Abstract:
An optical disk reproducing apparatus of a front loading type including an optical disk insertion assembly, which has a disk insertion port into which optical disks such as CDs and DVDs are inserted, and a disk transfer assembly which transfers the optical disks to the reproduction mechanism where the disks are reproduced. The optical disk insertion assembly and the disk transfer assembly are caused to slide forward so as to project out from the front surface of the reproducing apparatus and then caused to pivot to a position where the disk insertion port is outside the front surface of the reproducing apparatus so as to be directly observed when optical disks are inserted and removed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to an optical disk reproducing apparatus and an optical disk reproducing method.  
           [0003]    2. Prior Art  
           [0004]    In optical disk reproducing apparatuses that reproduce optical disks such as compact disks, DVDs (digital versatile disks), etc., upright type (upright disk) reproducing apparatuses have become increasingly popular as a result of demands for reduced thickness, saving of space and interior design properties. In such an upright disk reproducing apparatus, a reproduction is performed with the optical disk held so that the recorded surface of the optical disk is positioned perpendicular to the installation plane of the optical disk reproducing apparatus.  
           [0005]    Furthermore, in such a conventional upright type disk reproducing apparatus, a disk insertion port is located typically in the upper surface of the apparatus main body. Thus, disks are inserted from directly above the apparatus main body and loaded into the reproduction position.  
           [0006]    More specifically, an optical disk is inserted via the disk insertion port provided in the upper surface of the apparatus main body, and the optical disk that has thus been inserted via the disk insertion port is supported in a disk holder. The optical disk is then transferred to the position of the turntable by a disk loading means and chucked onto the turntable.  
           [0007]    Such upright type disk reproducing apparatuses include a wall-mounted type. In such a wall-mounted type reproducing apparatus, the recorded surface of an optical disk is set perpendicular or parallel to the wall surface.  
           [0008]    In the meantime, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (Kokai) No. 5-189846 discloses a cassette tape recorder; and in this cassette tape recorder, a cassette cover that opens and closes is disposed on the front surface, and cassettes are inserted by rotating and opening the cassette cover toward the front using a supporting shaft as an axis of rotation.  
           [0009]    In the upright type disk reproducing apparatus in which the disk insertion port through which optical disks are inserted is disposed in the upper surface of the apparatus main body, the disk insertion port cannot be seen if the reproducing apparatus is mounted on a wall in a high position. Accordingly, when optical disks are inserted or removed, the recorded surface of the optical disk tends to come into contact with the disk insertion port wall surfaces, causing scratches on the recorded surface. Furthermore, since the disk insertion port is located in the upper surface of the apparatus, dust can easily enters into the apparatus through the disk insertion port, causing troubles in the apparatus.  
           [0010]    In the structure of a cassette tape recorder described above, the cassette cover is opened toward the front of the main body of a cassette tape recorder each time a cassette is inserted or removed. In other words, a cassette tape is inserted via the open space created between the opened cassette cover and the cassette tape recorder main body, and the tape slides into a position where the tape is supported by a cassette tape supporting member disposed in the back of the cassette cover. When the cassette tape is to be removed, both side surfaces of the cassette tape supported by the cassette tape supporting member are held by the thumb and index finger of the user, and the cassette tape is pulled out.  
           [0011]    When this mechanism of the cassette tape recorder is employed in an optical disk reproducing apparatus, if the opening angle of the cover member is set to be large so that the fingers and back of the hand of the user holding the optical disk can enter into the open space when an optical disk is inserted into the optical disk supporting member or when an optical disk is removed from the optical disk supporting member, dust tends to go into the interior of the apparatus through the open space and causes mechanical and other troubles. Furthermore, when the user removes an optical disk, the user must grip the optical disk from the side of the recorded surface of the optical disk. As a result, there is a danger that the fingers may inadvertently contact the recorded surface of the optical disk, resulting in fingerprints and scratches on the recorded surface of an optical disk.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    Accordingly, the present solves the problems with the prior art optical disk reproducing apparatuses.  
           [0013]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical disk reproducing apparatus and playback method in which optical disks can easily be set in the apparatus without causing scratches on the recorded surfaces of the optical disks.  
