Abstract:
A cooling device is used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus is used for writing and/or reading data from the surface of an optical media. The cooling device comprises a grapple and a blower. The grapple is used for holding the optical media. The blower agitates airflow when the grapple rotated. Whereby, the cooling device can decrease the temperature of the air within the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus.

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 a cooling device used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. 
   (2) Description of the Prior Art 
     FIG. 1  shows a schematic diagram depicting a traditional optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 , such as a VCD player or a DVD player. The optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2  includes a pickup head  4 , a PCB(printed circuit board)  6 , a grapple  34  and so on. 
   The pickup head  4  is used to extract the data stored on the surface of an optical storage medium, not shown, placed in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 . Optical discs are the well-known optical storage media. The data extracted from the optical storage medium is computed and processed by the chip  10  on the PCB  6  for playback. Then, the data is presented in the form of video and audio. 
     FIG. 2  shows a schematic view depicting the traditional grapple  34  including a clamper  3402  and a spindle motor  3404 . A disc  5  is sandwiched between the clamper  3402  and the spindle motor  3404 . Further, the spindle motor  3404  rotates the clamper  3402  and the disc  5  so as to allow the pickup head  4  to extract the data on the different locations of the disc  5 . 
   However, in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  2 , the chip  10  on the PCB  6  and the pickup head  4  generate high temperature heat which leads to poor reading result or even failure of other elements. 
   Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a cooling device used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus to solve the above problem. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide A cooling device used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, thereby reducing the heat generated by the pickup head and the chip. 
   A cooling device used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus which reads the data stored on an optical storage medium includes a blower and a grapple having a clamper and a spindle motor. 
   The grapple is used to hold the optical storage medium. The optical storage medium is sandwiched by the spindle motor and the clamper. The spindle motor rotates the clamper and the optical storage medium. 
   The blower can be on the clamper or the spindle motor of the grapple. The blades of the grapple extend from the grapple radially. The grapple rotate the blower and blades creating airflow. 
   Further, a baffle, fixed in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, is used to guide the airflow to blow a heat source, such as the chip or the pickup head generating heat. Alternatively, the thermal conductive element, such as an metallic thermal conductive object or a thermal pipe, can be used to conduct the heat generated by the heat source to the blades and drained by the airflow. 
   The present cooling device makes use of the grapple and the blower thereon to create airflow when the grapple is rotated. In this way, the heat generated by the pickup head and the chip can be significantly reduced. This prevent of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus using the cooling device from overheat. Further, the possibility that reading error or failure of other elements occurs is reduced. 

   
     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 diagram depicting a traditional optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus; 
       FIG. 2  shows a schematic view depicting the traditional grapple; 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic view depicting the present cooling device and optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus; 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic view depicting the clamper and blower of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  shows a schematic view depicting the fist embodiment of the present invention in which the chip is cooled down; 
       FIG. 6  show a schematic view depicting the spindle motor and the blower of the preset invention; and 
       FIG. 7  shows a schematic view depicting the second embodiment of the present invention in which the pickup head is cooled down. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 3  shows a schematic view depicting the present cooling device  30  and the present optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32 , such as a VCD player or a DVD player, which reads or store the data from or into the surface of an optical storage medium. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32  further includes a heat source, such as a chip  42 , a pickup head  48 , which generate heat during operation. The cooling device  30  includes the grapple  34  and a blower  40 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the grapple  34  is used to hold the optical storage medium. The grapple  34  includes a clamper  3402  and a spindle motor  3404 . The optical storage medium is sandwiched between the clamper  3402  and the spindle motor  3404 . Then, the spindle motor  3404  rotates the clamper  3402  and the optical storage medium. 
   Please refer to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  which shows a schematic view depicting the clamper  3402  and blower  40  of the present invention. The blower  40  is arranged on the hub of the clamper  3402 . Each of the blades  4002  of the blower  40  extends from the center of the clamper  3402  radially. Through the rotary of the clamper  3402 , the blower  40  is rotated and airflow is created. In an preferred embodiment, if the extending directions of all the blades  4002  pass through the center of the clamper  3402 , there is better air disturbance around the peripheral of the hub of the clamper  3402 . 
   Through the cooling device  30  shown in  FIG. 4 , the implement of the present invention shown in  FIG. 5  is achieved.  FIG. 5  shows a schematic view depicting the fist embodiment of the present invention in which the chip  42  of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32  is cooled down. As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32 , besides the chip  42  and the clamper  3402  of the grapple  34 , there is also a thermal conductive element  44 , such as a metallic thermal conductive object or a thermal pipe. Because in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32 , the chip  42  is far away from the clamper  3402 , it is preferred that one end of the thermal conductive element  44  is adjacent to the chip  42  and the other end of the thermal conductive element  44  is adjacent to the blower  40 . Through the thermal conductive element  44 , the heat generated by the chip  42  is dissipated. On the other hand, through blowing of the airflow driven by the blade  4002  of the blower  40  over the other end of the thermal conductive element  44 , the thermal conductive element  44  is cooled down and the temperature of the chip is also reduced indirectly. 
     FIG. 6  show a schematic view depicting the spindle motor  3404  and the blower  40  of the preset invention. This embodiment has the clamper  3402  the same with the above embodiment. However, in contrast with the above embodiment, the blower  40  is arranged on the spindle motor  3404  of the grapple  34 . The blower  40  is arranged on a hub of the spindle motor  3404 . Each of the blades  4002  of the blower  40  extends from the center of the spindle motor  3404  radially. Through the rotary of the spindle motor  3404 , the blower  40  is rotated and airflow is created. Similarly, if the extending directions of all the blades  4002  pass through the center of the spindle motor  3404 , better air disturbance is available. 
   Through the cooling device  30  shown in  FIG. 6 , the implement of the present invention shown in  FIG. 7  is achieved.  FIG. 7  shows a schematic view depicting the second embodiment of the present invention in which the pickup head  48  of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32  is cooled down. Because in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32 , the grapple  34  and the pickup head  48  are located on the same loader  46  shown in  FIG. 3 , and the spindle motor  3404  and the pickup head  48  are almost on the same level, it is preferred to arrange the blower  40  on the spindle motor  3404 , thereby blowing the pickup head  48  directly using airflow and reducing the temperature. 
   The cooling device  30  of the present invention further includes a baffle  50  as shown in  FIG. 5  or  FIG. 7 . The baffle  50  is fixed in the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32  and guides the above-mentioned airflow. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the baffle  50  deflects and guides the hot air around the other end of the thermal conductive element  44  driven by the blades  4002  to flow out of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the baffle  50  deflects and guides a large amount of cool air flowing toward the pickup head  48 , thereby cooling down the pickup head  48 . 
   In brief, the present cooling device  30  makes use of the grapple  34  and the blower  40  thereon to create airflow when the grapple  34  is rotated. In this way, the heat generated by the pickup head  48  and the chip  42  can be significantly reduced. This prevent of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus  32  using the cooling device  30  from overheat. Further, the possibility that reading error or failure of other elements occurs is reduced. 
   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.