Abstract:
An apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks includes housing, a print device, a drawer device, a base with multiple sets of sensor and a transport mechanism. The drawer device includes a disk tray, a driving mechanism, an attaching element, a swing element, an elastic element and a set of disk attachment. The transport mechanism is connected to the drawer device for moving disk tray upon the base. The transport mechanism through a controller automatically controls the various functions of the various components of the drawer device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks, and more particularly to an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks comprises a rotatable attaching element located at the top of a disk tray of a drawer device and a set of disk attachments, which can fix the disks of different sizes placed at the disk tray of the apparatus for loading disks. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Disks for reading or writing data or video or audio signal with optical media are usually used for copying and storing signal data, including the computer software and other devices. 
     In general, mass-produced disks are usually made by the method of pressing and continuous printing, and such method is economical only when making thousands of disks together. And it is economical to make hundreds of disks by the method of burning, however, the surfaces of such disks have to be printed with patterns or words via a special print device, or to be stuck with the labels printed with patterns or words. 
     An ordinary print device is unable to print the disk directly, so a specialized disk-printing device for printing the disks is developed. 
     A conventional disk-printing device  6  is shown in  FIG. 12 , which comprises a housing  60 , and in a front side of the housing  60  is defined an opening  600  for cooperating with the disk-loading device and an openable front cover  602 , facilitating the user to change the print accessory such as an ink box or to solve the obstruction of the print device. In a rear side of the housing  60  is disposed a containing portion  62  for receiving a drawer device of the apparatus for loading disks, and the arrangement of the containing portion  60  will occupy a large space, so the conventional structure is hard to manufacture and transport. 
     The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks comprises a set of disk attachments and an attaching element disposed on a drawer device for fixing the disks of different sizes to a disk tray of the drawer device, so as to solve the conventional problem of occupying the space and to reduce the cost. In addition, the apparatus for loading disks not only can match with various printers, but also can cooperate with the disks of different shapes and sizes. Thereby, the present invention is very practical. 
     The further objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks, the disk tray of the drawer device can be fixed to a housing of a print device by a locking plate when not in use, and it is unnecessary to dispose a protruded containing portion at a rear side of a housing of a print device as described in the prior art, so as to solve the problem of occupying the space and to reduce the cost. 
     The present invention is to provide an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks comprises a drawer device and a base. The drawer device includes a disk tray, a driving mechanism, an attaching element, a swing element, an elastic element and a set of disk attachment. The base is disposed with multiple sets of sensors and a transport mechanism. 
     The driving mechanism of the drawer device is formed with a blocking edge located correspondingly to the sensors of the base for detecting the position of the disk tray relative to the base. The transport mechanism is pivotally disposed on the base and is located correspondingly to a set of sensors, so as to detect whether the apparatus for loading disks is loaded with a disk or not. 
     The sensors disposed on the base and a driving apparatus connected to the disk tray are connected to a micro-processor, so as to control the operation of the apparatus for loading disks. The micro-processor is connected to a main computer and serves to transmit electronic signals to the main computer or receive electronic signals sent out from the main computer. The computer software provides a user interface for controlling the apparatus for loading disks. 
     The attaching element and the swing element of the drawer device are located at the top and bottom of the disk tray respectively, and the attaching element and the swing element are combined together and can be rotated relative to each other. One end of the swing element is pivotally disposed on the base, and the other end of the swing element is formed with a protrusion to be inserted into a blocking edge formed on a front surface of the base and the transport mechanism, so as to detect whether the apparatus for loading disks is loaded with a disk or not. One end of the elastic element is locked in the disk tray, and the other end of the elastic element is abutted against the swing element in such a manner that the swing element and the attaching element can be returned to the original positions after the disk is taken out. On a top surface of the disk attachment is formed an abutting end or an abutting edge, and on a bottom surface of the disk attachment is formed a locking edge for cooperating with the disk tray. The disposition of the disk attachment and the attaching element can be adjusted according to the disks of different shapes and sizes, so as to fix the disks placed at the disk tray of the apparatus for loading disks. 
