Patent Publication Number: US-2010122272-A1

Title: Slot-in type disk apparatus

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a disk apparatus for recording or replaying into or from a disk-like recording medium such as a CD and a DVD, and more particularly, to a slot-in type disk apparatus into which and from which a disk can directly be inserted or discharged. 
     BACKGROUND TECHNIQUE 
     According to a conventional disk apparatus, there is widely employed a loading system in which a disk is placed on a tray or a turntable, and the tray or the turntable is loaded into an apparatus body. According to such a loading system, since the tray or the turntable is required, there is a limit to reduce the thickness of the disk apparatus body. Therefore, there recently exists a slot-in type disk apparatus in which a disk is directly operated by a lever or the like using a loading motor (e.g., patent document 1). 
     [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-352498 
     DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
     Problem to be Solved by the Invention 
     Even if the disk apparatus is of the slot-in type in which a disk is directly operated by a lever or the like, in order to further reduce the apparatus in thickness, it is necessary to reduce the plate thickness of the lever or a base body, but if the plate thickness is reduced, sufficient strength can not be obtained. 
     Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a slot-in type disk apparatus which can be reduced in thickness without deteriorating strength of a lever or a base body. 
     Means for Solving the Problem 
     A first aspect of the present invention provides a slot-in type disk apparatus in which a base body and a lid constitute a chassis sheath, and a disk-insertion opening into which a disk is directly inserted is formed in a front surface of the chassis sheath, wherein an opening is formed in a portion of the base body, a plate which is thinner than the base body is mounted to the opening, thereby forming a space which is recessed more than a surface of the base body on the side of the lid, and a position above the space is a movement range of a lever which pulls in the disk. 
     According to a second aspect of the invention, in the slot-in type disk apparatus of the first aspect, the base body is constituted by a deep bottom and a shallow bottom, a wing portion extending from a front surface to a rear surface is formed by the shallow bottom, and the wing portion is provided with the space. 
     A third aspect of the invention provides a slot-in type disk apparatus in which a base body and a lid constitute a chassis sheath, the base body is constituted by a deep bottom and a shallow bottom, a wing portion extending from a front surface to a rear surface is formed by the shallow bottom, and a disk-insertion opening into which a disk is directly inserted is formed in a front surface of the chassis sheath, wherein an opening is formed in a portion of the wing portion, a plate which is thinner than the wing portion is mounted to the opening, thereby forming a space which is recessed more than a surface of the wing portion on the side of the lid, the wing portion is provided with a pull-in lever, the pull-in lever is moved by a sub-lever, and a position above the space is a movement range of the sub-lever. 
     According to a fourth aspect of the invention, in the slot-in type disk apparatus of the third aspect, the sub-lever is provided at its one end with a convex portion and at its other end with a turning fulcrum, the turning fulcrum is disposed on the deep bottom, the convex portion slides in a long groove of the pull-in lever, the convex portion is disposed on a surface of the sub-lever on the side of the lid, and the long groove is disposed in a surface of the pull-in lever on the side of the base body. 
     According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in the slot-in type disk apparatus of the fourth aspect, the space is formed into a sector shape having an arc side corresponding to a moving locus of the convex portion. 
     EFFECT OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, a plate thickness of the lever can sufficiently be secured, and a cap in which the lever moves is secured by the space formed by mounting the plate is secured. With this, the thickness of the apparatus can be reduced. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic plan view of a base body of a disk apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an essential portion of the base body of the disk apparatus. 
     
    
    
     EXPLANATION OF SYMBOLS 
     
         
           1  plate 
           2  opening 
           10  base body 
           11  disk-insertion opening 
       
    
     BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     According to the slot-in type disk apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, an opening is formed in a portion of the base body, a plate which is thinner than the base body is mounted to the opening, thereby forming a space which is recessed more than a surface of the base body on the side of the lid, and a position above the space is a movement range of a lever which pulls in the disk. With this aspect, the thickness of the lever is sufficiently secured, a gap in which the lever moves is secured by the space formed by mounting the plate, and the thickness of the apparatus can be reduced. 
     According to the second embodiment, in the slot-in type disk apparatus of the first aspect, the base body is constituted by a deep bottom and a shallow bottom, a wing portion extending from a front surface to a rear surface is formed by the shallow bottom, and the wing portion is provided with the space. With this aspect, the wing portion can be reduced in thickness. 
