Patent Application
20050289570
The present invention relates to a loading and ejection device. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automatic loading and ejecting device for an optical disk medium.
There are several ways to load and eject an optical disk medium of various kinds such as a compact disk (CD), magneto-optical disk (MOD), digital video disk (DVD), video compact disk (VCD), and the like. A conventional loading device for an optical disk medium has a mechanism to load the media using a saucer-type member, generally called a tray, which extends from the body of the device. After the medium is placed on the tray, the tray is returned to the inside of the device to load data from the optical disk medium. In general, such a conventional loading device cannot be used in an upright position.
Another conventional loading device has a pair of guide members extending from the body of the device to shift the media into or out of the disk slot formed in the body of the device. The guide members have guide grooves for holding the peripheral edge portions of the disk, which is inserted into the grooves. The disk is then carried by the guide members into the device for use. This conventional loading device may be used in an upright position.
Still yet, there are other devices, which do to not require a tray or guide member to extend out from the device. These devices may utilize one or a pair of guide rollers to automatically load and eject the media. With one guide roller, the optical medium is compressed between the guide roller and a stationary low friction surface, such as a pad. The medium is loaded and ejected through movement of the guide roller, in the intended direction of use, with the guide roller in contact with the entire surface of the medium. The use of two guide rollers is similar, however, the medium is ejected and loaded through compression between the guide rollers, which also contacts the entire surface of the medium. Although the use of the guide rollers avoids the use of a tray or guide member extending externally from the device, use of the roller(s) has its own disadvantages. One disadvantage is that it is easy for the rollers or pad to gather abrasive substances such as dirt or debris. Thus, when the medium is ejected or inserted into the device, the rollers come in contact with the entire surface of the medium causing scratches or dents on the medium, which ultimately results in loss of data contained on the optical disk medium. Another disadvantage is that the medium must be positioned in a certain orientation for a reader to obtain data from the medium.
A solution is provided for a load and eject device having a first roller, and a second roller, the first and second roller each having a first end, a second end, and a center, wherein the diameter of the first roller center is smaller than the diameter of the first roller first end and the diameter of the first roller second end. Additionally, the diameter of the second roller center is smaller than the diameter of the second roller first end and the diameter of the second roller second end wherein the first roller and the second roller are designed to receive an optical disk.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the invention.
In the drawings:
Embodiments of the present invention are described herein in the context of a load/eject mechanism. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following detailed description of the present invention is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the present invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Reference will now be made in detail to implementations of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following detailed description to refer to the same or like parts.
In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the implementations described herein are shown and described. It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in order to achieve the developer's specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.
The present invention is an automatic load and eject device for an optical disk medium (herein after referred to as a “disk”). The load and eject device uses a pair of rollers which are tapered in the center to prevent any abrasives from contacting the data surface of the disk.
The rubber tubes 100a, 100b may be shaped with several tapered ends. One tapered end starts from the first end 108a, 108b and the second end 110a, 100b toward the center 104a, 104b such that the narrowest part of the tube 100a, 100b is at the center 104a, 104b. Thus, the diameter of first end 108a, 108b and second end 110a, 110b is larger than the diameter of center 104a, 104b. Another taper may be at the tip 106a, 106b of first end 108a, 108b and at the tip 112a, 112b of second end 110a, 110b such that the diameter of tips 106a, 106b, 112a, 112b are smaller in diameter than the first end 108a, 108b and the second end 110a, 110b. However, as illustrated in
When the rollers 120a, 120b are pressed into gentle contact with each other, the tapering of the rubber tubes 100a, 100b towards the center 104a, 104b forms a narrow diamond shape 240 in the middle of the rollers 120a, 120b. The diamond shape 240 provides a lead in for the disk 208 (shown in
As illustrated in
The rubber tubes 100a, 100b may be made of any resilient material such as rubber, silicone, plastic, or other synthetic or natural materials with similar properties. By way of example only, the tubes 100a, 100b may be made of silicone with a hardness of between 25-45 shore A. The shafts 102a, 102b may be made of any strong material such as stainless steel, plastic, metal, and the like.
