Sony Corporation

Atsushi Takamatsu

Shinji Ito

Yutaka Fukuyama

A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for a magneto optical recording medium housed within a disc cartridge includes a casing, a recording and/or reproducing unit, a transporting unit and a driving unit. The casing includes an opening for introducing and ejecting the disc cartridge. The recording and/or reproducing unit includes a magnetic head for applying a perpendicular magnetic field on the magneto-optical recording medium and is housed within the casing. The transporting unit loads the disc cartridge inserted via the opening on the recording and/or reproducing unit. The transporting unit includes a holding section for holding the inserted disc cartridge and a pair of cam members for moving the holding section in the horizontal direction in the casing and in the vertical direction in the casing in continuation to the movement in the horizontal direction. The driving unit causes the cam members to be moved in the horizontal direction in the casing. The cam members are moved in a first direction as a result of insertion of the disc cartridge and set the driving unit into operating states as a result of insertion of the disc cartridge. The cam members cause the holding section to be moved in the horizontal direction by a movement of the cam members in a second horizontal direction consecutive to the movement in the first horizontal direction by the driving unit. The cam members cause the holding section to be loaded on the recording and/or reproducing unit by a movement of the cam members in a third horizontal direction consecutive to the movement in the second horizontal direction by the driving unit.

Disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus

A loading unit for a disc cartridge includes a cartridge holder movably supported relative to a chassis. The cartridge holder is moved towards a recording and/or reproducing device for recording and/or reproducing information signals on or from a recording medium housed within the disc cartridge. The cartridge holder is configured to hold the disc cartridge inserted therein and has an engaging recess and an insertion detector. The insertion detector is moved in response to the disc cartridge being inserted into the cartridge holder. A stop mounted on the cartridge holder has a retention portion for retention by the chassis and an engaging protrusion for engagement with the engaging recess of the disc cartridge. The stop is slidingly contacted with the chassis in conjunction with movement of the cartridge holder towards the recording and/or reproducing device. The stop is inhibited from movement by the insertion detector when a disc cartridge is not inserted into the cartridge holder and the retention portion is engaged by the chassis. The stop is released from inhibition of movement when the disc cartridge is inserted into the cartridge holder and the insertion detector is moved, thereby disengaging the retention portion from the chassis, whereby the stop engages the engaging protrusion with the engaging recess in the disc cartridge.

Loading mechanism for a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus

A recording and/or reproducing apparatus for a magneto-optical recording medium housed within a disc cartridge. The recording and/or reproducing unit includes a magnetic head for applying a perpendicular magnetic field to the magneto-optical recording medium. A transporting unit includes a holding section for holding the inserted disc cartridge and a pair of cam members for moving the holding section in horizontal and vertical directions in a casing. The cam members are moved a first horizontal displacement as a result of insertion of the disc cartridge and set a driving unit into an operating state. The cam members cause the holding section to be moved in the horizontal direction by a second horizontal displacement of the cam members. The cam members cause the holding section to be loaded on the recording and/or reproducing unit by a third horizontal displacement continuous with the second horizontal displacement.

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Tokyo, Japan

Atsushi Takamatsu