Disc support plate, disc changer mechanism, and disc recording and/or reproducing device

Abstract

A tray includes a substrate and a resin portion placed thereon by printing. The resin portion includes a first part placed along an edge on the disc loading side of the substrate, a second part placed along another edge on the disc unloading side of the substrate, and a third part placed between the first and second parts.

1. A disc support plate for a recording and/or reproducing medium, comprising:
 a substrate having a first tapered edge portion and a second edge portion, said substrate configured to allow a disc to be loaded onto the disc support plate from the first tapered edge portion to the second edge portion along a disc loading direction; and 
 a resin portion provide provided only on the first tapered edge portion, the second edge portion and a line-shaped portion provided between the first tapered edge portion and the second edge portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate comprises a metal plate. 
     
     
       3. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said resin portion is provided on the first tapered edge portion, the second edge portion and the line-shaped portion without discontinuity. 
     
     
       4. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the resin portion provided on the first tapered edge portion, the resin portion provided on the second edge portion, and the resin portion provided on the line-shaped portion has discontinuity. 
     
     
       5. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said substrate is approximately 03 0.3 mm in thickness, and 5 said resin portion is approximately 0.1-0.2mm in thickness. 
     
     
       6. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said resin portion is formed on both faces of said substrate. 
     
     
       7. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the line-shaped portion connects the first tapered edge  10  portion and the second edge portion. 
     
     
       8. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the line-shaped portion does not connect the first tapered edge portion and the second edge portion. 
     
     
       9. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein is the line-shaped portion extends along a center line of the substrate which is substantially parallel to the disc loading direction, 
     
     
       10. The disc support plate as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the line-shaped portion includes first and second line-shaped  20  portion which are provided substantially symmetrically with respect to a center line of the substrate which is substantially parallel to the disc loading direction. 
     
     
       11. A device for recording and/or reproducing a disc, comprising:
 a casing defining an external shape of the device; a disc support plate disposed in said casing, said disc support plate comprising: 
 a substrate having a first tapered edge portion and a second edge portion, said substrate configured to allow a disc to be loaded onto the disc support plate from the first tapered edge portion to the second edge portion along a disc loading direction; and 
 a resin portion provided only on the first tapered edge portion, the second edge portion and a line-shaded portion provided between the first tapered edge portion and the second edge portion; 
 a disc compartment arranged in said casing to receive the disc on said disc support plate; 
 means for loading and unloading the disc from said disc compartment; 
 means arranged in said casing for reproducing the disc in said disc compartment; and 
 means for operating at least one of said disc compartment and said reproducing means. 
 
     
     
       12. A changer mechanism for discs, comprising:
 a plurality of disc support plates, each comprising: 
 a substrate having a first tapered edge portion and a second edge portion, said substrate configured to allow a disc to be loaded onto the disc support plate from the first tapered edge portion to the second edge portion along a disc loading direction; and 
 a resin portion provided only on the first tapered edge portion, the second edge portion and a line-shaped portion provided between the first tapered edge portion and the second edge portion; 
 a disc compartment provided with said plurality of disc support plates, said disc compartment receiving the discs on said plurality of disc support plates; 
 means for loading and unloading the discs from said disc compartment; and 
 means for selecting one of the discs received in said disc compartment. 
 
     
     
       13. A device for recording and/or reproducing a disc, comprising:
 a casing defining an external shape of the device; 
 a disc support plate disposed in said casing, said disc support plate comprising:
 a substrate having a first tapered edge portion and a second edge portion, said substrate configured to allow a disc to be loaded onto the disc support plate from the first tapered edge portion to the second edge portion along a disc loading direction; and 
 a resin portion provided only on the first tapered edge portion, the second edge portion and a line-shaped portion provided between the first tapered edge portion and the second edge portion; 
 a disc compartment arranged in said casing to receive the disc on said disc support plate; 
 a loader configured to load and unload the disc from said disc compartment; 
 a reproducer arranged in said casing and configured to reproduce the disc in said disc compartment; and 
 an operation unit configured to operate at least one of said disc compartment and said reproducer. 
 
 
     
     
       14. A changer mechanism for discs, comprising: a plurality of disc support plates, each comprising:
 a substrate having a first tapered edge portion and a second edge portion, said substrate configured to allow a disc to be loaded onto the disc support plate from the first tapered edge portion to the second edge portion along a disc loading direction; and 
 a resin portion provided only on the first tapered edge portion, the second edge portion and a line-shaped portion provided between the first tapered edge portion and the second edge portion; 
 a disc compartment provided with said plurality of disc support plates, said disc compartment receiving the discs on said plurality of disc support plates; a loader configured to load and unload the discs from said disc compartment; and a selector configured to select one of the discs received in said disc compartment. 
 
