Pickup feed mechanism

A pickup feed mechanism having a motor installed inside a pickup and a gear driven by the motor, and provided with a U-shaped rack gear member constantly engaged with the gear, a first guide shaft located on a first side of an optical disc and disposed parallel to the first side of the optical disc, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the first side of the optical disc, and a second guide shaft located on a second side of the optical disc and disposed parallel to the second side of the optical disc, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the second side of the optical disc, said pickup feed mechanism comprising:

• a moving shaft disposed to contact an end of each of said first guide shaft and said second guide shaft;
• said moving shaft, said first guide shaft and said second guide shaft lying within a single plane of reference;
• rotation supporting means for rotationally moving said moving shaft along a semicircular path extending from said end of said first guide shaft to said end of said second guide shaft, said path lying within said single plane of reference and subtended by a line extending between each of said two guide shaft ends;
• said rotation supporting means comprising a rotating body having ends supported along an axis of rotation of said moving shaft;
• said moving shaft coupling with said pickup during said rotational movement of said moving shaft along said semicircular path;
• locking means for selectively locking and unlocking said rotation supporting means at a first position where said moving shaft meets said end of said first guide shaft and at a second position where said moving shaft meets said end of said second guide shaft.

A pickup feed mechanism for inverting a pickup from a first side of an optical recording medium to a second side of the optical recording medium, said pickup feed mechanism comprising:

• a first gear attached to the pickup and located adjacent to a first side of the pickup;
• a motor for driving said first gear;
• a first guide shaft located on a first side of the optical recording medium and disposed parallel to a surface of the optical recording, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the first side of the optical recording medium;
• a second guide shaft located on a second side of the optical recording medium and disposed parallel to the surface of the optical recording medium, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the second side of the optical recording medium;
• a U-shaped rack gear for engaging said first gear, and having a first and a second straight portion located on the first side and second side of the optical recording medium, respectively, said first and second straight portions being parallel to the surface of the optical recording medium;
• a moving guide shaft disposed to move in a semicircular path from an end of said first guide shaft to an end of said second guide shaft, for passing through and supporting the pickup during the inverting of the pickup from the first side to the second side of the optical recording medium;
• said moving shaft, said first guide shaft and said second guide shaft lying within a single plane of reference;
• rotation support means for supporting said moving guide shaft during said movement of said moving guide shaft in said semicircular path, said semicircular path lying within said single plane of reference;
• and
• locking means for maintaining said rotation support means in a first position where said moving guide shaft is adjacent to said first guide shaft, when said first gear engages said first straight portion, and for maintaining said rotation support means in a second position where said moving guide shaft is adjacent to said second guide shaft, when said first gear engages said second straight portion.

A pickup feed mechanism for inverting a pickup from a first side of an optical recording medium to a second side of the optical recording medium, said pickup feed mechanism comprising:

• drive means located within the pickup;
• a first gear extending from a first side of the pickup and driven by said drive means;
• first guide means disposed on said first side of the optical recording medium and parallel to a surface of the optical recording medium, for guiding the pickup during motion of the pickup along said first side of the optical recording medium and parallel to said surface;
• second guide means disposed on said second side of the optical recording medium and parallel to said surface of the optical recording medium, for guiding the pickup during motion of the pickup along said second side of the optical recording medium and parallel to said surface;
• moving guide means disposed to move in a semicircular path from an end of said first guide means to an end of said second guide means, for engaging and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup from said first guide means to said second guide means;
• said moving guide means, said first guide means and said second guide means lying within a single plane of reference;
• a U-shaped gear having a first straight portion adjacent and parallel to said first guide means, a second straight portion adjacent and parallel to said second guide means, and a U-shaped portion connecting said first straight portion and said second straight portion, said U-shaped gear engaging said first gear in order to propel the pickup;
• rotating support means for moving in said semicircular path to support said moving guide means, said semicircular path lying within said single plane of reference;
• and
• locking means for unlocking said rotating support means from a first position when the pickup means engages said moving guide means, and for locking said rotating support means in a second position when said moving guide means reaches said end of said second guide means.

A pickup feed mechanism for inverting a pickup from a first side of an optical recording medium to a second side of the optical recording medium, said pickup feed mechanism comprising:

• a first gear attached to the pickup and located adjacent to a first side of the pickup;
• a motor for driving said first gear;
• a first guide shaft located on a first side of the optical recording medium and disposed parallel to a surface of the optical recording medium, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the first side of the optical recording medium;
• a second guide shaft located on a second side of the optical recording medium and disposed parallel to the surface of the optical recording medium, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the second side of the optical recording medium;
• a U-shaped rack gear constantly engaging said first gear, and having a first and a second straight portion located on the first side and second side of the optical recording medium, respectively, said first and second straight portions being parallel to the surface of the optical recording medium;
• a moving guide shaft disposed to move in a semicircular path from an end of said first guide shaft to an end of said second guide shaft, for passing through and supporting the pickup during the inverting of the pickup from the first side to the second side of the optical recording medium;
• said moving guide shaft, said first guide shaft and said second guide shaft lying within a single plane of reference;
• rotation support for supporting said moving guide shaft during said movement of said moving guide shaft in said semicircular path, said semicircular path lying within said single plane of reference;
• and
• locking means for maintaining said rotation support means in a first position where said moving guide shaft is adjacent to said first guide shaft, when said first gear engages said first straight portion, and for maintaining said rotation support means in a second position where said moving guide shaft is adjacent to said second guide shaft, when said first gear engages said second straight portion;
• said single plane of reference of said semicircular path being parallel to a plane of said U-shaped rack gear member.

A pickup feed mechanism for inverting a pickup from a first side of an optical recording medium to a second side of the optical recording medium, said pickup feed mechanism comprising:

• a first gear attached to the pickup and located adjacent to a first side of the pickup;
• a motor for driving said first gear;
• a first guide shaft located on a first side of the optical recording medium and disposed parallel to a surface of the optical recording medium, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the first side of the optical recording medium;
• a second guide shaft located on a second side of the optical recording medium and disposed parallel to the surface of the optical recording medium, passing through and supporting the pickup during motion of the pickup along the second side of the optical recording medium;
• a U-shaped rack gear constantly engaging said first gear, and having a first and a second straight portion located on the first side and second side of the optical recording medium, respectively, said first and second straight portions being parallel to the surface of the optical recording medium;
• a moving guide shaft disposed to move in a semicircular path from an end of said first guide shaft to an end of said second guide shaft, for passing through and supporting the pickup during the inverting of the pickup from the first side to the second side of the optical recording medium;
• said moving guide shaft, said first guide shaft and said second guide shaft lying within a single plane of reference;
• and
• rotation support means for supporting said moving guide shaft during said movement of said moving guide shaft in said semicircular path, said semicircular path lying within said single plane of reference;
• said single plane of reference of said semicircular path being parallel to a plane of said U-shaped rack gear member.