JP2001210000A - Optical disk recording/reproducing device, and optical disk magazine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical disk recording/reproducing device capable of preventing the falling-off of a disk tray from a cartridge, and facilitating optical disk replacement. SOLUTION: This device is provided with a medium housing part 2 for exchanging an optical disk with a recording/reproducing part, and a magazine 21 freely attachably/detachably supported in the medium housing part 2. The magazine is provided with a cartridge 25 supporting a disk tray to allow its free advancing/retreating inside and outside, plural disk trays 22 freely attachably and detachably housed in a cartridge, and a gripper 30 for freely attachably and detachably gripping a part of each disk tray and protruding it out of the cartridge. The disk tray is provided with a tray main body, and a tray lug part 22b protruded from the outer peripheral edge of the tray main body. The gripper freely attachably and detachably supports tray lug parts in block, housed in the cartridge of the magazine separated from the medium housing part and protruded from the opening of the cartridge to the outside, and supports each disk tray including the tray lug part freely turnably in a horizontal direction.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a recording / reproducing function for recording / reproducing information on / from an optical disc, a disc change function for supplying an optical disc selectively taken out of a magazine containing a plurality of optical discs to a recording / reproducing section. In particular, in a magazine mechanism having a disk tray for accommodating optical disks one by one, while preventing the tray from dropping from the magazine,
The present invention relates to a magazine mechanism for an optical disk changer that has improved workability of replacing an optical disk in a magazine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a recording / reproducing apparatus using an optical disk as a recording medium has been frequently used for a computer, a vehicle, and the like. An optical disk changer capable of supplying and returning an arbitrary optical disk has been commercialized and used. This optical disc changer
As a part of the recording / reproducing device, the recording / reproducing device is disposed close to the recording / reproducing unit, and performs operations such as supplying the designated optical disk to the recording / reproducing unit in accordance with an instruction from the operation unit, returning the optical disk to the optical disk changer, and the like. The method of housing the optical disk in the optical disk changer is roughly classified into two. In other words, one type requires only one optical disk to be loaded into the optical disk changer and the optical disk needs to be replaced one by one when replacing the optical disk, and the other type has multiple optical disks loaded in advance into a cartridge called a magazine. In addition, the magazine is a type that can be attached to and detached from the optical disc changer together with the magazine (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-212667).

In the latter type of magazine type optical disc changer, when exchanging optical discs mounted in the changer main body, particularly when exchanging and exchanging a plurality of optical discs, an optical disc is removed from a magazine taken out of the changer main body. It is necessary to repeat the work of removing and inserting new one by one,
At the time of the exchange operation, it is necessary to pull out one by one to confirm which optical disk of what recording content is accommodated in which disk accommodating portion (slot) in the magazine. For example, if two optical disks are simultaneously pulled out from the magazine, the optical disk located on the upper side will be in the way, and the label surface of the lower optical disk cannot be checked. After pulling out and checking the label surface, it was necessary to withdraw or completely pull out the slot, and then take out and check the next optical disk. If the confirmation work is to be performed by partially pulling out the lower optical disc one by one toward the upper optical disc one by one sequentially, the lower optical disc whose label has been confirmed is located directly above without being retracted. Although the above problem may be solved because the optical disk can be pulled out, the distance between adjacent optical disks in the magazine is extremely narrow, so the lower optical disk is partially pulled out and the optical disk directly above it is pulled out. Is difficult to pull out in the same direction. Therefore, also in this case, it is necessary to check the label by pulling out the lower optical disk and then withdraw or remove it, and then pull out the upper optical disk in the same direction to check the label.

