Abstract:
An adjustment mechanism is used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus for fixing the position of a tray. A slider moved along left-right direction in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus is corresponding the tray moved along front-back direction. The adjustment mechanism comprises a L-shaped chute located on the tray, and comprises a guide member and an arm located on the slider. When the tray get into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the guide member slides into the L-shaped chute. Then the arm contacts the outside surface of the L-shaped chute. Whereby, the tray be fixed on a suitable position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   (1) Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, and more particularly to an adjustment mechanism used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. 
   (2) Description of the Prior Art 
     FIG. 1  shows a schematic view depicting a traditional optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Generally, the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, such as a optical disc drive, uses a tray  4  to load an optical storage medium, such as a compact disc, not shown, in and out of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . 
   The tray  4  moves, along the front-back direction D 1  in and out of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . There is a slider  6  extending along the left-right direction D 2  in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . There is a rack  8  formed on the lateral edge of the slider  6 . The rack  8  extends along the left-right direction D 2  and is engaged with a gear  10  in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . The gear  10  is rotated by the tray  4  moving in and out of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . In this way, the slider  6  moves along the left-right direction D 2  in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2  in response to the moving of the tray  4  along the front-back direction D 1 . 
   Traditionally, there is a L-shaped chute  12  provided on the tray  4  and a guide member  6   a  provided on the slider  6 , respectively, used to position the tray  4  after the tray enters into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . 
   The L-shaped chute  12  is located on the bottom of the tray  4  adjacent to one lateral of the slider  6 . The L-shaped chute  12  includes a front chute  12   a  and a rear chute  12   b . The front chute  12   a  is parallel to the front-back direction D 1  and has two opened ends toward front and back, respectively. The rear chute  12   b  is connected to the backward opened end of the front chute  12   a  and thus forms a L-shaped configuration. The rear chute  12   b  is parallel to the left-right direction D 2 . 
   The guide member  6   a  is arranged on the slider  6  adjacent to the surface of the tray  4 . When the tray  4  enters into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 , the guide member  6   a  is guided into the front chute  12   a  from the opened end of the L-shaped chute  12 . Then, the guide member  6   a  is guided into the rear chute  12   b  by the slider  6  moving along the left-right direction D 2 . 
   In this way, after the tray  4  completely enters into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 , the guide member  6   a  sliding into the rear chute  12   b  positions the tray  4 . Further, the baffle plate  16  of the tray  4  near the medium entry  20  contacts the edge of the medium entry  20  of the housing  18  so as to close the medium entry  20 . 
   However, if the width of the L-shaped chute  12  is too narrow, the guide member  6   a  will get stuck due to interference of the L-shaped chute  12 . On the other hand, if the width of the L-shaped chute  12  is too wide, even after the guide member  6   a  moving in the rear chute  12   b , the L-shaped chute  12  sways easily. This leads to poor positioning of the tray  4 . Further, from outside of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 , it is visible that baffle plate  16  cannot closely seal the seam between the medium entry  20  and the housing  18  of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . 
   On the other hand, even though the L-shaped chute  12 , having the width designed with the most accurate tolerance, does not interfere with the move of the guide member  6   a , the tray  4  is still likely not to be positioned in the predetermined proper location due to the slider  6  improperly located. For example, if the slider  6  is too close to the medium entry  20 , there will be a seam formed between the medium entry  20  and the baffle plate  16 . If the slider  6  is far way from the medium entry  20 , it is difficult to guide the guide member  6   a  into the rear chute  10   b  of the L-shaped chute  12 . 
   Therefore, there is a need to provide an adjustment mechanism used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus to solve the above problem. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is one object of the present invention to provide an adjustment mechanism used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus to adjust the tray to a proper location in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The baffle plate closely contacts the edge of the medium entry on the housing of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus so as to close the medium entry. 
   The present invention relates to an adjustment mechanism used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The adjustment mechanism is used to adjust a tray of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus to a proper location in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The tray moves, along the front-back direction, in and out of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. A slider, in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, extends along the left-right direction in response to the moving of the tray. 
