Optical disc reproducing device

There is provided an optical disc reproducing device, comprising: a frame case having an opening formed on one side thereof; a disc reproducing section disposed within the frame case; a disc receiving section capable of receiving and holding a plurality of discs, the disc receiving section being mainly provided within the frame case adjacent to the opening thereof; a carrier for picking up a selected disc from the disc receiving section and moving the selected disc to the disc reproducing section. Here, the disc receiving section includes a disc holder and a disc cover, the disc holder is provided adjacent to a lower portion of the opening of the frame case in a manner such that the disc holder is pivotable with respect to the frame case, whilst the disc cover is provided adjacent to an upper portion of the opening of the frame case in a manner such that the disc cover is also pivotable with respect to the frame case.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an optical disc reproducing device, 
particularly to an optical disc reproducing device including a disc 
reproducing section and a disc receiving section, the later of which is 
capable of receiving a plurality of optical discs and allowing the 
movement of a selected disc to the disc reproducing section. 
FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a conventional optical disc 
reproducing device. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the conventional disc 
reproducing device comprises a frame case 101, a door 110 attached to an 
opening formed on one side of the frame case 101, so that it is able to 
open or close the opening of the frame case 101. Inside the frame case 
101, there are provided several disc receiving sections 300 arranged in a 
predetermined direction to receive a plurality of optical discs. 
Referring again to FIG. 6, a disc reproducing section 200 is provided 
within the frame case 101. In detail, the disc reproducing section 200 is 
located close to the receiving sections 300, in a manner such that it can 
move along these disc receiving sections 300, in a direction as shown by 
an arrow A in the drawing. In this way, the disc reproducing section 200 
may approach a desired disc to be reproduced, select the desired disc to 
cause it to move from a receiving section 300 to the disc reproducing 
section 200 by virtue of a carrier means 220 which is integrally connected 
with the disc reproducing section 200. 
FIG. 7 is another schematic perspective view showing a condition where a 
plurality of discs are received in the several disc receiving sections 
300. As illustrated in FIG. 7, each section 300 receives a predetermined 
number of discs which are arranged in an upright vertical position, a thin 
separator plate (not shown) is disposed between every two adjacent discs 
so as to separate them from one another. 
Referring again to FIG. 7, all the disc receiving sections 300 are provided 
to be pivotable about a fulcrum 302, so that they may pivot 
reciprocatingly in a direction B from a position capable of disc changing 
to a position capable of being picked up by the carrier means 220 for 
reproduction. 
FIGS. 8a and 8b are cross sectional views showing the conventional optical 
disc reproducing device of FIG. 6. FIG. 8a illustrates the disc 
reproducing device with its disc receiving sections 300 in a position 
capable of disc changing. FIG. 8b illustrates the disc reproducing device 
with its disc receiving sections 300 in a position where a selected disc 
may be picked up by the carrier means 220 for reproduction. 
Referring to FIG. 8a, when the disc receiving sections 300 are in a 
position capable of disc changing, the sections 300 will project a great 
deal outwardly from the frame case 101 so that disc changing may be 
performed in a space completely outside of the frame case 101. At this 
time, since an opening 101a formed on one side of the frame case 101 is 
closed by the disc receiving sections 300 themselves, discs 310 held on 
the sections 300 are completely separated from the disc reproducing 
section 200, thus avoiding an operational mistake that a disc being held 
by a disc receiving section 300 is accidentally moved toward the disc 
reproducing section 200. 
Referring to FIG. 8b, after the disc receiving sections 300 are caused to 
pivot for 90 degrees about the fulcrum 302 in the clockwise direction (in 
the drawing), the disc receiving sections 300 will be completely received 
into the frame case 101, changing into a position where a plurality of 
discs are properly received in the sections 300 within the frame case 101 
and a selected disc may be picked up by the carrier means 220 so as to be 
moved to the disc reproducing section 200 for reproduction. At this 
moment, since the opening 101a formed on one side of the frame case 101 is 
also closed by the disc receiving sections 300 themselves, an undesired 
(mistaken) disc changing operation from outside may be exactly prevented 
during the disc reproduction, thus ensuring a proper disc reproduction and 
avoiding any possible damages to the interior of the disc reproducing 
device. 
