Abstract:
An optical disk drive is disclosed. The optical disk drive for operating an optical disk which is bi-directionally transported along a center axis of the optical disk drive includes a shield, a tray and a holder. The tray is movably connected to the shield. The holder pivots on the tray to form a cantilever with a free end. A space is defined between the free end and the center axis, and the optical disk is clamped between the tray and the holder.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The invention relates to an optical disk drive, and in particular to an optical disk drive with a clamp holder.  
         [0002]      FIG. 1A  depicts a conventional optical disk drive. The optical disk  10  enters the shield  11  through the opening  111 .  FIG. 1B  depicts a holding mechanism  13  in the shield  11  of the conventional optical disk drive. The holding mechanism  13  clamps the optical disk  10  as it moves into the shield  11 . The holding mechanism  13  comprises an upper cover  131 , a clamping plate  132 , a lower cover  133  and a torsion spring  134 . The upper and lower covers  131  and  133  are engaged by screws (not shown) passing through the threaded holes  135 . The clamping plate  132  is disposed on the shaft  136  between the upper and lower covers  131  and  133  and rotates thereby. The torsion spring  134  disposed between the upper cover  131  and the shaft  136  provides a force on the clamping plate  132  to secure the optical disk  10  in place.  FIG. 1C  depicts the optical disk  10  disposed in the shield  11  and held in place by the lateral A of the clamping plate  132  shown in  FIG. 1B . The roller  137  at the bottom of the holding mechanism  13  slides along the track  122  on the inner surface of the shield  11  until the pickup mechanism  12 , the turntable  14 , and the optical disk  10  are aligned with each other. Furthermore, a drop zone  113  is formed on the track  112  due to the required vertical movement of the holding mechanism  13  along the track  112  in order to prevent interference with the spindle  121 .  
         [0003]     The conventional optical disk drive has a complicated inner structure, a great number of components, large volume, and low reliability, thus an optical disk drive capable of ameliorating the described disadvantages is desirable.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     The invention discloses an optical disk drive. The optical disk drive for operating an optical disk which is bi-directionally transported along a center axis of the optical disk drive includes a shield, a tray and a holder. The tray is movably connected to the shield. The holder pivots on the tray to form a cantilever with a free end. A space is defined between the free end and the center axis, and the optical disk is clamped between the tray and the holder.  
         [0005]     The optical disk drive may further comprise a pickup mechanism connected to the shield, moving along the center axis with respect to the tray and the holder, passing through the space.  
         [0006]     The holder may comprise a shaft pivoted on the tray. The tray may comprise a connection portion projecting upward therefrom. The shaft of the holder pivots on the connection portion.  
         [0007]     The optical disk drive may further comprise a resilient member disposed between the tray and the shaft, providing a force to the holder to secure the optical disk in place. The resilient member may comprise a torsion spring.  
         [0008]     The optical disk drive may further comprise a protrusion protruding toward the tray. The holder may comprise an actuating portion. When the tray moves to a position with respect to the shield, the protrusion abuts the actuating portion, and the holder rotates via the shaft, releasing the optical disk.  
         [0009]     The optical disk drive may further comprise a damper disposed on the tray, and the optical disk is clamped between the holder and the damper.  
         [0010]     The holder may be parallel to a surface of the tray and project toward the center axis.  
         [0011]     Accordingly, an extension direction of the holder may be perpendicular to the center axis.  
         [0012]     The invention further discloses an optical disk drive. The optical disk drive for operating an optical disk which is bi-directionally transported along a center axis of the optical disk drive comprises a shield, a tray, and two holders. The tray is connected to the shield and movable between a first position and a second position. The holders are symmetrically disposed on the tray and project toward the center axis. The optical disk is clamped between the tray and the holders.  
         [0013]     The holders may be parallel to the tray. Each holder is a cantilever with a free end, and a space is defined between the free ends.  
         [0014]     The optical disk drive may further comprise a pickup mechanism connected to the shield, moving along the center axis with respect to the tray and the holders, passing through the space.  
         [0015]     Each holder may comprise a shaft pivoted on the tray. The tray may comprise two connection portions symmetrically arranged according to the center axis and projecting upward from a surface of the tray. The shafts of the holders are pivoted on the connection portions.  
         [0016]     The optical disk drive may further comprise two resilient members disposed between the tray and the shafts, providing a force to the holders to secure the optical disk in place. The resilient members may be torsion springs.  
         [0017]     The optical disk drive may further comprise two protrusions protruding toward the tray. Each holder may comprise an actuating portion. When the tray moves to the second position, the protrusions abut the actuating portions, and the holders rotate via the shafts, releasing the optical disk.  
         [0018]     The optical disk drive may further comprise two dampers disposed on the tray, and the optical disk is clamped between the holders and the dampers.  