     According to the slot-in type disk apparatus of the third aspect of the invention, an opening is formed in a portion of the wing portion, a plate which is thinner than the wing portion is mounted to the opening, thereby forming a space which is recessed more than a surface of the wing portion on the side of the lid, the wing portion is provided with a pull-in lever, the pull-in lever is moved by a sub-lever, and a position above the space is a movement range of the sub-lever. With this aspect, the thickness of the lever can sufficiently be secured, a gap between the sub-lever and a disk when it is replayed is secured, thereby preventing the disk from coming into contact with the sub-lever, and the apparatus can be reduced in thickness. Further, if the sub-lever is disposed closer to the base body than the pull-in lever as in this embodiment, the pull-in lever can be separated away from the base body. Therefore, a distance between the base body and the pull-in lever which supports the disk can be secured, and it is possible to prevent a disk from coming into contact with the apparatus when the disk is inserted. 
     According to the fourth embodiment, in the slot-in type disk apparatus of the third aspect, the sub-lever is provided at its one end with a convex portion and at its other end with a turning fulcrum, the turning fulcrum is disposed on the deep bottom, the convex portion slides in a long groove of the pull-in lever, the convex portion is disposed on a surface of the sub-lever on the side of the lid, and the long groove is disposed in a surface of the pull-in lever on the side of the base body. With this aspect, since the sub-lever is disposed closer to the base body than the pull-in lever, the sub-lever can move smoothly due to this space. 
     According to the fifth embodiment, in the slot-in type disk apparatus of the fourth aspect, the space is formed into a sector shape having an arc side corresponding to a moving locus of the convex portion. With this aspect, the space can be formed such that the strength of the wing portion is not deteriorated. 
     Embodiment 
     A disk apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of a base body of the disk apparatus. 
     According to the disk apparatus of the embodiment, abase body and lid constitute a chassis sheath, and a bezel is attached to a front surface of the chassis sheath. The disk apparatus of the embodiment is a slot-in type disk apparatus in which a disk is directly inserted from a disk-insertion opening formed in the bezel. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , parts which realize the recording and replaying function onto or from a disk and a loading function of a disk are attached to the base body  10 . 
     The base body  10  is formed with a deep bottom  10 A and a shallow bottom  10 B. A wing portion extending from a front surface to a rear surface is formed by the shallow bottom  10 B. The wing portion is provided at its portion with a plate  1 . 
     The base body  10  is formed at its front side with a disk-insertion opening  11  into which a disk is directly inserted, and a connector  12  is disposed on an end of a rear surface of the base body  10 . A traverse base  30  is disposed on the base body  10  on the side of the disk-insertion opening  11 , and a rear base  13  is disposed on the base body  10  on the side of the connector  12 . The traverse base  30  and the rear base  13  are disposed such that they are not superposed on each other. A printed board  14  is provided on the rear base  13  on the side of the surface of the base body  10 . 
     The traverse base  30  holds a spindle motor  31 , a pickup  32  and driving means  33  which moves the pickup  32 . The spindle motor  31  is provided on the one end side of the traverse base  30 , and the pickup  32  is provided such that the pickup  32  can move from one end to the other end of the traverse base  30 . When the pickup  32  is stopped, it is disposed on the side of the other end of the traverse base  30 , i.e., on the outer peripheral side of the base body  10 . 
     In the traverse base  30 , the spindle motor  31  is located at a central portion of the base body  10 , a reciprocating range of the pickup  32  is located closer to the disk-insertion opening  11  than the spindle motor  31 , and the reciprocating direction of the pickup  32  is different from the insertion direction of the disk. Here, an angle of 45° is formed between the reciprocating direction of the pickup  32  and the insertion direction of a disk. 
     The traverse base  30  is supported on the base body  10  by a pair of insulators  34 A and  34 B. 
     The pair of insulators  34 A and  34 B are disposed closer to a stationary position of the pickup  32  than the position of the spindle motor  31 . In this embodiment, the insulator  34 A is provided on the side of one end near the inner side of the disk-insertion opening  11 , and the insulator  34 B is provided at a central portion near the inner side of the disk-insertion opening  11 . The insulators  34 A and  34 B includes damper mechanisms made of elastic material. The traverse base  30  brings the spindle motor  31  toward the base body  10  and away from the base body  10  around the insulators  34 A and  34 B as fulcrums. 
     A main slider  40  and a sub-slider  50  and a sub-slider  50  having cam mechanisms will be explained below. The cam mechanisms which displace the traverse base  30  are respectively provided on the main slider  40  and the sub-slider  50 . The main slider  40  and the sub-slider  50  are disposed on the side of the spindle motor  31 . The main slider  40  is disposed such that its one end comes on the side of a front surface of the chassis body  10  and its other end comes on the side of a rear surface of the chassis body  10 . The sub-slider  50  is disposed between the traverse base  30  and the rear base  13  in a direction perpendicular to the main slider  40 . 
