AUTO-EJECTOR OF DISK-LIKE RECORDING MEDIUMS

Abstract: An auto-ejector (16) incorporated in a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus (4) is driven by a disk driving motor (7) and a head driving motor (10) which are requisite for the apparatus. That is, the ejector is triggered under the power of the head driving motor (10), and a disk cartridge (2) in which a disk (1) is accommodated is ejected under the power of the disk driving motor (7). Thus, any device, such as an electromagnetic device, a motor or the like used only for the ejector is not needed.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an auto-ejector of recording mediums incorporated in an apparatus for recording on and/or reproducing from the disk-like recording mediums, such as floppy disks or the like. Description of the Prior Art Disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-208666 is an auto-ejector of the above-mentioned type. The auto-ejector is connected with a disk driving motor of the apparatus by a mechanism including a solenoid and the like when an ejection start signal is detected, so that a recording medium is ejected under the power of the disk driving motor. The solenoid and the like can be substituted by a motor. In the above auto-ejector, a solenoid and the like, or a motor used only for driving the mechanism is necessary, though the disk driving motor of the apparatus is used also as a motor for ejecting the recording medium. Therefore, it is difficult to reduce the size and weight of the apparatus, and to lower the production cost of the apparatus. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an auto-ejector which avoids the previously described disadvantages of the prior art. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide an auto-ejector in which disk-like recording mediums are ejected only by the help of both a head driving motor and a disk driving motor which are requisite for the ordinary disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus, so that it is unnecessary to provide electromagnetic devices, motors or the like used only for the auto-ejector. Thus, it is easy to reduce the size and weight of the apparatus, and to lower the production cost of the apparatus. A further object of the invention is to provide an auto-ejector which is forcibly disconnected from a disk driving motor at the time of ejection being finished under the power of a head driving motor. Therefore, change-over between an operation mode and a stop mode can be always surely effected, and reliability of the apparatus is very much increased. In accordance with an aspect of this invention, there is provided an auto-ejector recording and/or reproducing apparatus, which has a disk driving motor for driving a turntable on which the disk-like recording medium is mounted, a head driving motor for driving a carrier, whereby record/playback heads are carried substantially in the radius direction of the disk-like recording medium mounted on the turntable, and ejection means for ejecting the disk-like recording medium from the apparatus, the auto-ejector comprising control means for causing the head driving motor to start, at an ejection start signal, to displace the heads beyond a record/playback range thereof, and characterized in that it further comprises transmission gear means for transmitting the power of the disk driving motor to the ejection means having a first position in which the ejecting means are uncoupled from the disk driving motor and a second position in which rotation of the disk driving motor causes the ejection means to eject the disk, and actuating means mechanically forced into action by movement of said carrier by the head driving motor when said heads are moved to a predetermined position beyond the recording/playback range thereof, and mechanically coupled to the transmission gear means to bring them from the first position into the second position by the force applied by said head driving motor via said actuating means. The above and other objects, features and advantages of this invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals identify the corresponding parts in the several views. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic front view of disk driving means of a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus to which an auto-ejector according to an embodiment of this invention is applied, the view showing actions of a disk cartridge which is mounted on and ejected from the disk driving means. Figures 2 to 5 are plan views of the apparatus of Figure 1, the views showing in order each step of actions of the auto-ejector. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to Figure 2 thereof, it will be seen that the auto-ejector 16 to be described may be incorporated in a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus 4. A disk cartridge 2 indicated in chain-dotted lines in Figure 2, in which a disk-like recording medium 1, such as a floppy disk, is rotatably accommodated, is horizontally pushed into the apparatus 4 from the left side in Figure 2 as indicated by arrow a in Figure 1, and when the disk-like recording medium (hereinafter described only as a disk) 1 reaches just over a turntable 5, is vertically lowered in a direction of arrow j by a disk loading mechanism (not shown) so as to horizontally mount the disk 1 on the turntable 5 as indicated in solid lines in Figure 1. Thereafter, a pair of upper and lower record/playback heads 6 are inserted into the disk cartridge 2 from above and below so as to be brought into contact with the upper and lower faces of the disk 1, respectively. Then, a disk driving motor 7 is started, and by the turntable 5 driven by the motor 7 through a timing belt 8, the disk 1 is rotated in a direction of arrow b