That is, in the conventional magazine, the label contents of a plurality of optical discs contained in the magazine or all the optical discs cannot be confirmed at the same time. However, there is a problem that the operation of confirming which optical disk is stored in which slot is complicated, and as a result, the replacement operation takes time. In addition, since it is necessary to pull out the optical disk in each slot arranged adjacently at a narrow interval in the same direction using a finger or the like also in the removal operation, the optical disk pulled out first must be retracted, or only after the optical disk has been removed. It was not easy to pull out another adjacent optical disk. Therefore, for example, even if you want to replace only one disk, if you do not know which slot it is loaded in, it is necessary to pull out the disks one by one to check the label and return it. Sex was extremely bad. In the conventional example described in the above publication, the optical disk is taken in and out together with the tray with the optical disk attached and supported on the support surface of the tray housed in each slot of the magazine so as to be able to be pulled out. The above-mentioned disadvantages also apply. In other words, in this conventional example, since each tray can be removed from the magazine, the trays are likely to fall apart, and it is necessary to pull out and return individual trays when checking and replacing labels. Sex was bad.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and a plurality of optical disks housed in a cartridge are simultaneously pulled out in a magazine mechanism for an optical disk changer provided in an optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to be able to simultaneously unfold the labels of a plurality of optical discs and to easily remove the discs from the plurality of optical discs drawn at the same time.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object,
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recording / reproducing unit for recording / reproducing information on / from an optical disk, a medium storage unit connected to the recording / reproducing unit for exchanging the optical disk with the recording / reproducing unit, and loading the optical disks one by one. A magazine accommodating a plurality of placed disk trays in a stacked state and being detachably supported in the medium storage unit, and recording / reproducing an optical disk on an arbitrary disk tray in the magazine supported in the medium storage unit. An optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus having a function of transmitting and receiving data to and from a unit, wherein the magazine accommodates the plurality of disk trays in a stacked state and moves each disk tray in and out of an opening provided in one side wall. A freely supported cartridge, a plurality of disc trays removably accommodated in the cartridge, and a part of each disc tray detachably mounted. The disc tray comprises a tray body for supporting at least an optical disc in a detachable manner, and a tray claw projecting from an outer peripheral edge of the tray body. And a gripper, and collectively and removably support each tray claw part housed in the cartridge of the magazine detached from the medium storage part and protruding outside from the opening of the cartridge, and The disk trays including the respective tray claws are individually supported rotatably in the horizontal direction. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cartridge accommodating the plurality of disk trays in a stacked state and supporting the respective disk trays so as to be able to advance and retreat inside and outside from an opening provided on one side wall, and removably accommodated in the cartridge. An optical disc comprising: a plurality of disc trays for individually supporting the optical discs; and a gripper configured to detachably hold a part of each disc tray so that each disc tray can be individually projected out of the cartridge. Wherein the disc tray includes a tray main body that detachably supports an optical disc, and a tray claw protruding from an outer peripheral edge of the tray main body. The tray claws that are housed in the detached magazine cartridge and that protrude from the cartridge While supported, characterized by being rotatably individually supporting the disc tray in the horizontal direction including each tray claw portions. The invention according to a third aspect is characterized in that the gripping tool has a function of collectively aligning the directions of all the disk trays in a fixed direction. The invention according to a fourth aspect is characterized in that the gripper is configured to be able to expand in a fan shape when each of the disk trays is projected out of the cartridge.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an example of the configuration of an optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus provided with a magazine mechanism for an optical disk changer according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a magazine and a gripper. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of a gripper, and FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are front and plan views of the gripper, and FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). And (c) respectively show A in FIG.
7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the gripper supports the claw portion of the disk tray, and FIG. 8 is a case where the function of the gripper is provided in a part of the cartridge. It is a figure showing an embodiment.

