Arrangement of recording/reproducing apparatus

There is disclosed herein a recording/reproducing apparatus including a magnetic field supply device for recording and reproducing of information and a cartridge holder for holding a cartridge having therein a recording disc. The apparatus includes a first motor for driving the recording disc when the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge holder, a sliding member adapted to be engaged with the cartridge holder to cause the disc to be disengageable with the first motor, a rotatable lever engageable with the sliding member so as to cause the recording disc to be disengageable with the first motor, and a geared transmission coupled to a second reversible motor and having an engaging portion which is engageable with the rotatable lever to cause the disc to be disengageable with the first motor. Also included in the apparatus are an arm having the magnetic field supply device and a drive mechanism coupled to the geared transmission so as to be driven in accordance with the rotation of the second motor and connected to the arm which is movable in accordance with a movement of the drive mechanism to cause the magnetic field supply device to move to be close to the magnetic disc and separated therefrom.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a photomagentic type recording/reproducing 
apparatus which uses a cartridge to hold therein a recording disc and 
requires supply of a magnetic field of recording and erasure of 
information, and more particularly to arrangements for the movement of the 
magnetic field supply section in the apparatus and for the loading of the 
cartridge. 
Recently, attracted is a system using a recording disc, which is referred 
to as a photomagnetic disc, which allows writing, reproduction and erasure 
of information with laser light. 
Generally, the photomagnetic disc is required to expose the recording 
medium by a magnetic field in writing and erasing the information. Thus, 
conventionally, it is general to dispose a coil on a recording surface of 
the disc so as to provide a magnetic field. Further, the photomagnetic 
disc is housed in a cartridge in order to protect the recording surface 
against dust and fingerprints. 
However, since prior art apparatus using such a photomagnetic disc is 
required to be arranged such that the driving devices such as driving 
motors and solenoids are controlled successively by a microcomputer and a 
control circuit, there is provided problems that the electric circuits 
become complex. In addition, a relatively large electric power should be 
required for operation of the solenoids and the computer control tends to 
be affected by noises, thereby resulting in having a trouble due to the 
disturbance of the sequence. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a 
recording/reproducing apparatus which is capable of easily and simply 
performing successively the movement of the magnetic field supply section 
concurrently with release of the cartridge from the loading without using 
the solenoids or the like. 
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a 
recording/reproducing apparatus comprising: a first motor engaged with a 
recording disc encased in a cartridge mounted on said apparatus to rotate 
said recording disc; engaging means for engaging said recording disc with 
said first motor; releasing means engageable with said engaging means to 
releasing said recording disc from said first motor; moving means for 
moving said magnetic field supply means for supplying a magnetic field 
onto said magnetic disc in accordance with rotation of a second motor; 
transferring means for transferring the rotation of said second motor to 
said releasing means and said moving means, said transferring means being 
arranged so as to independently take a first transferring state for 
transferring the rotation of said second motor to only said releasing 
means and a second transferring state for transferring the rotation of 
said second motor to only said moving means. 
In accordance with the present invention, thereis further provided a 
recording/reproducing apparatus including magnetic field supply means for 
recording and reproducing of information, comprising: a cartridge holder 
for holding a cartridge having therein a recording disc; a disc-driving 
motor arranged to allow engagement with said recording disc in said 
cartridge when said cartridge is inserted into said cartridge holder; a 
sliding member adapted to be engaged with said cartridge holder, said 
sliding member being movable in substantially parallel to a chassis of 
said apparatus so as to cause said recording disc to be disengageable with 
said disc-drive metor; a rotatable lever, at one end portion, engageable 
with said sliding member so as to cause said recording disc to be 
disengageable with said disc-drive motor; toothed wheel means coupled to a 
reversible motor so as to be driven by the rotation of said reversible 
motor, said toothed wheel means having an engaging portion which is 
engageable with the other end portion of said rotatable lever to cause 
said recording disc to be disengageable with the disc-driving motor; an 
arm having at its one end portion said magnetic field supply means; and 
drive mechanism means coupled to said toothed wheel means so as to be 
driven in accordance with the rotation of said reversible motor and 
connected to said arm which is movable in accordance with a movement of 
said drive mechanism to cause said magnetic field supply means to move to 
be close to said magnetic disc and separated therefrom. 
