Disc player containing discs to be played and method of controlling the same

A disc player which is capable of containing a plurality of discs and plays back a disc selected from said plurality of discs, comprising:

• a disc holding/separating mechanism which holds said plurality of discs concentrically and which separates said selected disc from the remaining discs to form a first space below said selected disc;
• a turntable;
• a pickup which reads out data recorded on said selected disc which is placed on said turntable;
• a turntable support mechanism which supports said turntable and which moves between an outside of said plurality of discs held by said disc holding/separating mechanism and said first space;
• a disc carrier mechanism which holds and conveys said selected disc between said disc holding/separating mechanism and said turntable;
• a clamper which secures said selected disc to said turntable;
• a clamper support mechanism which supports said clamper and which moves between an outside of said plurality of discs held by said disc holding/separating mechanism and a second space formed above said selected disc which is placed on said turntable;
• a control mechanism which controls motions of said turntable support mechanism and said clamper support mechanism;
• wherein, when said selected disc is placed on said turntable, a center of said turntable is positioned on a central axis of said plurality of discs held by said disc holding/separating mechanism.

A disc player which is capable of containing a plurality of discs and plays back a disc selected from said plurality of discs, comprising:

• a disc holding/separating mechanism which holds said plurality of discs concentrically and which separates said selected disc from the remaining discs to form a first space below said selected disc;
• a turntable;
• a pickup which reads out data recorded on said selected disc which is placed on said turntable;
• a turntable support mechanism which supports said turntable and which moves between an outside of said plurality of discs held by said disc holding/separating mechanism and said first space;
• a disc carrier mechanism which holds and conveys said selected disc between said disc holding/separating mechanism and said turntable;
• a clamper which secures said selected disc to said turntable;
• a clamper support mechanism which supports said clamper and which moves between an outside of said plurality of discs held by said disc holding/separating mechanism and a second space formed above said selected disc which is placed on said turntable;
• a control mechanism which controls motions of said turntable support mechanism and said clamper support mechanism;
• a base plate;
• a sub-base which is supported on said base plate and which supports said turntable support mechanism and said clamper support mechanism;
• a vibration absorbing member which is interposed between said base plate and said sub-base;
• a lock member which is movably provided on said base plate and which is engaged with said sub-base when locking said sub-base in place;
• and a lock member moving mechanism which causes said lock member to lock said sub-base until said clamper secures said selected disc to said turntable and which causes said lock member to unlock said sub-base when said clamper secures said selected disc to said turntable.

A method of controlling a disc player comprising the steps of:

• forming a first space below a disc selected from a plurality of discs which are concentrically held by a disc holding/separating mechanism of said disc player;
• moving a turntable mounted on a turntable support mechanism of said disc player from an outside of said plurality of discs held by said disc holding/separating mechanism to said first space;
• conveying said selected disc from said disc holding/separating mechanism onto said turntable by a disc carrier mechanism of said disc player;
• alternately moving, after forming said first space and conveying the selected disc onto the turntable, a clamper supported on a clamper support mechanism of said disc player from an outside of said plurality of discs held by said disc holding/separating mechanism to a second space formed above said selected disc which is placed on said turntable;
• securing said selected disc to said turntable by said clamper.

A disc player, comprising:

• a holding device for holding a plurality of discs concentrically and separating a selected disc from rest of plurality of discs for playback;
• a turntable for playing said selected disc;
• and
• a clamper for securing said selected disk onto said turntable for playback;
• wherein said turntable and said clamper being moved alternately during playback as a first space being formed below the selected disc and said turntable being moved into the first space, and then a second space is formed above the selected disc, after the selected disc being conveyed onto the turntable, and the clamper being moved into the second space.