First, the optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 comprises a recording / reproducing unit 1 for recording / reproducing on / from an optical disk D as a recording medium, and a recording / reproducing unit 1 connected to the recording / reproducing unit 1. A medium storage unit 2 for receiving and sending optical disks D and a plurality of disk trays 22 on which the optical disks D are placed one by one are accommodated in a stacked state at predetermined intervals, and are detachably supported in the medium storage unit 2. And an optical disk changer function for exchanging an optical disk D on an arbitrary disk tray 22 in the magazine 21 supported in the medium storage unit 2 with the recording / reproducing unit 1. The recording / reproducing unit 1 and the medium storage unit 2 are surrounded by a housing 3 shown by a two-dot chain line, and the medium storage unit 2 is connected to a magazine 21 through a detachable opening 3 a provided on one side surface of the housing 3.
Is configured to be detachably received. The upper opening of the housing 3 is closed by the lid 4. Recording and playback unit 1
Is a pickup base 5 supported to be able to move up and down in the housing 3, and a pickup unit (laser pickup 6a, spindle motor 6b, etc.) arranged on the pickup base 5 for performing recording and reproduction on the optical disk D.
And a lifting mechanism 7 for supporting the pickup base 5 so as to be able to move up and down. The lifting mechanism 7 includes, for example, the recording / reproducing unit 1.
Side frame 8 that closes the opening provided in both side walls 3b, 3b and is supported so as to be able to advance and retreat in the front-rear direction indicated by arrows.
And a step-like lifting slit 8a penetratingly formed in the side frame 8, and a pickup base pin 5a protruding from both end edges of the pickup base 5 and fitting with each lifting slit 8a. Although various forms of the lifting mechanism 7 can be selected, in this example, two
One lifting slit 8a is provided, and one lifting slit 8a having a symmetrical shape is provided on the other side wall 3b, and the side frames 8, 8 are slid in opposite directions by a predetermined distance to form the lifting slit 8a. The pickup base 5 can be moved up and down by the number of steps. For example, when it is desired to lower by one step from the height shown in the figure, the front side frame 8 is slid leftward (forward) by one step pitch while the other side frame 8 is slid.
In the opposite direction, that is, backward by one pitch. As a result, the pickup base pins 5a fitted to the respective lifting slits 8a are seated on the lower step by one step, and the pickup base 5 is lowered by one step.
The configuration and operation of the recording / reproducing unit 1 are not described in detail because they have little relation to the gist of the present invention.

Next, the magazine 21 accommodates the plurality of disk trays 22 in a stacked state at a predetermined interval, and supports the respective disk trays 22 so as to be able to advance and retreat inside and outside from an opening provided on one side wall (rear end surface). Cartridge 25,
A plurality of disc trays 22 removably accommodated in the cartridge 25 and a part of each disc tray 22 (tray claw portion 22b) can be detachably grasped and individually protruded out of the cartridge 25. Structured gripper 3
0 (FIG. 2). The disk tray 22 includes at least a tray body 2 that detachably supports the optical disk D.
2a, and a tray claw 22b protruding from the outer peripheral edge (corner corner) of the tray main body 22a. When the disc tray 22 is stored in the cartridge 25, the tray claw portion 22b is bent toward one side so as to project outward from the cartridge opening. FIG.
And the like, each tray claw portion 22b, which is housed in the cartridge 25 of the magazine 21 taken out from the medium storage unit 2 and protrudes outside from the opening of the cartridge, is collectively and detachably supported. In addition, a configuration is provided for individually supporting the disk trays 22 including the respective tray claws 22b so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction. The disk tray 22 is usually housed inside the cartridge 25, but is pulled out of the cartridge when the optical disk is replaced. The disc tray 22 does not completely separate from the cartridge 25 by fitting and supporting the disc claw portion 22b protruding from the opening of the drawn-out cartridge 25 to the separate gripping tool 30. Since the portion 22b is hooked on the gripper 30, it is supported by the disk claw portion 22b so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction even after being pulled out from the cartridge opening. When a plurality of cartridges are drawn out from the disc tray 22, each disc tray 22
By rotating the disk in the horizontal direction, the disk can be spread in a fan shape, and the recording surfaces (labels or the like) of the optical disks on the plurality of disk trays 22 can be visually recognized at a time.

By temporarily fixing the gripper 30 near the opening of the cartridge 25 by engaging means (not shown), any disc tray 22 can be pulled out and deployed while the cartridge 25 and the gripper 30 are connected. is there. Even if the cartridge 25 and the gripper 30 are not connected, any disc tray 22 can be pulled out and deployed. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, in a state in which the gripper 30 is separated from the cartridge 25, the tray claws 22b of any or all of the disk trays are gripped by the gripper 30.
With this configuration, each disk tray can be unfolded in a fan shape in a state where the disk tray is pulled out from the cartridge and all label surfaces and the like can be checked at the same time, or an arbitrary disk can be replaced.

