# US 7,614,061 B2 · Tray loading/unloading apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,614,061 B2 - Document ID: US7614061B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/557,952 - Filed: 2006-11-08 - Published: 2007-07-19 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-01-18 - Assignees: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Yu-Cheng Ko - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7614061B2 ## CPC - G11B 17/056: with sliding loading means - G11B: INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER (recording measured values in a way that does not require playback through a transducer G01D9/00; recording or playback apparatus using mechanically marked tape, e.g. punched paper tape, or using unit records, e.g. punched or magnetically marked cards G06K; transferring data from one type of record carrier to another G06K1/18; circuits for coupling output of reproducer to radio receiver H04B1/20; gramophone pick-ups or like acoustic electromechanical transducers or circuits therefor H04R) ## Abstract A tray loading apparatus includes a tray, a motor, a drive circuit. The tray is movable between a load position and an unload position. The motor is constructed and arranged for bringing the tray to move from the unload position to the load position. The drive circuit is used for apply a loading voltage to the motor and the loading voltage includes at least one gradually increasing stage. A tray unloading apparatus and an optical disc drive are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tray loading apparatus, comprising: a tray being movable between a load position and an unload position; a motor constructed and arranged for bringing the tray to move from the unload position to the load position; and a drive circuit for applying a loading voltage to the motor and the loading voltage includes at least one increasing stage; wherein at least one the increasing stage comprises at least one time interval, and the loading voltage is constant during the at least one time interval; wherein the at least one increasing stage comprises a first increasing stage and a second increasing stage, the first increasing stage includes multiple first steps and the second increasing stage includes multiple second steps, each of the first steps in the first increasing stage defines a first time interval, the loading voltage remains constant during the first time interval, each of the second steps in the second increasing stage defines a second time interval, the loading voltage remains constant during the second time interval, the first time interval is different from the second time interval. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tray loading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tray loading apparatus further comprises a control circuit to send commands to the drive circuit to control the loading voltage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tray loading apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the tray loading apparatus further comprises a switch for signaling the control circuit to stop the drive circuit from outputting the loading voltage when the tray reaches the load position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The tray loading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loading voltage increases a predetermined increment after the at least one time interval. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tray loading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loading voltage remains at a constant value after the at least one increasing stage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The tray loading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the loading voltage comprises a decreasing stage after the at least one increasing stage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tray loading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first time interval is 10 ms and the second time interval is 40 ms. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The tray loading apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the decreasing stage comprises at least one time interval, the loading voltage decreases a predetermined decrement after the at least one time interval. ### Claim 9 A tray unloading apparatus, comprising: a tray being movable between a load position and an unload position; a motor constructed and arranged for bringing the tray to move from the load position to the unload position; and a drive circuit for applying an unloading voltage to the motor and the unloading voltage including at least one decreasing stage; wherein the at least one decreasing stage includes at least one time interval and the unloading voltage is constant during the at least one time interval, the unloading voltage remains at a constant value between an initial point where the unloading voltage is initially applied to the motor and a decreasing point where the unloading voltage staffs to decrease. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tray unloading apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the unloading voltage decreases a predetermined decrement after the at least one time interval. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The tray unloading apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the unloading voltage remains at a constant value before the at least one decreasing stage, the unloading voltage increases before it remains at the constant value. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The tray unloading apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one decreasing stage lasts until the tray reaches the unload position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The tray unloading apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the at least one time interval is 80 ms. ### Claim 14 An optical disc drive, comprising: a tray being movable between a load position and an unload position; a motor for driving the tray to move between the load position and the unload position; a drive circuit for outputting a voltage to drive the motor; and a control circuit for sending commands to the drive circuit to control the voltage applied to the motor, wherein the voltage comprise at least one increasing stage when loading the tray and at least one decreasing stage when unloading the tray; wherein a waveform of the voltage for loading the tray and a waveform of the voltage for unloading the tray are different. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The optical disc drive as claimed in claim 14, wherein the at least one increasing stage comprises a first increasing stage and a second increasing stage, the first increasing stage includes multiple first steps and the second increasing stage includes multiple second steps, each of the first steps in the first increasing stage defines a first time interval, the loading voltage remains constant during the first time interval, each of the second steps in the second increasing stage defines a second time interval, the loading voltage remains constant during the second time interval, the first time interval is different from the second time interval. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The optical disc drive as claimed in claim 14, wherein when the voltage is applied for unloading the tray, the voltage remains at a constant value between an initial time point when the voltage is initially applied to the motor and a decreasing time point when the unloading voltage starts to decrease. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The optical disc drive as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first time interval is 10 ms and the second time interval is 40 ms. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The optical disc drive as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a switch for detecting the load position and the unload position of the tray, when the switch detects the tray reaches the load position or the unload position, the switch signals the control circuit to stop the drive circuit from outputting the voltage.