Patent Abstract:
A front panel of an optical disc drive is provided. The optical disc drive further includes a LED indicator for displaying a working status of the optical disc drive. The front panel includes a light-transmissible zone corresponding to the LED indicator. A thickness of the light-transmissible zone is smaller than an average thickness of the front panel. The light-transmissible zone is integrally formed with the front panel.

Full Description:
This application claims the benefit of People&#39;s Republic of China Application Serial No. 201110441054.8, filed Dec. 26, 2011, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a component of an optical disc drive, and more particularly to a front panel of an optical disc drive. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic perspective view illustrating the outward appearance of a conventional optical disc drive. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the conventional optical disc drive comprises an upper cover  110 , a front panel  120 , a tray panel  130 , a control button  140 , and a signal-indicating aperture  150 . After the optical disc drive is installed in a computer system, only the front panel  120 , the tray panel  130 , the control button  140  and the signal-indicating aperture  150  are exposed. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic exploded view illustrating the components within the conventional optical disc drive and relevant to the front panel. The optical disc drive has a closed space, which is defined by the upper cover  110 , a lower cover  112 , the front panel  120  and the tray panel  130 . In addition, a spindle motor, an optical pickup head, a sled motor, a tray motor, a control circuit, and some other components are disposed within the close space of the optical disc drive. Since these components are not subject matters of the present invention, these components are not shown and described in the drawings. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  again. A supporting tray  132  and the tray panel  130  are collectively defined as a tray module. The supporting tray  132  is used for supporting an optical disc (not shown). The movement of the tray module is driven by the tray motor (not shown), so that the tray module may be loaded into or ejected from the optical disc drive for loading or unloading the optical disc. 
     Moreover, a daughter circuit board  114  is located at a front edge of the lower cover  112 . A LED indicator  116  and a control switch  118  are mounted on the daughter circuit board  114 . After the front panel  120  is combined with the upper cover  110  and the lower cover  112 , the LED indicator  116  is aligned with the signal-indicating aperture  150 , and the control switch  118  is aligned with the control button  140 . 
     Moreover, the control button  140  is in contact with the control switch  118 . In a case that the control button  140  is pressed down by the user, the control switch  118  is triggered. Once the control switch  118  is triggered, the tray module is controlled to be moved forwardly or backwardly in order to load the optical disc or eject the optical disc. Moreover, during a data-accessing operation of the optical disc drive is performed, the LED indicator  116  emits a flickering light signal. The optical light is transmitted through the signal-indicating aperture  150 , so that the working status of the optical disc drive is realized by the user. Generally, a light-guiding pillar  160  (see  FIG. 3 ) is inserted into the signal-indicating aperture  150  for guiding the light signal. Due to the light-guiding pillar  160 , the light signal from the LED indicator  116  is not directly projected onto the user&#39;s eyes, and thus the possibility of injuring the user&#39;s eyes will be minimized. 
       FIG. 3  schematically illustrates a front view of the conventional optical disc drive and a partial top view of an inner portion of the conventional optical disc drive. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an end of the control button  140  is fixed on the front panel  120 . In a case that the control button  140  is not pressed down, the control button  140  is in contact with the control switch  118 . When the control button  140  is pressed down, the control button  140  is moved toward the inner portion of the optical disc drive with a point A as a fulcrum, so that the control switch  118  is triggered by the control button  140 . Once the control switch  118  is triggered, the tray module is controlled to be moved forwardly or backwardly in order to load the optical disc or eject the optical disc. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 3  again. The light-guiding pillar  160  is made of a translucent plastic material. The light-guiding pillar  160  is fixed in the signal-indicating aperture  150  of the front panel  120 . Due to the light-guiding pillar  160 , the light signal from the LED indicator  116  is not directly projected onto the user&#39;s eyes, and thus the possibility of injuring the user&#39;s eyes will be minimized. 
     As is well known, the front panel  120 , the light-guiding pillar  160  and the control button  140  are three different components of the conventional optical disc drive. After the front panel  120  is produced, the light-guiding pillar  160  should be additionally combined with the front panel  120  by the worker of the assembly plant of the optical disc drive. Moreover, the end of the control button  140  should be fixed on the front panel  120 . 
