GB2378807A

GB2378807A - Drawer support mechanism for electrical device.

Info

Publication number: GB2378807A
Application number: GB0213068A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Donald Wilson Mcdonald; Graham Duff
Original assignee: Inc TECHNOLOGIES
Current assignee: Inc TECHNOLOGIES
Priority date: 2001-06-12
Filing date: 2002-06-07
Publication date: 2003-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 2022-06-07
Also published as: GB0114211D0; GB2378807B; GB0213068D0

Abstract

A drawer support mechanism 1 for an electrical device 2 such as a disk drive, comprises a mount 4, sliding supports 6, friction reducing means 7 and a front plate 11. The friction reducing means 7 allows for the support mechanism 1 to move between a closed position and an open position as dictated by the electric motor of the sliding drawer 3. The sliding supports 6 provide rigid support for the sliding drawer 3 particularly when the drawer 3 is in the open position. The front face 11 provides protection to the front face of the drive in both the open and closed position.

Description

Drawer Support Mechanism The present invention relates to a support mechanism for a sliding drawer and in particular to a sliding drawer of an electrical device as used for supporting CD Roms and the like.

In the past few years disc drives for CD Roms and the like have been employed in an increasing number of environments. Disc drives are now common place in the household on personal computers, music centres and DVD players.

The most common design for such disc drives is in the form of sliding drawer mechanisms. In this design the disc drive remaii-s closed until the user requires its use. The drawer is then activated and slides to the open position under the action of a small electric motor. The disc is then inserted and the electric motor then acts to close the sliding drawer so locating the disc for use.

The main problem with such a design occurs when the drawer is in the open position. At this time the sliding drawer is supported by peripheral sliding mounts,

normally formed fjom plastic. Such an arrangement is not particularly robust so that it is generally considered unsuitable for use in any environment where heavy usage is envisaged.

Two other methods for accessing disc drives are described in the prior art. The first involves systems that employ top loading disc drives. Here the user releases a biased top section of the disc drive so gaining access to the disc drive. On loading the disc into the drive they are then required to manually overcome the bias force, so replacing the top section, leaving the disc ready for use. Such drives have the inherent disadvantage in that they require more space in which to operate than sliding drawer drives.

The second method involves disc drives that automatically grabs a disc once it has been partially inserted by a user. The manual insertion by a user activates an electric motor that locates the disc in position for use. In order to retrieve the disc a user is required to activate the electric motor that then ejects the disc. The obvious disadvantage of this system over the aforementioned systems is that it is not always obvious to a user whether a disc is already in position in the drive. Therefore, if this is indeed the case a user may not realise and Sj on trying to insert a second disc may inadvertently cause damage to either of the discs or to the drive itself.

Recently with the increased use of the Internet and digital technology there has been a significant increase in the culture for using computer systems in the public

domain. The constant use by members of the public of the disc drives associated with such computer systems increases the wear and tear on such devices. This has lead to a requirement for more robust disc drives than are presently available in the prior art. Of the three designs described above the most readily available is that based on the sliding drawer mechanism. However, the plastic sliding drawer mounts are susceptible to damage when used extensively by the general public who may not take the same care when accessing the drives as with one on there own computer systems. It would therefore be beneficial if such drives could be incorporated with means for strengthening the sliding drawer, particularly when in the open position.

It is an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide a disc drive support mechanism for a sliding drawer of a disc drive, thus rendering the disc drive more robust thereby extending its working lifetime for use in public access computing systems.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a support mechanism for use with a sliding drawer in an electrical device, comprising a mount, at least one rigid sliding support, at least one low friction linear bearing and a front face, wherein the low friction bearing permits the support mechanism to move between a closed position and an open position.

Most preferably che friction associated with the low friction bearing is overcome by a standard driving means associated with the electrical device. e. g. an electric motor.

Preferably the electrical device is a disc drive or disc player. Alternatively the electrical device is a means for loading a cassette.

Most preferably the mount and the front face are connected via the sliding supports.

Preferably the electrical device is located within the mount. This allows the support structure to be located correctly and accurately with respect to datum points on an enclosure associated with the electrical device.

Preferably the sliding supports are connected to the mount via the low friction bearings that are themselves mounted within a bearing block.

Most preferably the low friction bearings comprise linear roller bearings.

Preferably the front face comprises a catch, a support plate and a drive bezel.

