US 5,184,342 A · Information processing device

Abstract

An information processing unit of the present invention stores at least information from an optical disc by directing a laser beam, under the application of a magnetic field, onto the optical disc with the information recorded thereon. The device includes a housing having an access hole through which the optical disc is inserted and a record/playback/erase head for providing an illumination using the laser beam and electromagnet for generating the magnetic field. A movable first guide member is provided for guiding a first holding member for holding a cartridge with the optical disc held therein and second holding member for holding an electromagnet and a fixed second guide member is provided for guiding the first guide member and first holding member. Upon movement of the first guide member, the optical disc being inserted into the housing through an access hole is guided to a position, while being maintained in a predetermined positional relation relative to the electromagnet, where the disc is illuminated with the laser beam coming from the record/playback/erase head upon information playback and the electromagnet is guided to a position where the magnetic field is applied to the optical disc.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A device for storing information in an information storage medium by directing a light beam with a magnetic field applied to the information storage medium, comprising:

light beam generating means for generating the light beam;
magnetic field generating means for generating the magnetic field;
housing means for housing the light beam generating means and magnetic field generating means, the housing means having an access hole through which the information storage medium is inserted;
support means for supporting both the information storage medium inserted via the access hole into the housing means and the magnetic field generating means such that the information storage medium and magnetic field generating means are movable along the storage medium insertion direction, and in a direction included to the storage medium insertion direction, the support means being so provided at the housing means as to be movable along the storage medium insertion direction;
movable means for moving the support means in a direction corresponding to the storage medium insertion direction;
and
guide means for guiding the support means, which is moved by the movable means, in the storage medium insertion direction and for guiding the storage medium to a position where the medium faces the light beam generating means and the magnetic field generating means to a position where the magnetic field generating means faces the light beam generating means through the storage medium.

4 more elements

A device for playing back at least information from an information storage medium by directing a laser beam onto the information storage medium, under an application of a magnetic field, with the information recorded on the information storage medium, comprising;

a housing having an access hole through which the information storage medium is inserted;
laser beam illumination means provided in the housing and adapted to provide an illumination using the laser beam;
magnetic field generating means, provided in the housing, for generating the magnetic field;
a first holding member for holding the information storage medium;
a second holding member for holding the magnetic field generating means;
guide means for guiding the information storage medium to a position where the information storage medium is illuminated with the laser beam coming from the laser beam illumination means and for guiding the magnetic field generating means to a position where a magnetic field is applied to the information storage medium, the guide means having a movable first guide member for guiding the first and second holding members in the same information storage medium insertion direction and a fixed second guide means for allowing the first guide member and first holding member to be guided;
and
guide member moving means for moving the first guide member of the guide means.

5 more elements

a cartridge holder for holding the information storage medium and having a window for partially exposing the information storage medium and shutter for opening and closing the window;
a housing having an access hole through which the cartridge is inserted;
laser beam illumination means, provided in the housing, for providing an illumination using the laser beam;
shutter opening/closing means for opening and closing the shutter of the cartridge;
magnetic field generating means, provided in the housing, for generating the magnetic field, the magnetic field generating means being movable along the cartridge insertion direction from a first position where, upon information playback, the magnetic field is applied to the information storage medium to a second position spaced apart from the first position;
and
guide means which, while holding a positional relation between the information storage medium being inserted through the access hole and the magnetic field generating means, guides the information storage medium to a third position where, upon information playback, information storage medium is illuminated with the laser beam coming from the laser beam illumination means and guides the magnetic field generating means from the second position to the first position after the shutter has been released by the shutter opening/closing means.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Information processing device

Life of this patent

Information processing device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23