Apparatus for reducing tray-in noise

While a tray moves into a disk drive, a clamper and a turntable are used to clamp a disk. While the tray is moving into the disk drive without a disk thereon, the clamper and turntable hit with each other, which generates an uncomfortable noise. The apparatus for reducing the noise is an improved clamper with holes thereon. Alternatively, the clamper is replaced by a clamping part, which includes a metal plate and a plastic plate. The plastic plate has a holder, which clips tight an extension of the metal plate. Therefore, the noise, which is generated from the collision of metal plate and the turntable, is reduced.

This application claims priority of Taiwan Patent Application Serial No. 91100484 entitled “Apparatus for Reducing Tray-in Noise”, filed on Jan. 15, 2002.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to reducing noise in a disk drive and especially to noise generated from the clamper and the turntable hitting each other without a disk on the tray.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When a tray with a disk moves into a disk drive, a clamper and a turntable are used for clamping and rotating the disk. Please refer toFIG. 1. During operation of a disk drive4, disk1is placed on a tray2and then the tray2moves into the disk drive4. After the disk on the tray moves into the disk drive4, the clamper3and the turntable (located under the clamper and not shown in theFIG. 1) are clamping the disk together on the tray. The relationship of the clamper3and the turntable5is as shown inFIG. 2. The clamper3is usually made by metal, such as stainless steel, and the turntable5has a magnet disposed thereon. When the tray2moves into disk drive4with the disk1thereon, the magnet on the turntable5attracts the clamper3to clamping the disk.

However, the tray2does not always move into the disk drive4with a disk thereon. When the tray2moves into the disk drive4without a disk thereon, the magnet on the turntable5still attracts the clamper3as shown inFIG. 3a.FIG. 3bis a cross-sectional diagram along the line I–I′ inFIG. 3a. When the tray is introduced into the disk drive without a disk thereon, the clamper3and the turntable5are adjacent to each other due to the magnet on the turntable5attracting the clamper3. In the attracting process, the clamper3and the turntable5hit each other and a hitting noise is produced.

FIG. 3cis an enlarged diagram showing a region, which is encircled in theFIG. 3b, near the central portion of the clamper3. Hitting energy produced from the clamper3and the turntable hitting each other makes the clamper3vibrate and noise is generated.

In order to reduce noise in a disk drive, the present invention replaces the clamper3with an improved one to reduce noise from the vibration of the clamper3.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is reducing noise generated from the clamper and the turntable hitting each other when the tray moves into the disk drive without a disk thereon.

In a preferred embodiment, at least one hole is located on the clamper to reduce noise.

In another preferred embodiment, the clamper is replaced by a clamper part. The clamper part includes a metal plate and a plastic plate. The metal clamper has extensions and the plastic plate has holders. When the metal plate and the plastic plate are assembled, each holder clip engages the corresponding extension and noise generated from the metal plate and the turntable hitting each other is reduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

When the tray moves into the housing5without a disk thereon, a clamper3and a turntable5hit each other and noise is generated. The turntable is movably disposed under the clamper3. When the turntable5is in a raised position, a central portion of the turntable is adjacent to the clamper3. When the turntable5is in a lower position, the central portion of the turntable5is separated from the clamper3. When the turntable5moves from the lower position to a raised position, the turntable5hits the clamper3. Thus the clamper3vibrates and noise is generated by hitting energy. The objective of the present invention is to reduce noise described above.

Please refer toFIG. 4a, which is a schematic diagram showing that the clamper7of the present invention is adjacent to the turntable5while the tray is introduced into the disk drive without a disk thereon.FIG. 4bis a cross-sectional view ofFIG. 4aalong line II–II′. The clamper7has at least one hole8, which has a rim with an inner portion81and an outer portion82, located thereon. The inner portion81of the rim is near the center of the clamper7, and the outer portion82of the rim is near the circumference of the clamper7. As shown inFIG. 4a, the clamper7has three holes8located thereon. It is preferable that a weight distribution of the clamper7is symmetrical along its axis, such that the disk is balanced and steady in the disk drive even when disk rotates at a high drive speed.

When the clamper7and the turntable5hit each other, part of the clamper7begins vibrating. However, when the vibration wave travels from a hitting point to the circumference of the clamper7, the vibration wave meets the inner portion81of the rim and can not travel through the holes8. Thus the vibration wave travel to near the circumference of the clamper7is impeded and the resonance of the vibration and noise are reduced.

Please refer toFIGS. 5ato5c, which show another embodiment of the present invention. The conventional clamper3is replaced by the clamper part9. The clamper part includes a metal plate91and a plastic plate92, as shown inFIG. 5a. A central portion of the metal plate91is hollow to form an upper edge95and a bottom portion96. The bottom portion96has a plurality of extensions93and an interval between the upper edge95and the extensions93. The plastic plate92has a circular protrusion97therein, and a plurality of holders94disposed in the circular protrusion97. An opening98is located in the counterclockwise side of each holder94. When the metal plate91and the plastic plate92assemble, the metal plate91rotates in clockwise direction and each extension93enters corresponding holder94via the opening98.

An assembly process of the metal plate91and the plastic plate92is as follows. First, a user puts the metal plate91on the plastic plate92. Second, the user rotates metal plate91in a clockwise direction and enters each extension93into corresponding holder94via the opening98. Thus, the metal plate91and the plastic plate92are tightly assembled together. The number of the extensions93and the holders94are decided by specific demand. For example, the clamper part in theFIG. 5ahas three pairs of the extensions93and holders94.FIG. 5cis a cross-sectional view ofFIG. 5balong line III–III′. It is clear inFIG. 5cthat each holder94clip tightly engages the corresponding extension91and the circular shape protrusion97is against a bottom surface the upper edge95.

Please refer toFIG. 6a, which is a schematic diagram showing that relative positions of the clamper part9and the turntable5.FIG. 6bis a cross-sectional view along the line IV—IV inFIG. 6a. When the disk tray2is introduced into the disk drive4with a disk1thereon, the clamper part9and the turntable5hit each other and the metal plate91vibrates. The holder94clips tight the extension93, and hitting energy is transferred from metal plate91to the plastic plate92. Therefore vibration the metal plate91decreases and the noise is reduced.

While this invention has been described with reference to several illustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to be constructed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to this description. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments as falling within the true scope of the invention.