     The structures of the attaching element and the disk attachments of the present invention are designed according to the disks of different shapes and sizes (such as a circular disk with a diameter of 80 mm or 120 mm, or card-shaped disks), and as compared to the conventional apparatus for loading disks, the apparatus for loading disks of the present invention is more practical. 
     The disk attachment of a first embodiment of the present invention is made of two oval-shaped pieces, both ends of a top surface of each piece are formed with an abutting end having a protrusion and a plane end, and in the bottom surface of the piece is formed a locking edge for cooperating with the disk tray. 
     The disk attachment of a second embodiment of the present invention is a strip-shaped piece and both ends are expanded symmetrically, and both sides of the piece are formed with abutting edges for cooperating with the card-shaped disks of different sides respectively. On the bottom surface of the piece is formed a locking edge and a pivoting post for cooperating with the disk tray. 
     The drawer device and the base are disposed in the housing of a print device, and in a front side and a rear side of the housing is defined with an opening located correspondingly to the disk tray of the drawer device. Near the opening of the rear side of the housing is formed a set of opposite groove edges, and between the groove edges is disposed a locking plate located correspondingly to the disk tray. In this case, the disk tray of the drawer device will be fixed to the housing by the locking plate, so as to solve the problem of occupying the space and to reduce the cost. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which show, for purpose of illustrations only, the preferred embodiments in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are perspective views of the apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an apparatus for loading disks in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembly view of the apparatus for loading disks in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are illustrative views of a disk attachment in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  are illustrative views of the disk attachment in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are illustrative views of a disk attachment in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  are illustrative views of the disk attachment in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 11A-11D  are illustrative views of the apparatus for loading disks in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a conventional print device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks, and more particularly to an apparatus for loading disks and its method of orientating different disks comprises a rotatable attaching element located at the top of a disk tray of a drawer device and a set of disk attachments, which can fix the disks of different sizes placed at the disk tray of the apparatus for loading disks. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A-2B , an apparatus for loading disks in accordance with the present invention is disposed in a print device  1 , and the print device  1  has a housing  10 . In the housing  10  is disposed a disk-printing element that can print pattern on a blank disk directly, and a micro-processor is connected to the apparatus for loading disks for controlling the operation of the apparatus for loading disks. The micro-processor can be connected to a main computer and serves to transmit electronic signals to the main computer or receive electronic signals sent out from the main computer. The computer software provides a user interface for controlling the disk-printing element and the apparatus for loading disks, and the disk-printing element is not restricted to any factory brand. 
     The housing  10  has a key (not shown) and an openable cover (not shown), facilitating the user to change the print accessory such as an ink box or to solve the obstruction of the print device. The housing  10  is defined with openings  110  and  120  in a front side  11  and a rear side  12  thereof respectively, enabling the apparatus for loading disks to extend out of the housing  10  during the operation. Near the opening  120  of the rear side  12  of the housing  10  is formed a set of groove edges  122  extending towards the opening  120 , and between the groove edges  122  is disposed a locking plate  124  for fixing the drawer device  2  of the apparatus for loading disks. The locking plate  124  is formed with a pushing portion  1240 , and the housing  10  and the locking plate  124  can be made of the same material or the different materials manufactured by modular methods, such that the cost is reduced effectively. 
     Further, a disk tray  20  of the drawer device  2  can be fixed in the housing  10  by the locking plate  124  when not in use, and it is unnecessary to dispose a protruded containing portion  62  at a rear side of a housing  60  of a print device  6  as described in the prior art, so as to solve the conventional problem of occupying the space and to reduce the cost. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3  and further referring to  FIGS. 4 ,  6 ,  7  and  11  A, the apparatus for loading disks of the present invention comprises a drawer device  2  and a base  3 , multiple sets of sensors a, a′, b, b′, c, c′ are disposed on the base  3 , and the drawer device  2  can be moved back and forth along the base  3 . 