         [0019]     Accordingly, an extension direction of the holders may be perpendicular to the center axis. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description in conjunction with the examples and references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1A  is a schematic view of a conventional optical disk drive;  
         [0022]      FIG. 1B  is a partially enlarged view of a conventional optical disk drive;  
         [0023]      FIG. 1C  is another partially enlarged view of a conventional optical disk drive;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2A  is a schematic view of an optical disk drive of the invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2B  is another schematic view of an optical disk drive of the invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 3A  is a partially enlarged view of an optical disk drive of the invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 3B  is a partially enlarged view of an optical disk drive of the invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3C  is a partial schematic view of an optical disk drive of the invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  is a partially enlarged view of an optical disk drive of the invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4B  is a partially enlarged view of an optical disk drive of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0031]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  depict an optical disk drive of the invention comprising a shield  21 , a tray  22 , holders  23 , a pickup mechanism  24  and resilient members  25 . The tray  22  is disposed in the shield  21  and movable between a first position I and a second position II.  
         [0032]      FIG. 2A  depicts the state of the front edge of the tray  22  at the first position I and  FIG. 2B  depicts the state of the front edge of the tray  22  at the second position II (hereinafter, simply referred to as the tray  22  at the first position I or the second position II). The optical disk  10  is placed on the tray  22  and clamped by the holders  23  as the optical disk  10  enters the optical disk drive along a center axis C, driven by a driving mechanism (not shown, such as a motor) so that the tray  22  moves from the first position I to the second position II, and the optical disk is finally received in the optical disk drive.  
         [0033]     When the tray  22  locates at the second position II, the center hole  101  of the optical disk  10  is aligned with the spindle  241  of the pickup mechanism  24 , and the holder  23  release the optical disk  10 . Thereafter, the optical disk drive may read and/or write information on the optical disk  10 .  
         [0034]      FIGS. 3A  to  3 C illustrate the structure of the tray  22 , the holder  23 , the pickup mechanism  24 , and the resilient member  25 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 3A  depicts the tray  22  comprising two connection portion  221  symmetrically disposed thereon with respect to the center axis C and projecting upward from a surface  222 . Blocks  223  are disposed on the tray  22  to limit the optical disk  10 . Further, the optical disk  10  is clamped between the plastic dampers  26  which are disposed on the tray  22  and the holders  23  to protect the optical disk  10  from scraping.  
         [0036]      FIG. 3B  depicts the holder  23 , comprising a shaft  231 , by which the holder  23  is pivoted to the connection portion  221 , thus, the holder  23  forms a cantilever with a free end F. A space S is defined between the free end F and the center axis C. Additionally, the extension direction of the holder  23  is parallel to the surface  222  of the tray  22  and perpendicular to the center axis C.  
         [0037]     The resilient members  25  (such as a torsion spring) are respectively and symmetrically disposed on the posts  224  of the tray  22  with respect to the center axis C. One end of the resilient member  25  abuts the shaft  231  of the holder  23 , and the other end abuts the tray  22  so that the resilient members  25  provide force on the holders  23  to clamp the optical disk  10 .  
         [0038]      FIG. 3C  depicts the pickup mechanism  24  comprising a spindle  241 , two protrusions  242  and a cover  243 . The cover  243  is fixed in the shield  21 . The spindle  241  and the protrusions  242  are fixed on the cover  243  and project toward the tray  22 . Further, the position of the protrusions  242  correspond to the actuating portions  232  on the holders  23 .  
         [0039]      FIG. 4A  depicts the tray  22  at the first position I. The holder  23  slants toward the tray  22  due to the force from the resilient member  25 . Thus, when placed on the tray  22 , the optical disk (not shown in  FIG. 4A ) is clamped between the dampers  26  and the holders  23  and limited by the blocks  223 . The driving mechanism (not shown) then drives the tray  22  to move in direction A (along the center axis C) to the second position II. The space S (as shown in  FIG. 3A ) defined between the center axis C and the free end F allows the spindle  241  (as shown in  FIG. 3C ) on the cover  243  to pass through the space S without interference.  FIG. 4B  depicts the tray  22  in the second position II. The protrusions  242  of the pickup mechanism  24 , which are always motionless, abut the actuating portions of the holders  232 , which move with the tray  22 , against force provided by the resilient members  25  so that the holders  23  rotate by the shafts  231 , releasing the optical disk  10 . Thereafter, the optical disk drive may read and/or write information on the optical disk  10 .  
         [0040]     When ejecting the optical disk, the driving mechanism drives the tray  22  to move in direction B (along the center axis C) to the first position I. Meanwhile, the tray  22  starts moving, the actuating portions  232  separate from the protrusions  242 , and the holders  23  then rotate toward the tray  22  due to force provided by the resilient member  25  to again clamp the optical disk. Finally, the tray  22  moves back to the first position I as shown in  FIG. 4A , ejecting the optical disk.  
         [0041]     As mentioned, the structure of the optical disk drive of the invention is simpler, has fewer components, and reduced size. The tray, the holder and the resilient member are assembled without screws. The space is defined between the free end of the holder and the center axis, and the thickness of the tray is reduced. Thus, the tray, the holder and the optical disk are movable between the first position and the second position without interference with the pickup mechanism. In other words, the optical disk drive of the invention does not move down the tray and thus prevents interference between the tray, the holder and the pickup mechanism.  
         [0042]     While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.