Optical disk reproducing apparatus having a rotary table including a plurality of protruding elements

Rotary table of an optical disk reproducing apparatus is mounted on a tray for rotation in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, and it has a plurality of disk-holding depressed portions. These depressed portions are provided in such a manner that their respective centers are located at equal intervals on and along a predetermined imaginary circle line defined about a rotation center of the rotary table. Protruding elements are provided between every adjacent pair of the depressed portions, and each of the protruding elements has an upper surface that is located above the lower surface of an optical disk left adhering to a disk damper but below the lower surface of the disk damper in a non-clamping position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to optical disk reproducing apparatus for reproducing any one of a plurality of optical disks held on a rotary table.

Carousel-type optical disk reproducing apparatus have been known where a rotary table (known as a carousel disk changer) for holding a plurality of optical disks thereon is rotatably mounted on a tray movable (loadable and ejectable) into and from a body of the apparatus, so that the optical disk to be reproduced can be changed by rotating the rotary table.

In reproduction by such a carousel-type optical disk reproducing apparatus, a desired one of the optical disks held in respective depressed portions of the rotary table is clamped by a disk catcher mechanism that includes a disk damper and turntable. Specifically, the desired optical disk is clamped by the turntable first fitting into the central hole of the optical disk from below the disk and then ascending, together with the optical disk, up to a position where the upper surface of the optical disk is pressed by the turntable against the disk damper so that the disk can be rotated for reproduction by the reproducing apparatus.

However, even after the optical disk, having been reproduced in the above-mentioned manner, is released from the clamping force by the disk catcher mechanism, the reproduced optical disk would sometimes be left adhering to the disk damper due to a sticky substance pushed out from a label-attached surface (i.e., upper surface) of the disk or a sticky substance present on the lower surface of the disk clamper. If reproduction of another one of the optical disks on the rotary table is instructed with the reproduced optical disk undesirably left adhering to the disk clamper, then the rotary table is rotated without the reproduced optical disk being brought back to and received in the corresponding depressed portion of the rotary table, which would therefore become a cause of a significant breakdown or failure of the optical disk reproducing apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved optical disk reproducing apparatus which allows an optical disk, undesirably left adhering to a disk damper of a disk catcher mechanism, to be reliably brought back to and received in a depressed portion of a rotary table.

In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an improved optical disk reproducing apparatus which comprises: a tray movable (loadable and ejectable) into and out of a body of the optical disk reproducing apparatus; a rotary table rotatably mounted on the tray and having a plurality of depressed portions for holding therein a plurality of optical disks; and a disk damper that, when the rotary table is brought to a predetermined positional relationship to the tray, clamps a particular optical disk, held in one of the depressed portions, at a predetermined clamping position above the upper surface of the rotary table for reproduction of the particular optical disk. In the present invention, the rotary table has a plurality of protruding elements, such as protrusions, provided in corresponding relation to the disk-holding depressed portions near the outer peripheral edges of the corresponding depressed portions, and each of the protruding elements is provided at such a position that, as the rotary table is rotated upon removable of a clamping force by the disk clamper, the protruding element can press an optical disk undesirably left adhering to the disk damper to thereby remove the adhering optical disk from the disk clamper.

With such arrangements, the present invention allows the optical disk, undesirably left adhering to the disk clamper after removal of the disk clamping force, to be readily removed or peeled from the disk clamper and reliably brought back to and received in the corresponding depressed portion of the rotary table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

First, a description will be made about a general structure of an optical disk reproducing apparatus of the present invention.FIGS. 1 and 2are perspective view showing an interior structure of an optical disk reproducing apparatus100in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in these figures, a main body102of the optical disk reproducing apparatus100includes a mechanical chassis104for holding a tray110that is used to transfer an optical disk into or out of the main body102. The tray110is held by the mechanical chassis104in such a manner that it can be ejected in a direction of arrow Al and again loaded into the mechanical chassis104through an access opening103.FIG. 1shows the optical disk reproducing apparatus100when the tray110is in the ejected position, whileFIG. 2shows the optical disk reproducing apparatus100when the tray110is in the loaded position.