However, as illustrated in FIG. 8a, since the sections 300 will project a 
great deal outwardly from the frame case 101 when the disc changing is 
being performed from outside, a considerable large additional space is 
required for such a conventional disc reproducing device. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved optical 
disc reproducing device which does not need a large additional space to 
perform disc changing, so as to solve the above-mentioned problems 
peculiar to the above-mentioned prior arts. 
According to the present invention, there is provided an optical disc 
reproducing device, comprising: a frame case having an opening formed on 
one side thereof; a disc reproducing section disposed within the frame 
case; a disc receiving section capable of receiving and holding a 
plurality of discs, said disc receiving section being mainly provided 
within the frame case adjacent to the opening thereof; a carrier means for 
picking up a selected disc from the disc receiving section and moving the 
selected disc to the disc reproducing section. Here, the above disc 
receiving section includes a disc holder and a disc cover, the disc holder 
is provided adjacent to a lower portion of the opening of the frame case 
in a manner such that the disc holder is pivotable with respect to the 
frame case, whilst the disc cover is provided adjacent to an upper portion 
of the opening of the frame case in a manner such that the disc cover is 
also pivotable with respect to the frame case. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, the disc holder is 
provided to receive lower portions of a plurality of discs, whilst the 
disc cover is provided to cover upper portions of a plurality of discs. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, the disc holder and 
the disc cover are connected with each other through a link mechanism, in 
a manner such that a turning of the disc cover in one direction will cause 
a turning of the disc holder in an opposition direction. 
In detail, one end of the link mechanism is pivotally connected to the disc 
holder, the other end of the link mechanism is pivotally connected to the 
disc cover. 
According to further aspect of the present invention, the disc holder and 
the disc cover are adapted to get in contact with each other outside of 
the opening of the frame case, so as to close the opening to form a 
condition where a plurality of discs have been received in the disc 
receiving section, and any one of the discs may be picked up and moved 
from the disc receiving section to the disc reproducing section. 
According to a still further aspect of the present invention, the disc 
holder and the disc cover are adapted to get in contact with each other 
within the frame case, so as to open the opening of the frame case to form 
a condition where the discs received in the disc receiving section may be 
replaced by other different discs from outside.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an optical disc reproducing device of the 
present invention comprises a frame case 10 having an opening 10a formed 
on one side thereof. A disc receiving section 20 is provided adjacent to 
the opening 10a, with most part thereof being received within the frame 
case 10. A disc reproducing section 30, which includes a turn table (not 
shown) and an optical pickup (not shown), is provided within the frame 
case 10 in a position opposite (relatively far away) to the opening 10a. 
The disc receiving section 20 includes a disc holder 21, a disc cover 22 
and a link mechanism 23, and constructed such that a plurality of discs 
may be received in the receiving section 20 in an upright vertical 
position. When the disc holder 20 and the disc cover 22 are in their 
positions shown in FIG. 2, the opening 10a may be closed so as to prevent 
any possible foreign things to enter the frame case 10. 
Similar to prior art, the disc reproducing section 30 is provided to be 
movable in a direction along which the plurality of discs are arranged. 
Thus, the disc reproducing section 30 may approach a desired disc to be 
selected for reproduction, select the desired disc and cause it to move 
from the receiving section 20 to the reproducing section 30 by virtue of a 
carrier means (not shown) which may be integrally associated with the 
reproducing section 30. 
Referring again to FIG. 2, the disc cover 22 is provided adjacent to an 
upper portion of the opening 10a of the frame case 10, by means of a 
fulcrum 22a so that it is pivotable about the fulcrum 22a with respect to 
the frame case 10. The disc holder 21 is provided adjacent to the lower 
portion of the opening 10a of the frame case 10, by means of a fulcrum 21a 
so that it is pivotable about the fulcrum 21a with respect to the frame 
case 10. The disc cover 22 and disc holder 21 are operatively connected 
with each other through the link mechanism 23. In detail, the link 
mechanism 23 is connected through its end 23b to the disc cover 22, and is 
connected through its end 23a to the disc holder 21. Namely, one end 23a 
of the link mechanism 23 is pivotally connected to the disc holder 21, the 
other end 23b of the link mechanism 23 is pivotally connected to the disc 
cover 22. 
