  and  13   b . Please refer to FIG. 6. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the slim type optical disc drive  1  comprising the disc braking device  8  according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The disc braking device  8  according to the first embodiment of the present invention is located on a structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10 . Please refer to FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of individual components of the disc braking device  8  shown in FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The disc braking device  8  according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a braking component  2 , a braking rod  3 , a tappet  4 , an elastic unit  5 , an elastic component  6  and a covering component  7 . The braking rod  3  comprises a positioning hole  31 , a first extending part  32 , a third extending part  33 , a pressing part  35 , a side part  36  and a second extending part  34 . The positioning hole  31  is installed and rotatable on the positioning pin  17   a  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10 . The braking component  2  comprises a bottom part  21  being installed on the third extending part  33  of the braking rod  3 . A contacting part  22  touches the rim of the disc  9  to make the disc  9  stop rotating before the disc  9  is ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 . The braking component  2  can be made of sponge or other soft materials having equivalent characteristics. In the present embodiment (the first embodiment), the braking component  2  is made of sponge. The tappet  4  comprises a sliding slot  41 , a positioning hook  42 , a first flange  43  and a second flange  44 . The structure portion  10   a  further comprises a first guiding peg  14  and a second guiding peg  15  located in the sliding slot  41  and utilized for guiding the tappet  4  to slide. The first flange  43  touches the second extending part  34  and the side part  36  of the braking rod  3  and drives the related components to move, in order to make the contacting part  22  of the braking component  2  touch or be detached from the rim of the disc  9 . The elastic unit  5  comprises a positioning hole  51  and a pressing part  52 . The elastic unit  5  is installed on the positioning pin  17   b  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10  via the positioning hole  51  (please refer to FIG. 8). The pressing part  52  touches the pressing part  35  of the braking rod  3 , in order to provide a pressing force for the braking rod  3  to force the disc  9  to stop rotating. The elastic unit  5  can be a leaf spring or a unit having equivalent function. In the present embodiment (the first embodiment), the elastic unit  5  is a leaf spring. The elastic component  6  comprises a main winding  61  and a positioning part  62 . The main winding  61  is installed on the positioning pin  17   c  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10 . The positioning part  62  hooks the positioning hook  42  of the tappet  4 . Hence, a torque force is provided by the elastic component  6  to drive the contacting part  22  of the braking component  2  to touch the rim of the disc  9 . The elastic component  6  can be a spring made of metal or plastic materials. In the present embodiment (the first embodiment), the elastic component  6  is a spring. The covering component  7  comprises an extending part  71  and a positioning slot  72 . The covering component  7  is utilized for positioning and covering other components of the disc braking device  8  according to the present invention. Please refer to FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. FIG. 8 is a detailed perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device  8  shown in FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The extending part  71  is installed in the positioning slot  18  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10 . The positioning hook  16  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10  is installed in the positioning slot  72 .  
         [0030]    Please proceed to refer to FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. The bottom part  21  of the braking component  2  is installed on the third extending part  33  of the braking rod  3 . The braking rod  3  is installed and rotatable on the positioning pin  17   a  of the structure portion  10   a  via the positioning hole  31 . The tappet  4  is installed and is able to slide on the structure portion  10   a . The tappet  4  is guided by the first guiding peg  14  and the second guiding peg  15  of the structure portion  10   a . The elastic component  6  is installed and rotatable on the positioning pin  17   c  of the structure portion  10   a  via the main winding  61 . The positioning part  62  hooks the positioning hook  42  of the tappet  4 . The elastic unit  5  is installed on the positioning pin  17   b  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10 . The pressing part  52  touches the pressing part  35  of the braking rod  3  and is used to prevent the pressing part  52  from detaching from the first extending part  32  of the braking rod  3 . The covering component  7  is installed in the positioning slot  18  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10  via the extending part  71 . The positioning hook  16  of the structure portion  10   a  of the disc tray  10  is installed in the positioning slot  72 . The covering component  7  is utilized for positioning and covering other components of the disc braking device  8  according to the present invention. The above-mentioned components make up the disc braking device  8  according to the present invention.  