Preferably, the drive mechanism includes cam means and rotating member 
connected to said arm and rotated along the configuration of said cam 
means whereby said arm is movable up and down and rotatable in accordance 
with the rotation of said reversible motor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
Prior to describing the embodiment of the present invention, the prior art 
technique will be described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 11A to 16 
for a better understanding of the invention. 
FIG. 11A is a schematic diagram showing an arrangement of a 
recording/reproducing apparatus which uses a photomagnetic disc. In FIG. 
11A, illustrated at numeral 1 is a cartridge which holds therein a disc 2 
and has opening portions 1a and 1b (see FIG. 11C) at its front and rear 
surfaces. The cartridge is held by a cartridge holder 3 made of a sheet 
metal. Numeral 4 is a so-called slider which is arranged to be slidable in 
directions of arrows Y1 and Y2 in the figure and biased in the Y1 
direction by means of a spring (not shown). The slider 4 has four 
obliquely formed notches 4a which are respectively engaged with four pins 
3b mounted on the cartridge holder 3. Further, the cartridge holder 3 has 
an engaging portion 3c which is in turn engaged with a pin 5c planted on a 
chassis 5 so that the cartridge holder 3 is restricted so as not to be 
moved in the Y1 or Y2 direction. On the slider 4 is provided a lock 
portion 9 having a notch portion 9a. 
Numeral 10 represents a lock lever which is supported by means of a pin 12 
so as to be rotatable with respect with the chassis 5, a pin 13 provided 
at one end portion of the lock lever 10 being engaged with the notch 
portion 9a of the lock portion 9. The lock lever 10 is coupled through a 
spring 11 to the chassis 5 so as to be urged whereby an end portion 10a 
thereof is movable in the direction of the arrow Y1. Illustrated at 
numeral 14 is a solenoid which is engaged with the lock portion 9, mounted 
on the slider 4, by means of a pin 15. In response to energization, the 
solenoid 14 draws the slider 4 in the Y2 direction. Also included in the 
apparatus is a drive motor 16 used as a driving source, the rotation of 
which is transferred through a worm gear 18 and flat toothed wheels 19, 
20, 21 to a toothed wheel 22 after speed-reduction due to the flat toothed 
wheels 19, 20 and 21. Numeral 17 denotes a subchassis for supporting the 
drive motor 16, the flat toothed wheels 19 to 21 and the toothed wheel 22. 
The subchassis 17 is attached to the chassis 5 through a pole 24. Here, In 
the figure, the subchassis 17 is indicated perspectively for helping 
understanding. That is, the flat toothed wheels 19 to 21 and the flat 
toothed wheel 22 are disposed at the lower side of the subchassis 17. 
Further included in the apparatus is an arm 25 which is attached to the 
toothed wheel 22 and, at the other end portion, attached to a coil 8 
acting as the magnetic field supply means. Numeral 23 depicts a bearing 
under which disposed is a solenoid 31 (see FIGS. 12A to 12C) for moving 
the arm 25 up and down in Z1 and Z2 directions. The bearing 23 supports 
the arm 25 so as to be rotatable in directions of arrows R1 and R2 (see 
FIG. 16) and slidable in the Z1 and Z2 directions. The solenoid 31 is 
fixedly secured to the chassis 5 by means of a stay 31a and has a core 31b 
which is connected to a boss 22a mounted on the toothed wheel 22. The boss 
22a and the bearing 23 are fitted with each other. Between the toothed 
wheel 22 and the bearing 23 is provided a coil spring 32 which is arranged 
along the circumference of the boss 22a. The toothed wheel 22 and the arm 
25 are biased in the direction of the arrow Z2 by means of the coil spring 
32. FIG. 11B shows the mounting of the optical head where a head 30 is 
positioned under the cartridge 1 so as to illuminate laser light on the 
recording surface of the disc 2. 