     The cam mechanisms which displace the traverse base  30  comprise a first cam mechanism  41  and a second cam mechanism  51 . The first cam mechanism  41  is provided on a surface of the main slider  40  on the side of the spindle motor  31 , and the second cam mechanism  51  is provided on the sub-slider  50  on the side of the spindle motor  31 . 
     A base member  15  is provided between the main slider  40  and the traverse base  30 . Abase member  16  is provided between the sub-slider  50  and the traverse base  30 . The base member  15  and the base member  16  are fixed to the base body  10 . A position of a cam pin of the traverse base  30  is limited by a vertical groove formed in the base member  15 , and a position of the cam pin of the traverse base  30  is limited by a vertical groove formed in the base member  16 . 
     The base member  16  and the sub-slider  50  are connected to each other through a third cam mechanism (not shown). The third cam mechanism has a function for moving the sub-slider  50  away from the base body  10  when the traverse base  30  is moved away from the base body  10  by the second cam mechanism  51 . 
     A loading motor  60  is disposed on the side of one end of the main slider  40 . A drive shaft of the loading motor  60  and the one end of the main slider  40  are connected to each other through a gear mechanism  61 . 
     By driving the loading motor  60 , the main slider  40  can slide in the longitudinal direction. The main slider  40  is connected to the sub-slider  50  by a cam lever  70 . 
     The cam lever  70  includes a turning fulcrum  71 , a pin  72 , a pin  73  and a pin  74 . The pins  72  and  73  engage with a cam groove formed in an upper surface of the main slider  40 , the pin  74  engages a cam groove formed in an upper surface of the sub-slider  50 , and the cam lever  70  turns around a turning fulcrum  71  as an axis. 
     The above-explained connector  12 , traverse base  30 , rear base  13 , printed board  14 , insulators  34 A and  34 B, main slider  40 , sub-slider  50  and loading motor  60  are provided on the deep bottom  10 A of the base body  10 , and form a disk inserting space between these members and the lid. 
     Next, a guide member for supporting a disk when the disk is to be inserted, and a lever member which operates when a disk is inserted will be explained below. 
     A first disk guide  17  having a predetermined length is provided on the side of one end of the deep bottom  10 A near the disk-insertion opening  11 . The first disk guide  17  has a groove having a U-shaped cross section as viewed from the disk inserting side. A disk is supported by this groove. 
     A pull-in lever  80  is provided on the shallow bottom  10 B on the side of the disk-insertion opening  11 . A second disk guide  81  is provided on a movable side end of the pull-in lever  80 . The second disk guide  81  comprises a cylindrical roller, and is turnably provided on the movable end of the pull-in lever  80 . A groove is formed in a roller outer periphery of the second disk guide  81 , and a disk is supported by this groove. 
     The movable end of the pull-in lever  80  is operated closer to the disk-insertion opening  11  than the stationary side. The pull-in lever  80  has a turning fulcrum  82  on the stationary end. 
     The pull-in lever  80  is operated by a sub-lever  90 . 
     The sub-lever  90  has a projection  91  on the movable side one end, and a turning fulcrum  92  on the other end. The projection  91  of the sub-lever  90  slides in a long groove in the pull-in lever  80 . The turning fulcrum  92  of the sub-lever  90  is located on the main slider  40 . The turning fulcrum  92  is not operated in association with the main slider  40 , and is fixed to the rear base  13 . A pin  93  is provided on a lower surface of the sub-lever  90  at a location closer to the projection  91  than the turning fulcrum  92 . The pin  93  slides in the cam groove formed in an upper surface of the main slider  40 . Therefore, the angle of the sub-lever  90  is changed as the main slider  40  moves, and if the angle of the sub-lever  90  is changed, the turning angle of the pull-in lever  80  is changed. That is, the second disk guide  81  of the pull-in lever  80  moves toward and away from the spindle motor  31  by the operation of the sub-lever  90 . 
     A discharge lever  100  is provided on a side of the base body  10  which is different from the pull-in lever  80 . A guide  101  is provided on a movable side end on the side of one end of the discharge lever  100 . A turning fulcrum  102  is provided on the other end of the discharge lever  100 . An abutment portion  103  is provided on the movable side end of the discharge lever  100  on the side of a rear surface as compared with the guide  101 . The discharge lever  100  is provided with an elastic body  104 . One end of the elastic body  104  is fixed to the discharge lever  100 , and the other end is fixed to the rear base  13 . When the abutment portion  103  is pulled toward the rear surface, the abutment portion  103  abuts against an abutment portion  13 A of the rear base  13 . The discharge lever  100  is pulled out toward the disk-insertion opening  11  by elastic force of the elastic body  104 . The discharge lever  100  is operated in association with the main slider  40  through a link arm  105 . 