         [0031]    Please refer to FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. Before the slim type optical disc drive  1  starts to load the disc  9 , the second flange  44  of the tappet  4  touches the lateral side  13   a  of the bottom cover  13  and is driven by a pressing force in a first direction (direction A). Please refer to FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 9. FIG. 9 is a top view of the disc braking device  8  after loading the disc  9  shown in FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The covering component  7  is removed in FIG. 9. The second flange  44  of the tappet  4  is driven by a pressing force in the first direction (direction A). Meanwhile, the tappet  4  slides such that the second guiding peg  15  touches a second extreme position of the sliding slot  41  (position a), and therefore, the tappet  4  slides in the first direction (direction A). The first flange  43  touches the second extending part  34  of the braking rod  3 , and therefore the braking rod  3  is driven to rotate in a second direction (direction B) to drive the contacting part  22  of the braking component  2  to be detached from the rim of the disc  9  and to press the pressing part  52  of the elastic unit  5 . Please refer to FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive  1  comprising the disc braking device  8  after the slim type optical disc drive  1  has loaded the disc  9  according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0032]    Please refer to FIG. 4, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. When the disc  9  is going to be ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 , the restriction on the second flange  44  of the tappet  4  caused by the lateral side  13   a  of the bottom cover  13  is removed and then the second flange  44  flips out in a third direction (direction C). Please refer to FIG. 6, FIG. 7 and FIG. 11. FIG. 11 is a top view of the disc braking device  8  after the disc  9  has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1  according to the first embodiment of the present invention, wherein the covering component  7  has been removed. When the second flange  44  of the tappet  4  flips out in the third direction (direction C), meanwhile, because of the torque force provided by the elastic component  6 , the tappet  4  slides and the first guiding peg  14  touches a first extreme position (position b) of the sliding slot  41  such that the tappet  4  slides in a third direction (direction C). At the same time, the pressing force provided by the elastic unit  5  drives the braking rod  3  to rotate in a fourth direction (direction D) to go back to the original position. The first flange  43  touches the side part  36  of the braking rod  3  such that the contacting part  22  of the braking component  2  touches the rim of the disc  9 . Hence, the friction force between the braking component  2  and the disc  9  and the pressing force provided by the elastic unit  5  force the disc  9  to stop rotating. Please refer to FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive  1  comprising the disc braking device  8  after the disc  9  has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1  according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0033]    The second embodiment of the present invention is described as follows. Please refer to FIG. 13. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a slim type optical disc drive 1OLE_LINK1A comprising a disc braking device  8 A according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The disc braking device  8 A according to the second embodiment of the present invention is located on the structure portion  10   b  of the disc tray  10 . Please refer to FIG. 13 and FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is a detailed perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device  8 A shown in FIG. 13 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The disc braking device  8 A according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises a braking component  2 A, a braking rod  3 A, an elastic component  6 A and a raising part  19 . Please refer to FIG. 13, FIG. 14 and FIG. 15. FIG. 15 is a perspective view of relative positions of the braking rod  3 A and the elastic component  6 A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The braking rod  3 A comprises a positioning hole  3 A 1 , a flange  3 A 2 , a third extending part  3 A 3  and a positioning hook  3 A 4 . The braking component  2 A comprises a bottom part  2 A 1  being installed on the extending part  3 A 3  of the braking rod  3 A. The contacting part  2 A 2  touches the rim of the disc  9  in order to force the disc  9  to stop rotating. The braking component  2 A can be made of sponge or other soft materials having equivalent characteristics. In the present embodiment (the second embodiment), the braking component  2 A is made of sponge. The elastic component  6 A comprises a main winding  6 A 1  and a positioning part  6 A 2 . The main winding  6 A 1  is installed and rotatable on the positioning pin  17   d  of the structure portion  10   b  of the disc tray  10 . The braking rod  3 A is installed and rotatable on the positioning pin  17   d  via positioning hole  3 A 1 . The braking rod  3 A touches the elastic component  6 A, and the positioning part  6 A 2  hooks the positioning hook  3 A 4  of the braking rod  3 A in order to provide a torque force to drive the contacting part  2 A 2  of the braking component  2 A to be detached from the rim of the disc  9 . The elastic component  6 A can be a spring made of metal or plastic materials. In the present embodiment (the second embodiment), the elastic component  6 A is a spring. The raising part  19  is installed on the lateral side  13   b  of the bottom cover  13 .  
