US 6,388,972 B1 · Optical memory apparatus having turn table unit mounted by a plate having an integral guide portion to a supporting base

Abstract

A miniaturized optical disc memory is receivable in a slot, of about 17 mm height, normally accommodating a floppy disc drive. A base includes a base plate with integral, peripheral sidewalls and an internal lateral partition wall which define a cartridge receiving slot on the upper surface of the base plate. First and second support plates extend from the partition wall to the rear peripheral sidewall of the base and define respective, first and second upper mounting surfaces and lower first and second cavities respectively receiving an ejection motor and a fixed optical system, individual optical components being mounted and aligned on integral, precision machined blocks in the second cavity for transmitting a laser beam and receiving a reflected beam along a central, longitudinal optical axis beneath the base plate. A first base plate aperture accommodates a lens carriage driven in reciprocating motion along the axis for receiving and redirecting the laser beam vertically for scanning an optical disc and receiving a reflected beam and redirecting same to the fixed optical system. The movable optical system is locked in a rest position and is released by insertion of a cartridge to permit scanning movement thereof. A disc drive unit is mounted beneath the base plate for reciprocating vertical movement through a second aperture therein to a raised position for engaging and driving, in rotation, an optical disc of a cartridge inserted into the apparatus and to a lowered position for releasing the cartridge and permitting ejection thereof.

Claims31

Dependent claims

An optical memory apparatus for reading data from an optical memory medium which is accommodated in a cartridge, comprising:

a base, of a substantially rectangular shape, having a sliding surface for sliding an inserted cartridge thereover in opposite, inserting and ejecting directions along a first axis parallel to the sliding surface and the sliding surface having an opening therein;
a carriage movably mounted on said base;
a metal plate having a pair of pin holders on respective opposite sides of the metal plate and a pair of pins, held by the respective pin holders, extending parallel to the sliding surface of the base and transverse to the first axis;
a motor mounted on said metal plate;
a turntable mounted on said motor and aligned therewith for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis;
and
a load member mounted on the base and slidable thereon along the first axis between first and second positions in accordance with inserting and ejecting directions of movement of a cartridge relative to the base, the load member having a pair of sloped guides respectively engaging the pair of pins and moving the pins, and correspondingly the metal plate including the motor mounted therein and the turntable mounted on the motor, in a direction perpendicular to both the first axis and the sliding surface so as to project the turntable through the opening in the base and locate said turntable above the sliding surface of said base, responsive to the inserting direction of movement of the cartridge toward the first position, and so as to withdraw the turntable from the opening, responsive to an ejecting direction of movement of the cartridge toward the second position, and locate said turntable below the sliding surface when said load member is positioned at the second position.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Optical memory apparatus having turn table unit mounted by a plate having an integral guide portion to a supporting base

Life of this patent

Optical memory apparatus having turn table unit mounted by a plate having an integral guide portion to a supporting base

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31