     From the front view of the conventional optical disc drive, it is found that the front appearance is determined by the front panel  120 , the light-guiding pillar  160 , the control button  140  and the tray panel  130 . These components are produced by injection processes using respective molds. After these components are produced, the light-guiding pillar  160  and the control button  140  are fixed on the front panel  120  by manpower. In other words, the process of assembling the front panel of the conventional optical disc drive is complicated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a front panel of an optical disc drive, in which the process of assembling the front panel is simplified and the number of the components is reduced. 
     A first embodiment of the present invention provides a front panel of an optical disc drive. The optical disc drive further includes a tray for supporting an optical disc and a LED indicator for displaying a working status of the optical disc drive. The front panel includes a control button and a light-transmissible zone. The control button is used for controlling movement of the tray, thereby selectively loading or ejecting the optical disc. The light-transmissible zone is aligned with the LED indicator. A thickness of the light-transmissible zone is smaller than an average thickness of the front panel. The control button and the light-transmissible zone are integrally formed with the front panel. 
     A second embodiment of the present invention provides a front panel of an optical disc drive. The optical disc drive further includes a tray for supporting an optical disc and a LED indicator for displaying a working status of the optical disc drive. The front panel includes a control button and a light-transmissible zone. The control button is used for controlling movement of the tray, thereby selectively loading or ejecting the optical disc. An end of the control button is fixed on the front panel. The light-transmissible zone is aligned with the LED indicator. A thickness of the light-transmissible zone is smaller than an average thickness of the front panel. The light-transmissible zone is integrally formed with the front panel. 
     A third embodiment of the present invention provides a front panel of an optical disc drive. The optical disc drive further includes a LED indicator for displaying a working status of the optical disc drive. The front panel includes a light-transmissible zone corresponding to the LED indicator. A thickness of the light-transmissible zone is smaller than an average thickness of the front panel. The light-transmissible zone is integrally formed with the front panel. 
     Numerous objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description of embodiments of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art after reviewing the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  (prior art) is a schematic perspective view illustrating the outward appearance of a conventional optical disc drive; 
         FIG. 2  (prior art) is a schematic exploded view illustrating the components within the conventional optical disc drive and relevant to the front panel; 
         FIG. 3  (prior art) schematically illustrates a front view of the conventional optical disc drive and a partial top view of an inner portion of the conventional optical disc drive; 
         FIG. 4  schematically illustrates a front view of an optical disc drive according to a first embodiment of the present invention as well as a partial top view of an inner portion of the optical disc drive; 
         FIG. 5  schematically illustrates a front view of an optical disc drive according to a second embodiment of the present invention as well as a partial top view of an inner portion of the optical disc drive; and 
         FIG. 6  schematically illustrates a front view of an optical disc drive according to a third embodiment of the present invention as well as a partial top view of an inner portion of the optical disc drive. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a front panel of an optical disc drive. Except for the front panel, the configurations of other components (e.g. the upper cover  110 , the lower cover  112 , the daughter circuit board  114 , and the tray module) are similar to those of the conventional optical disc drive, and are not redundantly described herein. 
       FIG. 4  schematically illustrates a front view of an optical disc drive according to a first embodiment of the present invention as well as a partial top view of an inner portion of the optical disc drive. In this embodiment, the front panel  420  is integrally formed by an injection molding process using a single mold. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the front panel  420  comprises a light-transmissible zone  422  and a control button  424 . Especially, the control button  424  is integrally formed with the front panel  420  through an elastic structure B. 
     In a case that the control button  424  is not pressed down, the control button  424  is in contact with the control switch  118 , but the control switch  118  is not triggered by the control button  424 . When the control button  424  is pressed down, the elastic structure B is subject to deformation, and the control button  424  is moved toward the inner portion of the optical disc drive to trigger the control switch  118 . Once the control switch  118  is triggered, the tray module is controlled to be moved forwardly or backwardly in order to load the optical disc or eject the optical disc. 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 4 , no signal-indicating aperture is formed in the front panel  420 . For allowing user to view the light signal from the LED indicator  116 , the light-transmissible zone  422  of the front panel  420  is aligned with the LED indicator  116 . In this embodiment, the thickness of the light-transmissible zone  422  is smaller than the average thickness of the front panel  420 . For example, if the average thickness of the front panel  420  is 5 mm, the thickness of the light-transmissible zone  422  is 0.5 mm. 
     Please refer to  FIG. 4  again. Since no signal-indicating aperture is formed in the light-transmissible zone  422  of the front panel  420 , the light signal from the LED indicator  116  is partially transmitted through the thinner light-transmissible zone  422  to be viewed by the user. By viewing the light signal transmitted through the light-transmissible zone  422 , the working status of the optical disc drive will be realized. 