within the cartridge 2. Almost at the same time, the heads 6 mounted on a carrier 9 are moved within predetermined range l shown in Figure 2 in a direction of arrow c or c′, that is, almost in the radius direction of the disk 1 by a head driving motor 10. Thus, selective recording on, or selective reproducing from the disk 1 is performed. Incidentally, shown in Figure 2 is a head driving means of the type where the carrier 9 is moved in the direction of arrow c or c′ through a needle 12, one end of which is fixed to the carrier 9, and the other end of which is fitted in the thread groove of a lead screw 11 driven by the head driving motor 10. The auto-ejector 16 ejecting the disk 1 in a direction of arrow a′ in Figure 1 works under the powers of the disk driving motor 7 and the head driving motor 10, which are started at an ejection start signal S1. As shown in Figure 2, the disk driving motor 7 drives a gear 17 in the direction of arrow b , the gear 17 being formed integrally with the turntable 5 at the lower end thereof, and the head driving motor 10, started at the ejection start signal S1 through a control circuit 51, puts a trigger means 19 in action. That is, the head driving motor 10 moves the carrier 9 from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3, so as to displace the heads 6 located within the range l to a position P₂, the utmost limit of the disk 1 that is about 1 to 3 mm apart from a position P₁, an outer reference position (00 track), so that an engagement portion 18a projecting from the carrier 9 pushes a pin 19a provided at one end of the lever 19, which is made of synthetic resin. Then, the lever 19 is swung on a fulcrum 20 in a direction of arrow d as shown in Figure 3, and an elastic arm 19b formed integrally with the lever 19 at the other end thereof pushes a pin 22a provided at one end of a lever 22, which is made of synthetic resin, so that the lever 22 is swung on a fulcrum 23 in a direction of arrow e. Thus, a gear 24 mounted on the lever 22 meshes with the gear 17. As a result, rotation of the gear 17 driven by the disk driving motor 7 in the direction of arrow b is transmitted to a gear 28, which is made of synthetic resin and on which a cam 29 is integrally provided, through the gear 24 and a train of gears 25, so that the gear 28 is rotated in a direction of arrow f from a stopped position thereof shown in Figure 2. As a result, the cam 29 abuts against a cam follower 31 provided in a slide plate 30 as shown in Figure 3, and the slide plate 30 is moved in a direction of arrow g against the force of tension coiled springs 32 from its backward position shown in Figure 2 to its forward position shown in Figure 3, and due to the movement of the slide plate 30, the disk cartridge 2 is vertically raised in a direction of arrow j′ to a position indicated in chain-dotted lines in Figure 1 by the disk loading mechanism to make the disk 1 separate from the turntable 5. Just before the slide plate 30 reaches the forward position, a locked portion 33a provided in a lever 33 and made of synthetic resin is disengaged from a locking portion 30a of the slide plate 30, so that the lever 33 is swung on a fulcrum 34 by a tension coiled spring 35 in a direction of arrow h from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3. Thus, the disk cartridge 2 is pushed in the direction of arrow a′ and ejected to a position indicated in double dots-and-dash lines in Figure 1 by an ejection pin 36 formed integrally with the lever 33. Next, when the locking portion 30a of the slide plate 30 enters into a recess 37 extending from the locked portion 33a of the lever 33 as shown in Figure 3, and the slide plate 30 is returned a little from its forward position by the force of the springs 32, the locking portion 30a of the slide plate 30 is engaged with the base of the locked portion 33a of the lever 33, so that the lever 33 is locked again as shown in Figure 4. Thereafter, when the gear 28 makes almost one revolution in the direction of arrow f as shown in Figure 4, one end 38a of a switch lever 38 is pushed by the cam 29, so that the switch lever 38 is swung on a fulcrum 39 in a direction of arrow i against the force of a tension coiled spring 40. Thus, a detecting switch 41 is pushed by the other end 38b of the switch lever 38 to close the switch 41. As soon as the switch 41 is closed as shown in Figure 4, the disk driving motor 7 is stopped at an ejection finish signal S2 to stop rotation of the gear 17, and the head driving motor 10 is driven at high speed at the ejection finish signal S2 through the control circuit 51 in the reverse direction thereof to move the carrier 9 at a stretch in the direction of arrow c′, so that both heads 6 are moved by the carrier 9 as shown in Figure 5 via range l from the position P₂, the utmost limit of the disk 1, to a position P₄, the inmost limit of the disk 1, which is spaced apart about 1 to 3 mm from the position P₃, the inner reference position (for example, 79 track). When the heads 6 are moved to the position P₄, the other engagement portion 18b projecting from the carrier 9 pushes the pin 19a of the lever 19 in the direction of arrow c′. The lever 19 is swung on the fulcrum 20 in a direction of arrow d′, and a nonelastic arm 19c provided at the other end of the lever 19 pushes the pin 22a of the lever 22, so that the lever 22 is swung on the fulcrum 23 in a direction of arrow e′. Thus, the gear 24 is forcibly disengaged from the gear 17. After the above auto-ejecting processes are completed, the carrier 9 is moved again in the direction of arrow c by the head driving motor 10 so as to move the heads 6 from the position P₄ to the position P₃, or P₁, and then, the head driving motor 10 is stopped. In the embodiment, so as to shorten the auto-ejecting time and