IP Library Granted Patent US 7,168,079
Granted Patent B2
US 7,168,079 · App. 10/768,679 · Granted Jan 23, 2007

Disk apparatus with improved driving mechanism

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,168,079
App. No.
10/768,679
Granted
Jan 23, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A disk apparatus includes a tray that moves with respect to a chassis fixed to an apparatus body to carry a disk, a drive unit that moves in a direction substantially orthogonal to the carrying direction of the tray with respect to the chassis to mount or dismount the disk placed on the tray, a pickup unit provided on the drive unit and having an optical pickup for recording or reproducing the disk, the pickup unit being movable in a radial direction of the disk, and a motor which is arranged on the drive unit and drives the drive unit, pickup unit and tray through a plurality of gears. A worm gear is attached to a motor shaft of the motor. Lead angle of the worm gear is set at 15°–30°.

Claims (34)

1. A disk apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body;

a chassis fixed to the apparatus body;

a tray that moves with respect to the chassis to carry a disk;

a drive unit that moves in a direction substantially orthogonal to a carrying direction of the tray with respect to the chassis to mount or dismount the disk placed on the tray;

a pickup unit attached to the drive unit and having an optical pickup for recording or reproducing the disk, the pickup unit being movable in a radial direction of the disk;

a plurality of gears arranged on the drive unit;

a motor having a motor shaft and arranged on the drive unit to have an axial direction inclined with respect to a moving direction of the pickup unit, the motor driving the drive unit, the pickup unit and the tray through the plurality of gears;

a worm gear having a lead angle of 15°–30° and attached to the motor shaft;

a stacked gear including a worm wheel and a flat gear; and

a gear arranged on the chassis and being in mesh with the gear arranged on the drive unit;

wherein a feed of the tray coupled with the worm gear through the stacked gear is set at 1.5 mm–2.5 mm for each rotation of the worm gear; and

a tooth width of the gear arranged on the chassis is set at 15 mm–30 mm.

2. A disk apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body;

a chassis fixed to the apparatus body;

a tray that moves with respect to the chassis to carry a disk;

a drive unit that moves in a direction substantially orthogonal to a carrying direction of the tray with respect to the chassis to mount or dismount the disk placed on the tray;

a pickup unit attached to the drive unit and having an optical pickup for recording or reproducing the disk, the pickup unit being movable in a radial direction of the disk;

a plurality of gears arranged on the drive unit;

a motor having a motor shaft and arranged on the drive unit to have an axial direction inclined with respect to a moving direction of the pickup unit, the motor driving the drive unit, the pickup unit and the tray through the plurality of gears; and

a worm gear having a lead angle of 15°–30° and attached to the motor shaft.

3. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a movement quantity of the pickup unit for each rotation of the worm gear is set at 0.6 mm–1.2 mm.

4. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a transmission efficiency between the worm gear and a worm wheel in mesh therewith is set at 13%–28%.

5. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a feed of the tray for each rotation of the worm gear is set at 1.5 mm–2.5 mm.

6. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein a tooth width of a gear arranged on the chassis which is in mesh with the gear arranged on the drive unit is set at 15 mm–30 mm.

7. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the motor is arranged to have an axial direction inclined with respect to a moving direction of the pickup unit.

8. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:

a cam slider arranged on the chassis and being movable in a direction substantially orthogonal to a moving direction of the pickup unit; and

a plate trigger attached to the drive unit to cause the drive unit to ascend or descend in cam-engagement with the cam slider;

wherein the plate trigger and the cam slider respectively mesh with the gears coupled with the motor to there by move together.

9. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the worm gear has a lead angle of 17°–30°.

10. The disk apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the motor is arranged in a manner that the motor shaft is inclined toward a side of the pickup unit with respect to a moving direction of the tray.

11. The disk apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the motor is arranged in a manner that the motor shaft is inclined downward with respect to a horizontal direction.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: FUNAI GROUP CO., LTD
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 073121/0824 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 20, 2025
From: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD. (F/K/A FE-TECH CO., LTD.)
To: FEC IP LLC
Reel/Frame 073121/0883 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2004
From: IWAASA, HIROAKI
To: FUNAI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 014948/0994 →