U.S. patent application number 14/547943 was filed with the patent office on 2015-06-18 for disk drive device with disk detection mechanism.
The applicant listed for this patent is Alpine Electronics, Inc.. Invention is credited to Ichiro Kato.
Application Number | 20150170700 14/547943 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53369270 |
Filed Date | 2015-06-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150170700 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kato; Ichiro |
June 18, 2015 |
Disk Drive Device with Disk Detection Mechanism
Abstract
In a disk drive device, a guide section is formed to protrude
from the front surface of a guide top and face a front panel of a
frame member with a detection pin therebetween. The guide section
forms an inclined side that faces a free end of the detection pin
with a gap therebetween. If a disk is shifted from the middle of a
disk insertion slot in the right-left direction and is inserted
into the disk insertion slot, the detection pin is flexibly
deformed by a disk insertion force and is brought into pressure
contact with the inclined side. A component force is exerted on the
detection pin in a direction in which the detection pin is moved
away from the middle of the disk insertion slot in the width
direction. The component force smoothly rotates a detection lever
from an initial position to an operating position.
Inventors: |
Kato; Ichiro; (Iwaki,
JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Alpine Electronics, Inc. |
Tokyo |
|
JP |
|
|
Family ID: |
53369270 |
Appl. No.: |
14/547943 |
Filed: |
November 19, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
720/626 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B 17/051
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G11B 17/051 20060101
G11B017/051 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 16, 2013 |
JP |
2013-259274 |
Claims
1. A disk drive device comprising: a device body having a disk
insertion slot formed in a front surface thereof; a lever member
disposed inside of the device body, the lever member configured to
move between an initial position and an operating position; a
detection pin disposed on an inner side of the disk insertion slot,
the detection pin being supported by the lever member in a
cantilever fashion; and a pressing member configured to bias the
lever member toward the initial position, wherein disk insertion
into and/or disk ejection from the device body are detected by
movement of the lever member between the initial position and the
operating position when the detection pin is brought into contact
with an outer periphery of a disk and is urged in a direction in
which the detection pin moves away from a middle of the disk
insertion slot in a width direction, wherein a guide section is
provided inside of the device body so as to face a front surface of
the device body with the detection pin therebetween, and the guide
section is formed as an inclined side that faces a free end of the
detection pin with a gap therebetween, and wherein when the lever
member is located at the initial position and the detection pin is
subjected to a pressing force of a predetermined value or higher
from an inserted disk and is brought into pressure contact with the
inclined side formed by the guide section, a component force is
exerted on the detection pin in a direction in which the detection
pin is moved away from the middle of the disk insertion slot in the
width direction.
2. The disk drive device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a transport roller disposed in the inner side of the disk insertion
slot, the transport roller transporting the disk to the inside or
the outside of the device body; and a pinching member configured to
pinch the disk between itself and the transport roller, wherein the
guide section is formed in the pinching member in an integrated
fashion.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims priority to Japanese Patent
Application Serial Number 2013-259274, filed Dec. 16, 2013, the
entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a disk drive device that
transports a disk inserted through a disk insertion slot to the
inside of the body of the device to perform, for example, a
reproducing operation and, in particular, to a disk detection
mechanism that detects insertion and ejection of a disk.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] In-car disk drive devices that mount a compact disc (CD) or
a digital versatile disc (DVD) therein may include a device body
having a horizontally long disk insertion slot formed in the front
surface, a transport mechanism for automatically transporting a
disk between the disk insertion slot and a play position, a drive
mechanism that chucks the disk at the play position and rotatingly
drives the disk, and a disk detection mechanism that detects
insertion and/or ejection of the disk (refer to, for example,
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.
2003-228903).
[0006] The transport mechanism may include a roller bracket and a
guide top (a pinching member). The roller bracket supports a
transport roller and the guide top pinches a disk between itself
and the transport roller. The roller bracket is biased by an
elastic force of a spring in a direction in which the transport
roller moves closer to the lower surface of the guide top.
[0007] The drive mechanism may include a turntable rotated by a
motor serving as a drive source, a clamper that chucks a disk
between itself and the turntable, and an optical pickup that
records and/or reproduces information on the disk. The optical
pickup may be movable in the radial direction of the disk.