           [0014]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an optical disk reproducing apparatus and reproducing method in which the reproducing apparatus is made thinner, and the insertion and removal of the optical disk is made easily, thus increasing the desire of users to purchase the apparatus.  
           [0015]    The above objects are accomplished by a unique structure for an optical disk reproducing apparatus of the present invention, and it comprises:  
           [0016]    a reproduction means which reproduces (the information recorded on) an optical disk,  
           [0017]    an optical disk insertion means disposed on the upper portion of the front surface of the main body of the optical disk reproducing apparatus, the optical disk insertion means having a disk insertion port in its upper surface into which the optical disk is inserted and opening and closing in the forward-rearward direction, and  
           [0018]    a optical disk transfer means which supports the optical disk that is inserted in the optical disk insertion means and transfers the optical disk to the reproduction means; and  
           [0019]    the reproducing apparatus further comprises a means that, when the optical disk is inserted or removed, causes the optical disk insertion means and the optical disk transfer means to pivot toward the front of the main body and causes the optical disk transfer means to move toward the top of the main body.  
           [0020]    In the above structure, when the optical disk insertion means and the optical disk transfer means are caused to pivot, they pivot about an imaginary axis of rotation that is located further toward the front of the main body than a connection point of a connecting means installed between the lower portion of the optical disk transfer means and the chassis inside the main body.  
           [0021]    The above objects are further accomplished by another unique structure for an optical disk reproducing apparatus of the present invention that comprises  
           [0022]    a reproduction means which reproduces (the information recorded on) an optical disk,  
           [0023]    an optical disk insertion means disposed on the upper portion of the front surface of the main body of the optical disk reproducing apparatus, the optical disk insertion means having a disk insertion port in its upper surface into which the optical disk is inserted and opening and closing in the forward-rearward direction, and  
           [0024]    a optical disk transfer means which supports the optical disk that is inserted in the optical disk insertion means and transfers the optical disk to the reproduction means; and  
           [0025]    the reproducing apparatus further comprises a means that, when an optical disk is inserted or removed, causes the optical disk insertion means and optical disk transfer means to move toward the front of the main body and then causes the optical disk insertion means to pivot toward the front of the main body and causes the optical disk transfer means to move toward the top of the main body. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 is a front view of the loading mechanism of the optical disk reproducing apparatus according to the present invention;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the driving system for driving the moving means and the pivoting means thereof;  
         [0028]    FIGS.  3 ( a ),  3 ( b ) and  3 ( c ) are side views of the essential portion of the optical disk reproducing apparatus of the present invention in operation; and  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of operation of the optical disk reproducing apparatus of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0030]    Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 1 illustrates, in schematic terms, the loading mechanism of an optical disk reproducing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows that a disk  3  has been inserted from above the reproducing apparatus by an optical disk insertion means that includes a disk insertion port and then transferred to the reproduction position.  
         [0032]    The optical disk reproducing apparatus is comprised of a main body  1 , a disk holder  6  and a disk holder driving means  4 . The disk holder  6 , which is an optical disk transfer means in the present invention, transfers the disk  3  from its disk insertion port to a reproduction means  5 . The reproduction means  5  includes, among other elements, an optical pick-up, a turntable and a spindle motor and reproduces the disk  3 . The disk holder driving means  4  drives this disk holder  6 . In other words, the disk holder  6  is caused by the driving force of the disk holder driving means  4  to move in the vertical direction between a disk insertion position (upper position in FIG. 1) and a disk reproduction position (lower position in FIG. 1).  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 2 shows the back of the main body  1  of the optical disk reproducing apparatus, illustrating schematically the arrangement of the driving system of the optical disk insertion means and the optical disk transfer means of the optical disk reproducing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention. The driving system transmits the rotation of a motor  7  to a cam gear  11  via a belt  8 , a pulley gear  9  and a gear  10 . Thus, the cam gear  11  is turned by the rotation of the motor  7 .  