   The adjustment mechanism includes a L-shaped chute, a guide member and an arm. 
   The L-shaped chute is located in the bottom of the tray adjacent to one later of the slider. The L-shaped chute includes a front chute, parallel to the front-back direction. The L-shaped chute includes a rear chute, connected to the front chute and thus forms a L-shaped configuration, parallel to the left-right direction of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. 
   The guide member is arranged on a surface of the slider adjacent to the tray. When the tray enters into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the guide member is guided into the front chute from the opened end of the L-shaped chute and then the guide member is guided into the rear chute by the slider moving along the left-right direction. 
   The arm is arranged on the surface of the slider. After the guide member is guided into the rear chute, a flexible end of the arm elastically leans against an outer surface, far away from the opened end of the L-shaped chute, of the rear chute. 
   Further description is given as follows. The adjustment mechanism further includes an outer side wall and an inner side wall, which form the front chute and the rear chute, and a chamfer, on the outer side wall, connecting the front chute and the rear chute, and a gap, formed between the guide member and the arm. When the tray is entering into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the outer side wall near the front chute slides into the gap so as to guide the guide member into the front chute from the opened end of the L-shaped chute. Then, after the chamfer gets into the gap, the outer side wall near the rear chute gets into the gap, the guide member is guided into the rear chute, and the arm elastically leans against the outer side wall near the rear chute when the guide member elastically leans against only the outer side wall or the inner side wall, the guide member does not contact the other side wall. 
   The tray further includes a baffle plate provided near the edge thereof. After the tray enters into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the baffle plate closely contacts the edge of a medium entry on a housing of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus so as to close the medium entry. The arm elastically leans against an outer surface, far away from the opened ends of the front chute, of the rear chute of the L-shaped chute, thereby making the baffle plate closely contact the edge of the medium entry on the housing of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. 
   In the present optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, the adjustment mechanism makes use of the arm having a flexible end to elastically lean against the L-shaped chute so as to position the tray to a proper location. Meanwhile, the baffle plate of the tray closely contacts the edge of the medium entry on the housing and thus closes the medium entry. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will now be specified with reference to its preferred embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which 
       FIG. 1  shows a schematic view depicting a traditional optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus; 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic view depicting the present optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus; 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic view depicting the L-shaped chute of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic view depicting the guide member and the arm of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5A  shows a schematic view depicting the present adjustment mechanism in a first status; 
       FIG. 5B  shows a schematic view depicting the present adjustment mechanism in a second-status; and 
       FIG. 5C  shows a schematic view depicting the present adjustment mechanism in a third status. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 2  shows a schematic view depicting the adjustment mechanism of the present optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 . The present invention relates to an adjustment mechanism  32  used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. Further, the adjustment mechanism is used to adjust the tray  34  to a proper location in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The tray  34  includes a baffle plate  36  provided near the outer edge thereof. After the tray  34  enters into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 , the baffle plate  36  will closely contact the edge of the medium entry  3802  on the housing  38  so as to close the medium entry  3802 . 
   The tray  34  moves, along the front-back direction D 1 , in and out of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 . There is a slider  42  extending along the left-right direction D 2  in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 . There is a rack  54  formed on the surface of the slider  42 . The slider  42  moves along the left-right direction D 2  in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30  in response to the moving of the tray  34  along the front-back direction D 1 . 
   The adjustment mechanism  32  includes a L-shaped chute  44 , a guide member  42   a  and an arm  42   b.    
   Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3  which shows a schematic view depicting the L-shaped chute  44  of the present invention. The L-shaped chute  44  is located in the bottom of the tray  34  adjacent to a lateral of the slider  42 . The L-shaped chute  44  includes a front chute  44   a  and a rear chute  44   b . The front chute  44   a  is parallel to the front-back direction D 1  and has two opened ends toward front and back, respectively. The rear chute  44   b  is connected to the backward opened end of the front chute  44   a  and thus forms a L-shaped configuration. The rear chute  44   b  is parallel to the left-right direction D 2  of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 . 