A description will be given hereinbelow in terms of operation of the 
conventional apparatus with the above-described arrangement with reference 
to FIGS. 12A, 12B, 12C and 13 to 16. 
FIG. 13 shows the state before the cartridge is mounted on the apparatus, 
where the portion surrounded by an alternate long and short dash line 
(arrow C) represents a space for mounting the cartridge 1. As seen from 
the figure, the arm 25 is separated from the cartridge-mounting space. 
Further, the pin 13 is engaged with the notch portion 9a of the lock 
portion 9 of the slider 4 so as to restrict the movement of the slider 4. 
FIG. 14 illustrates the state after the cartridge 1 is mounted thereon 
from the Y2 direction. The lock lever 10 is pushed by an end portion of 
the cartridge 1 to be rotated in the direction of an arrow A in the figure 
so that the pin 13 is released from the notch portion 9a. Therefore, 
because, as described above, the slider 4 is biased in the Y1 direction by 
a biasing means (not shown), it is slided in the Y1 direction, whereby the 
cartridge holder 3 together with the cartridge 1 moved downwardly because 
the slider 4 and the cartridge holder 3 are engaged with each other 
through the pin 3a and the notch portion 9a. 
Furthermore, in response to energization of the motor 16, the rotational 
force thereof is transferred through the worm gear 18 and flat toothed 
wheels 19 to 21 so that the toothed wheel 22 and the arm 25 are rotated in 
the direction of the arrow R1 in the figure. At this time, since the 
cartridge 1 has been already moved downwardly, the arm 25 and the 
cartridge 1 do not interfere with each other. That is, since the cartridge 
1 is moved downwardly by means of the movements of the slider 4 and the 
cartridge holder 3 up to a position shown in FIG. 13B after the cartridge 
1 is mounted at a position illustrated in FIG. 12A, the arm is rotatable 
without interference. Thereafter, in response to energization of the 
solenoid 31, the toothed wheel 22 and the arm 25 are lowered in the Z1 
direction against the biasing force of the spring 32 so that the coil 8 
approaches the disc 2, thereby resulting in the state shown in FIG. 12C. 
With this state, when a motor 33 is to rotate the disc 2 and the coil 8 is 
energixed, a magnetic field is applied onto the surface of the disc 1 and 
the recording and erasure of signals to and from the disc can be achieved 
with operation of the optical head 30. In the state of FIG. 15, in 
response to deenergization of the solenoid 31, the toothed wheel 22 and 
the arm 25 are moved upwardly by means of the biasing force of the coil 
spring 32 in the Z2 direction. 
Furthermore, on the contrary, when the motor 16 is energized in the reverse 
direction, the arm 25 is rotated in the direction of the arrow R2 whereby 
the cartridge 1 and the arm 25 do not interfere with each other as shown 
in FIG. 16. Finally, in response to energization of a solenoid 14, the 
slider 4 is drawn in the Y2 direction the cartridge 1 rises in the Z2 
direction because the cartridge holder 3 and the slider 4 are engaged with 
each other through the pin 3a and the notch portion 4a, thereby resulting 
in the state shown in FIG. 16. In this state, when the cartridge 1 is 
taken out in the Y1 direction, the lock lever 10 is rotated in the 
direction of an arrow B so that the pin 13 and the notch portion 9a are 
engaged with each other, thereby returning to the initial state, i.e., the 
state of FIG. 13. 
The above-described operation is made by successively operate the motors 
16, 33 and solenoids 31, 14 using a combination of a general microcomputer 
and motor and solenoid control circuits. Thus, in the above-mentioned 
prior art apparatus, since it is required to respectively and successively 
control the motor 16, solenoids 14, 31 with the microcomputer and control 
circuits, as described above, there are problems in that the electric 
circuits become complex, a relatively large electric power is required to 
operate the solenoids and the control by the computer is apt to be 
affected by noises to cause distrubance of the sequence to thereby easily 
result in occurrence of a trouble. 
