JP2810932B2 - Information recording / reproducing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to, for example, an optical information recording / reproducing apparatus for recording and / or reproducing information using a card-shaped recording medium.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, optical information recording media include compact discs that can only be played back, and write-once optical discs that can be played back and additionally written, and information processing systems such as electronic file systems using these recording media. The research and development and commercialization that make up this are being actively carried out. Further, recently, an information processing system using a card-shaped optical recording medium which is more portable than a disk-shaped recording medium has been attracting attention. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-264458 discloses a rectangular card. An optical recording medium having a concentric or spiral information track formed on the surface has been proposed.

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the optical card C. The size of the substantially rectangular optical card C is not particularly limited, but it may be too large or too small when carried in a pocket or purse and carried. Any size may be used as long as it is not so large, and the size is, for example, about 85.6 mm × 54.0 mm. In FIG. 15,
On the surface of the optical card C, an annular recording area D centered on the center position O of the optical card C is formed. In the recording area D, a large number of rows of information tracks are arranged concentrically or spirally. .

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an optical information reproducing apparatus that reproduces information by rotating the optical card C. In FIG. 16, the turntable 1 on which the optical card C is placed has a spindle installed below. The motor 2 is driven to rotate. A guide groove 3 having a width slightly larger than the length of the short side of the optical card C is formed on the upper surface of the turntable 1, and a leaf spring 4 is attached to one wall of the guide groove 3. The optical card C is placed in the guide groove 3 and pressed against the other wall. A pin-shaped stopper 5 is provided at one end of the guide groove 3, and a lever 7 is rotatably mounted around the pin 6 provided outside the guide groove 3 on the turntable 1 at the other end. ing. One end of lever 7 is turntable 1
The other end of the coil spring 8 locked is connected, and the working end of the lever 7 presses the optical card C in the guide groove 3 against the stopper 5 by the tensile force of the coil spring 8.

Here, the insertion and ejection of the optical card C into and from the turntable 1 rotate the lever 7 around the pin 6 against the tensile force of the coil spring 8, and move the working end of the lever 7 out of the guide groove 3. The operation is performed in a state where the optical card C is retracted.
The tip end is moved to a position where it abuts against the stopper 5 while being pressed against the opposite wall by the leaf spring 4 and then fixed by contacting the lever 7. The optical card C is fixed by the leaf spring 4 and the lever 7 so that the center position O of the recording area D is located on the axis of the rotating shaft of the spindle motor 2.

On the other hand, above the turntable 1, a feed screw 9 and a guide rail 10 are installed in parallel in a horizontal direction, and an optical head 11 is movably mounted on these. A female screw meshing with the feed screw 9 is provided in the optical head 11, and the optical head
Reference numeral 11 is slidably attached to the guide rail 10.
Here, when the feed screw 9 is rotated by a drive motor (not shown), the optical head 11 moves along the guide rail 10 and accesses the recording area D of the optical card C rotating in the direction of arrow W by the spindle motor 2. Thus, the recorded information can be reproduced.

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-described example, the ejection of the optical card C is performed with the operating end of the lever 7 retracted outside the guide groove 3 as described above, but the ejection is automatically performed. If you do, optical card C
It is necessary to accurately match the direction of the guide groove 3 with the discharge / convey direction. If the precision is low, not only a conveyance error occurs but also the optical card C may be damaged.

In recent years, many optical cards have been proposed in which marks such as characters and photographs are printed so that an operator can visually determine the contents of the optical card. When using such a card, the operator inserts a mark such as a character or a photo printed on the optical card into an information recording / reproducing apparatus in a state where the mark is oriented in a direction that is easy for the operator to read. Is a natural operation, and the operation is convenient. However, since the above-mentioned information recording / reproducing apparatus does not have means for accurately turning the optical card in the ejection direction, such an operation cannot be performed, which is inconvenient.

