Optical recording/reproducing apparatus and method for using various sizes, and types of recording/reproducing mediums therein

An optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus for accommodating a recording/reproducing medium, the recording/reproducing medium selectively comprising at least two differently sized disc cartridges which receive respective differently sized discs, an adapter which accommodates a disc having a diameter of 8 cm, and a naked disc;

• the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising:
• a case forming an interior space;
• a tray mounted to the case and insertable into and withdrawable from the interior space, the tray accommodating a selected one of:
• first and second disc cartridges, the adapter, and the naked disc as the selected recording/reproducing medium;
• supporting means for supporting the selected recording/reproducing medium on the tray, so as to prevent movement of the selected recording/reproducing medium relative to the tray;
• first positioning means for determining a first position of the first disc cartridge on the tray;
• first detecting means for detecting a size of the first disc cartridge positioned on the tray by the first positioning means, and a state of a disc accommodated in the first disc cartridge;
• second positioning means for determining a second position of the second disc cartridge on the tray;
• second detecting means for detecting a size of the second disc cartridge positioned on the tray by the second positioning means, and a state of the disc accommodated in the second disc cartridge;
• third detecting means for detecting the adapter positioned on the tray, and a state of the disc accommodated in the adapter;
• disc rotating means for rotating the disc of the selected recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray;
• information recording/reproducing means for recording information on and/or reproducing information from the disc rotated by the disc rotating means;
• and
• a movable deck base on which the rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are mounted, the deck base positioned in the case;
• wherein the rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are movable into an operative position in response to insertion of the tray into the case, and movable to an inoperative position in response to withdrawal of the tray from the case.

An optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus for selectively accommodating an adapter and at least two differently sized disc cartridges as recording/reproducing mediums, the cartridges accommodating respective differently sized discs and the adapter accommodating a disc having a diameter of 8 cm, each of the recording/reproducing mediums having an accommodating hole, an opening, and a shutter slidably disposed thereon to open/close the accommodating hole and the opening, the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising:

• a case forming an interior space;
• a tray mounted to the case and insertable into and withdrawable from the interior space, the tray accommodating a selected one of:
• first and second disc cartridges, the adapter, and the naked disc as the selected recording/reproducing medium;
• supporting means for supporting the selected recording/reproducing medium on the tray, so as to prevent movement of the selected recording/reproducing medium relative to the tray;
• first positioning means for determining a first position of the first disc cartridge on the tray;
• first detecting means for detecting a size of the first disc cartridge positioned on the tray by the first positioning means, and a state of a disc accommodated in the first disc cartridge;
• second positioning means for determining a second position of the second disc cartridge on the tray;
• second detecting means for detecting a size of the second disc cartridge positioned on the tray by the second positioning means, and a state of the disc accommodated in the second disc cartridge;
• third detecting means for detecting the adapter positioned on the tray, and a state of the disc accommodated in the adapter;
• disc rotating means for rotating the disc of the selected recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray;
• information recording/reproducing means for recording information on and/or reproducing the information from the disc rotated by the disc rotating means;
• shutter opening/closing means for opening/closing the shutters in accordance with the reception/withdrawal of the tray with respect to the case;
• disc chucking means for pressing a hub of the disc accommodated in the selected recording/reproducing mediums, to chuck the disc onto the disc rotating means;
• and
• a movable deck base on which the disc rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are mounted, the deck base positioned in the case;
• wherein the disc rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are movable into an operative position in response to insertion of the tray into the case, and movable to an inoperative position in response to withdrawal of the tray from the case.

A method of recording and/or reproducing information using an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• a) detecting whether a recording/reproducing medium is positioned in a tray of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus;
• b) moving a recording and/or reproducing device of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus to an initial position when the recording/reproducing medium is detected as positioned in the step a);
• c) detecting a type and size of the recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray;
• d) detecting whether the disc accommodated in the recording/reproducing medium is single, or double-sided;
• e) detecting whether the disc is formatted or unformatted;
• f) displaying information about the type, size, and recordable side of the disc, and whether the disc is formatted or not, which are detected in the steps c), d), and e), to a user;
• g) detecting whether to verify a recordable side of the disc or not;
• h) detecting whether to record or reproduce the information on/from the disc;
• and
• i) recording and/or reproducing the information on/from the disc in accordance with the results detected in the above steps.

An optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus for selectively accommodating an adapter and at least two differently sized disc cartridges as recording/reproducing mediums, the cartridges containing respective differently sized discs, and the adapter accommodating a disc having a diameter of 8 cm, the apparatus comprising:

• a case forming an interior space;
• a tray mounted to the case and insertable into and withdrawable from the interior space, the tray accommodating a selected one of:
• the two differently sized disc cartridges and the adapter as the selected recording/reproducing medium;
• support means for supporting the selected recording/reproducing medium on the tray, so as to prevent movement of the selected recording/reproducing medium relative to the tray;
• detecting means for detecting whether a recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray is a first disc cartridge accommodating a disc having a diameter of 12 cm, a second disc cartridge accommodating a disc having a diameter of 8 cm, or the adapter, and for detecting a state of the disc accommodated in the selected recording/reproducing medium;
• rotating means for rotating the disc of the selected recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray;
• information encoding/reproducing means for recording information on and/or reproducing the information from the disc rotated by the rotating means;
• and
• a movable deck base on which the rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are mounted, the deck base positioned in the case;
• wherein the rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are movable into an operative position in response to insertion of the tray into the case, and movable to an inoperative position in response to withdrawal of the tray from the case;
• the second disc cartridge having a pair of position holes formed at a lower surface thereof;
• the tray further comprising a pair of piercing holes, alignable with respective ones of the position holes;
• and
• wherein the supporting means comprises a horizontalness mechanism arranged to maintain a horizontalness of the second disc cartridge with respect to a bottom of the tray and including a pair of bracket shafts movably disposed for upward movement to selectively protrude through corresponding ones of the piercing holes so that the bracket shafts are inserted in respective ones of the position holes formed at a lower surface of the second disc cartridge.

An optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus for selectively accommodating an adapter and at least two differently sized disc cartridges as recording/reproducing mediums, the cartridges containing respective differently sized discs, and the adapter accommodating a disc having a diameter of 8 cm, the apparatus comprising:

• a case forming an interior space;
• a tray mounted to the case and insertable into and withdrawable from the interior space, the tray accommodating a selected one of:
• the two differently sized disc cartridges and the adapter as the selected recording/reproducing medium;
• supporting means for supporting the selected recording/reproducing medium on the tray, so as to prevent movement of the selected recording/reproducing medium relative to the tray;
• detecting means for detecting whether a recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray is a first disc cartridge accommodating a disc having a diameter of 12 cm, a second disc cartridge accommodating a disc having a diameter of 8 cm, or the adapter, and for detecting a state of the disc accommodated in the selected recording/reproducing medium;
• rotating means for rotating the disc of the selected recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray;
• information recording/reproducing means for recording information on and/or reproducing the information from the disc rotated by the rotating means;
• and
• a movable deck base on which the rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are mounted, the deck base positioned in the case;
• wherein the rotating means and the information recording/reproducing means are movable into an operative position in response to insertion of the tray into the case, and movable to an inoperative position in response to withdrawal of the tray from the case;
• wherein the detecting means comprises:
• a first detector for detecting whether the first disc cartridge is on the tray and a state of the disc accommodated therein;
• a second detector for detecting whether the second disc cartridge is on the tray and the state of a disc accommodated therein;
• and
• a third detector for detecting whether the adapter is positioned on the tray, and the state of a disc accommodated therein.

A method of recording and/or reproducing information using an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• a) detecting whether a recording/reproducing medium is positioned on a tray of the optical recording and/reproducing apparatus;
• b) detecting the recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray as being the first disc cartridge when a first sensor switch of the optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus is in ‘on’ state, or as being the second disc cartridge when a leaf switch is in ‘on’ state, or as being the adapter when a third sensor switch is in ‘off state, or as being the naked disc when the first sensor switch, the leaf switch, and the third sensor switch are in ‘off’ state;
• c) detecting a state of a disc accommodated in the recording/reproducing medium;
• and
• d) recording and/or reproducing information on the disc in accordance with the results detected in step c).

A method of recording and/or reproducing information using an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus, comprising the steps of:

• a) detecting whether a recording/reproducing medium is positioned on a tray of the optical recording and/reproducing apparatus;
• b) detecting the recording/reproducing medium positioned on the tray as being the first disc cartridge, a second smaller disc cartridge, an adapter, or a naked disc;
• c) detecting a state of a disc accommodated in the recording/reproducing medium by;
• c1) detecting whether the disc is single-sided or double-sided;
• c2) detecting whether the disc is formatted or unformatted;
• c3) detecting whether to verify a recordable side of the disc or not;
• and
• c4) detecting whether to record or reproduce the information on/from the disc;
• and
• d) recording and/or reproducing information on the disc in accordance with the results detected in step c).