Next, a specific configuration of the gripper 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5, 6, and 7. FIG. This gripper 3
Reference numeral 0 denotes that a plurality of partition plates 32 are fixed at a predetermined axial pitch with respect to a single central rod 31 extending in the vertical direction, and a pivot plate 33 is disposed between the partition plates 32. The axis of the lever is rotatably supported by a center rod 31.
In addition, a rotation restricting rod 34 is disposed at an appropriate position deviated from the center rod 31 in the outer radial direction in parallel with the center rod 31 over the entire length in the axial direction. In other words, the rotation plates 33 are loosely fitted between the partition plates 32 fixed to the center rod 31 so as to be freely rotatable, and the rotation range of each of the rotation plates 33 is respectively set by the rotation restriction rod 34 or the like. It is regulated to the required range. Each rotating plate 3
A tray support member 35 for detachably fitting and supporting the tray claw portion 22b of the disc tray projects from the outer peripheral surface of the disc tray 3, and this tray support member 35 is attached to the tray claw portion 22.
b has a hole 35a for stably supporting the disc tray 22 by fitting. Reference numeral 36 denotes a handle, and the handle 36 is fixed to one or a plurality of partition plates 32, and the operator grips the handle 36 to open the hole 35a of each tray support member 35. It is possible to attach / detach to / from the tray claws 22b of the respective disc trays and smoothly carry out disc replacement work after mounting. As shown in FIG. 5, each of the rotation plates 33 is formed with a circular or arc-shaped rotation restricting hole 33a.
A rotation restricting rod 34 is located in the position a, and regulates the rotation range of each rotation plate 33 according to the circumferential length of each rotation restriction hole 33a. Therefore, for example, the uppermost rotation plate 33 shown in FIG. 5A cannot rotate because the round hole-shaped rotation restriction hole 33a is in close contact with the rotation restriction rod 34. As for the fourth rotation plate 33 from the top shown in FIG. 5 (b), a rotation restriction hole 33a having a circumferential length of about 135 degrees as shown in FIG. The rotation plate 33 can rotate around the center rod 31 in a range of 135 degrees. Further, as for the lowermost rotating plate 33 shown in FIG. 5 (c), a rotation limiting hole 33a having a circumferential length of about 180 degrees as shown in FIG. The turning plate 33 can turn around the center rod 31 in the range of 180 degrees.

As described above, by sequentially changing the rotation range of each rotation plate 33, the rotation angle of the tray support member 35 fixed to each rotation plate 33 can be sequentially shifted. As a result, each tray support The disk tray 22 in which the tray claw portion 22b is supported by the member 35 can be developed in a fan shape. Also, of course, FIG.
By fixing the directions of the tray support members 35 in the same direction as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 (a state in which the rotation restricting rod 34 is located at one end in each rotation restricting groove 33a), the disk tray When inserting the cartridge 22 into the cartridge 25,
The disc trays 22 can be aligned according to the insertion direction, and insertion becomes easy. In addition, by positioning each disk tray 22 against the end face of the cartridge 25 prior to insertion, the position of all the disk trays 22 can be determined.
2 is stored in the cartridge in the proper position. FIG.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a state where the tray claw portion 22b is supported by the hole 35a of the tray support member 35; The part is configured to be supported. Next, FIG. 8 shows that by providing a gripping mechanism similar to the gripper 30 at the edge of the opening of the cartridge 25, it is possible to unfold the cartridge 25 in a fan shape with each disk tray 22 connected thereto. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example. In this case, when each of the disc trays 22 is moved toward the recording / reproducing unit 1 in a state where the cartridge is mounted in the medium storage unit 2, the tray claws 22 b are set in the holes of the tray support member provided with a gripping mechanism (not shown). The projection angle of the tray claw portion 22b and the angle of the tray support member may be set so that the tray claw portion 22b can be easily detached from the tray.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a magazine mechanism for an optical disk changer equipped in an optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus, a plurality of disk trays housed in a cartridge are simultaneously drawn out and expanded in a fan shape to form a plurality of disks. It is possible to visually recognize the labels of the optical discs at the same time, and furthermore, it is possible to facilitate the exchange operation by taking out any one of the plurality of optical discs that have been simultaneously drawn. According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus which prevents a disk tray from dropping from a cartridge and facilitates optical disk exchange. According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an optical disk magazine capable of holding a plurality of disk trays collectively. According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the gripper of the second aspect, it is possible to realize a mechanism capable of easily and simultaneously inserting a plurality of disk trays into the cartridge. According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the gripping tool of the second aspect, the plurality of disc trays are fan-shaped, thereby improving the visibility of the plurality of optical discs and simultaneously facilitating the exchange of the optical discs. realizable.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an example of an optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus including a magazine mechanism for an optical disk changer according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a magazine and a holding tool.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which each disk tray is supported by a gripper and expanded in a fan shape.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an example of a gripper.