Further, a rotary table120of a generally circular shape is mounted on the tray110for rotation about a center C1in a clockwise direction A2or counterclockwise direction A3. The rotary table120has five depressed portions122, formed in the upper surface thereof, for holding therein the same number of optical disks; that is, five optical disks are supported on the respective upper surfaces of the depressed portions122. Note that whereas five depressed portions122are provided in the illustrated example, the number of the depressed portions122is not limited to five and may be greater or smaller than five.

As shown inFIG. 1, a disk catcher mechanism130, including a motor136etc., is provided in a rear end portion of the mechanical chassis104. The disk catcher mechanism130clamps an optical disk to be reproduced in such a manner that the optical disk to be reproduced can be rotated about a rotation center C2. Although the optical disk reproducing apparatus100includes various other mechanisms than the disk catcher mechanism130, such as a mechanism for ejecting and loading the tray110and a mechanism for rotating the rotary table120, these other mechanisms will not be described since they are not directly pertinent to the subject matter of the present invention.

Next, a description will be given about the tray110and rotary table120.FIG. 3is a top plan view of the tray110,FIG. 4is a sectional view taken along the S1-S1′ lines of FIG.3and showing the rotary table120and peripheral components associated therewith, andFIG. 5is a sectional view taken along the S2-S2′ lines of FIG.3and showing the rotary table120.

As clearly shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, the rotary table120has the file depressed portions122formed therein for holding therein optical disks each having a 0.12 m diameter. Specifically, these depressed portions122are formed on and along an imaginary circle line about a center C1of the rotary table120in such a manner that respective centers C3of the depressed portions122are located at equal intervals along the imaginary circle line. Each of the depressed portions122has also a smaller-diameter depressed region124about the center C3for holding therein a smaller optical disk having a 0.08 m diameter. When the tray110is being moved to the loaded position, when the rotary table120is being rotated, etc., each of the optical disks held in these depressed portions or regions122or124can be moved on the rotary table120while being supported by the inner wall surface of the depressed portion or region122or124without an undesired positional deviation relative to the depressed portion or region122or124.

InFIG. 3, an identification area123is provided around the center C1of the rotary table120, where identifiers are displayed to allow a user to identify the individual depressed portions122; in the illustrated example, numbers “1” to “5” are displayed in the identification area123in corresponding relation to the depressed portions122. Aperture128is formed in the rotary table120between every adjacent pair of the depressed portions122so that, when inserting or taking a 0.12 m optical disk300into or from the depressed portion122, a finger of the user supporting the optical disk300can pass through the aperture128. Note that the apertures128are not shown inFIGS. 1 and 2for purposes of clarity.

Further, each of the depressed portions122has a recess126opening outwardly of the rotary table120. The tray110has an opening116formed near a widthwise middle region of a rear end portion (upper end portion in the figure) thereof. To change the optical disk to be reproduced by the optical disk reproducing apparatus100, the rotary table120is turned to stop at such a position or angle where the opening116of the tray110aligns with the recess126formed in the depressed portion122in which the optical disk to be next reproduced is held. Specifically, the rotary table120is caused to stop at the position where the reproducing rotation center C2aligns, in a radial direction of the rotary table120, with the center C3of the depressed portion122holding therein the optical disk to be next reproduced. In this way, the disk catcher mechanism130can freely pass through the opening116of the tray110into the recess126and thereby clamp the optical disk300held in the depressed portion122.

This and following paragraphs discuss details of the disk catcher mechanism130, with reference to FIG.4. As shown, a damper holder132is secured to an underside portion of the mechanical chassis104located above the rotary table120. The clamper holder132holds a disk damper134for rotation about the reproducing rotation center C2. Further, a motor136is disposed below the rotary table120in such a manner that the motor136can move in an up-and-down direction. Reproducing turntable138is fixed to a rotation shaft137of the motor136. To reproduce an optical disk in the optical disk reproducing apparatus100thus arranged, the motor136is caused to go up until the reproducing turntable138, fittingly holding the optical disk300, is lifted to a position where the upper surface of the optical disk300abuts against the lower surface135of the disk clamper134. Thus, the optical disk300can be held or clamped between the reproducing turntable138and the disk damper134at a predetermined clamping position above the upper surface of the depressed portion122corresponding to the optical disk300, where the optical disk300is rotated by the motor136via the rotation shaft137and turntable138. Because the optical disk300is rotated above the upper surface125of the rotary table120, the tray110can be moved between the ejected position and the loaded position during the reproduction of the optical disk300. In this way, the user can insert or take a desired optical disk into or from one of the depressed portions122other than the depressed portion122corresponding to the currently-reproduced optical disk300.