     The drawer device  2  includes a disk tray  20 , a driving mechanism  22 , an attaching element  23 , a swing element  24  and an elastic element  25 . The driving mechanism  22  is disposed at one side of the disk tray  20  for enabling the disk tray  20  to move back and forth along the base  3 . 
     The base  3  is disposed with multiple sets of sensors a, a′, b, b′, c, c′ and a transport mechanism  34 . The driving mechanism  22  is formed with a blocking edge  220  located correspondingly to the sensors a, a′, b, b′ for detecting the position of the disk tray  20  relative to the base  3 . 
     The attaching element  23  and the swing element  24  are located at the top and bottom of the disk tray  20  respectively, and the attaching element  23  and the swing element  24  are combined together and can be rotated relative to each other. In the present embodiment, the attaching element  23  and the swing element  24  are combined together via through holes  230  and  240  of the attaching element  23  and the swing element  24  by a screw, and the attaching element  23  and the swing element  24  also can be rotatably combined together by other methods (such as rivet jointing or locking). 
     The structure of the attaching element  23  is designed according to the disks of different shapes and sizes (such as a circular disk with a diameter of 80 mm or 120 mm, or card-shaped disks), and as compared to the conventional apparatus for loading disks, the apparatus for loading disks of the present invention is more practical. And referring to  FIGS. 5-10 , on the disk tray  20  corresponding to the position of the disk is disposed disk attachments  26  and  28  for fixing the disk. For printing the disks of different shapes, it is only needed to change the disk attachments  26  and  28  and to rotate the attaching element  23  to clip the disk, and then printing can be carried out. Moreover, the disk attachments  26  and  28  are easy to change, and really can fix the disks of different shapes and sizes by cooperating with the attaching element  23 . 
     An extending piece  21  extends from one side of the disk tray  20  for connecting with the driving mechanism  22 , and the disk tray  20  further includes an arc-shaped sliding groove  202 , two pivoting holes  204 ,  206  and a locking groove  205 . One end of the swing element  24  is formed with a pivoting post  244  to be inserted into the pivoting hole  204  of the disk tray  20 , and the other end of the swing element  24  is formed with a protruded post  242  and a protrusion  246 . The protruded post  242  is to be inserted in the sliding groove  202  of the disk tray  20 , the protrusion  246  is to be abutted against a blocking edge  31  formed on a front surface  30  of the base  3  and the transport mechanism  34  disposed near a rear surface  32  of the base  3 . One end of the elastic element  25  is locked in the locking groove  205  of the disk tray  20 , and the other end of the elastic element  25  is abutted against the swing element  24  in such a manner that the swing element  24  and the attaching element  23  can be returned to the original positions after the disk is taken out. The transport mechanism  34  has a pivoting point  340  and a blocking edge  342  located correspondingly to the sensors C, C′. When the protrusion  246  of the swing element  24  touches the transport mechanism  34 , the blocking edge  342  of the transport mechanism  34  will block or connect the sensors c, c′ to send out different signals, so as to detect whether the disk tray  20  is loaded with a disk or not. 
       FIGS. 5A ,  5 B,  6  and  7  are illustrative views of the disk attachment  26  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The disk attachment  26  is made of two oval-shaped pieces, both ends of a top surface of the disk attachment  26  are formed with an abutting end  260  having circular protrusion and a plane end  261 , and in an intermediate portion of the bottom surface of the disk attachment  26  is formed a locking edge  262  for cooperating with a locking hole  201  of the disk tray  20 . For printing the circular disks  4 ,  4   a  of different diameters of 120 mm or 80 mm, it is only needed to adjust the direction of the disk attachment  26 , enabling the abutting ends  260  or the plane ends  261  of the disk attachment  26  to toward to the outside simultaneously, and to rotate the attaching element  23  to clip the disks  4 ,  4   a , and then printing can be carried out. Moreover, the disk attachments  26  is easy to adjust, and really can fix the disks of different shapes and sizes by cooperating with the attaching element  23 . 
