Discovision Associates

Mca Disco-vision, Inc.

George Vitale

Richard L Wilkinson

A video recorder-playback machine is provided for recording and/or playing back video information from an information disc. The machine includes a 'write' laser and a 'read' laser respectively for generating record and playback optical beams which are focused upon the disc by an optical record-playback head. An optics carriage movably positions the head with respect to the disc in moving optical alignment with the 'write' laser and carries the 'read' laser in fixed optical alignment with the head. The machine includes apparatus for monitoring the record optical beam during operation in a record mode, and for substantially simultaneous operation in a playback mode to monitor the playback optical beam during the recording process.

Video recorder-playback machine

A lens assembly is positionally adjusted for precisely focusing a light beam upon a video information disc in a video recorder-playback machine. The lens assembly includes a focusing lens supported on an air bearing within an assembly housing for movement toward and away from the disc. A current conducting coil is movable with the focusing lens and is adapted to receive an electrical current indicative of instantaneous focusing error of the light beam upon the disc. A fixed magnetic field formed by a permanent magnet mounted on the housing between opposite pole pieces comprising portions of the housing is magnetically coupled with the coil whereby variations in the current result in adjustment of the position of the focusing lens with respect to the disc to correct the focusing error.

Lens assembly for a video recorder-playback machine

A spindle clamp assembly for a video recorder-playback machine is provided for securely clamping a video information disc in a precisely centered position upon a rotatable drive spindle for the machine. The clamp assembly comprises a radially expansible sleeve mounted on the spindle and sized for reception into a central opening of the disc. The expansible sleeve cooperates with a wedge collet biased downwardly by a spring within a clamp housing for uniform radial expansion of the sleeve and centering the disc upon the spindle. The clamp housing further includes means for locking engagement with the spindle to position a clamping ring in spring biased engagement with the disc to clamp the disc securely upon the spindle for rotation therewith.

Spindle clamp assembly for a video recorder-playback machine

A substrate carrier assembly is described which employs a frame, a plurality of rollers, a plurality of substrate carrier rings, captively held within the frame and a carrier support track. The substrate carrier assembly provides support and constraint to a plurality of substrate members, while the substrate members are coated with a thin evaporated layer. The physical configuration provided insures that a uniformly thin metal layer is formed over the substrate member.

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Torrance, CA, United States of America

George Vitale