Where some sticky substance is present on the upper surface of the optical disk300or the like, there is a possibility of the optical disk300adhering to the disk clamper134due to the clamping by the disk catcher mechanism130. In such a case, even when the reproducing turntable138has been moved downward away from the disk damper134(through as “clamp-down” operation), the optical disk300will be undesirably left adhering to the disk clamper134without falling into the corresponding depressed portion122of the rotary table120.

To avoid the inconvenience, a protruding element200, in the form of an upward protrusion, is provided on the rotary table120between every adjacent pair of the depressed portions122, as illustratively shown in FIG.3. The protruding element200functions to abut against and press the outer circumferential surface of the optical disk300, left adhering to the disk damper134, away from the disk clamper134, to thereby compulsorily peel or remove the optical disk300from the disk damper134, as the rotary table120is rotated after completion of the clam-down operation (i.e., after the optical disk300is released from a clamping force).

As shown in the figure, a plurality of the protruding elements or protrusions200are located along a trajectory (imaginary circle line) that is defined by the respective centers C3of the depressed portions122during the rotation of the rotary table120. Further, as shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, each of the protruding elements200is formed to project above the upper surface125of the rotary table120; in the illustrated example, each of the protruding elements200is formed to have a 1.6 mm height as measured from the upper surface125of the rotary table120. As also shown inFIG. 4, each of the protruding elements200has an upper surface210that is located slightly below the lower surface135of the disk clamper136when the disk clamper136is in a lowered or non-clamping (clamp-down) position; in the illustrated example, there is formed a clearance of 0.4 mm between the upper surface210of the protruding element200and the lower surface135of the disk clamper136in the lowered or non-clamping position. Each optical disk to be reproduced by the apparatus has a thickness of 1.2 mm, and thus the upper surface210of the protruding element200will be located about 0.8 mm above a horizontal plane including the lower surface of the optical disk300left adhering to the disk damper134when the damper134is in the non-clamping position.

Further,FIG. 6is an enlarged view of a section circled by dotted lines D in FIG.3. As shown here, each of the protruding elements or protrusions200has arcuately-curved concave side surfaces220. To be more specific, the side surfaces220of the protruding element200, as viewed in cross section, are formed into symmetric arcuate concave surfaces corresponding to inner wall surfaces122S of the adjacent depressed portions122; namely, each of the side surfaces220of the protruding element200has a radius of curvature of 0.06 m that is identical to that of the inner wall surface122S of the depressed portion122. In other words, each of the side surfaces220of the protruding element200is shaped to substantially match to the shape of the outer circumference of the optical disk300.

The optical disk reproducing apparatus100behaves as follows when an optical disk300left adhering to the disk damper134is removed from the disk damper134by rotation of the rotary table120. First, after completion of the reproduction of the optical disk300, the optical disk reproducing apparatus100performs the clamp-down operation with a view to bringing the reproduced optical disk300back into the corresponding depressed portion122. If the optical disk300is left adhering to the disk damper134despite removal of the clamping force through the clamp-down operation, the apparatus100compulsorily removes the optical disk300from the disk damper134by rotating the rotary table120to cause any one (nearest one) of the protruding elements200to abut against and press the optical disk300adhering to the disk damper134. Note that various control related to the removal of the optical disk300from the disk damper134is not described here because it is conventional and not directly pertinent to the essential features of the present invention.

