DE20003337U1 - Insert for drives for optical storage disks - Google Patents

Description

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Insert for optical disk drives

The invention relates to an insert for drives for optical storage disks for pre-centering optical storage disks with special formats when inserting them into the drive according to the preamble of the independent patent claim.

DE 297 08 978 (U1) discloses an insert for a CD drive for pre-centering circular CDs with a diameter between the standard size and the mini CD. This insert is a ring-shaped disk. The outer diameter corresponds to a normal CD. The inner diameter is larger than the diameter of a mini CD. This insert is inserted into a drive tray like a normal CD. Its outer peripheral edge rests on the centering shoulder for normal CDs. Its edge, formed by the inner diameter, now forms a new special centering shoulder for a CD with a diameter between a normal and a mini CD. Obviously, CDs with special formats can also be inserted, provided that they rest on the new special centering shoulder with at least three peripheral points. This insert cannot be used for all other intermediate formats. If a normal CD is to be inserted again, this insert must first be removed from the drive. Pre-centering is essential when inserting a CD into a drive. If a CD is simply placed on the support surface in the drive tray, there is no guarantee that the drive's drive pin will be able to move into the CD's central drive opening when the drive tray is closed. Most of the time, the CD shifts so much when the tray is closed that the drive even jams.

Today, however, there are more and more different special formats on the market. Some of them are already very popular. This is particularly the case with business card CDs. CDs in the shape of a heart are also popular with the public.

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The object of the invention is to create an insert which makes it possible to insert and pre-center various of these special formats of CD or DVD into a drive.

This object is solved by the invention specified in the patent claims.

An advantage of the invention is that various special formats of all types of optical storage disks, such as CD _, DVD, magneto-optical disk, etc. can be perfectly and precisely aligned using the insert without any further changes to the drive and remain cleanly and precisely pre-centered when the drive is closed.

A further advantage of the invention is that the insert can be removed again. However, it does not have to be, since it can be designed in such a way that optical storage disks with a standard diameter can also be used if the insert remains in the drive.

The invention is described below in conjunction with the drawings.

Figure 1 An insert according to the invention detachably attached to a carrier film

Figure 2 a first variant of the insert in connection with a drive drawer in cross section;

Figure 3 another variant of the insert;

Figure 4 a third variant of the insert

Figure 5 a general variant of positioning contours; Figure 6 a special design of positioning contours;

Figure 7 two variants of insertion aids in top view
and

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Figure 8 shows an insertion aid corresponding to Figure 4 in top view.

The basic idea of the invention is that new positioning contours for CDs and DVDs in special formats are placed on the base of a drive. These positioning contours must be such that an optical storage disk can be inserted correctly pre-centered according to its special format. It must then be secured in this position so that it cannot move when the drive is closed and the drive dome can move cleanly and precisely enough into the drive opening of the optical storage disk. To make this easy and safe to use, a thin film-like insert 1 made of plastic, paper, metal or rubber-like material is used. Various variations of this basic idea are included.

Figure 1 shows how inserts 1 according to the invention can be marketed, for example. One or more of such inserts 1 are detachably applied to a carrier paper 2. To use, the insert 1 is peeled off the carrier paper 2 and inserted into the base of the drive within the recess for normal optical storage disks. The carrier paper 2 can of course also be a plastic or metal foil, a thin cardboard or the like.

The insert 1 now has the shape of a ring-shaped disk, which has a recess 15 on one side. The outer diameter of the insert 1 corresponds to the outer diameter of the usual optical storage disks, i.e. cutout for mini 120 mm. The inner diameter of the insert 1 corresponds at least to that of the drive plate of the drive, but usually to that of a mini CD. The recess 15 therefore encompasses this inner area at least around the drive plate and also forms a slot to the outside, which corresponds to the reading slot for the drive's reading head in the drive base. When the insert 1 is inserted, its outer edge now rests on the centering shoulder for normal CDs. The inner area of the drive base with the inner centering shoulder for mini CDs remains free, as does the reading slot in the drive base. A first contour marking k1 is now printed on the insert 1, for example. The first contour marking k1 corresponds to the format of an optical storage disk in the familiar format of business cards 3. From each corner of the business cards 3, two position bodies 11 are now attached, glued or molded onto the insert 1. These position bodies 11 can have different shapes. In particular

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Cylindrical cams with a height of between 0.3 mm and about 1.2 mm are simple and suitable. The decisive factor is that they form a contact edge for the special formats of optical storage disks 3. Using the insert 1, the contour markings for the special formats of the optical storage disks 3 can now be transferred to the drive base. This can be done by using the insert 1 to transfer the position bodies 11 attached to it to the drive base in accordance with the contour markings, where they remain adhesive, or by leaving the insert 1 inserted on the drive base.

