Using a top-hinged shutter on a drive to supply a retaining force to hold a disc in position for vertical insertion

Abstract

A shutter is utilized to maintain an optical disc within a receptacle during loading/unloading of the disc to/from an optical drive. The optical drive comprises a receptacle operable to transport a disc to/from the drive by extending from and retracting into the drive. Such receptacle comprises a top side that receives a disc. The optical drive further comprises a shutter that extends from the drive over at least a portion of the top of the receptacle, wherein such shutter applies force toward the top of the receptacle when the receptacle is extended from the drive. Such force is sufficient to maintain a disc in the receptacle when oriented vertically. In a preferred embodiment, the shutter is hinged wherein it is rotatably connected to the optical drive such that it opens upward when the receptacle extends from the drive and closes downward when the receptacle retracts into the drive. Additionally, the shutter comprises at least one shutter projection that engage a disc contained in the receptacle to prevent the disc from inadvertently falling out of the receptacle when oriented vertically. In a preferred embodiment, a user places a disc between the receptacle and the shutter, and the shutter maintains pressure against such disc to maintain the disc in the receptacle. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, a user can easily place a disc into a vertically oriented receptacle with little effort and little potential for damaging the disc.