FIG. 7is a view explanatory of a manner in which an optical disk300is reproduced by the optical disk reproducing apparatus100. As shown, the optical disk300is reproduced by being rotated at a predetermined rotating position where the disk300is lifted via the reproducing turntable138above the upper surface of the corresponding depressed portion122and clamped between the disk damper134and the reproducing turntable138. Upon completion of the reproduction of the optical disk300, the disk reproducing apparatus100performs the clamp-down operation with a view to bring the reproduced optical disk300back into the corresponding depressed portion122.

FIG. 8is a view explanatory of a manner in which a reproduced optical disk is removed from the disk damper134after completion of the clamp-down operation by the apparatus100. In this figure, the optical disk300is shown as still adhering to the disk damper134even though the clamp-down operation has been performed to release the optical disk300from the clamping force. In the instant embodiment, the apparatus100is arranged to remove the optical disk300from the disk damper134and returns the optical disk300into the corresponding depressed portion122, utilizing rotation of the rotary table120. After that, the disk reproducing apparatus100performs a disk change operation to permit reproduction of an optical disk received in another one of the depressed portions122of the rotary table120.

FIG. 9is a view showing the rotary table120rotating with an optical disk300undesirably left adhering to the disk damper134after the clamp-down operation. As the rotary table120is rotated in the clockwise direction denoted by arrow A2, the side surface220of the protruding element200immediately adjacent to the adhering optical disk300abuts against and then imparts the outer circumferential surface of the disk300with a pressing force in the clockwise direction A2. Such a clockwise pressing force compulsorily peels or removes the optical disk300from the disk damper134, to thereby allow the disk300to fall into the depressed portion122for reception in the depressed portion122as illustrated in FIG.10. Then, by further rotating the rotary table120in the same direction over a predetermined angle, the disk change operation can be performed appropriately to permit reproduction of another desired optical disk held on the rotary table120. Because the upper surface210of the protruding element200is located below the lower surface135of the disk damper134, there is no possibility of the disk damper134and the protruding element200contacting each other during the rotation of the rotary table120. Further, because the protruding elements200are provided on opposite sides of each of the depressed portions122, the optical disk300left adhering to the disk clamper134can be removed by rotating the rotary table120not only in the clockwise direction A2but also in the counterclockwise direction denoted by arrow A3in FIG.9.

Further, in the instant embodiment, each of the side surfaces220of the protruding element200is shaped to substantially correspond to the shape of the outer circumference of the optical disk300, as noted earlier. Thus, when the protruding element200presses the optical disk300adhering to the disk damper134, one of the side surfaces of the protruding element200can appropriately engage with the outer circumferential surface of the adhering optical disk300. In addition, the protruding elements200are located on end along the trajectory (imaginary circle line) that is defined by the respective centers C3of the depressed portions122during the rotation of the rotary table120. Therefore, when the protruding element200presses the optical disk300left adhering to the disk clamper134, the pressing force from the protruding element200acts on the optical disk300substantially in a direction toward the center C3of the corresponding depressed portion122, so that the optical disk300is allowed to fall into the corresponding depressed portion122with no positional deviation from the latter. Note that where the protruding element200is formed so as to contact the adhering optical disk300over a relatively large surface area as in the described embodiment, it should be very effective to form the side surface200into substantially the same curved shape as the outer circumferential surface of the optical disk300. However, in a case where the protruding element200is formed so as to contact the adhering optical disk300over a sufficiently small, flat surface area, the side surface200may be of a flat shape.

As stated above, the instant embodiment can effectively remove the adhering optical disk300from the disk clamper134by only providing the protruding elements200on the rotary table120. Therefore, the embodiment does not require any particular complicated component dedicated to the removal of the adhering optical disk300. Also, because the removal of the adhering optical disk300is performed using the conventional or existing rotating mechanism of the rotary table120, the embodiment does not require any dedicated disk-removing mechanism. Thus, in the instant embodiment, the compulsory removal of the adhering optical disk300from the disk damper134can be effected with an extremely simple construction.

It should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and various modifications of the invention are also possible without departing from the basic principles of the invention.

