Abstract:
A continuous playing apparatus for a disc player the apparatus includes a horizontal moving means and a lifting/lowering means. The horizontal moving means moves cartridges alternately and horizontally, and the lifting/lowering means loads and unloads discs to and from a turn table. The turn table is installed together with a pick-up unit on a deck. According to the present invention, continuous playings can be performed without discontinuity.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a continuous playing apparatus for use in a disc player, and particularly to an apparatus in which a compact disc can be replaced while playing another compact disc without discontinuity, thereby making it possible to perform continuous plays. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the conventional apparatuses, there are some which make it possible to play a plurality of discs continuously, and one of these apparatuses is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. Sho-63-102062. That is, in this apparatus, a plurality of information recording media such as compact discs and the like are loaded in parallel in a playing apparatus, in such a manner that continuous regenerations should be possible. This apparatus includes a plurality of disc driving means installed in parallel on the upper portion of the apparatus in such a manner as to drive a plurality of information recording media, and an optical pick-up section for sequentially regenerating the recorded signals of the information recording media by moving between plurality of the disc driving means to continuously regenerate the contents of the discs. 
     Another of such apparatuses is disclosed in Japanese Patent No. Sho-64-35560. In this apparatus, two discs are loaded on a turn table, and then, one of the discs is selectively detached to make it unplayable, so that the other disc can be played. This apparatus includes a turn table for setting one of two discs to be playable, a tray for withdrawing one of the discs upwardly to keep the withdrawn disc in an unplayable condition, and an optical pick-up installed to be freely slidable toward the playing disc, so as to continuously play discs. 
     However, in the above described conventional disc players, a disc can not be replaced during the play of a disc, and a continuous play is impossible during the replacement of a disc. Further, their structures are very complicated, with the result that manufacturing becomes difficult and expensive. 
     Further, their complicated structures result in loss of accuracy after time, so that even a slight impact or vibration can cause a problem. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a continuous playing apparatus for use in a disc player, in which a plurality of discs can be played continuously, and one disc can be replaced even during the playing of another disc. 
     The present invention includes a moving means for horizontally and alternately moving cartridges loaded with discs and placed on an upper or lower part of an upper portion of a housing of a disc player, and a lifting/lowering means within the housing to load and unload discs to and from a turn table, with the turn table and a pick-up unit being installed on a deck, thereby making it possible to continuously play discs. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above object and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail the preferred embodiment of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematical perspective view of the critical portions of the disc player according to the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C illustrate the operations of the disc player according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates the actuations of the deck of the present invention, with the turn table and the pick-up unit being installed thereon; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view schematically showing the critical portions of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged exploded sectional view showing the power transmitting section according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the coupled cartridge excluding the housing of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 7 illustrates the actuations of the rotating change plate according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a part of the continuous playing apparatus of the disc player according to the present invention. As shown in this drawing, cartridges 2,3 are installed up and below in the upper portion of a housing 1 of the disc player, and either one of these cartridges 2,3 can be moved horizontally by a horizontal moving means. Further, a pick-up unit 5 and a turn table 4 are installed on a deck 6, and this deck 6 can be moved up and down by means of a lifting/lowering means as shown in FIG. 3. Thus, discs can be loaded and unloaded to and from the turn table 4, so that discs can be continuously played. 
     First the horizontal moving means for moving the cartridges 2,3 in the horizontal direction will be described. Guide grooves 7,8 are formed on an upper and lower part of the upper portions of the inner side walls of the housing 1, and fitted into these guide grooves 7, 8 are the cartridges 2,3 on which discs are placed. A first rack 9 and a second rack 10 are formed on one of the side walls of the housing 1. Further, third and fourth racks 11,12 are formed on one of the sides of the cartridges 2,3, while sliding brackets 13,14 are formed below them in a mutually facing form. 
