Patent · US Expired

Leaf spring lock for a carriage in a media player that is actuated by the carriage and position of a cartridge

US5444690A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
8References
12Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 12, 1993
Grant dateAug 22, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 12, 2013

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11B7/08582
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

An optical disk player has a controller circuit board attached to a cartridge receiver. A universal head, actuator (head carriage) and spindle motor assembly (HASA) module is attached to the receiving mechanism. The actuator carries an optical head assembly along a predetermined path contiguous with a transducer access opening of a cartridge in the receiver and radially of an optical disk in the cartridge. A leaf spring is mounted in a bottom portion of the module and extends along the predetermined path toward a disk mounting spindle. The leaf spring has an upstanding end portion between the spindle and the predetermined path. While the head carriage is disposed closely to the spindle and the receiver is in a load-unload position, a detent on the head carriage is engaged in an aperture in the spring that is adjacent the upstanding end portion. As the receiver moves to the load position, the cartridge contacts the upstanding portion flexing the spring away from the carriage freeing it for reciprocating motions. Movement of the carriage to the predetermined position while the receiver is in the unload position enables locking the carriage against movement along the predetermined pat…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.