In the above-described embodiment, the protruding elements200for removing an optical disk300left adhering to the disk damper134are provided on and along the trajectory (imaginary circle line) that is defined by the respective centers C3of the depressed portions122during rotation of the rotary table120. However, the protruding elements200may be provided at any other suitable positions.FIG. 11is a plan view showing various upper surface areas of the rotary table120in relation to the provision of the disk-removing protruding elements200; namely, the upper surface areas of the rotary table120in the illustrated example can be classified into four types of areas R1to R4as explained below.

The first-type areas R1are upper surface areas of the rotary table120that pass along the lower surface of the optical disk300when the tray110is being ejected or loaded from or into the main body102of the apparatus. Thus, if the protruding elements are formed on the first-type areas R1, they will hinder the ejection (or loading) of the tray110; therefore, the protruding elements can not be formed on the first-type areas R1.

Although no fixed disk-removing protruding element200can be provided on the first-type areas R1of the rotary table120, it is possible to provide movable disk-removing elements on the first-type areas R1. For example, there may be provided a movable disk-removing protruding element in each of the first-type areas R1, which is moved to project above the lower surface of an adhering optical disk300when the rotary table120is rotated to thereby perform the necessary disk-removing function but, when the tray110is to be ejected (or loaded) during reproduction of an optical disk300, is retracted below the lower surface of the optical disk300so as not to hinder the ejection (or loading) of the tray110.

The second-type areas R2are upper surface areas that pass along the lower surface of the disk damper134when the rotary table120is being rotated. Thus, if the disk-removing protruding elements200are provided on the second-type areas R2, they must be provided so as to be located below the lower surface135of the disk clamper134in the non-clamping position, similarly to the protruding elements200in the above-described embodiment.

Note that if either the disk damper134or each of the protruding elements200is chamfered appropriately, each of the protruding elements200may be provided so that its upper surface is located above the lower surface135of the disk damper134. Specifically, because a slight play or room is left above the disk damper134in the non-clamping position, chamfering either the disk damper134or each of the protruding elements200allows the disk damper134to escape upward as any one of the protruding elements passes under the disk damper134.

Further, the third-type area R3is located at the center of the rotary table120and within an imaginary circle contacting all of the depressed portions122. If the disk-removing protruding element is provided on this third-type area R3, it can not press an optical disk300adhering to the disk damper134and thus can not perform the function of removing the adhering optical disk300from the disk damper134.

Further, the fourth-type areas R4are other upper surface areas of the rotary table120than the above-mentioned first-, second- and third-type areas R1, R2and R3. Disk-removing protruding elements200can be provided arbitrarily on the fourth-type areas R4, in which case the height of the disk-removing protruding elements can be chosen without regard to the position of the disk clamper's lower surface135.

Whereas the embodiment and modifications of the present invention have been described above in relation to the case where the disk-removing protruding elements200are intended for optical disks300of a 0.12 m diameter, the present invention is not so limited. For example, movable disk-removing elements, intended for optical disks of a 0.08 m diameter, may be provided on or in the depressed portions122of the rotary table122. Specifically, there may be provided such movable disk-removing elements, each of which is moved to project above the lower surface of a 0.08 m optical disk adhering to the disk damper134when the rotary table120is rotated immediately after the clamp-down operation and thereby performs the disk-removing function but, when an optical disk300of a 0.12 m diameter is to be loaded and reproduced, is retracted so as not to contact the recording surface of the 0.12 m optical disk300.

Further, whereas the embodiment and modifications of the present invention have been described above in relation to the case where the rotary table120is rotated in one direction, immediately after the clamp-down operation, to allow any one of the disk-removing protruding elements200to abut against an adhering optical disk300just once for removal of the optical disk300from the disk damper134, the present invention is not so limited. For example, an alternative arrangement may be made such that the rotary table120is first rotated in the counterclockwise direction A3, immediately after the clamp-down operation, until any one of the disk-removing protruding elements200abuts against the adhering optical disk300and then rotated in the other or clockwise direction A2. Because such an alternative arrangement can increase the number of times the disk-removing protruding elements200abuts against the adhering optical disk300, the adhering optical disk300can be removed from the disk damper134even more effectively.

In summary, the present invention can provide an improved optical disk reproducing apparatus which can reliably bring an optical disk, left adhering to the disk clamper, back into the corresponding depressed portion of the rotary table.