An object of the present invention is to provide an information recording medium discharging mechanism having a reliable automatic unloading function without damaging the information recording medium by providing a means for accurately pointing the information recording medium in a direction in which the information recording medium is unloaded. An object of the present invention is to provide an information recording / reproducing apparatus having the same.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, in an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention, a card-shaped recording medium is rotated by rotating means to record and / or reproduce information, In an information recording / reproducing apparatus having a loading / unloading port for taking in / out the recording medium, a transport unit for transporting the recording medium between the insertion / removal opening and a recording and / or reproducing position, and the recording medium in a transport path by the transport unit. A guide means that contacts and guides the recording medium and is located on both sides of the transport path, each of which can independently separate from a contact position with the recording medium, and detects a rotation state when the recording medium is discharged. Separating means for separating the guide means which does not contact the long side of the recording medium based on the detection result, wherein the guide is provided in the course of discharging the recording medium. The posture is adjusted in a direction parallel to the transport path by contact with the transport means and the transport force of the transport means.

[Operation] In the information recording / reproducing apparatus having the above-described configuration, the position or rotation angle of the information recording medium when the information recording medium is attached to the rotating means, and the position of the information recording medium when removing the information recording medium from the rotating means Alternatively, the rotation angle is matched.

Embodiment Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 14.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment, in which a carriage 22 is slidably mounted on two parallel rails 21a, 21b whose both ends are fixed to the information recording / reproducing apparatus main body. Can be reciprocated by a linear motor (not shown) between the optical card insertion / ejection port of the apparatus located on the left side of the drawing and a position AA 'where information is recorded and / or reproduced by an optical head (not shown). ing. A turntable 23 on which the optical card C is placed and a spindle motor (not shown) for rotating the turntable 23 are installed on the carrier 22. The outer diameter of the turntable 23 is shorter than that of the optical card C. Optical card C such that the center O of the optical card C is located on the axis of the turntable central axis 23a.
Is mounted, and is fixed by a clamper from above. The interval between the rails 21a and 21b is substantially the same as the length of the short side of the optical card C including the width of the rail itself, and the optical card C is provided on both outer sides of the rails 21a and 21b near the insertion / ejection opening of the optical card C. Fixed guide at a slightly wider interval than the short side of
24a and 24b are arranged, and further inward along the rails 21a and 21b, the optical card C
The two auxiliary guides 25a and 25b, which are movable in a direction perpendicular to the recording medium surface, have sides parallel to the rails 21a and 21b, and have arc-shaped guides on the inner side, are arranged so as to oppose each other. I have. Further, at a position AA 'where information of the optical card C is recorded and / or reproduced, the rotation of the turntable 23 is stopped, and a sensor 26 for detecting the direction of the optical card C, that is, the rotational position of the optical card C is provided. However, the optical card C is disposed outside the rail 21a at a distance from the turntable central axis 23a shorter than half the long side of the optical card C. The sensor 26 includes a photo reflector or a photo interrupter, and determines whether the optical card C is present on the sensor 26 when the rotation of the turntable 23 is stopped. Thus, this sensor 26 is a turntable
The direction, that is, the rotational position, of the optical card C placed on 23 is detected. The output of the sensor 26 is output from the auxiliary guides 25a and 25b.
The auxiliary guide 25a or 25b is selectively driven in the vertical direction in accordance with the output of the sensor 26. Note that the sensor 26 may be mounted on the carrier 22 without being fixed to the apparatus main body.

In the above-described configuration, at the time of loading, the optical card C inserted from the optical card insertion slot is placed on the turntable 23, and the rotation of the optical head is regulated while the rotation operation is regulated by the fixed guides 24a and 24b and the auxiliary guides 25a and 25b. Operating position A
−A ′. When the information recording and / or reproduction of the optical card C is completed at the position AA ', the rotation of the turntable 23 is stopped by the stop of the rotation of the spindle motor, and then the carrier 22 is moved along the rails 21a and 21b. It starts moving in the direction of the discharge port, that is, in the X direction. At that time, the long side of the optical card C is not always oriented parallel to the rails 21a and 21b, and in most cases, the rails 21a and 21b are
, And cannot pass between the fixed guides 24a and 24b as it is.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the sensor 26 detects the orientation of the optical card C when the turntable 23 is stopped, and if the optical card C exists above the sensor 26, the auxiliary guide 25a is lowered. Next, the clamp of the optical card C and / or the energization of the spindle motor are released, so that the optical card C can be freely rotated and the movement of the carrier 22 is started. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3, the long side of the optical card C rotates while being in contact with the auxiliary guide 25b, and the rail 21a,
It is oriented parallel to 21b and guided between the fixed guides 24a, 24b. Conversely, when the optical card C does not exist above the sensor 26, the control in the same direction can be performed by lowering the auxiliary guide 25b.