     As previously described in the prior art, the light-guiding pillar, the control button and the front panel of the conventional optical disc drive are discrete components. In contrast, the front panel of the optical disc drive of this embodiment is integrally formed by using a single mold. Since the process of assembling the front panel of the present invention is simplified, the fabricating cost of the optical disc drive will be effectively reduced. 
       FIG. 5  schematically illustrates a front view of an optical disc drive according to a second embodiment of the present invention as well as a partial top view of an inner portion of the optical disc drive. In this embodiment, the front panel  520  is produced by an injection molding process using less number of molds. 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the front panel  520  comprises a light-transmissible zone  522  and a control button  540 . The control button  540  is a discrete component. An end of the control button  540  is fixed on the front panel  520 . When the control button  540  is pressed down, the control button  540  is moved toward the inner portion of the optical disc drive with a point C as a fulcrum. 
     In a case that the control button  540  is not pressed down, the control button  540  is in contact with the control switch  118 , but the control switch  118  is not triggered by the control button  540 . When the control button  540  is pressed down, the control button  540  is moved toward the inner portion of the optical disc drive to trigger the control switch  118 . Once the control switch  118  is triggered, the tray module is controlled to be moved forwardly or backwardly in order to load the optical disc or eject the optical disc. 
     Moreover, as shown in  FIG. 5 , no signal-indicating aperture is formed in the front panel  520 . For allowing user to view the light signal from the LED indicator  116 , the light-transmissible zone  522  of the front panel  520  is aligned with the LED indicator  116 . In this embodiment, the thickness of the light-transmissible zone  522  is smaller than the average thickness of the front panel  520 . Please refer to  FIG. 5  again. Since no signal-indicating aperture is formed in the light-transmissible zone  522  of the front panel  520 , the light signal from the LED indicator  116  is partially transmitted through the thinner light-transmissible zone  522  to be viewed by the user. By viewing the light signal transmitted through the light-transmissible zone  522 , the working status of the optical disc drive will be realized. 
     As previously described in the prior art, the light-guiding pillar, the control button and the front panel of the conventional optical disc drive are discrete components. In contrast, the front panel of the optical disc drive of this embodiment is produced by fixing the control button  540  on the front panel  520 . Since the process of assembling the front panel of the present invention is simplified, the fabricating cost of the optical disc drive will be effectively reduced. 
       FIG. 6  schematically illustrates a front view of an optical disc drive according to a third embodiment of the present invention as well as a partial top view of an inner portion of the optical disc drive. In this embodiment, the front panel  620  is produced by an injection molding process using less number of molds. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the front panel  620  comprises a signal-indicating aperture  650  and a control button  624 . Especially, the control button  624  is integrally formed with the front panel  620  through an elastic structure B. 
     In a case that the control button  624  is not pressed down, the control button  624  is in contact with the control switch  118 , but the control switch  118  is not triggered by the control button  624 . When the control button  624  is pressed down, the elastic structure B is subject to deformation, and the control button  624  is moved toward the inner portion of the optical disc drive to trigger the control switch  118 . Once the control switch  118  is triggered, the tray module is controlled to be moved forwardly or backwardly in order to load the optical disc or eject the optical disc. 
     Moreover, a light-guiding pillar  660  is fixed in the signal-indicating aperture  650  of the front panel  620 . The light signal from the LED indicator  116  is partially transmitted through the light-guiding pillar  660  to be viewed by the user. By viewing the light signal transmitted through the light-guiding pillar  660 , the working status of the optical disc drive will be realized. 
     As previously described in the prior art, the light-guiding pillar, the control button and the front panel of the conventional optical disc drive are discrete components. In contrast, the front panel of the optical disc drive of this embodiment is produced by fixing light-guiding pillar  660  in the signal-indicating aperture  650  of the front panel  620 . Since the process of assembling the front panel of the present invention is simplified, the fabricating cost of the optical disc drive will be effectively reduced. 
     From the above description, since the front panel of the optical disc drive of the present invention is assembled by using less number of components, the assembling process is simplified and the fabricating cost is reduced. The above embodiments are illustrated by referring to the front panel of the half-height optical disc drive. Nevertheless, the concepts of the present invention may be also applied to the front panel of the slim-type optical disc drive. 
     While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6