         [0034]    A slide plate  12  is engaged with guide pins  15  and  16  that are fastened to a chassis  2  inside the main body  1 , and thus the slide plate  12  is provided so as to slide. A slide plate shaft  12   a  which is fastened to the slide plate  12  is engaged with a cam groove  11   a  of the cam gear  11 , so that the slide plate  12  is caused to slide in the vertical direction along the guide pins  15  and  16  when the cam gear  11  is rotated.  
         [0035]    To both side surfaces of the chassis  2 , slide cams  18  are attached so as to slide in the vertical direction. Both end portions  12   b  and  12   c  of the slide plate  12  are respectively engaged with grooves  28   a  and  28   b  formed in the slide cams  18 . Thus, when the slide plate  12  is moved in the vertical direction, the slide cams  18  are also moved in the vertical direction. In response to the vertical movement of the slide cams  18 , the disk holder  6  is moved in the vertical direction between position A (the disk reproduction position) and position B (disk insertion position) in FIG. 1. The disk holder  6  is moved upward and downward while maintaining a position that is parallel to the front surface of a door  19  (described later).  
         [0036]    FIGS.  3 ( a ),  3 ( b ) and  3 ( c ) illustrate the operation of an disk cover that is the door  19  equipped with the disk holder  6 . The disk cover or the door  19  of the optical disk reproducing apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention is caused to move forward and pivot toward the front (which is on the left side of each of FIGS.  3 ( a ),  3 ( b ) and  3 ( c )) of the reproducing apparatus as a result of the vertical movement of the slide cams  18 .  
         [0037]    More specifically, in FIG. 3( a ), the slide cams  18  (only one slide cam  18  is shown) are in the lowermost position of their vertical movement. In this lowermost position of the slide cams  18 , the disk holder  6  is in position A in FIG. 1, and the optical disk  3  is in the position where it is reproduced by the reproduction means  5  (there is no rotation of the disk holder driving means  4 ). The door  19  is in the closed position in the apparatus main body  1 . In this state, the front surface of the door  19  and the front surface of the apparatus main body  1  coincide or flush with each other as shown in FIG. 3( a ).  
         [0038]    Next, as shown in FIG. 3( b ), when the slide cams  18  are moved to roughly a central position in the vertical direction (as a result of the rotation of the motor  7  shown in FIG. 2), door shafts  19   a  and  19   b  that are fastened to the door  19  are pushed by the cam grooves  18   a  and  18   b  of the slide cams  18 ; and the shafts  19   a  and  19   b  are guided along grooves  2   a  and  2   b  formed in the chassis  2 . The cam groove  18   a  is formed obliquely with its rear end being higher than the front end, and the cam groove  18   b  is formed so as to have an oblique section in which the rear end is higher than the front end and a straight section that extends downward from the front end. As a result, the door  19  is slid or moved toward the front (the left side in FIG. 3( b )) of the reproducing apparatus and project out from the front surface of the reproducing apparatus. In this state as well, the disk holder  6  is in position A shown in FIG. 1 (there is no rotation of the disk holder driving means  4 ).  
         [0039]    In FIG. 3( c ), the motor  7  shown in FIG. 2 rotates. The slide cams  18  are thus moved further upward, the door shaft  19   a  is pushed toward the front of the main body  1  by the oblique cam groove  18   a , and the door shaft  19   b  enters the straight section (which is in downward direction in FIG. 3( c )) of the cam groove  18   b  of the slide cam  18 . As a result, the movement of the door shaft  19   b  (and thus the door  19 ) toward the front stops.  
         [0040]    In the structure of the shown embodiment, the door  19  as a whole pivots about an imaginary axis of rotation P (as if there were a pivot point). More specifically, when the optical disk insertion means ( 34 ) and the optical disk transfer means ( 6 ) are caused to pivot toward the front of the main body, these elements pivot about an imaginary axis of rotation P that is set further toward the front of the main body than the connection point of a connecting means installed between the lower portion of the optical disk transfer means ( 6 ) and the chassis  2  inside the main body. More specifically, the connecting means comprises the door shaft  19   b  provided in the lower portion of the optical disk transfer means  6  (or the door  19 ) and the grooves  2   b  of the chassis  2  with which the door shaft  19   b  is engaged and guided. During this operation (during the operation of FIGS.  3 ( b )→ 3 ( c )), the motor  7  shown in FIG. 1 rotates, and the disk holder  6  which is disposed in a position parallel to the front surface of the door  19  is moved from position A to position B in FIG. 1. As a result, the disk  3  held in the disk holder  6  is transferred in a state in which the disk  3  is inclined toward the front of the main body and is removed from the upper position of the main body  1  as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0041]    When the disk  3  is inserted into the reproducing apparatus and reproduced, an operation that is the opposite from the operation described above is performed.  