     
     
       15. A disc changer, comprising:
 a plurality of trays, each tray of the plurality of trays configured to support a disc in a predetermined position, the disc received from an insertion slot of the disc changer to the predetermined position, a resin portion being placed on each tray by printing;   a separating mechanism configured to separate a tray of the plurality of trays having a selected disc, from others of the plurality of trays, the separation from the others of the plurality of trays defined by a first side space and a second side space;   a moving mechanism configured to position a chuck plate in the first side space, and, position a turn table and reproducing unit in the second side space,   wherein, said reproducing unit accesses the selected disc located between the chuck plate and the turn table for reproduction of content thereon, the selected disc being accessed at the predetermined position in a planar direction.   
     
     
       16. The disc changer according to claim 15, wherein the selected disc is located between the chuck plate and the turn table upon operation of the separating mechanism. 
     
     
       17. The disc changer according to claim 15, further comprising:
 an eject mechanism configured to urge a peripheral edge of the selected disc from a corresponding tray of the plurality of trays according to the operation of the separating mechanism.   
     
     
       18. The disc changer according to claim 15, wherein the moving mechanism positions a holding unit, the holding unit including the chuck plate, the turn table and reproducing unit. 
     
     
       19. The disc changer according to claim 18, further comprising:
 a guide member configured to accurately position the plurality of trays within the disc changer; and   a shaft configured to provide a turning axis for the moving mechanism,   wherein the guide member and shaft extend in a parallel direction from a base plate of the holding unit.   
     
     
       20. The disc changer according to claim 18, further comprising:
 a toggle mechanism responsive to the moving mechanism for biasing the holding unit, the holding unit being biased at a rest position when a setting of the toggle mechanism is a first setting, the rest position maintaining the holding unit apart from said plurality of trays in a planar direction of the disc changer, and, the holding unit being biased at an access position when a setting of the toggle mechanism is a second setting, the access position maintaining the holding unit among the plurality of trays for accessing the selected disc.   
     
     
       21. The disc changer according to claim 15, further comprising:
 a first roller configured to rotate about an axis to transport the disc in a planar direction from the insertion slot to the plurality of trays; and   a pair of second rollers configured to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the planar direction to urge the disc positioned by the first roller to the predetermined position.   
     
     
       22. A recording/reproducing apparatus for writing/accessing content of a selected disc medium of a plurality of disc mediums, comprising:
 a plurality of trays, each tray of the plurality of trays configured to support a disc medium in a predetermined position, the disc medium received from an insertion slot of the recording/reproducing apparatus to the predetermined position, a resin portion being placed on each tray by printing;   a separating mechanism configured to separate a tray of the plurality of trays having the selected disc medium, others of from the plurality of trays, the separation from the others of the plurality of trays defined by a first side space and a second side space;   a moving mechanism configured to position a chuck plate in the first side space, and, position a turn table and reproducing unit in the second side space,   wherein, said reproducing unit accesses the selected disc medium located between the chuck plate and the turn table for reproduction of content thereon, the disc medium being accessed at the predetermined position in a planar direction to write/access content to/from the selected optical disc medium.   
     
     
       23. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the selected disc medium is located between the chuck plate and the turn table upon operation of the separating mechanism. 
     
     
       24. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:
 an eject mechanism configured to urge a peripheral edge of the selected disc medium from a corresponding tray of the plurality of trays according to the operation of the separating mechanism.   
     
     
       25. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the moving mechanism positions a holding unit, the holding unit including the chuck plate, the turn table and reproducing unit. 
     
     
       26. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:
 a guide member configured to accurately position the plurality of trays within the recording/reproducing apparatus; and   a shaft configured to provide a turning axis for the moving mechanism,   wherein the guide member and shaft extend in a parallel direction from a base plate of the holding unit.   
     
     
       27. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:
 a toggle mechanism to the moving mechanism for biasing the holding unit, the holding unit being biased at a rest position when a setting of the toggle mechanism is a first setting, the rest position maintaining the holding unit apart from said plurality of trays in a planar direction of the recording/reproducing apparatus, and, the holding unit being biased at an access position when the toggle mechanism is a second setting, the access position maintaining the holding unit among the plurality of trays for accessing the selected disc.   
     
     
       28. The recording/reproducing apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:
 a first roller configured to rotate about an axis to transport the selected disc medium in a planar direction from the insertion slot to the plurality of trays; and   a pair of second rollers configured to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the planar direction to urge the selected disc medium positioned by the first roller to the predetermined position.