     Fifth and sixth racks 15, 16 are formed on the sides of the upper and lower brackets 13,14, and guide slots 17,18 are formed on the sides of the fifth and sixth racks 15,16, while guide plates 19,20 are inserted into the guides slots in such a manner as to be fixed to the cartridges 2,3. Further, guiding rotating gears 21,22 are rotatably installed at leading ends of the sliding brackets 13,14, in such a manner that they are moved by being engaged with the first and second racks 9,10. Further, the gears 21,22 can also be moved by being engaged with the third and fourth racks 11,12 which are formed on the side walls of the cartridges 2,3. 
     Guide shafts 23,24 project from opposite sides of the upper and lower brackets 13,14, while first and second guide slots 25,26 are formed on the side walls of the housing 1 in such a manner that they can be coupled with the shafts 23,24. Further, a pinion 27 is rotatably engaged with the fifth and sixth racks 15,16 of the brackets 13,14. 
     A first rotating gear 28 is installed on a same shaft as the pinion 27, and the first rotating gear 28 is engaged with a second rotating gear 29, while the second rotating gear 29 is engaged with a third rotating gear 30. Further, the third rotating gear 30 is engaged with a fourth rotating gear 31, and a pulley 32 is installed on the same shaft as that of the fourth rotating gear 31, while a driving pulley 34 is installed near the pulley 32, the driving pulley 34 being connected through a belt 33 to the pulley 32. 
     Meanwhile, a rotating change plate 35 is installed at the outside of the housing 1, at leading ends of the upper and lower cartridges 2,3, and the plate 35 is provided with first and second insertion slots 36,37 as shown in FIG. 7. 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the housing 1 and the rotating plate 35 are respectively provided with spring securing protuberances 38,39 on which a tension spring 40 is elastically installed. 
     Now the lifting/lowering means for lifting and lowering the deck 6 (on which the turn table 4 and the pick-up unit 5 are installed) will be described. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, a rotating gear 41 having a frustoconical shape is installed on the same shaft as that of the fourth rotating gear 31, and a cam gear 42 is installed rotatably by being engaged with the rotating gear 41, while under the cam gear 42, is a bevel gear 43 being engaged with the rotating bevel gear 41. 
     Meanwhile, a cam groove 43a is formed on the upper face of the cam gear 42 as shown in FIG. 3, and a cam pin 44 is inserted into the cam groove 43a so the cam pin can move along the cam groove. 
     A guide chassis 45 is installed within the housing 1, and side plates 46,47 are formed on a side thereof, while the side plates 46,47 are provided with loading slots 48,49. Meanwhile, the cam pin 44 is secured to one of the side plates 46,47, and a straight guide slot 50 is formed near the cam pin 44. A guide shaft 51 is projected from the center of an upper face of the cam gear 42, to be inserted into the guide slot 50. 
     The deck 6 on which the pick-up unit 5 and the turn table 4 are installed is accommodated within the housing 1, and guide pins 52,53 project from opposite sides of the deck 6, so that the guide pins 52,53 can be inserted into the loading slots 48,49 of the side plates 46,47. 
     The present invention constituted as above will now be described as to its operation and effect. 
     First, the operation of continuously playing the lower disc succeeding the playing of the upper disc will be described referring to FIG. 2A. If the driving pulley 34 which is connected to the shaft of a driving motor (not shown) is driven, then the pulley 32 which is connected through the belt 33 to the driving pulley 34 is rotated. When the pulley 32 rotates, the fourth rotating gear 31 is rotated, and when the fourth rotating gear 31 rotates, the third rotating gear 30 is rotated. Further, when the third rotating gear 30 rotates, the second rotating gear 29 is rotated, and when the second rotating gear 29 rotates, the first rotating gear 28 is rotated. When the first rotating gear 28 rotates, the pinion 27 which is installed concentrically with the first rotating gear 28 is rotated. 
     When the pinion 27 rotates, the sixth rack 16 of the lower bracket 14, which is engaged with the pinion 27, receives driving power. The lower bracket 14 is thus driven into the housing 1. Under this condition, the guiding rotating gear 22 which is installed on the bracket 14, is engaged with the second rack 10 which is formed on the inner side wall of the housing 1 and therefore, the rotating gear 22 rotates along the second rack 10. 