FIGS. 1 through 10 shows an embodiment of the present invention which will 
be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings, where parts 
corresponding to those in FIGS. 11A through 16 are marked with the same 
numerals and a detailed description thereof will be omitted for brevity. 
In FIG. 1, a recording/reproducing apparatus according to the embodiment of 
the present invention similarly includes a cartridge 1, a disc 2, a 
cartridge holder 3, a slider 4, chassis 5, coil 8, a lock portion 9, a 
lock lever 10, a spring 11, pins 12, 13, a drive motor 16, worm gear 18, 
flat toothed wheels 19, 20, a stay 24, a subchassis 17, and a motor 33 
which have configurations and functions similar to those in the 
above-mentioned prior art apparatus. Also included in the apparatus is an 
optical head 30 whose arrangement is similar to the optical head 30 
illustrated in FIG. 11B. 
Illustrated at numeral 26 is a flat toothed wheel (corresponding to the 
toothed wheel 22 in FIG. 11A) which has a pin 27 positioned at an end 
portion of a surface thereof and extending downwardly. Numeral 28 denotes 
a spring disposed between the lock lever and a release lever 29 acting as 
a releasing means for releasing the cartridge 1 from the disc-driving 
motor 33. The release lever 29 is coupled to the chassis 5 through a pin 
36 so as to be rotatable about the pin 36. Further, numeral 32 represents 
a rotation-supporting table (which will be described in detail 
hereinafter), numeral 33 designates a pin upwardly planted on the chassis 
5, numeral 35 depicts a rotating boss acting as a movement means for 
moving the magnetic field supply means attached to one end portion of an 
arm 25, and numeral 37 is a ring-like toothed wheel which is a portion of 
a transferring means disposed on the rotation-supporting table 32. 
FIGS. 2A and 2B are exploded views showing the principal parts of the 
apparatus of this embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 2A, a ring-like 
toothed wheel 37 is equipped with a ring-like rib 37b and two notch 
portions 37a which are arranged so as to act as a cam. Further, as 
illustrated in FIG. 2B, a rotatable boss 35 is provided with two pin-like 
engaging portions 35a and two screw holes 35b which are engaged with 
screws 34 so that the rotatable boss 35 is integrally coupled to the arm 
25. Reference 35c represents a boss to be fitted with a hole 25a of the 
arm 25. Here, the inside of the rotatable boss 35 is hollowed out as 
indicated by dotted line in the figure. 
A rotation-supporting table 32, as shown in the plan view of FIG., 3A and 
in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 3B, has two square holes 32a formed 
symmetrically or diametrically and two another square holes 32b similarly 
formed symmetrically or diametrically, and a rib 32c is provided between 
each of the square holes 32a and each of the square holes 32b. Further, 
reference 32d designates flat portions which act as a first guiding 
configuration. On the other hand, the square holes 32b and the ribs 32c 
function as a second guiding configuration. 
In the parts illustrated in FIGS. 2A to 3B, the rotatable boss 35 is 
adapted to be fitted with a pin 33 upwardly planted on the chassis 5 and 
at this time a coil spring 38 is encased in the inside of the rotatable 
boss 35. The rotation-supporting table 32 is attached to the chassis 5 so 
as to be coaxial with the pin 33, and the engaging portions 35a are 
adapted to be fitted into the square holes 32a. The inner circumference of 
the ring-like toothed wheel 37 is slightly greater than the outer 
circumference of the rotatable boss 35 so that the ring-like toothed wheel 
37 is arranged to be rotatable smoothly around the rotatable boss 35. On 
the ring-like toothed wheel 37 is provided a subchassis 17, and the 
rotatable boss 35 is inserted into a hole 17a of the subchassis 17. 