         [0042]    In FIG. 4, the door  19  (the optical disk insertion means  34 ) includes an optical disk transfer means  35  (the disk holder  6 ) and a disk insertion port  30 . When an optical disk  3  is inserted into the optical disk insertion means  34  that is the door  19  from the disk insertion port  30 , or when an optical disk  3  is removed from the disk insertion port  30 , it is not necessary to put fingers  32  of hand  31  of the user gripping the optical disk  3  into the open space  33  (unlike the case to put a cassette tape into a cassette tape recorder). Accordingly, the opening angle θ of the door  19  for the open space can be set at a small angle. The opening angle θ is the angle formed by the front surface of the main body  1  and the optical disk recorded surface  36  of the optical disk  3 .  
         [0043]    Since the opening angle θ of the door  19  is small, dust can be avoided from entering into the reproducing apparatus, lowering the causes of troubles. Furthermore, the hand  31  of the user does not contact the optical disk recorded surface  36  of the optical disk  3 ; instead, as seen from FIG. 4, the optical disk  3  can be gripped from the printed label surface side and put in the disk insertion port  30  from above. Accordingly, no inadvertent contact of the fingers  32  with the optical disk recorded surface  36  of the optical disk  3  will occur, and fingerprints and scratches on the optical disk recorded surface  36  can be avoided.  
         [0044]    Furthermore, since the angle θ is small, the reproducing apparatus can be made thinner and more compact. Moreover, the disk insertion port  30  can be visually checked when the optical disk  3  is inserted and removed, and the insertion and removal of the optical disk can be easily accomplished.  
         [0045]    As seen from the above, in the present invention, the optical disk insertion means (the door  19 ) into which an optical disk is inserted tilts toward the front with its lower portion acting as an axis of rotation, and then, the optical disk transfer means (the disk holder  6 ) is moved up and down in an inclined state as indicated by arrow in FIG. 4. Accordingly, when an optical disk is inserted or removed, the recorded surface of the optical disk tends not to contact the disk insertion port, and scratching of the recorded surface can be avoided.  
         [0046]    Furthermore, as seen from FIG. 4, the user can insert and remove an optical disk by gripping the optical disk from the printed label surface side of the optical disk. Accordingly, inadvertent fingerprints or scratches on the recorded surface of the optical disk can be avoided.  
         [0047]    In addition, since optical disks are inserted and removed with the optical disk insertion means tilted toward the front, the disk insertion port can be visually checked even when the reproducing apparatus is located in a high position on a wall. The insertion and removal of the optical disk can be easily accomplished.  
         [0048]    Furthermore, the optical disk insertion means into which an optical disk is inserted is moved forward from the main body, and then the optical disk insertion means pivots about an imaginary axis of rotation located in a position on the front surface of the main body. Accordingly, even if the optical disk playback apparatus has a greatly reduced thickness, the position of the front surface of the main body and the position of the front surface of the optical disk insertion means are flush with each other when the optical disk insertion means is closed. Moreover, it is possible to take such a structure that the gap between the lower portion of the optical disk insertion means and the front surface of the main body is small or no such gap is formed.  
         [0049]    Since the disk insertion port enters the interior of the main body of the reproducing apparatus when the optical disk insertion means is closed, the entry of dust through the disk insertion port is prevented, and it is not necessary to provide an opening-and-closing means for the disk insertion port.  
         [0050]    Furthermore, since the operation that opens and closes the optical disk insertion means is unique, it increases the desire of the user to purchase the apparatus.