Pioneer Electronic Corporation

Junji Takahashi

Isami Kenmotsu

Tadashi Funabashi

Kyoichi Kato

Hitoshi Kanamaru

Yasuhiko Seto

A disk record/playback machine including a carriage which is movable relative to a casing, racks which are slidably mounted on the carriage, a locking device for locking the racks to the carriage, a rest for supporting a disk and cams for supporting the rest to the racks. The rest is movable to a first elevational position during a disk discharge mode, to a second elevational position in a record/playback mode, and to a third elevational position located between the first and second elevational positions, during a stand-by mode.

Disk record/playback machine with disk rest movable to an intermediate

A disk clamping device for a compatible disk player capable of playing both compact disks and video disks in which the clamping force for the thicker video disk is greater than that for the thinner compact disk. The clamping device includes a turntable for mounting a selected one of a video disk and a compact disk, a hub for centering the disk mounted on the turntable, a clamper having a first surface for pressing the video disk and a second surface projecting in a clamping direction further than the first surface for pressing the compact disk, and a magnet constituting at least a part of the second surface of the clamper or the turntable for generating a force urging the clamper against the turntable.

Disk clamping device

A clamper for a disk player is disclosed. A locking lever is fitted in a turnable manner on a clamping cam which is moved backward and forward in a prescribed position along a chassis in the body of the disk player to move up and down a clamper holder fitted with the clamping cam, to clamp the recording disk on the spindle motor. The locking lever is provided with a driving force transmission portion and an action control portion. The driving force transmission portion is engaged with an operating unit for transmitting a driving force in a timed manner. The action control portion is engaged in an action control cam groove provided in the chassis and having a locking portion and a locking/unlocking guide cam surface. When a timed driving force is applied to the locking lever by the backward movement of the operating unit in the direction of retraction. The action control portion is engaged and guided in the action control cam groove so that the locking lever is turned for unlocking and performs a backward movement in a prescribed position; when a timed driving force is applied to the locking lever by the forward movement of the operating unit in the direction of protrusion. The action control portion is engaged and guided in the action control cam groove so that the locking lever performs a forward movement in a prescribed position and is turned for locking. The clamping cam, which is moved together with the locking lever, is moved backward and foward in a prescribed position in a timed manner along with the action of the locking lever so as to clamp the recording disk on the spindle motor in a timed manner. An urging portion is provided in an appropriate position on one of the chassis and the locking lever which are components of the clamper. An urging portion controller is provided in an appropriate position on the other of the chassis and the locking lever. Only when the action control portion is in a front and a rear positions wherein the action control portion is engaged with and disengaged from the locking portion, an urging force acts so that the action control portion operates while being in contact with the locking/unlocking guide cam surface.

Clamper for disk player

A front-loading disc player of improved construction, having a disc supporting member which is mounted in a housing to be slidable between an externally protruding position for loading or unloading a recording disc and a position contained within the housing, for playing the disc contents, featuring a simplified mechanical configuration whereby the disc supporting member only moves along a single direction, i.e. substantially horizontally, with the turntable and pick-up unit being mounted together on a swinging member which is swung upward or downward to respectively engage or disengage the turntable from the recording disc supported on the disc supporting member.

Front-loading disc player with a horizontally disposed disc supporting

An automatic loading disc player includes a turntable for rotating a disc to be played back, a disc transfer mechanism for carrying and transferring the disc into a predetermined playback position on the turntable or a position in the vicinity thereof, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the disc in a predetermined position on the disc transfer mechanism. The positioning mechanism is engageable with at least three points on an outer peripheral edge of the disc for positioning the disc and drivable in coaction with disc transferring operation of the disc transfer mechanism. The positioning mechanism is releasable from engagement with the disc while the disc is being played back. The positioning mechanism includes three positioning levers angularly movable by an endless chain for engagement with the outer peripheral edge of the disc. With this arrangement, the disc can accurately and reliably be positioned on the disc transfer mechanism regardless of the diameter of the disc.

Automatic loading disc player

A disc carrying system is mounted in a disc player of the front loading type and serves to support a disc that will be performed at a predetermined location on a disc supporting surface and to carry the disc to a predetermined performance location by moving the disc horizontally and vertically. This system comprises: a horizontally slidable tray for positioning the disc; a container which can project outside of the player housing together with the tray and which supports the disc in cooperation with the tray; at least a pair of horizontally movable cam members having cam holes adapted to engage the container; and a motor to drive the cam members. The cam holes are formed so as to vertically move the container in association with the horizontal movement of the cam members. Two concave portions are formed in the tray at predetermined locations corresponding to the periphery of the disc when it has been mounted on the disc supporting surface. By inserting the thumb or any two fingers in these concave portions, the disc may be easily removed from the tray. This disc carrying system cam provide an automatic disc loading operation by means of a simple constructional cam mechanism, and troubles will not readily occur.

Growing community of inventors

Saitama, Japan

Junji Takahashi