rotate the gear 17 at high speed in the direction of arrow b, the disk driving motor 7 has broken off relations with a servomechanism as soon as the ejection finish signal S2 is detected. Further, in the embodiment, the gear 24 is forcibly disengaged from the gear 17 by the help of the head driving motor 7, so that any construction to pull the lever 19 with a return spring is not needed. Therefore, a tension coiled spring 43 shown in Figure 2 is prepared only to properly position the lever 19. That is, the spring 43 has a low spring constant necessary for putting the lever 19 into contact with a stop 42, so that the spring 43 scarcely hinders the lever 19 from rotating in the direction of arrow d at the time when the engagement portion 18a of the carrier 9 pushes the pin 19a of the lever 19. Furthermore, in the embodiment, when the ejecting processes start, the lever 19 is swung in the direction of arrow d as shown in Figure 3 due to displacement of the heads 6 to the position P₂, and when the ejecting processes finish, the lever 19 is swung in the direction of arrow d′ as shown in Figure 5 due to displacement of the heads 6 to the position P₄, but, on the contrary, the lever 19 may be swung in the direction of arrow d when the carrier 9 is moved in the direction of arrow c′, and the lever 19 may be swung in the direction of arrow d' when the carrier 9 is moved in the direction of arrow c. In the meantime, when the disk cartridge 2 is loaded in the apparatus 4 as initially described, the disk cartridge 2, inserted into the disk loading mechanism in the direction of arrow a in Figure 5, pushes the ejection pin 36 with one end thereof, so that the lever 33 is swung in a direction of arrow h' from the position shown in Figure 5 to the position shown in Figure 2 against the force of the spring 35. Thus, the side plate 30 is disengaged from the lever 33 and moved in a direction of arrow g' from the forward position shown in Figure 5 to the backward position shown in Figure 2 by the force of the springs 32. Then, the disk cartridge 2 is vertically lowered, and the locked portion 33a of the lever 33 abuts against the side of the locking portion 30a of the slide plate 30 to lock the lever 33 again. In Figure 2, reference numeral 30b designates a push button for hand-operated ejection.

Claims: An auto-ejector (16) for ejecting a disk-like recording medium (1) from a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus (4), which has a disk driving motor (7) for driving a turntable (5) on which the disk-like recording medium (1) is mounted, a head driving motor (10) for driving a carrier (9), whereby record/playback heads (6) are carried substantially in the radius direction of the disk-like recording medium mounted on the turntable, and ejection means for ejecting the disk-like recording medium from the apparatus, the auto-ejector comprising: control means (51) for causing said head driving motor (10) to start, at an ejection signal, to displace said heads (6) beyond a record/playback range (1) thereof, characterized in that it further comprises transmission gear means (23, 24, 31) for transmitting the power of said disk driving motor (7) to said ejection means having a first position in which the ejecting means are uncoupled from the disk driving motor and a second position in which rotation of the disk driving motor causes the ejection means to eject the disk, and actuating means (19) mechanically forced into action by movement of said carrier by the head driving motor when said heads are moved to a predetermined position beyond the recording/playback range thereof, and mechnaically coupled to the transmission gear means to bring them from the first position into the second position by the force applied by said head driving motor via said actuating means. The auto-ejector according to claim 1, wherein said transmission means has a driven wheel (24), and when said trigger means (19) is put in action, said driven wheel is engaged with a driving wheel (17) driven by said disk driving motor (7) to transmit the power of said disk driving motor to said ejection means. The auto-ejector (16) according to claim 1, wherein said control means (51) makes said head driving motor (10) start at an ejection start signal (S1) to displace said heads (6) to one predetermined position (P₂) beyond a record/playback range (1) thereof, and start, at an ejection finish signal (S2), to displace said heads (6) from the predetermined position to the other predetermined position (P4) beyond the record/playback range (1) thereof; whereby when said ejection start signal (S1) is detected, the power of said disk driving motor (7) is transmitted to said ejection means so as to eject said disk-like recording medium (1), and when said ejection finish signal (S2) is detected, said disk driving motor (7) is forcibly disconnected from said transmission means so as to put said ejection means out of action. The auto-ejector according to claim 3, wherein said actuating means and said transmission mean comprise a lever (19) and a gear train (25), respectively, and when said heads (6) are displaced to the one predetermined position (P₂) beyond said record/playback range (1) thereof, said lever (19) is swung in a first direction (d) to transmit the power of said disk driving motor (7) to said ejection means, and when said heads (6) are displaced to the other predetermined position (P₄) beyond said record/playback range (1) thereof, said lever (19) is swung in a direction (d') reverse to said first direction (d) to disconnect said disk driving motor (7) from said transmission means.

Inventors: HOTTA, HIDEAKI, KADONAGA, AKIRA, OHTA, TOSHIRO, YANAMOTO, KAORU
Applicants: SONY CORPORATION
Application year: 1988
Main classification: G11B17
IPC codes: G11B19, G11B17