Preferably the sliding supports are connected to the front face via the support plate.

Most preferably the support plate couples to the sliding drawer of the electrical device via the catch.

Preferably the sliding supports are made of stainless steel although any other suitable robust material may be used.

Preferably the drive bezel is made of stainless steel although any other suitably robust material may be used.

An example embodiment of the invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following figures: Figure 1 shows an exploded illustration of an embodiment of the disc drive support ; and Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the disc drive support mechanism of Figure 1.

Referring initially to Figure 1, a support mechanism for use with a sliding drawer in an electrical device is generally depicted at 1. In the present embodiment the electrical device is a CD drive 2 incorporating an electrically driven sliding drawer 3. The support mechanism 1 comprises a mount 4, a bearing block 5, two sliding rods 6, two linear roller bearings 7 and a front plate 8. The front plate can be see to further comprise a support plate 9, a catch 10 and a drive bezel 11. The sliding rods 6 are formed from stainless steel so as to take advantage of the inherent strength of this material.

In order to deploy the support mechanism 1 the CD drive 2 is located within the mount 4 as shown in Figure 2. The linear roller bearings 7 are then located in the bearing block 5 that is then attached to the underside of the mount 4 via three screws 12. The slide rods 6 are then threaded through the linear roller bearings 7, until the ends locate against back drop screws (not shown), such that the drive bezel 11 locates against the electrically driven sliding drawer 3 of the CD drive 2. The catch 10

then links in behind the front face of the electrically driven sliding drawer 3 such that the support plate 9 acts to provide additional strength to the electrically driven sliding drawer 3.

When the CD drive 2 is operated the support mechanism 1 moves in tandem with the electrically driven sliding drawer 3. The linear roller bearings 7 reduce the friction experienced by the sliding rods 6 such that the internal electric motor of the CD drive 2 is still of sufficient power for the operation of the electrically driven sliding drawer 3.

The added protection provided for the CD drive 2 by the support mechanism 1 is two fold. In the closed position the drive bezel 11 remains the only external face of the combined unit and therefore prevents accidental damage to the CD drive 2. When opened the CD drive 2 is in its most vulnerable state. The sliding rods 6 offer considerable support to the plastic sliding drawer mounts of the CD drive 2. Therefore when opened the electrically driven sliding drawer 3 is far more robust, hence less liable to damage.

Incorporation of the support mechanism 1 with a standard CD drive 2 makes the drive more reliable and so suitable for use on computer systems available to the general public. It should be obvious to those skilled in the art that such support mechanisms are not limited to CD drives. They may also be readily incorporated with DVD drives, musical CD systems, cassette systems or any other system that employs a sliding drawer whose position is controlled by an electric motor.

The present invention has the advantage that it provides a support mechanism for use with a sliding drawer in an electrical device that renders the electrical device more robust thereby extending its working lifetime.

The present invention has the further advantage that it provides a support mechanism for use with a sliding drawer in an electrical device that may be incorporated internally in the manufacturing process of the device or can be added as an add on unit to an existing device.

Further modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention defined by the appended Claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1) A support mechanism for use with a sliding drawer in an electrical device, comprising a mount, at least one rigid sliding support, at least one low friction linear bearing and a front face, wherein the low friction bearing permits the support mechanism to move between a closed position and an open position.
2) A support mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the friction associated with the low friction bearing is overcome by a standard driving means associated with the electrical device.
3) A support mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the electrical device is a disc drive or disc player.
4) A support mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the electrical device is a means for loading a cassette.
5) A support mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the mount and the front face are connected via the sliding supports.
6) A support mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the electrical device is located within the mount so allowing the support structure to be located correctly and accurately with respect to datum points housed on an enclosure of the electrical device.

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7) A support mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the sliding supports are connected to the mount via the low friction bearings that are themselves mounted within a bearing block.
8) A support mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the low friction bearings comprise linear roller bearings.
9) A support mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the front face comprises a catch, a support plate and a drive bezel.
10) A support mechanism as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the sliding supports are connected to the front face via the support plate.
11) A support mechanism as claimed Claims 9 or 10 wherein the support plate couples to the sliding drawer of the electrical device via the catch.
12) A support mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the sliding supports are made of stainless steel or other similar robust material.
13) A support mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the drive bezel is made of stainless steel or other similar robust material.