BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Many aspects of the present safety ensuring device and the present disc apparatus can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a disc apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 2 is an exploded, isometric view of the disc apparatus in FIG. 1, the disc apparatus including a lid, and a base;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial view of the lid, viewed from an inverted aspect;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a safety ensuring device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the disc apparatus in a closed state; and
FIG. 6 is a partial, cross-sectional view of the disc apparatus in an opened state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe in detail, the preferred embodiments of the present safety ensuring device and the present disc apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a disc apparatus 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is illustrated. The disc apparatus 100 includes a lid 20, a base 30, a circuit board 40, and a spindle motor 50. The lid 20 is pivotably attached to the base 30. The lid 20 can rotate with respect to the base 30 around a rotating axis OO. The base 30 is used for securing and receiving internal components of disc apparatus 100, including the circuit board 40 and the spindle motor 50. The circuit board 40 is a power supplier and controller of the spindle motor 50. The spindle motor 50 is electrically coupled to the circuit board 40, and is an actuator for rotating a disc positioned on the base 30.
The lid 20 includes a first protrusion 22 and a second protrusion 24 formed next to the rotating axis OO. The first protrusion 22 and the second protrusion 24 are substantially quadrant shapes, with axes thereof superposing each other. The first protrusion 22 extends a first shaft 220 along the rotating axis OO, and the second protrusion 240 extends a second shaft 240 along the rotating axis OO. The first shaft 220 and the second shaft 240 are engaged with the base 30 to connect the lid 20 to the base 30.
The base 30 is a frame for receiving and securing most components of the disc apparatus 100. The base 30 defines a recess 300 for receiving a disc therein. The spindle motor 50 protrudes from a center of the recess 300 to support the disc thereon and rotate the disc. The base 30 further defines a first opening 32 and a second opening 34 next to the rotating axis OO. The first opening 32 and the second opening 34 are corresponds to the first protrusion 22 and the second protrusion 24 respectively, allowing the first protrusion 22 and the second protrusion 24 to extend therethrough.
The circuit board 40 is a main circuit board of the disc apparatus 100. A first switch 42 and a second switch 44 are soldered on the circuit board 40. The first switch 42 and the second switch 44 are misalignedly arranged on the circuit board 40. The first switch 42 forms a first switch lever 420 retractable therefrom, and the second switch 44 forms a second switch lever 440 retractable therefrom. The first switch 42 and the second switch 44 are activated by the second protrusion 24 by pressing or releasing the first switch lever 420 and the second switch lever 440 to switch between a first state and a second state. Each of the first switch 42 and the second switch 44 has two states, the first state and the second state. The first switch 42 is in the first state when no external force is applied on the first switch lever 420, and in the second state when a constant external force is applied on the first switch lever 420. The states of the second switch 44 works in the same manner as the first switch 42. Both the first switch 42 and the second switch 44 are used to control the spindle motor 50.
Referring to FIG. 3, a detailed structure of the second protrusion 24 is illustrated. The second protrusion 24 further includes a first portion 242 and a second portion 244 adjacent to each other around the rotating axis OO. The first portion 242 and the second portion 244 respectively include a first activating surface 246 and a second activating surface 248. The first activating surface 246 is a flat surface of the first portion 242 at a first angle to the lid 20, corresponding to the first switch 42. The second activating surface 248 is a flat surface of the second portion 244 at a second angle to the lid 20, corresponding to the second switch 44. The first angle of the first activating surface 246 and the second angle of the second activating surface 248 differ from each other. As the lid 20 rotates around the rotating axis OO, the first activating surface 246 and the second activating surface 248 rotates around the rotating axis OO to simultaneously push or release the first switch lever 420 of the first switch 42 and the second switch lever 440 of the second switch 44 respectively.
Referring to FIG. 4, a block diagram showing a detailed arrangement of the circuit board 40 and a relationship between the circuit board 40 and the spindle motor 50 is illustrated. The circuit board 40 includes a first controller 46 and a second controller 48 respectively connected to the first switch 42 and the second switch 44. The first controller 46 and the second controller 48 are both connected to the spindle motor 50. Each of the first controller 46 and the second controller 48 can be embodied in hardware, for example a controlling circuit, or software, for example a controlling program. When a first state signal indicating a current state (i.e. the first state or the second state) of the first switch 42 is transmitted to and received by the first controller 46, the first controller 46 controls the rotation of the spindle motor 50 in accordance with the first state signal. When a second state signal indicating a current state (i.e. the first state or the second state) of the second switch 44 is transmitted to and received by the second controller 48, the second controller 48 controls the rotation of the spindle motor 50 in accordance with the second state signal. That is, either of the first switch 42 and the second switch 44 can control the rotation of the spindle motor 50 via the corresponding controller, i.e. the first controller 46 or the second controller 48. Only when the first controller 46 receives the first state signal indicating the first switch 42 in the second state and the second controller 48 receives the second state signal indicating the second switch 44 is in the second state, that the spindle motor 50 is allowed to rotate at any required speed so as to reproduce information from and/or record information onto the disc positioned in the recess 300. Otherwise, the spindle motor tops rotating to avoid possible potential danger corresponding to a rotating disc.
Referring to FIG. 5, a partial, cross-sectional view of the disc apparatus 10 in a closed state is illustrated. In the closed state, the lid 20 fully covers the base 30. The first and second switches 242, 244 are activated by the second protrusion 24. That is, the first switch lever 420 of the first switch 242 is pressed by the first activating surface 246, and the second switch lever 440 is pressed by the second activating surface 248. The first and second controllers 46, 48 receive the first and second state signals transmitted from the first and the second switches 42, 44, and allow the spindle motor 50 to rotate at any desired speed, performing regular recording or reproducing.
Referring to FIG. 6, when the lid 20 is opened on purpose or by accident, the second protrusion 24 gradually leaves the first and second switches 42, 44. As the second protrusion 24 rotates, the first activating surface 246 and the second activating surface 248 simultaneously release the first switch lever 420 of the first switch 42 and the second switch lever 440 of the second switch 44. In such state, the first and second controllers 46, 48 receive the first and second state signals transmitted from the first and second switches 42, 44, and prohibit the spindle motor 50 from rotation.
Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the first switch 42 and the second switch 44 are directly activated or released by the first activating surface 246 and the second activating surface 248. Each of the first switch 42 and the second switch 44 is connected to a separate controller 46/48 to control the rotation of the spindle motor 50. Once one of the first switch 42 and the second switch 44 or one of the first controller 46 and the second controller 48 is broken or not operational, the other one is still operational. This further protects users against danger or potential danger, and ensures users' safety.
For a given disc apparatus 10, a first central angle of the first portion 242 (an angle of the first activating surface 246 with respect to the lid 20) and a second central angle of the second portion 244 (an angle of the second activating surface 248 with respect to the lid 20) can be varied in accordance with safety requirements. Preferably, the first central angle and the second central angle are approximately 90 degrees.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.
Patent Application
20070286040