[0008] As illustrated in FIG. 15, the disk detection mechanism may
include a support plate 100 fixed to the upper or lower surface of
the device body, a pair of detection levers 102 each supported by
the support plate 100 in a rotatable manner about a spindle 101, a
pair of detection pins 103 each upstanding on the top end of one of
the detection levers 102, and a pair of springs 104 each urging one
of the detection levers 102 in a direction in which the detection
pins 103 move closer to each other. The detection mechansism may
also include a detection switch (not illustrated) that is turned on
and off by rotation of the detection levers 102. The detection pins
103 are disposed on an inner side of the disk insertion slot.
[0009] A disk drive device having such a configuration has an eject
state in which a disk is not mounted in the device body. As
illustrated in FIG. 15, in the eject state, each of two detection
levers 102 is pulled by a tension force from the spring 104 and
stays at an initial position. The distance between the two
detection pins 103 is maintained at a minimum distance L. At that
time, if a disk D is inserted into the inside of the device body
through the disk insertion slot, the outer periphery of the disk D
is brought into contact with the detection pins 103. Accordingly,
each of the detection pins 103 is moved outward (in a direction
indicated by a dashed line) and, thus, each of the detection levers
102 rotates about the spindle 101 from the initial position toward
an operating position. As a result, the detection switch is turned
on by the rotation of the detection lever 102, and an operation
signal is output. The transport roller rotates in a predetermined
direction in response to the operation signal. Consequently, the
disk D is pinched between the transport roller and the guide top
and is transported to the play position. At the play position, a
reproducing operation is performed on the disk D by the optical
pickup. Note that the distance between the detection pins 103
gradually increases as the disk D is transported. The distance is
maximized when the diameter of the disk D coincides with a line
extending between the two detection pins 103. Thereafter, the
distance gradually decreases and reaches the minimum distance L
again.
[0010] In addition, if an eject button is activated when the disk D
is located at the play position, the chucked disk D is released and
the transport roller is rotatingly driven in a direction opposite
to the above-described direction. Accordingly, the disk D is
pinched between the transport roller and the guide top and is
transported toward the disk insertion slot. If the disk D reaches
such a position that almost an entire portion of the disk D
protrudes from the disk insertion slot, an operation signal is
output from the above-described detection switch. Thus, rotation of
the transport roller is stopped in response to the operation
signal. By gripping the disk D, a user can remove the disk D from
the device body.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In existing disk drive devices configured in the
above-described manner, if a disk is shifted from a middle of the
disk insertion slot in a right-left direction and is inserted into
the disk insertion slot, or if a disk is roughly inserted into the
disk insertion slot, the detection lever that supports the
detection pin may be damaged due to a pressing force exerted from
the disk onto the detection pin.
[0012] To address such an issue, a technique has been developed for
reducing a friction force generated between a disk and a detection
pin. In the technique a detection pin is provided with a
cylindrical resin roller rotatably supported by the detection pin.
However, the additional resin roller increases a number of parts
and results in an incease in parts costs. In addition, the
additional resin roller causes issues in ease of assembly.
[0013] Furthermore, a technique for increasing a rigidity of the
detection pin by forming a circular arc guide groove in an
additional member that faces a support plate via a detection lever
and is slidably engaging a top end of the detection pin with the
guide groove has been developed. However, the technique requires
the detection lever to be biased by a spring having a high spring
load to stay at the initial position, since a large friction force
may be generated between the detection pin and the guide groove due
to assembly errors in parts. This technique may increase the
difficulty for inserting a disk.
[0014] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to
provide a disk drive device having a simplified configuration that
is capable of preventing damage to a disk detection mechanism.
[0015] According to an aspect of the present invention, a disk
drive devices including a device body, a lever member, a detection
pin, and a pressing memobery are disclosed. The device body has a
disk insertion slot formed in a front surface thereof. The lever
member is disposed inside of the device body so as to be movable
between an initial position and an operating position. The
detection pin is disposed on an inner side of the disk insertion
slot, where the detection pin is supported by the lever member in a
cantilever fashion. The pressing member is configured to bias the
lever member toward the initial position.