5 (a) and (b) are a front view and a plan view of a gripper.

6 (a), (b) and (c) show AA and B- in FIG. 5, respectively.
B and CC sectional drawing.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the gripper supports the claw portion of the disc tray.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an embodiment in which the function of the gripper is provided in a part of the cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 recording / reproducing section, 2 medium storage section, 3 housing, 5 pickup base, 6 pickup unit, 6a laser pickup, 6b spindle motor, 7 lifting mechanism, 8 side frame, 8a lifting slit, 21
Magazine, 22 disk tray, 22a tray body, 22b tray claw, 25 cartridge, 30
Gripper, 31 center rod, 32 partition plate, 33 rotating plate,
33a rotation restriction hole, 34 rotation restriction rod, 35 tray support member, 35a hole, 36 handle.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A recording / reproducing unit for recording / reproducing information on / from an optical disk, a medium storage unit connected to the recording / reproducing unit and exchanging an optical disk with the recording / reproducing unit, and one optical disk placed thereon. A magazine accommodating a plurality of disk trays in a stacked state and being detachably supported in the medium storage unit, and a recording / reproducing unit for recording / reproducing an optical disk on an arbitrary disk tray in the magazine supported in the medium storage unit. An optical disc recording / reproducing apparatus having a function of transmitting and receiving between the plurality of disc trays, wherein the magazine accommodates the plurality of disc trays in a stacked state and allows each disc tray to move in and out of an opening provided on one side wall. A supported cartridge, a plurality of disc trays removably accommodated in the cartridge, and a portion of each disc tray detachably gripped. A gripper configured to individually protrude out of the cartridge, wherein the disc tray includes at least a tray main body that detachably supports the optical disc, and a tray claw protruding from an outer peripheral edge of the tray main body. The gripping tool collectively and removably supports each tray claw portion which is housed in the cartridge of the magazine detached from the medium storage portion and protrudes to the outside from the opening portion of the cartridge. An optical disk recording / reproducing device, wherein disk trays including claw portions are individually supported rotatably in a horizontal direction. 2. A cartridge accommodating the plurality of disk trays in a stacked state and supporting each of the disk trays so as to be able to move in and out of an opening provided in one side wall, and a cartridge which is detachably housed in the cartridge and individually mounted. Optical disc magazine comprising: a plurality of disc trays for supporting optical discs; and a gripper configured to detachably hold a part of each disc tray so that each disc tray can be individually projected out of the cartridge. Wherein the disc tray includes a tray main body that detachably supports an optical disc at least, and a tray claw protruding from an outer peripheral edge of the tray main body, wherein the gripping tool is detached from the medium storage unit. Each tray claw that is housed in the cartridge of the magazine and protrudes to the outside from the opening of the cartridge can be detached collectively While lifting, optical disc magazine, characterized in that the rotatably individually supporting the disc tray in the horizontal direction including each tray claw portions. 3. The optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus and optical disk magazine according to claim 1, wherein the grip has a function of aligning directions of all the disk trays at a time in a fixed direction. 4. The optical disk recording / reproducing apparatus and the optical disk magazine, wherein the gripper is configured to be able to expand in a fan shape when each of the disk trays protrudes out of the cartridge.