Sony Corporation

Ikuo Nitta

Masahiro Sato

Yuji Takahashi

Tomohiro Watanabe

Toru Hama

Ryoji Takamatsu

A disk auto-changer comprises a disk cartridge comprising a plurality of trays for supporting disks, an elevator arranged in the disk cartridge on one side thereof, and a loading mechanism for drawing the trays into the elevator from the disk cartridge and for returning them from the elevator to the disk cartridge. The loading mechanism comprises a tray engaging portion engaged with the hook portion of the tray, a belt for moving the tray engaging portion in the tray access direction, and a belt drive mechanism for driving the belt. The above structure allows an improvement in efficiency of an installation space of the loading mechanism of the disk auto-changer.

Recording and/or reproducing device for disk

A disc cartridge provided with: a plurality of trays, each of which can place a disc; and a case where those trays can be taken in and out of an opening, wherein an operating unit is disposed in each of the trays, a guide rail is disposed in either one of the trays and the case in a direction in which the trays are taken in and out of the case, and a fitting unit is disposed in the other of the trays and the case so as to be fit in the guide rail in order to guide the trays along this guide rail, and when the trays are taken in and out of the case, they can be smoothly taken in and out in such a way that the trays are not caught by the case, and a disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus having such a disc cartridge.

Disc cartridge and disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus

A disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus having a housing section for housing a plurality of discs, the housing section having a plurality of trays each for setting a disc thereon, the tray being movable between a pull-out position outside of the housing section and a housed position within the housing section, a recording and/or reproducing unit for recording and/or reproducing the disc, a movement unit for moving one of the housing section and the recording and/or reproducing unit relative to the other, the movement unit causing relative movement between the housing section and the recording and/or reproducing unit in an arraying direction of the plural trays housed in the housing section and a pull-out unit for pulling out from the housing section one of the plural trays housed within the housing section. The pull-out unit such that a portion of a disc housing recess of the tray remains within the housing section holds the tray even after pulling out the tray from the housing section and shifts the pulled-out tray to the recording and/or reproducing unit, with the tray holding state being released by the recording and/or reproducing unit after housing the tray in the housing section.

Growing community of inventors

Miyagi, Japan

Ikuo Nitta