FIG. 4 shows the second embodiment, and the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 1 denote the same members. In FIG. 4, the fixed guide 24b 'is slightly longer inward than the opposed fixed guide 24a, and its end is a warped guide portion. Also, when the optical card C rotates in the direction of arrow R at the operating position AA 'of the optical head, the rail 21a
The sensor 27 is arranged at a position where the distance from the central axis 23a of the turntable 23 is slightly less than half of the long side of the optical card C on the outside of the optical card C. The sensor 27 is a photo interpreter in which an LED and a phototransistor are arranged to face each other.
Card C, which is a light-shielding object between the phototransistor and
Is configured to pass through, and the rotating optical card C
Can detect the passage of the long sides C1 and C2.
The output of the sensor 27 is connected to a control device using a linear motor that drives the transfer table 22.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an optical rotary encoder used in the second embodiment.
Is mounted on a spindle motor 28 that rotationally drives a turntable 23 on which the is mounted. The rotary encoder is composed of a slit plate 29 attached to the center shaft 23a of the turntable 23 and rotating, and a photo interrupter 30 attached to a fixed portion of the spindle motor 28. Slit 29a with windows
Is formed, and a slit with one window per circumference is formed on the inner circumference.
29b is provided. On the other hand, a first LED (not shown) and a first phototransistor 31a (not shown) face the photointerrupter 30 through a fixed slit 30a, and the fixed slit 30b
A second LED (not shown) and a second phototransistor 31b (not shown) face each other, and the fixed slits 30a and 30b are provided so as to face the slits 29a and 29b of the slit plate 29. The outputs of the first and second phototransistors 31a and 31b are connected to a controller for a linear motor that drives the carrier 22.

In the above configuration, at the time of loading, the optical card C is translated to the position by the same operation as in the first embodiment, and starts rotating in the direction of arrow R. With the rotation of the turntable 23, the first phototransistor 31a outputs 360 pulses per rotation due to the light beam passing through the slit plate 29, and the second phototransistor 31b outputs one pulse per rotation. Is output. FIG. 7 shows the output pulses VP1 and VP2 of the first and second phototransistors 31a and 31b of the photointerrupter 30, and when n pulses VP1 are output from the start of rotation, the optical card C Is rotated n degrees by the same point. The numerical value of the detected pulse VP1 is sent to the control device of the linear motor, and thereafter, information is recorded and / or reproduced while rotating the optical card C at, for example, an angular speed of 1000 rpm.

In the discharge operation, the rails 21a, 2a at the time when the sensor 27 detects the passage of the long sides C1, C2 of the optical card C are detected.
The angle between 1b and the long sides C1, C2 is θ, and the optical card C
When the sensor 27 detects the right long side portion C1 with respect to the insertion direction of the optical card C, the optical card C detects (3
At the point when the motor rotates by 60-n-θ) degrees, that is, the pulse VP2 is (3
(60-n-θ) is output. From this, first, each speed of the optical card C is reduced to 60 rpm, and the pulse V
The output of the sensor 27 is made valid only during the time when 200 to 250 pulses VP1 are output after the output of P2, and from the time when the valid output of the sensor 27 is obtained, the control device of the linear motor Start translation.

In FIG. 4, the position where the distance to the fixed guide 24b 'is slightly less than one half of the long side of the optical card C is BB'.
Then, if the moving speed of the carrier 22 is set so that the carrier 22 reaches the position BB ′ after θ / 360 seconds from the start of the parallel movement, the long side portion C1 of the optical card C becomes Rail 21a, 2
When the optical card C comes into contact with the fixed guide 24b 'when it is parallel to 1b, the optical card C is guided between the fixed guides 24a and 24b' while restricting the degree of freedom in the rotating direction, and is ejected in the same direction as that at the time of insertion. You. After the optical card C comes into contact with the fixed guide 24b ', the clamp of the optical card C and / or the energization of the spindle motor are released.