Second support member 204 may have resilient members 206a, 206b attached to second support member 204 at a center 214. Springs 210a, 210b may be positioned between second support member 204 and resilient members 206a, 206b. The pressure created by springs 210a, 210b urge roller 230b toward roller 230a and prevents the rollers 230a, 230b from falling out in normal use or in transport. Alternatively, no springs may be used and resilient members 206a, 206b may be made of stiff resilient material to urge roller 230b, toward roller 230a. Furthermore, the urging of roller 230b toward roller 230a assists in the movement of disk (shown in phantom) 208 in either direction A-A′ during rotation of the rollers 230a, 230b. For additional support, support disks 228a, 228b, 228c may be used and received by grooves 114a, 116a, 116b (
The rollers 230a, 230b are driven for rotation by a roller motor 216, by way of a pulley assembly. Any current pulley assembly may be used. However, by way of example only and not intended to be limiting, the roller motor 216 may be connected to a driving pulley 218 by pulley 220. Driving pulley 218 has a shaft 222, which is connected to a pulley 224 by belt 226. The pulley 224 is fitted to roller 230a. Thus, when the roller motor 216 is activated, roller 230a will rotate.
As described above, roller 230a is driven by a roller motor 216. However, roller 230b is not driven and is free to move against the disk 208 as it shifts in and out of the chassis 200. Thus, contrary to a stationary pad used in current devices, there is no relative motion of the disk 208 surface against roller 230b, thus preventing any possible abrasion or damage to the disk 208 surface.
The chassis 200 and support disks 228a, 228b may be made of any sturdy material such as plastic, steel, metal, or any other similar materials. However, to reduce cost and aid in assembly, plastic should be used. The springs 210a, 210b may be made of any resilient, sturdy material that is able to regain its original shape such as metal, plastic, rubber, silicone, spring steel, and the like.
Referring now to
The detection of the disk 302 entering or exiting the disk slot may be achieved by any manner. However, for exemplary purposes only and not intended to be limiting, opto-interrpter devices (not shown) may be used to detect the disk 302 as the disk 302 enters or exits the disk slot 304. An opto-interrpter may be positioned in front of the rollers 310a, 310b and an opto-interrpter may be positioned behind the rollers 310a, 310b. As the disk 302 enters the disk slot 304, an output from the front opto-interrpter causes the roller motor to start which starts the movement of the rollers 310a, 310b. Once the disk 302 clears the rollers 310a, 310b an output from the opto-interrpter behind the rollers turns the roller motor off.
When the disk 302 is ejected out of the disk slot, the opposite occurs. An output from the opto-interrupter behind the rollers starts the roller motor which in turn causes the rollers 310a, 310b to turn. Another output from the front opto-interrupter, which detects the disk in the fully ejected position (but still positioned between the rollers so that the disk does not fall out), signals the roller motor to turn off.
As the rollers 310a, 310b rotate, the narrow diamond 240 shape formed by the tapering of tubes 312a, 312b provides for a lead in for the disk 302 and at the same time allows for minimum contact of the rollers 310a, 310b with the data surface of the disk 302. As illustrated in
As the disk 302 is loaded into the device, it is guided into the appropriate storage slot 304 in the storage carousel 308. When the disk 302 is ejected from the storage device 300, the method above is followed, but in reverse order.
A method of using the rollers and chassis in an optical media storage device is also provided.
If the disk is to be ejected at 400, the stored disk is retrieved from its stored position at 410 and guided between the pair of rollers at 412. The disk may be retrieved by any means known in the art and will not be discussed herein to not complicate the present invention. An opto-interrupter detects the disk which activates the roller motor at 414, to rotate one roller to drive the disk out of the storage device at 416. The disk is then removed from between the rollers at 418.
While embodiments and applications of this invention have been shown and described, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that many more modifications than mentioned above are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