[0016] Disk insertion into and/or disk ejection from the device
body are detected by movement of the lever member between the
initial position and the operating position when the detection pin
is brought into contact with an outer periphery of a disk and is
urged in a direction in which the detection pin moves away from a
middle of the disk insertion slot in a width direction.
[0017] A guide section is provided inside of the device body so as
to face a front surface of the device body with the detection pin
therebetween, and the guide section is formed as an inclined side
that faces a free end of the detection pin with a gap therebetween.
When the lever member is located at the initial position and when
the detection pin is subjected to a pressing force of a
predetermined value or higher from an inserted disk and is brought
into pressure contact with the inclined side formed by the guide
section, a component force is exerted on the detection pin in a
direction in which the detection pin is moved away from the middle
of the disk insertion slot in the width direction.
[0018] For implementations of a disk drive device having such a
configuration, when the disk is shifted from the middle of the disk
insertion slot in a right-left direction and is inserted into the
disk insertion slot, or when the disk is roughly inserted into the
disk insertion slot and when the detection pin is flexibly deformed
in a gap due to a disk insertion force received and is brought into
pressure contact with the inclined side formed by the guide
section, the component force is exerted on the detection pin in a
direction in which the detection pin is moved away from the middle
of the disk insertion slot in the width direction.
[0019] Accordingly, the lever member can be smoothly moved from the
initial position to the operating position due to the component
force and, thus, deformation or damage of the lever member can be
prevented. It will be appreciated that when a disk is inserted at
substantially the middle of the disk insertion slot, the detection
pin is brought into contact with the outer periphery of the disk
and is urged in a direction in which the detection pin is moved
away from the middle of the disk insertion slot in the width
direction. Thus, when a disk is inserted in a normal manner, the
detection pin is not in pressure contact with the guide section.
Accordingly, in such a case, the lever member can be also smoothly
moved from the initial position to the operating position.
[0020] In the above-described configuration, the material of the
guide section is not limited to any particular material. When a
transport roller that transports a disk from/to an outside of the
device body and a pinching member that pinches the disk between
itself and the transport roller are disposed on the inner side of
the disk insertion slot, when the guide section is formed on the
pinching member in an integrated manner, an existing pinching
member can be used as the guide section without providing an
additional member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one implemenetations of a
disk drive device;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the disk drive device;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a front view of the disk drive device;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the disk drive device;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the disk drive device with a
top chassis removed;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the disk drive device
taken along a line VI-VI of FIG. 5;
[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates main portions of a disk detection
mechanism provided in the disk drive device;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a plan view of the disk drive device having a disc
inserted therein in a normal manner;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a plan view of the disk drive device having a disc
shifted to the right and inserted therein;
[0030] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the disk drive device
taken along a line X-X of FIG. 9;
[0031] FIGS. 11A and 11B illustrate a detection pin and a guide
section provided in a disk detection mechanism illustrated in FIG.
7;
[0032] FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a main portion of
another implementation of a disk drive device;
[0033] FIG. 13 is a plan view of a disk detection mechanism
illustrated in FIG. 12;
[0034] FIG. 14 is a back view of the disk detection mechanism
illustrated in FIG. 12; and
[0035] FIG. 15 illustrates a main portion of an existing disk
detection mechanism.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0036] Exemplary implementations of the present invention are
described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. As
illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, implementations of a disk drive device
include a box-shaped frame member 1 that serves as an outer shell
of a device body and a drive unit 2 disposed in the frame member 1.
The drive unit 2 is supported by the frame member 1 via elastic
members, such as a damper 3 and a coil spring (not
illustrated).
[0037] A front panel of the frame member 1 has a horizontally long
disk insertion slot 1a formed therein. A disk D is inserted into
the inside of the frame member 1 through the disk insertion slot 1a
and is ejected from the frame member 1 through the disk insertion
slot 1a. In addition, a top chassis 4 is installed on the top of
the frame member 1 so as to be close to the disk insertion slot 1a.
