Abstract:
An optical disk drive includes a cassette mechanism and a protective structure. The protective structure includes a protective member. The protective member includes a protective portion with a passage that can deform to increase the width of the passage when an optical disk enters the passage, and returning to the original width of the passage when the optical disk has passed through the passage.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to optical disk drives, and particularly, to a slot-in optical disk drive with protective structure. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Slot-in optical disk drives are currently widely used. A typical slot-in optical disk drive includes a housing and a cassette mechanism. The housing and the cassette mechanism cooperatively define an access slot. In use, an optical disk is received in the cassette mechanism via the access slot of the housing and the cassette mechanism. 
         [0005]    The width of the access slot cannot be less than the thickness of the optical disk. However, it must not be large enough such that dust or other contaminants can enter into the inner cassette mechanism of the optical disk drive via the access slot, especially when the disk is in use. Such contaminants can severely damage the laser probes of the drive. Thus, the operational life of the optical disk drive is shortened. 
         [0006]    Therefore, an optical disk drive is desirable that overcomes the described limitations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with references to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views, and all the views are schematic. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an isometric, assembled view of an embodiment of an optical disk drive including a protective structure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the optical disk drive in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section of the protective structure employed in the optical disk drive in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of an optical disk drive  9  includes a cassette mechanism  10 , a housing  11 , a protective structure  13 , and an adhesive layer  15 . The protective structure  13  is fixed to the housing  11  by the adhesive layer  15 . The housing  11  is fixed to the cassette mechanism  10 . The cassette mechanism  10  defines an access slot  101 . The housing  11  defines a through hole  111 . In the illustrated embodiment, the adhesive layer  15  is a double-sided tape. 
         [0012]    Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the protective structure  13  includes a support member  131  and a protective member  133  connected together by, for example, bi-injection molding. The support member  131  may be substantially rectangular, and defines at least one fixing hole  1311  and an assembly slot  1313 . The support member  131  also includes at least one engaging portion  1315  formed on one or two ends of the support member  131 . The protective member  133  may be made of elastic material, such as rubber. The protective member  133  includes a protective portion  1333 , at least one protrusion  1331 , and at least one coating portion  1335 . In the illustrated embodiment, there are two engaging portions  1315  formed on opposite sides of the support member  131 . There are also two coating portions  1335  formed on opposite sides of the protective member  133 . The protective member  133  is fixed on the support member  131  with the protrusions  1331  engaging the fixing holes  1311 . The protective member  133  is stably fixed on the support member  131  with the coating portions  1335  covering the engaging portions  1315 . The protective portion  1333  defines a passage  1334  communicating with the assembly slot  1313 . The protective portion  1333  is thin to decrease resistance from insertion of an optical disk  200  into the cassette mechanism  10 . The length of the passage  1334  is not less than a diameter of the optical disk  200 . A width of the passage  1334  is less than the thickness of the optical disk  200  or even substantially equal to zero to prevent contaminants from entering the cassette mechanism  10  and keep the surface of the optical disk  200  clean. In the illustrated embodiment, the fixing hole  1311  passes through opposite end surfaces of the support member  131 . In the illustrated embodiment, the assembly slot  1313  is defined at a center portion of the protective member  133 , and a thickness of the protective portion  1333  is less than 0.5 millimeters. 
         [0013]    The optical disk drive  9  is assembled by fixing the protective structure  133  to the housing  11  by the adhesive layer  15 . The protective structure  13  is fixed between the cassette mechanism  10  and the housing  11  as the housing  11  is fixed to the cassette mechanism  10 . The through hole  111  of the housing  11 , the passage  1334  of the protective member  133 , the assembly slot  1313 , and the access slot  101  of the cassette mechanism  10  communicate with each other. 
         [0014]    In use, the optical disk  200  is inserted through the passage  1334 , the assembly slot  1313 , and the access slot  101 , and is received in the through hole  111 , during which the protective portion  1333  at the opposite sides of the passage  1334  is deformed to increase the width of the passage  1334 , and contaminants on the surface of optical disk  200  are removed by the protective portion  1333 . The protective portion  1333  at the opposite sides of the passage  1334  elastically returns to its previous state thereby decreasing the width of the passage  1334  as the optical disk  200  passes through the passage  1334 . 
         [0015]    The optical disk drive prevents contaminants from entry, as well as removing contaminants from the surface of the optical disk by the protective member. 
         [0016]    It can be understood that the width of the passage may be substantially equal to the thickness of the optical disk, as long as the protective portion prevents contaminants from entry. If the protective portion is sufficiently thin, the protective member can be made from a stiffer material. Furthermore, to completely prevent contaminants from entry, the protective portion at opposite sides of the passage may also overlap to close the passage. The optical disk can push the protective portion away from the main body, through the passage, the assembly slot, and the access slot, to be received in the through hole. 
         [0017]    Further, only one side of the passage of the protective portion may be deformable. 
         [0018]    Finally, while various embodiments have been described and illustrated, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various modifications can be made to the embodiments by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.