     A guide lever  180  is provided on a side of the base body  10  that is on the same side where the discharge lever  100  exists. A rear surface of the guide lever  180  is a turning fulcrum  181 , and a movable side of the guide lever  180  has a guide  182 . The guide lever  180  is biased by an elastic body such that the side of the guide  182  projects toward a disk. The guide lever  180  is operated in associated with the main slider  40  through the link arm  105 , and the side of the guide  182  is separated from a disk in accordance with motion of the main slider  40 . 
     A restriction lever  110  is provided on the side of a rear surface of the base body  10 . An end of the restriction lever  110  on the side of its rear surface is a turning fulcrum  111 , and an end of the restriction lever  110  on the movable side has a guide  112 . The side of the guide  112  of the restriction lever  110  is always biased such as to project toward the front side by an elastic body. The restriction lever  110  operates a limit switch at a predetermined position. That is, if a disk is inserted to a predetermined position, the limit switch is turned OFF, and the loading motor  60  is driven. If the loading motor  60  is driven, the main slider  40  slides. 
     The base body  10  is provided at its front side with a front guider  21 . The front guider  21  is provided on the side of one end of the disk-insertion opening  11 , and is disposed between the pull-in lever  80  and the disk-insertion opening  11 . The front guider  21  is provided closer to the lid  20  than the loading motor  60 , the gear mechanism and the main slider  40  such as to cover portions of the loading motor  60 , the gear mechanism and the main slider  40 . 
     The operation of the cam lever will be explained below. 
     While the pin  73  is in engagement with the cam groove of the main slider  40 , the cam lever  70  does not turn. This state is the standby state. This state continues for a while even after a disk is loaded, and the traverse base  30  is close to the base body  10 . 
     The pin  73  comes out from the cam groove of the main slider  40  when the center of the disk comes above the spindle motor  31 , and the cam lever  70  starts turning. 
     The main slider  40  has a groove in which the pin  72  of the cam lever  70  slides, and the first cam mechanism  41  is moved in the same direction as the main slider  40  by motion of the cam lever  70 . If the cam lever  70  turns, the sub-slider  50  is moved, and if the sub-slider  50  is moved, the second cam mechanism  51  is operated. 
     That is, if the cam lever  70  turns, the first cam mechanism  41  and the second cam mechanism  51  are moved by predetermined distances, and the traverse base  30  is displaced. 
     When the chucking motion is completed, the turning motion of the cam lever  70  is completed. 
     Next, a structure of the wing portion will be explained using  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an essential portion of the base body of the embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the shallow bottom  10 B forming the wing portion is formed with a sector opening  2 . A plate  1  having a sector flat portion is mounted to the opening  2 . The plate  1  is made of material which is thinner than the shallow bottom  10 B. A mounting piece  1 A is formed on one side of the flat portion, projections  1 B are formed on the other side of the flat portion, and a projection  1 C is formed on an arc portion of the flat portion. The mounting piece  1 A is hook-fixed to a sidewall of the deep bottom  10 A. The projections  1 B and  1 C are retained to a periphery of the opening  2 . By mounting the plate  1  to the opening  2  by the mounting piece  1 A and the projections  1 B and  1 C, a space which is recessed than a lid-side surface of the shallow bottom  10 B is formed at a position above the plate  1 . The sub-lever  90  moves at a position above the space. The plate  1  is mounted such that its lower surface is flush with back and front surfaces of the shallow bottom  10 B. 
     According to the embodiment, the recessed space is formed, and the sub-lever  90  is operated at a position above this space. With this, a thickness of the sub-lever  90  is sufficiently secured, a gap between the sub-lever  90  and a disk when it is replayed is secured, it is possible to prevent the disk from coming into contact with the sub-lever  90 , and the apparatus can be reduced in thickness. If the sub-lever  90  is disposed closer to the base body  10  than the pull-in lever  80  as in this embodiment, the pull-in lever  80  can be separated from the base body  10 . Therefore, a distance between the base body  10  and the pull-in lever  80  which supports a disk can be secured and thus, it is possible to prevent the disk from coming into contact with the base body  10  when the disk is inserted. 
     This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority of Japanese Patent Application NO. 2006-14348 filed on Jan. 23, 2006, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
     In a disk apparatus for recording or replaying into or from a disk-like recording medium such as a CD and a DVD, the present invention can be utilized for a disk apparatus which is used as a domestic video device or a peripheral device of a computer, and which needs to be reduced in thickness.