The underside surface of the top chassis 4 has a pair of guide tops
5 (described in more detail below) attached thereto.
[0038] The drive unit 2 has a turntable 6, a spindle motor 7, and
an optical pickup 8 mounted therein. The turntable 6 rotates the
disk D. The spindle motor 7 serves as a drive source of the
turntable 6. The optical pickup 8 reads information signals from
the disk D. It will be appreciated that the drive unit 2 can be
selectively switched between a lock mode and an unlock mode by a
lock switching mechanism (not illustrated). When the disk D is
ejected (unloaded), the drive unit 2 enters the lock mode in which
the drive unit 2 is fixedly supported by the frame member 1.
Alternatively, when the disk D is in a play mode, the drive unit 2
enters the unlock mode in which the drive unit 2 is elastically
supported by the frame member 1.
[0039] A clamp arm 9 is supported by a rear end portion of the
drive unit 2 in a rotatable manner. The top end portion of the
clamp arm 9 has a clamper 10 rotatably supported thereby. The clamp
arm 9 is biased by a coil spring (not illustrated) in a direction
in which the clamper 10 moves near to the turntable 6 at all times.
When the disk D is ejected, the clamper 10 is controlled so as to
be separated from the turntable 6 and to be positioned above the
turntable 6.
[0040] Each of the two guide tops 5 is formed from a highly smooth
resin molded component. The guide tops 5 are attached to the
underside surface of the top chassis 4 at right and left positions
using a fixing technique, such as screw fixings. As illustrated in
FIGS. 5 and 7, a protruding portion that is triangular in plan view
is formed on the front side of the guide top 5 located on the
right. A guide section 5a of a front surface of the protruding
portion extends from the vertex located adjacent to the front
surface of the frame member 1 diagonally backward right. That is,
the guide section 5a is formed as an inclined side. Similarly, a
protruding portion that is triangular in plan view is formed on the
front side of the guide top 5 located on the left. A guide section
5a of a front surface of the protruding portion extends from the
vertex located adjacent to the front surface of the frame member 1
diagonally backward left. That is, the guide section 5a is formed
as an inclined side.
[0041] A roller bracket 11 is swingably supported by the front end
portion of the drive unit 2. Both ends of the transport roller 12
are rotatably supported by the roller bracket 11. The roller
bracket 11 is biased by an elastic force of a spring 13 in a
direction in which the transport roller 12 moves close to the lower
surfaces of the guide tops 5. The disk D is pinched between the
transport roller 12 and each of the guide tops 5 and is
transported. The transport roller 12 can be rotated by a motor (not
illustrated) serving as a drive source in clockwise and
counterclockwise directions. The motor is started and stopped by ON
and OFF signals output from detection switches 14 and 15 (described
in more detail below).
[0042] A pair of detection levers 16 is disposed below the roller
bracket 11. As illustrated in FIG. 4, each of the detection levers
16 is supported by the bottom surface of the frame member 1 so as
to be rotatable about a spindle 17. The bottom surface of the frame
member 1 has a pair of guide holes 1b formed therein. A protrusions
16a formed in the underside surface of each of the detection levers
16 is engaged with a corresponding one of the guide holes 1b and,
thus, the rotation angle of the detection lever 16 is regulated so
that the detection lever 16 is located between the initial position
and the operating position. In addition, a tension spring 18 is
disposed between the detection lever 16 and the frame member 1. The
tension spring 18 biases the detection lever 16 in a direction in
which the top ends of the two detection levers 16 move close to
each other, that is, toward the initial position at which the
protrusion 16a is brought into contact with an end portion of the
guide hole 1b. Furthermore, the bottom surface of the frame member
1 has a circuit board 19 fixed thereto. The above-described
detection switches 14 and 15 are mounted on the circuit board 19.
The detection switch 14 is turned on and off by rotation of one of
the detection levers 16, and the detection switches 15 is turned on
and off by rotation of the other detection lever 16.
[0043] A detection pin 20 is provided so as to be upstanding on the
top end of the upper surface of each of the detection levers 16.