Moreover, a boss 35a of the rotatable boss 35 is fitted with a hole 25a of 
the arm 25 so that the arm 25 is rotatable with the rotatable boss 35 by 
means of the two screws 34. 
In addition to the above-described assembling, the drive motor 16 and flat 
toothed wheels 19, 20 and 26 are incorporated there, thereby resulting in 
taking the arrangement as illustrated in FIG. 1. 
Secondly, operation will be described hereinbelow with reference to FIGS. 4 
through 10, FIGS. 4 to 9 being illustrations useful for understanding the 
operation and FIG. 10 is development illustrations for describing the 
movements and engagement of the rotatable boss 35, ling-like toothed wheel 
37 and rotation-supporting table 32. FIG. 4 shows the state before the 
cartridge 1 is mounted thereon as well as FIG. 13 showing the conventional 
apparatus, where a dashed line (arrow C) represents a space in which the 
cartridge 1 is placed. As illustrated in the figure, in this instance, the 
arm 25 is separated from the space for placing the cartridge 1, and the 
pin 13 is engaged with the notch portion 9a of the lock portion 9 of the 
slider 4 so that the movement of the slider 4 is limited. In response to 
insertion of the cartridge 1 from the direction of an arrow X, the 
apparatus takes the state illustrated in FIG. 5. The lock lever 10 is 
pushed by an end portion of the cartridge 1 so as to be rotated in the 
direction of the arrow A whereby the pin 13 comes out of the notch portion 
9a. Therefore, as described above, the slider 4 is slided in the direction 
of an arrow Y1 because of biasing in the Y1 direction. Here, since the 
slider 4 and the cartridge holder 3 are engaged with the pin 3b and the 
notch portion 9a, the cartridge holder 3 is moved downwardly together with 
the cartridge 1. Thereafter, in response to energization of the motor 16, 
the rotating force is transferred through the worm gear 18 and flat 
toothed wheels 19, 20, 26 so that the ring-like toothed wheel 37 is 
rotated in the direction of an arrow R1. 
The states of the rotatable boss 35, ring-like toothed wheel 37 and 
rotation-supporting table 32 illustrated in FIG. 4 correspond to the 
states thereof shown in FIG. 10A. That is, the engaging portion 35a of the 
rotatable boss 35 is fitted into the square hole 32a, and the rotatable 
boss 35 is pushed upwardly in the Z2 direction by means of the biasing 
force of the coil spring 38 and the upwardly movement thereof is 
restricted by the ring-like toothed wheel 37. The ring-like toothed wheel 
37 is also limited by the subchassis 17 so as not to be moved in the Z2 
direction. Namely, in the state shown in FIGS. 4 or by (A) of FIG. 10, the 
rotatable boss 35 is kept to be at the downwardly moved position with the 
engaging portion 35a being inserted in said square holes 32b. 
When the ring-like toothed wheel 37 is rotated in the R1 direction, the 
apparatus is transferred from the state of (A) of FIG. 10 to the state of 
(B) of FIG. 10. Here, for description, the notch portion 37a of the 
ring-like toothed wheel 37 is marked with a point P. When transferring 
from the state of (A) of FIG. 10 to the state of (B) of FIG. 10, the point 
P is moved in the R1 direction. At this time, when the point p is shifted 
above the square hole 32b, the restriction in the Z2 direction with 
respect to the engaging portion 35a is lost whereby the engaging portion 
35, i.e., the rotatable boss 35, is moved upwardly in the Z2 direction by 
means of the biasing force of the coil spring 38 and as shown by (B) of 
FIG. 10 it is engaged with the notch portion 37a of the ring-like toothed 
wheel 37 so as to move on the flat portion 32d of the rotation-supporting 
table 32, that is, the rotatable boss 35 is rotated in the R1 direction. 
The above-mentioned operation is performed similarly for the P' side. 