In the case of the insert 1, as shown in cross-section in Figure 2, the contour markings k1 - k4 are printed or embossed on the top side of the film with contour markings 13. The positioning bodies 11 are located on the underside of the film with contour markings 13. They adhere easily to the underside. For this purpose, the underside is provided with a first adhesive layer 131 with low adhesive strength. The positioning bodies 11, in turn, are also provided with a second adhesive layer 114 on the side opposite the film with contour markings 13. Here, however, an adhesive layer with significantly stronger adhesive strength is present. Before using the insert 1, any protective paper on the second adhesive layer on the positioning bodies 11 is removed. Then the insert 1 is inserted, as shown, with the positioning bodies 11 facing downwards on the drive base within the centering shoulder for normal CDs so that the recess 15 is located above the reading slot. Now, in the area of the insert, contour markings k1 - k4 are pressed from the top onto insert 1. This presses the desired position bodies 11 onto the drive base and they stick there. Insert 1 can now be removed again. Position bodies 11 remain on the drive base. Their height and nature guarantee that normal optical storage disks simply rest on them when inserted. However, they still remain pre-centered by the centering shoulder. As soon as the drive is closed, the optical storage disk is centered on the drive plate by the drive mandrel and no longer on the drive base. It is also no longer in contact with the position bodies 11. An optical storage disk in a special format 3, here for example in the format of a business card, is placed on the corresponding contour marking k1 and is thus pre-centered between the position bodies 11 and secured against slipping.

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In the insert according to Figure 3, the positioning bodies 11 are glued to the top of the film with contour markings 13, attached in some other way or even molded into the film-like material itself. In this variant, after removing a protective layer under the first adhesive layer 131, the film with contour markings 13 is placed on the drive base as described above. The film with contour markings 13 is then lightly rubbed onto the base and pressed on. It sticks. The positioning bodies 11 are firmly arranged in the area of the contour markings k1 - k4 and are thus in the right place. The height of the positioning bodies 11, 11' is selected as already described, so that normal optical storage disks can be used without restriction.

The embodiment according to Figure 4 has a large number of anti-slip knobs or ribs 14 instead of the position bodies 11 arranged specifically outside the respective insert contour markings k1 - k4. The insert 1 is made of material with anti-slip properties or it is coated with such material on the top. This can be a plastic or a rubber-like material. An example is a film 11 made of polyethylene fibers. The contour markings k1 - k4 are also printed on the top. The insert 1 according to this variant is also placed on the drive base. It can also be equipped with an adhesive underside or it can consist of a somewhat firmer material which, for example, sticks easily to the drive base due to a static effect. A special form of optical storage disk 3 is now simply inserted according to the printed insert contour markings k1 - k4 and placed on the insert 1. It is now pre-centered and sufficiently adhesive.

In a modification of this variant, the insert 1 can consist of magnetized material or be coated with it, in addition to or instead of or in addition to material with anti-slip properties. This is particularly suitable for use with a special form of optical storage disk 3 which is at least partially coated on its periphery or on the top with ferrous or magnetizable material. A special form optical storage disk with a special form 3 equipped in this way is now simply inserted according to the printed insert contour markings k1 - k4 and placed on the insert 1. It is now pre-centered and held sufficiently adhesively. It is obvious that these variants can also be provided with positioning bodies 11 according to Figure 3.

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A general example of positioning bodies 11 is shown in Figure 5. It is a very simple cylindrical positioning body 11. The cylinder wall forms a contact surface 112 against which an optical storage disk with a special shape 3 comes to rest at least at one point when inserted. The positioning body 11 has an upper end face 113. It can be convexly curved and polished or provided with a sliding layer. A lower end face is coated with an adhesive layer, particularly for a design according to Figure 2. The positioning bodies 11 can also have a different shape. This is particularly the case when they are incorporated as a deformation in the film itself.

A shape of the positioning bodies 11' that is especially suitable for optical storage disks in the format of business cards is shown in Figure 6. Instead of being cylindrical, they now describe a rounded angle, matching the rounded corners of such a business card. In plan view, this can look something like a Y* moon. The contact surface 112 is curved inwards so that a corner of the business card rests against it in such a way that it is already sufficiently pre-centered with only the carrier paper 2 of the positioning bodies 11' arranged diagonally opposite. The positioning bodies can therefore have a cylindrical, hemispherical, angled or rounded-angled shape.