The detection pin 20 protrudes in front of the roller bracket 11 at
a position at which the detection pin 20 faces the inner side of
the disk insertion slot 1a (refer to FIGS. 1 and 3). The detection
lever 16 and the detection pin 20 are integrated into one as a
resin molded component. Alternatively, the detection pin 20 formed
as a separate member may be joined to the detection lever 16 in a
cantilever fashion using a fixing technique, such as swaging. A top
end portion (a free end) of the detection pin 20 is located in
front of the guide section 5a that protrudes from the guide top 5.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, in an eject state in which the disk D is
not mounted in the device body, the guide section 5a that forms an
inclined side faces the detection pin 20 with a gap G
therebetween.
[0044] An operation performed by a disk drive device having such a
configuration is described below.
[0045] In an eject state (a standby mode) in which the disk D is
not mounted in the device body, the drive unit 2 is in the lock
mode so that the drive unit 2 is fixedly supported by the frame
member 1. The clamp arm 9 is rotated upward so that the clamper 10
is separated from the turntable 6. In addition, the rear end of the
roller bracket 11 that rotatably supports the transport roller 12
is raised. That is, the roller bracket 11 has a forward-bent
posture. The outer peripheral surface of the transport roller 12 is
subjected to a spring force from the spring 13 and is in pressure
contact with the bottom surfaces of the guide tops 5 (refer to FIG.
6). Furthermore, each of the detection levers 16 is subjected to
the spring force of the tension spring 18 and stays at the initial
position. Thus, the distance between the two detection pins 20 is
maintained at a minimum distance.
[0046] At that time, when a disk D is inserted into the inside of
the frame member 1 through the disk insertion slot 1a at
substantially the middle of the disk insertion slot 1a in the width
direction, the outer periphery of the disk D is brought into
contact with the detection pins 20, as illustrated in FIG. 8.
Accordingly, each of the detection pins 20 is moved outward and,
thus, each of the detection levers 16 rotates about the spindle 17
from the initial position toward the operating position. At that
time, since each of the detection pins 20 is moved outward due to
the insertion force of the disk D, each of the detection levers 16
that supports the detection pin 20 smoothly rotates about the
spindle 17. Thus, each of the detection pins 20 is not brought into
contact with the inclined side formed by the guide section 5a.
[0047] When the detection levers 16 rotate due to an operation to
insert the disk D in this manner, the detection switch 14 is turned
on by one of the detection levers 16 first. Thereafter, a motor
(not illustrated) starts operating in response to an operation
signal generated by the detection switch 14 so as to rotate the
transport roller 12 in a predetermined direction. Consequently, the
disk D is pinched between the transport roller 12 and the guide
tops 5 and is transported to the inside of the frame member 1.
[0048] During the operation, the clamp arm 9 and the clamper 10
stay at a standby position above the drive unit 2, and the drive
unit 2 is maintained in the lock mode. Accordingly, the disk D is
transported to the play position without being in contact with the
drive unit 2. When a disk D that is qualified is inserted and
transported a predetermined distance, an operation signal is output
from the other detection switch 15 due to rotation of the other
detection lever 16. Accordingly, it can be determined that the
inserted disk D is a qualified one.
[0049] However, when a non-circular disk or an object other than a
disk is inserted, an operation signal is not output from the
detection switch 15 at a predetermined point in time. In such a
case, by controlling the motor to rotate the transport roller 12 in
a direction opposite the above-described direction, the inserted
object can be ejected without transporting the object to the inside
of the frame member 1.
[0050] When the center of the disk D is transported to a position
immediately above the center of the turntable 6, the drive unit 2
is changed from the lock mode to the unlock mode. In addition, the
clamp arm 9 is rotated from the standby position downward.
Accordingly, the disk D is chucked between the turntable 6 and the
clamper 10, and the drive unit 2 enters a play mode. In addition, a
switching mechanism (not illustrated) rotates the roller bracket 11
downward in conjunction with the above-described operation. Thus,
the transport roller 12 is lowered to a standby position at which
the transport roller 12 is not in contact with the bottom surface
of the disk D. In addition, the optical pickup 8 is moved outwardly
in the radial direction of the disk D, and a switch (not
illustrated) is turned on to output an operation signal. In
response to the operation signal, the motor serving as the drive
source of the transport roller 12 stops.