Further, after the slit plate 29 rotates n degrees, the angle m until it becomes the same direction as the rotation start time again becomes m = 360−n, so the control device (not shown) stores the value of m, and when the rotation stops, By turning off the power of the spindle motor 28 and decelerating it, and transmitting a brake command when m pulses VP1 are counted after the output of the pulse VP2, the ejection direction of the optical card C can be correctly adjusted. As described above, the optical card C can be stopped in the correct direction by the control device that controls the spindle motor 28 according to the signal from the encoder.

8 to 11 show a third embodiment, and FIG. 8 shows a mechanism for adjusting the ejection direction of the optical card C. 8. In FIG. 8, a spindle motor for driving the optical card C to rotate.
28 is connected to the control device 33 via the motor driver 32,
Driving and stopping are performed according to a command from the control device 33. The spindle motor 28 has a slit plate
A rotary encoder including a photo-interrupter 29 and a photo-interrupter 30 is attached, and a pulse having a frequency proportional to the rotation speed of the slit plate 29 is obtained by the photo-interrupter 30 and transmitted to the control device 33. As shown in FIG. 9, two optical sensors 34 and 35 of a light reflection type are arranged below the rotating optical card C, and their outputs are connected to a control device 33. When the rotation direction of the optical card C coincides with the direction L ejected along the guide rails 36a and 36b, two adjacent ridges of the optical card C can be detected.

FIG. 10 (a) shows a signal from the optical sensor 34, and FIG. 10 (b) shows a signal from the optical sensor 35. The signal is ON only while the optical card C crosses above the sensors 34 and 35. Therefore,
In the state where (c) indicating the logical product signal of (a) and (b) is on, it indicates that the direction of the optical card C matches the ejection direction L as shown in FIG.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure for adjusting the rotation stop direction of the optical card C. In step 1, the power of the spindle motor 28 is turned off.
Proceed to step 3 only when 28 is equal to or less than the predetermined number of revolutions,
In step 3, the process proceeds to step 4 only when the signals of the optical sensors 34 and 35 are both on. In step 4, the brake signal is transmitted to the motor driver 32, and the process ends.

In the above configuration, the control device 33 is
When the power supply of the motor 28 is turned off, the spindle motor 28 continues to rotate due to inertia, but gradually decreases its rotation speed. This change in the rotation speed is transmitted to the control device 33 by the photo interrupter 30 every moment, and when it is confirmed that the rotation speed has become equal to or less than the predetermined rotation speed, the logical product signal of the optical sensors 34 and 35 is turned on at the same time. Then, a brake command is output and the rotation is stopped. Here, when the spindle motor 28 is immediately stopped when a brake command is issued, a predetermined number of rotations is set low enough to allow the spindle motor 28 to stop immediately, and the sensing position is appropriately selected so that the optical card C stops in the ejection direction. Since the angle can be adjusted to about ± 2 with respect to L, if the ends of the guide rails 36a and 36b are slightly widened as shown in FIG. 9, the optical card C can be reliably ejected. In the third embodiment, since the optical sensors 34 and 35 are provided, the spindle motor 28
The presence or absence of the optical card C can be detected from the output signal at the time of rotation.

12 and 13 show a fourth embodiment, in which a notch is provided at a predetermined position on the lower surface of the turntable 23 on which the optical card C is placed.
A stopper 42 having a front end fitted with the notch 41 is provided below the turntable 23, and the stopper 42 is vertically driven by a plunger 43 operated by the control device 33. ing.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a procedure for adjusting the rotation stop direction. In step 1, the power of the spindle motor 28 is turned off, and in step 2, the process proceeds to step 3 only when the spindle motor 28 has a predetermined rotation speed or less. Then, the plunger 43 is operated.