   Please refer to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 4  which shows a schematic view depicting the guide member  42   a  and the arm  42   b  of the present invention. The slider  42  includes the guide member  42   a , the arm  42   b  and a rack  54 . 
   The rack  54  is formed on the lateral edge of the slider  42 . The rack  54  extends along the left-right direction D 2  and is engaged with a gear  56  in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 . The gear  56  is rotated by the tray  34  moving in and out of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 . In this way, the slider  42  moves along the left-right direction D 2  in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30  in response to the moving of the tray  34  along the front-back direction D 1 . 
   The guide member  42   a  is arranged on the surface of the slider  42  adjacent to the tray  34 . When the tray  34  enters into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 , the guide member  42   a  is guided into the front chute  44   a  from the opened end of the L-shaped chute  44 . Then, the guide member  42   a  is guided into the rear chute  44   b  by the slider  42  moving along the left-right direction D 2 . 
   The arm  42   b  is formed on a lateral of the slider  42  same with the location of the rack  54 . After the guide member  42   a  is guided into the rear chute  44   b , the flexible end of the arm  42   b  elastically leans against an outer surface, far away from the opened end of the L-shaped chute  44 , of the rear chute  44   b . The arm  42   b  leaning against the outer surface, far away from the opened ends of the front chute  44   a , of the rear chute  44   b  of the L-shaped chute  44  applies force pushing the tray  34  toward the inner of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30  so as to make the baffle plate  36  closely contact the edge of the medium entry  3802  on the housing  38  of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 . 
   For further description, please refer to  FIG. 5A ,  FIG. 5B  and  FIG. 5C .  FIG. 5A  shows a schematic view depicting the adjustment mechanism  32  in a first status.  FIG. 5B  shows a schematic view depicting the adjustment mechanism  32  in a second status.  FIG. 5C  shows a schematic view depicting the adjustment mechanism  32  in a third status. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5A , the adjustment mechanism  32  includes an outer side wall  4402  and an inner side wall  4404 , which form the front chute  44   a  and the rear chute  44   b . On the outer side wall  4402 , there is a chamfer  58  connecting the front chute  44   a  and the rear chute  44   b . Further, there is a gap  60  formed between the guide member  42   a  and the arm  42   b . As shown in  FIG. 5A , when the tray  34  is entering into the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 , the outer side wall  4402  near the front chute  44   a  slides into the gap  60  so as to guide the guide member  42   a  into the front chute  44   a  from the opened end of the L-shaped chute  44 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 5B , the chamfer  58  gets into the gap  60 . As shown in  FIG. 5C , after the outer side wall  4402  near the rear chute  44   b  gets into the gap  60  and the guide member  42   a  is guided into the rear chute  44   b , the arm  42   b  elastically leans against the outer side wall  4402  near the rear chute  44   b.    
   For the above-mentioned adjustment mechanism  32 , when the guide member  42   a  elastically leans against only the outer side wall  4402  or the inner side wall  4404 , the guide member  42   a  does not contact the other side wall. That is, the L-shaped chute  44  of the present invention can be designed with wider width compared with the prior art. In the slider  42  of the present invention, because the arm  42   b  applies force pushing the tray toward the inner of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 , the problem of poor positioning encountered by the prior art will not occur. Meanwhile, the wider L-shaped chute  44  prevents the guide member  42   a  from getting stuck due to interference. 
   In the present optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  30 , the adjustment mechanism  32  makes use of the arm  42   b  having a flexible end to elastically lean against the L-shaped chute  44  so as to position the tray  34  to a proper location. Meanwhile, the baffle plate  36  of the tray  34  closely contacts the edge of the medium entry  3802  on the housing  38  and thus closes the medium entry  3802 . 
   While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the present invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.