     Further under this condition, the fourth rack 12 of the lower cartridge 3 is engaged with the rotating gear 22, and the lower cartridge 3 is moved into the housing 1. 
     However, when the cartridge 3 is moved, the diameter of the rotating gear 22 is larger than that of the pinion 27, so when the bracket 14 is inserted completely into the housing 1, the cartridge 3 is also inserted completely into the housing 1, so that the cartridge 3 is evenly overlapped with the bracket 3. 
     When the cartridge 3 is moved under the above mentioned condition, the guide pin 20 which is installed on the cartridge 3 is guided along the guide slot 18 of the bracket 14. 
     As shown in FIG. 2B, when the lower cartridge 3 is inserted, the guide shaft 24 of the bracket 14 is inserted into the second insertion slot 37 of the rotating change plate 35, thereby driving the plate 35 in the direction of the arrow mark. Under this condition, the guide shaft 23 of the upper bracket 13, which is inserted into the first insertion slot 36, is pushed out, thereby moving the upper bracket 13. 
     When the bracket 13 is moved, the fifth rack 15 which is formed on the lower portion of the bracket 13, is engaged with the pinion 27. Under this condition, the pinion 27 continuously rotates, thus the upper cartridge 2 is pushed to the outside of the housing 1 as shown in FIG. 2C. 
     The movement of the cartridge 3 to the outside of the housing 1 is done based on a procedure reverse to that of inserting the cartridge 3, thus a detailed description is not necessary. 
     If a new lower cartridge 3 is inserted under the above mentioned condition, the disc on cartridge 3 is loaded to the turn table 4 by the lifting/lowering means, so that the disc can be played as hereinafter described. 
     When the lower cartridge 3 is inserted into the housing 1, the cam gear 42 turns, being engaged with the conical rotating gear 41 which is installed concentrically with the fourth rotating gear 31. 
     When the cam gear 42 rotates, the cam pin 44 is guided along the cam groove 43a, and as shown in FIG. 3, when the cam pin 44 enters into a segment A, the cam pin 44 and guide chassis 45 are guided leftwardly from that point, because the cam pin 44 is secured integrally with the guide chassis 45. When the guide chassis 45 is guided, the side plates 46,47 of the guide chassis 45 move together with it, and the loading slots 48,49 which are formed on the guide chassis 45 also move together. Accordingly, the guide pins 52,53 of the deck 6 are guided downwardly along the loading slots 48,49, being inserted therein. 
     Thus the apparatus as shown in FIG. 2B corresponds to the guide pins 52,53 being located at an innermost position of the segment A. 
     Thus the deck 6 is lowered, and the turn table 4 is detached from the disc. 
     In the above condition, the upper cartridge 2 exits to the outside of the housing 1, while the lower cartridge 3 enters into the housing 1. 
     If the cam gear 42 rotates further, and if the cam pin 44 enters into a segment B of the cam groove 43a, then the guide chassis 45 is further guided leftwardly, while the guide pins 52,53 begin to rise along the loading slots 48,49. When the guide pins 52,53 completely rise in the loading slots 48,49 to the positions shown in FIG. 2(A) then the turn table 4 is loaded with a new disc. Under this condition, the pick-up unit 5 and the turn table 4 are driven to carry out playing. 
     In the above described operation, when the guide pins 52,53 are guided along the loading slots 48,49, the deck 6 should not move laterally when the deck 6 is moving up or down. Therefore, a guiding means is provided on the housing 1 to ensure that the deck 6 will not move laterally while moving up and down. 
     As described above, according to the present invention, the housing 1 of the disc player is provided with a horizontal moving means (for moving the cartridges 2,3), and a lifting/lowering means for lifting and lowering the deck 6. The horizontal moving means allows discs to enter and exit the housing, while the lifting/lowering means moves the deck 6 up and down. This makes is possible to load discs on the turn table 4 and to play the discs continuously, and assures accurate operations as well as minimizing problems due to simplification of the device. 
     The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described hereinabove. Various modifications of the invention will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the claims and the above description of the invention. The claims pertain to all modifications and embodiments which fall within the scope of the invention.