Referring further to FIG. 2, the disc holder 21 is provided to receive the 
lower portions of a plurality of discs so as to hold these discs. Similar 
to prior art, a plurality of thin separator plates 21b are provided such 
that each of them is disposed between every two adjacent discs so as to 
separate the two adjacent discs from one another. Further, the inner wall 
of each space (formed between every two thin separator plates 21b) for 
receiving and holding a disc, include a first holding portion 21c and a 
second holding portion 21d. The first holding portion 21c has almost the 
same curvature compatible with that of a larger disc D1, the second 
holding portion 21d has almost the same curvature compatible with that of 
a smaller disc D2. Thus, each space for receiving and holding a disc may 
engage with the outer edge of either a larger disc D1 or a small disc D2, 
so as to properly receive and hold a larger disc D1 or a smaller disc D2. 
The disc cover 22 is connected with the frame case 10 by means of a fulcrum 
22a so that it is pivotable about the fulcrum 22a and can cover the upper 
portions of a plurality of discs which have been received and held on the 
disc holder 21. Here, since the disc cover 22 is made from a 
semi-transparent material, it is easy for a user to see from outside 
whether there are discs received in the disc holder 21. 
As discussed above, the link mechanism 23 is provided to operatively 
connect the disc holder 21 with the disc cover 22. One end 23a of the link 
mechanism 23 is pivotally connected to the disc holder 21, and the other 
end 23b of the link mechanism 23 is pivotally connected to the disc cover 
22. The link mechanism 23 has been formed into a generally V-shape as 
shown in FIGS. 2-5. With the use of such a construction, when the disc 
cover 22 is turned in one direction, the disc holder 21 will be caused to 
turn in an opposite direction. 
Now, the operation of the optical disc reproducing device according to the 
present invention will be described as follows, also with reference to 
FIGS. 2-5. 
FIG. 2 indicates a condition where a plurality of discs D1 or D2 have been 
received on the disc holder 21 within the frame case 10. At this moment, 
since the disc holder 21 and the disc cover 22 are in contact with each 
other at a position outside of the opening 10a of the frame case 10, the 
opening 10 is in a closed condition, so that the interior of the frame 
case 10 can be protected from any possible undesired touching from 
outside. Meanwhile, as to the internal, conditions of the frame case 10, 
since the disc holder 21 is opened toward the disc reproducing section 30, 
any one of the discs held on the disc holder 21 may be picked up and moved 
by a carrier means (not shown) to the disc reproducing section 30 for 
reproduction. 
On the other hand, when disc changing is to be performed, the disc cover 22 
is turned in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2, with the 
fulcrum 22a acting as a turning center. As can be understood from FIGS. 
2-5, the turning of the disc cover 22 in the counterclockwise direction 
will cause a downward movement of the link mechanism 23. Thus, upon being 
pushed down by the end 23a of the link mechanism 23, the disc holder 21 
will be forced to turn in the clockwise direction, with the fulcrum 21a 
acting as a turning center. 
In this way, a relative positional relation between the disc holder 21 and 
disc cover 22 (shown in FIG. 2) is changed, through intermediate steps 
shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, into a relation shown in FIG. 5. As illustrated in 
FIGS. 2-5, the counterclockwise turning of the disc cover 22 and the 
clockwise turning of the disc holder 21 will be continued until both are 
get in contact with each other at a position close to the disc reproducing 
section 30 (see FIG. 5). 
In a condition illustrated in FIG. 5, since the opening 10a of the frame 
case 10 is in an opened position, the discs D1 or D2 held on the disc 
holder 21 may be easily replaced by other desired different discs from 
outside. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, since the disc reproducing section 
30 is completely separated from discs D1 or D2 by the disc holder 21 and 
the disc cover 22, it is sure to avoid a problem that a disc D1 or D2 is 
accidentally (as an operation mistake) moved to the disc reproducing 
section 30 during a process of disc changing. 
As is understood from FIGS. 2-5, since the disc holder 21 is required to 
turn only a smaller amount as compared with a disc receiving section 300 
(FIG. 8a) associated with a conventional disc reproducing device, the disc 
holder 21 does not have to project greatly from the frame case 10. 
Therefore, it is not necessary to have a large space in front of the 
opening 10a of the frame case 10, thus greatly reducing a space required 
for the disc reproducing device. 
While the presently preferred embodiments of the this invention have been 
shown and described above, it is to be understood that these disclosures 
are for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and 
modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the 
invention as set forth in the appended claims.