In addition, in response to the ring-like toothed wheel 37 being rotated in 
the R1 direction, the apparatus takes the state of (C) of FIG. 10. Here, 
the engaging portion 35a comes into contact with the rib 32c. Further, 
when the ring-like toothed wheel 37 is rotated in the R1 direction and the 
point P is moved in the R1 direction, the engaging portion 35a is forced 
into the square hole 32b by the function of the slope of the notch portion 
37a. That is, the rotatable boss 35 is moved downwardly in the direction 
of the shaft of the disc-drive motor 33, i.e., in the Z1 direction. Here, 
the apparatus takes the state of FIG. 7. When the ring-like toothed wheel 
37 is further rotated in the R1 direction so as to take states of (D) to 
(E) of FIG. 10. At this time, the rotatable boss engaging portion 35a is 
kept to be fitted in the square hole 32b. 
That is, the rotatable boss 35 kept to the downwardly moved state as 
illustrated by (A) of FIG. 10 is once moved upwardly in response to the 
rotation of the ring-like toothed wheel 37 in the R1 direction and then 
rotated up to a position at which the rib 32c comes into contact with the 
engaging portion 35a. Thereat, the rotatable boss 35 is moved downwardly 
and kept at the downwardly moved position. The ring-like toothed wheel 37 
is continuously rotated even after the rotatable boss 35 is kept in the 
downwardly moved state. 
As well as in the case of reverse rotation, in the state of FIG. 5, when 
the flat toothed wheel 26 is rotated in a P1 direction by means of the 
rotating force of the drive motor 16, the ring-like toothed wheel 37 is 
rotated in the R1 direction and the arm 25 attached to the rotatable boss 
35 is moved upwardly and is rotated so as to take the state illustrated in 
FIG. 6. At this time, the pin 27 comes into contact with the releasing 
lever 29 which in turn rotates in a Q1 direction, but is restored after 
the pin 27 goes over the end portion of the releasing lever 29 due to the 
biasing force of the spring 28. Furthermore, the rotation of the ring-like 
toothed wheel 37 advances, thereby taking the state of FIG. 7. Here, since 
the rib 32c of the rotation-supporting table 32 comes into contact with 
the engaging portion 35a, the arm 25 is moved downwardly. At this state, 
the motor 33 is rotated and the coil 8 is energized so as to allow the 
recording/reproducing of a signal on and from the disc 2 as well as in the 
conventional apparatus. 
Moreover, on the contrary, when the drive motor 16 is energized in the 
reverse direction, the arm 25 is first moved upwardly and rotated in the 
direction of the arrow R2, thereby taking the state illustrated in FIG. 8. 
In response to further rotation of the drive motor 16, since as shown in 
FIG. 8 the flat toothed wheel 26 is rotated in a P2 direction, the pin 27 
comes into contact with the releasing lever 29 which in turn rotates in a 
Q2 direction, thereby taking the state of FIG. 9. In the state of FIG. 9, 
as shown by (A) of FIG. 10, the engaging portion 35a comes into contact 
with the rib 37a and the rotatable boss 35 and the arm 25 are moved 
downwardly. Even if the ring-like toothed wheel 37 is further rotated in 
the P2 direction, the state of the arm 25 is kept as it is. Moreover, when 
the releasing lever 29 is rotated in the Q2 direction, the slider 4 is 
drawn in the Y2 direction because the releasing lever 29 is engaged with 
the pin 9b of the engaging portion 9 of the slider 4, thereby returning to 
the original state in which the cartridge 1 can be taken out as well as in 
the conventional apparatus. 
The above-mentioned operation is successively performed merely such that 
with the drive motor the flat toothed wheel 26 is moved by about one 
revolution in the P1 direction so as to transferred from the state of FIG. 
4 to the state of FIG. 7 and then reversely rotated in the P2 direction so 
as to return to the state of FIG. 4. 
It should be understood that the foregoing relates to only a preferred 
embodiment of the present invention, and that it is intended to cover all 
changes and modifications of the embodiment of this invention herein used 
for the purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures 
from the spirit and scope of the invention.