[0051] It will be appreciated that when the spindle motor 7
rotatingly operates in the play mode, the turntable 6, the disk D,
and the clamper 10 rotate together. Thus, an information recording
operation and/or information reproducing operation are performed by
the optical pickup 8 that is moved in the radial direction of the
disk D.
[0052] An enject button (not illustrated) is provided for the
ejection of the disk D from the device body. To eject a disk D from
the devicy body, an operation that is a reverse of the
above-described operation is performed. Since chucking of the disk
D is released and, in addition, the transport roller 12 is rotated
in the opposite direction (the other direction), the disk D is
transported toward the disk insertion slot 1a while being pinched
between the transport roller 12 and each of the guide tops 5. Like
the above-described operation, in such a case, each of the
detection pin 20 is brought into contact with the outer periphery
of the disk D, and each of the detection pins 20 is moved outward.
Thus, the detection switch 14 is turned on by one of the detection
levers 16 first. Thereafter, the detection switches 15 are turned
on by the other detection lever 16. When the detection switch 15 is
turned on, the motor is stopped and, thus, rotation of the
transport roller 12 is stopped. At that time, the disk D has been
transported so that the almost entire portion of the disk D
protrudes from the disk insertion slot 1a. By gripping the disk D,
a user can remove the disk D from the device body.
[0053] The above description applies to the normal operation in
which a qualified disk D is inserted into the disk insertion slot
1a from substantially the middle of the disk insertion slot 1a. If
the disk D is shifted from the middle of the disk insertion slot 1a
in the right-left direction and is inserted into the disk insertion
slot 1a, if the disk D is roughly inserted into the disk insertion
slot 1a, or if a non-circular disk is inserted into the disk
insertion slot 1a, the detection pin 20 may be bent in the
insertion direction and, thus, it may be difficult to move the
detection levers 16 outward.
[0054] For example, when, as illustrated in FIG. 9, the disk D is
shifted to the right from the middle of the disk insertion slot 1a
and is inserted into the disk insertion slot 1a, a pressing force
is exerted on the detection pin 20 located on the right in FIG. 9
in a direction that is substantially parallel to the disk insertion
direction. Thus, as illustrated in FIG. 10, the detection pin 20 is
flexibly deformed in the insertion direction of the disk D, where
an end of the detection pin 20 adjacent to the detection levers 16
serves as a fixed end. That is, as illustrated in FIG. 11A, when
the disk D is ejected, the detection pin 20 faces the inclined side
formed by the guide section 5a with the gap G therebetween.
[0055] When, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, the detection pin 20 is
subjected to a pressing force that is greater than or equal to a
predetermined value from the disk D and the detection pin 20 is
flexibly deformed, the top end (the free end) of the detection pin
20 is biased by the inclined side formed by the guide section 5a.
As a result, at a pressing portion between the detection pin 20 and
the guide section 5a, a component force of the contact pressing
force exerted in the direction of arrow A is generated along the
inclined side formed by the guide section 5a in the direction of
arrow B. The component force in the direction of arrow B urges the
detection pin 20 in a direction in which the detection pin 20 is
moved away from the middle of the disk insertion slot 1a in the
width direction (i.e., in the right direction). Accordingly, the
detection lever 16 that supports the detection pin 20 smoothly
rotates from the initial position toward the operating
position.
[0056] It will be appreciated that if the disk D is shifted to the
left of the disk insertion slot 1a and is inserted into the disk
insertion slot 1a, a pressing force is exerted on the detection pin
20 located on the left in FIG. 9 by the disk D in a similar manner.
Thus, the detection pin 20 is in pressure contact with the inclined
side formed by the guide section 5a that is located in the rear of
the detection pin 20 so as to face the detection pin 20. As a
result, the detection pin 20 located on the left in FIG. 9 is urged
in a direction in which the detection pin 20 moves away from the
middle of the disk insertion slot 1a (i.e., in the left
direction).