         [0034]    Please refer to FIG. 16. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive  1 A comprising the disc braking device  8 A after the disc  9  has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to FIG. 14, FIG. 15 and FIG. 17. FIG. 17 is a top view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device  8 A shown in FIG. 16 after the disc  9  has been ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 A according to the second embodiment of the present invention. At this time, the contacting part  2 A 2  of the braking component  2 A is apart from the rim of the disc  9 . Please refer to FIG. 15 FIG. 19. FIG. 18 is a perspective view of relative positions of individual components of the disc braking device  8 A shown in FIG. 16 when the slim type optical disc drive  1 A is loading the disc  9  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive  1 A comprising the disc braking device  8 A when the slim type optical disc drive  1 A is loading the disc  9  according to the second embodiment of the present invention. When the slim type optical disc drive  1 A is loading the disc  9 , the flange  3 A 2  of the braking rod  3 A touches the raising part  19  installed on the lateral side  13   b  of the bottom cover  13 . Hence, the braking rod  3 A is driven by a pressing force caused by the flange  3 A 2  in a first direction (direction E) and rotates in a second direction (direction F) to drive the contacting part  2 A 2  of the braking component  2 A to touch the rim of the disc  9  in order to force the disc  9  to stop rotating. However, once the flange  3 A 2  is detached from the raising part  19 , the flange  3 A 2  flips out in a third direction (direction G) because the pressing force in the first direction (direction E) disappears. A torque force provided by the elastic component  6 A drives the braking rod  3 A to rotate in a fourth direction (direction H), in order to drive the contacting part  2 A 2  of the braking component  2 A to be detached from the rim of the disc  9  until the disc  9  is totally loaded by the slim type optical disc drive  1 A, as shown in FIG. 20. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the slim type optical disc drive  1 A comprising the disc braking device  8 A after the slim type optical disc drive  1 A has loaded the disc  9  according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0035]    Please refer to FIG. 15-FIG. 19. The disc  9  is in the slim type optical disc drive  1 A as shown in FIG. 20. Before the disc  9  is ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 A, the flange  3 A 2  of the braking rod  3 A touches the raising part  19  installed on the lateral side  13 b of the bottom cover  13 . Hence, the braking rod  3 A is driven by a pressing force caused by the flange  3 A 2  in a first direction (direction E) and rotates in a second direction (direction F) to drive the contacting part  2 A 2  of the braking component  2 A to touch the rim of the disc  9 , in order to force the disc  9  to stop rotating. However, once the flange  3 A 2  is detached from the raising part  19 , the flange  3 A 2  flips out in a third direction (direction G) because the pressing force in the first direction (direction E) disappears. A torque force provided by the elastic component  6 A drives the braking rod  3 A to rotate in a fourth direction (direction H), in order to drive the contacting part  2 A 2  of the braking component  2 A to be detached from the rim of the disc  9  until the disc  9  is ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 A, as shown in FIG. 16. The above-mentioned design ensures that the disc  9  does not move or rotate when it is being loaded by or ejected from the slim type optical disc drive  1 A.  
         [0036]    Furthermore, when the disc  9  is put on the disc tray  10  before it is loaded into the slim type optical disc drive, the disc  9  of the second embodiment can rotate freely. On the other hand, the disc  9  of the first embodiment can be kept still on the turn table  12  because the braking component  2  touches the rim of the disc  9 .  
         [0037]    As above-mentioned embodiments, each disc braking device according to the present invention can be installed on the disc tray of the optical disc drive. Therefore, when the disc is being ejected, the disc can be forced to stop rotating more efficiently and directly without being affected by variations of covering components or positions of components during manufacturing.  
         [0038]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.