       FIGS. 8A ,  8 B,  9  and  10  are illustrative views of the disk attachment  28  in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The disk attachment  28  is a strip-shaped piece and both ends are expanded symmetrically, and both sides of the disk attachment  28  are formed with abutting edges  280  and  281  for cooperating with the card-shaped disks  4   b ,  4   c  of different sides respectively. In an intermediate portion of the bottom surface of the disk attachment  28  is formed a pivoting post  283  for cooperating with the pivoting hole  206  of the disk tray  20 , and near each end of the disk attachment  28  is formed a locking edge  284  for cooperating with the locking hole  201  of the disk tray  20 . For printing the card-shaped disks  4   b  and  4   c  of different shapes, it is only needed to rotate the disk attachment  28  for 180 degrees, enabling the abutting edges  280  and  281  of the disk attachment  28  to abut against the sides of the card-shaped disk  4   b  and  4   c , and to rotate the attaching element  23  to clip the disks, and then printing can be carried out. Moreover, the disk attachments  28  is easy to adjust, and really can fix the disks of different shapes and sizes by cooperating with the attaching element  23 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11A , as can be clearly seen from  FIG. 11A  that when the drawer device  2  with no disk is pushed towards the rear side  12  of the housing  10  relative to the base  3 , the swing element  24  and the attaching element  23  will be fixed and will not push the transport mechanism  34  disposed near the rear surface  32  of the base  3  by the restriction of the elastic element  25 , the protruded post  242  and the sliding groove  202 . In this case, the blocking edge  342  of the transport mechanism  34  will block or connect the sensors c, c′ to send out different signals, and to show that the disk tray  20  is not placed with the disk  4 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11B , when the drawer device  2  is pushed from the opening  110  of the front side  11  of the housing  10  and is placed with the disk  4 , the attaching element  23  and the swing element  24  will be inward deviated to the inner side of the housing  10  along the sliding groove  202 . And the disk  4  can be clipped and fixed to the disk tray  20  of the drawer device  2  by the elastic element  25 . 
     The relative positions of the disk tray  20  of the drawer device  2  and the base  3  in different conditions is shown in  FIGS. 11A-11D , the blocking edge  220  of the driving mechanism  22  is provided for blocking or connecting the sensors a, a′, b, b′ of the base  3  to send out different signals, so as to detect the position of the disk tray  20 . In addition, the blocking edge  342  of the transport mechanism  34  can block or connect the sensors c, c′ to send out different signals, so as to detect whether the disk tray  20  is loaded with the disk  4  or not. 
       FIG. 11B  shows the relative position of the blocking edge  220  of the driving mechanism  22  and the sensors a, a′, b, by of the base  3 , and the relative position of the protrusion  246  of the swing element  24  disposed at the bottom of the disk tray  20  and the blocking edge  31  of the front surface  30  of the base  3  when the drawer device  2  is protruded out of the housing  10 . 
       FIG. 11C  shows the relative position of the blocking edge  220  of the driving mechanism  22  and the sensors a, a′, b, b′ of the base  3 , and the relative position of the transport mechanism  34  disposed near the rear surface  32  of the base  3  and the sensors c, c′ of the base when the drawer device  2  placed with the disk moves into the housing  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 11A and 11D , when the drawer device  2  loaded with the disk  4  is pushed from the opening  120  of the rear side  12 , the protrusion  246  of the swing element  24  disposed at the bottom of the disk tray  20  will push the transport mechanism  34  disposed near the rear surface  32  of the base  3 . The blocking edge  220  of the driving mechanism  22  will connect the sensors a, a′, b, b′ of the base  3  to send out different signals, so as to show the direction of pushing the disk tray  20 . Further, the protrusion  246  of the swing element  24  disposed at the bottom of the disk tray  20  will push the transport mechanism  34 , such that the blocking edge  342  of the transport mechanism  34  will block or connect the sensors c, c′ to send out different signals, so as to show that the disk tray  20  is loaded with the disk  4 . 
     While we have shown and described various embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.