[0057] Accordingly, the detection lever 16 that supports the
detection pin 20 smoothly rotates from the initial position toward
the operating position. In addition, even when the disk D is
roughly inserted into the disk insertion slot 1a or even when an
odd-shaped disk, such as a star-shaped disk, is inserted and, thus,
the detection pin 20 is flexibly deformed so as to be in pressure
contact with the inclined side formed by the guide section 5a, the
component force is exerted on the detection pin 20 in a direction
in which the detection pin 20 moves away from the middle of the
disk insertion slot 1a. Consequently, the detection lever 16 can be
smoothly moved from the initial position toward the operating
position.
[0058] In implementations of the disk drive unit described above,
the guide section 5a is provided inside the device body so as to
face the front panel of the frame member 1 with the detection pin
20 therebetween. The guide section 5a is formed as an inclined side
that faces the free end of the detection pin 20 with the gap G
therebetween. Accordingly, even when the disk D is shifted from the
middle of the disk insertion slot 1a in the right-left direction
and is inserted or the disk D is roughly inserted into the disk
insertion slot 1a, the detection pin 20 that is subjected to a disk
insertion force is flexibly deformed and is brought into pressure
contact with the inclined side formed by the guide section 5a.
Thus, the component force is exerted on the detection pin 20 in a
direction in which the detection pin 20 moves away from the middle
of the disk insertion slot 1a in the width direction. As a result
of the component force, the detection levers 16 can smoothly rotate
from the initial position to the operating position and, thus,
deformation and damage of the detection levers 16 can be
prevented.
[0059] In addition, the guide section 5a is formed in each of the
guide tops 5 in an integrated manner. Since the guide top 5 is a
member that is needed for pinching the disk D between itself and
the transport roller 12, the need for an additional member is
eliminated. By simply changing the shape of an existing guide top
5, the guide section 5a can be formed.
[0060] While the implementations of the disk drive unit described
above have been described with reference to the detection pin 20
supported by the detection lever 16 rotatable about the spindle 17,
the detection pin 20 may be supported by a lever member movable in
the right-left direction, as in implementations of the disk drive
unit illustrated in FIGS. 12 to 14.
[0061] That is, other implementations of a disk drive device have a
pair of lever members 21 inside of the front panel of the frame
member 1 so that the lever members 21 are movable in the right-left
direction. A detection pin 20 is supported by each of the lever
members 21 in a cantilever fashion. The two lever members 21 are
biased by a tension spring 22 in a direction in which the lever
members 21 moves close to each other by a tension spring 22. In an
eject state in which a disk D is not mounted in the device body,
each of the lever members 21 is maintained at the initial position
at which the distance between the two lever members 21 is
minimized. The detection pins 20 are disposed inside of the disk
insertion slot 1a provided in the front panel of the frame member
1. A guide portion 23a is located on the opposite side of the
detection pin 20 from the disk insertion slot 1a. The guide portion
23a is formed as an inclined side that faces the top end (the free
end) of the detection pin 20 with a gap therebetween. The guide
portion 23a is provided on a front side of an appropriate member
attached to the inner side of the frame member 1 (e.g., on the
front side of a guide top 23).
[0062] In implementations of the disk drive device having such a
configuration, even when the disk D is shifted from the middle of
the disk insertion slot 1a in the right-left direction and is
inserted, or the disk D is roughly inserted into the disk insertion
slot 1a, the detection pin 20 that is subjected to a disk insertion
force is flexibly deformed and is brought into pressure contact
with the inclined side of the guide portion 23a. Thus, the
component force is exerted on the detection pin 20 in a direction
in which the detection pin 20 moves away from the middle of the
disk insertion slot 1a in the width direction. As a result of the
component force, the lever member 21 can be smoothly slidingly
moved from the initial position to the operating position.
[0063] In addition, while the above-described exemplary embodiments
have been described with reference to the detection pin and a guide
portion disposed on both sides of the middle point of the disk
insertion slot 1a in the width direction, the detection pin and the
guide portion may be disposed on either right or left side.
[0064] It is intended that the foregoing detailed description be
regarded as illustrative rather than limiting, and that it be
understood that it is the following claims, including all
equivalents, that are intended to define the spirit and scope of
this invention.
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