An insert 1 in plan view is shown in Figure 7 on the left half of the drawing with position bodies 11 for most optical storage disks with a special shape 3. The film with contour markings 13 is inserted into a drive drawer and rests on the drawer floor. The contour markings k1 - k4 are clearly visible and correspond to the frequently used optical storage disks with a special shape 3. The position bodies 11 are arranged outside of the contour markings. The number and positions are selected so that most and most common optical storage disks with a special shape 3 can be inserted pre-centered. The right half of the drawing shows a version especially for business cards CD/DVD and other optical storage disks. Here only two position bodies 11' are arranged. It is obvious that both forms of position bodies can also be present on the film with contour markings 13 at the same time.

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An insert 1 corresponding to the cross-section in Figure 4 is shown in plan view in Figure 8. The insert 1 with contour markings 13 of the insert 1 has a matrix of anti-slip knobs or ribs 14 distributed over the entire surface. The contour markings k1 - k4 are also printed on. An optical storage disk with a special shape 3 is simply placed in or on the appropriate contour marking. It is now secured against slipping, moving or twisting not by striking the position body 11, but by resting on the anti-slip knobs or ribs 14. This security is sufficient for the accelerations that occur when the drive is closed or the drive drawer is retracted. A normal optical storage disk can be inserted quite normally. It also rests on the insert 1. If the insert 1 is designed as a film 13, it is so thin including the knobs or ribs that the centering step for normal CDs still remains as a step, albeit with a slightly lower heel height. The inner centering step for mini CDs also remains usable, since the insert 1 has the corresponding cutout for mini CDs 12.

The similar design with the magnetized insert 1 with contour markings 13 corresponds to the one described. However, the presence of knobs or grooves is not necessary. In this case, the insert 1 can also be designed without profiling. Nevertheless, it is recommended to design it with a profiling in the above sense. Optical storage disks can then be lifted off somewhat more easily by hand.

In all these variants of insert 1, instead of the cutout for Mini CD 12, a cutout can be made in such a way that only the drive pin with the drive plate and the reading slot for the reading head remain free.

Such inserts 1 can remain in the drive. The total height of the film 13 including the knobs is less than the recess of the centering shoulder. If the film 13 is thicker and is, for example, a mat with anti-slip properties and/or magnetized, it must be removed from the drive again in order to use standard CDs or DVDs. Another possibility is if the drive drawer is manufactured from the outset with such an insert 1 made of anti-slip material. The insert 1 can even be one piece with the drawer base.

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Another possibility is to coat the drawer bottom with this material. For example, this anti-slip/anti-seal material can be sprayed on.

The following terms were used:

kl first contour marking k1-k4 Contour markings 1 inlay 2 Backing paper 3 Business card format 11 Position body 11' Position body 12 CD 13 Film with contour markings 14 Studs or ribs 15 Recess 112 Contact surface 113 upper front surface 114 second adhesive layer on position bodies 131 first adhesive layer on film

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Claims (13)

1. Insert ( 1 ) for drives for optical storage disks, for pre-centering optical storage disks with special formats when inserting them into the drive, which has an outer diameter that corresponds to the diameter of conventional optical storage disks, characterized in that the insert ( 1 ) is provided with contour markings (k1-k4) that correspond to the contours of optical storage disks with special formats ( 3 ), and that the insert ( 1 ) has a recess that corresponds in diameter to at least one drive plate of the drive and forms a slot that corresponds to the reading slot for the reading head of the drive for optical storage disks. 2. Insert according to claim 1 , characterized in that the insert ( 1 ) comprises a film ( 13 ) which is provided with contour markings (k1-k4) and with position bodies ( 11 ). 3. Insert according to claim 2, characterized in that the positioning bodies ( 11 ) are arranged on the upper side of the film. 4. Insert according to claim 2, characterized in that the positioning bodies ( 11 ) are releasably glued to the underside of the film ( 13 ). 5. Insert according to claim 2, characterized in that the positioning bodies ( 11 ) are incorporated into the film ( 13 ) itself. 6. Insert according to claim 2, characterized in that the positioning bodies ( 11 ) have an adhesive layer ( 114 ) on their underside. 7. Inserts according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the positioning bodies ( 11 , 11 ') have a cylindrical, hemispherical, angled or rounded-angled shape. 8. Insert according to claim 2, characterized in that the film ( 13 ) is provided on its underside with an adhesive layer ( 131 ). 9. Insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert ( 1 ) has a coating made of a material with anti-slip properties. 10. Insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert ( 1 ) itself consists of a material with anti-slip properties. 11. Insert according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the insert ( 1 ) made of anti-slip material is provided with knobs or ribs on the upper side. 12. Insert according to claim 1, characterized in that the insert ( 1 ) contains magnetic material. 13. Insert according to claim 10, characterized in that the insert ( 1 ) is in one piece with the drawer bottom.