In the above-described configuration, the control device 33 waits for the spindle motor 28 to rotate below the predetermined number of rotations as in the previous embodiment, and then turns on the plunger 43 to move the stopper 42 in parallel with the rotation axis of the spindle motor 28. Move it upwards in any direction,
The rotation is stopped at a position where the notch 41 is fitted. Due to this stop, the turntable 23 moves in a predetermined direction, that is, the optical card C
Correspond to the directions of the guide rails 36a and 36b. In this case, since the tip of the stopper 42 is in sliding contact with the lower surface of the turntable 23 until the stopper 42 is fitted with the notch 41, the predetermined rotation speed is set slightly higher, and the rotation may be stopped halfway due to friction. Need not be. The spindle motor
Needless to say, when restarting the rotation of 28, the plunger 43 is turned off and the stopper 42 is released. In this embodiment, the notch 41 is provided on the lower surface of the turntable 23. However, the notch 41 may be provided on the side surface to drive the stopper 42 in the horizontal direction. With such a configuration, it is not necessary to provide a sensor for detecting the rotational position of the optical card C.

FIG. 14 shows a fifth embodiment. Magnets 51a and 51b as magnetic flux generating means are opposed to the outer peripheral portion of the turntable 23,
The S pole and the N pole face outward, respectively. Electromagnets 52a and 52b that generate a magnetic field by generating a magnetic flux by a current flowing through the coil and are fixed to the main body substrate at positions sandwiching the turntable 23, and the N pole and the S pole face inward, respectively. .

In the above configuration, when the rotation is stopped, the turntable 23 is turned off.
When the power of the spindle motor 28 for rotating the motor is turned off and the electromagnets 52a and 52b are energized, magnetic attraction is generated when the magnets 51a and 51b reach the positions facing the electromagnets 52a and 52b, respectively, and the rotation of the turntable 23 is started. Stop. By using the magnetic attraction force, the rotation of the turntable 23 can be stopped without contact with the turntable 23, so that the turntable 23 and the like are not damaged, and the optical card C
It is not necessary to provide a sensor for detecting the rotational position of the camera.

Also, an example is shown in which a sensor provided near the turntable for detecting the orientation of the information recording medium, an encoder attached to the spindle motor, and the like are used, but the orientation of the information recording medium may be indirectly determined. Alternatively, the direction of the holding means for holding the information recording medium may be detected.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention has a mechanism for rotating and reading an information recording medium, but the direction at the time of ejection of the information recording medium is not changed. Since the control can be performed in the same manner as described above, the risk of damaging the information recording medium is easy, and the reliability of the automatic ejection function can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 14 show an embodiment of an information recording / reproducing apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view of the first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is an optical card C ejected in an inclined state. Explanatory diagram,
FIG. 3 is an explanatory view when the optical card is ejected, FIG. 4 is a plan view of the second embodiment, FIG. 5 is a side view of a rotary encoder,
6 is a plan view, FIG. 7 is an explanatory view of an output pulse, FIG. 8 is a structural view of the embodiment of FIG. 3, FIG. 9 is a plan view, FIG. Fig. 11 is a flowchart,
12 is a configuration diagram of the fifth embodiment, FIG. 13 is a flowchart diagram, FIG. 14 is a plan view of the fifth embodiment, FIG. 15 is a plan view of an optical card, and FIG. It is a perspective view of an information recording and reproducing device. Reference numerals 21a and 21b are rails, 22 is a carrier, 23 is a turntable, 24a and 24b are fixed guides, 25a and 25b are auxiliary guides, 28
Is a spindle motor, 29 is a slit plate, 30 is an interrupter, 34 and 35 are optical sensors, 36a and 36b are guide rails, 51
a and 51b are magnets, and 52a and 52b are electromagnets.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeto Kanda 3- 30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (56) References Japanese Utility Model Sho-63-78337 (JP, U) Japanese Utility Model Taira 1-64177 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G11B 25/04 G11B 17/00 G06K 13/06

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. An information recording / reproducing apparatus which has a loading / unloading port for recording and / or reproducing information by rotating a card-shaped recording medium by rotating means and for taking in / out the recording medium. Or a conveying means for conveying the recording medium between the reproduction positions, and comes into contact with the recording medium in a conveying path by the conveying means, guides the recording medium and is located on both sides of the conveying path, and each is independently the A guide means which can be separated from a contact position with the recording medium, and a rotation state at the time of ejection of the recording medium is detected, and based on the detection result, the guide means which does not contact the long side of the recording medium is separated. Separating means for adjusting a posture in a direction parallel to the conveyance path by contact with the guide means and a conveyance force of the conveyance means in a conveyance process at the time of discharging the recording medium. Information recording and reproducing apparatus according to claim.