A disc device which takes out a disc stored in a magazine and conveys the disc to any disc drive, in which the magazine comprises a tray which stores a plurality of discs, and a case which has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and which stores the tray. The case has an opening at front face into which the tray can be inserted into or taken out therefrom. The tray has an outer shape being substantially rectangular in planar view. The tray is provided with cut portions formed at corner portions positioned on the back side of the case being cut off. The disc device further comprises a picker which holds the tray and draws out the tray from the case. The picker rotates the tray when the cut portion passes through the opening.

An optical disc device of the present invention comprises an insertion detection optical sensor which detects insertion of an optical disc based on light emitted from a first light emitting element to a first light receiving element being blocked, and an ejection detection optical sensor provided on the downstream side in the carry-in direction to the insertion detection optical sensor to detect ejection of the optical disc based on light emitted from a second light emitting element to a second light receiving element being blocked. The optical disc device is structured such that, in a state that the optical disc is attached onto the turntable, when the light of the first light emitting element is blocked and the light of the second light emitting element is not blocked, the optical disc device recognizes that a lens cleaner is attached onto the turntable as the optical disc, and the optical disc device performs a cleaning operation.

In an optical disc drive, a degradation of traveling performance of an optical pickup under hard acceleration or hard deceleration in a random access operation or the like results in a degradation of recording/reproducing performance. Groove structure is provided between two gears of a guide feed provided in an optical pickup, and the groove forms bending structure. Thus, the engagement state between a screw gear and the gears of the guide feed is stabilized. This makes it possible to prevent tooth jumping and step-out from occurring in the gears during the traveling of the optical pickup, achieving stable traveling. In consequence, the recoding/reproducing performance of the optical disc drive can be improved.

A data storage and retrieval system includes a head carriage unit adapted for rotational motion and having multiple heads disposed at a working surface. The system also includes a tape drive unit configured to move a tape media past the working surface of the head carriage unit, the tape media having a width approximately equal to a width of the working surface. As the head carriage unit rotates and the tape moves past the working surface, a first head is configured to write a data track to the tape and a second head is configured to thereafter read the data track, where data read by the second head is for use in verifying data integrity and performing error correction.

A disc drive unit is configured with a plurality of disc drives as one unit. At least one of a pair of opposed disc drives arranged on an identical horizontal plane is provided with a tray support member for supporting a front end of a tray of the other disc drive when the tray is ejected. The tray support member is capable of protruding from the one disc drive and withdrawing into the same.

An optical disc device according to the present invention performs, in parallel, a first control to convey a first tray in the first optical disc drive group from the disc replacing position to the recording and reproducing position, and a second control to convey a second tray in the second optical disc drive group 40R from the recording and reproducing position to the disc replacing position. The second tray is opposed to the first tray.

A cartridge drive apparatus includes a holder, a lock plate, and a drive unit. The holder is configured to hold a cartridge inserted therein. The lock plate is attached with respect to the holder to be movable in one of an insertion direction and a discharge direction of the cartridge and includes a locking mechanism configured to lock the cartridge. The drive unit is configured to drive the holder and the lock plate in one of the insertion direction and the discharge direction of the cartridge.

A fixing structure of an optical component is composed of a device chassis; a holder holding an optical component; first and second plate parts for joint to the device chassis and a connecting part of both the plate parts are formed in the holder; a plurality of joint holes are formed in the second plate part; a U-groove into which the connecting part of the holder is fitted and a plurality of through-holes are formed in the device chassis; and an adhesive that is extended in a circular columnar shape and is made by inserting the holder into the U-groove of the device chassis, and applying a UV-curing adhesive in such a manner that the UV-curing adhesive is bonded to the first plate part of the holder and is continuous to the inside of the joint hole via the inside of the through-hole, and radiating UV light along the through-hole.

There is provided a disk drive apparatus including a first chassis unit that has a pickup base at which an optical pickup and a disk table have been disposed, and a first base chassis to which the pickup base has been attached, and a second chassis unit that has a second base chassis and at which a chucking pulley has been disposed. A first rectifying plate part is provided at the first base chassis. A second rectifying plate part is provided at the second base chassis.

A disc drive including a tray, a housing configured to receive the tray, a pickup device installed on the tray, and a main circuit board installed on the tray and connected to the pickup device.

Provided is an object lens driving device that includes a wire holder coupled to a support portion and on which an end of a plurality of suspension wires are fixed. The wire holder includes a first area supported on the support portion and a second area extending from the first area and on which the end of each of the plurality of suspension wires is fixed. In this example, a thickness of the second area is thinner than a thickness of the first area.

A compact disc (CD) player, which comprises playback substrates, a conveying roller, CD sensors, a CD stopper, a first trigger member, frame members, cam members and moving members, wherein the CD stopper has a major axis and abutting portions disposed at both ends of the axis; the first trigger member rotates when a minor-diameter CD stops at a mounting position on a turntable; the frame members receive the movement of the first trigger member; the cam members are coupled to the frame members; the moving members receive the rotation of the CD sensor and move along the outside diameter of a CD; the moving members are provided with clamping portions and abutted portions configured to be clamped with the abutting portions; and the cam members are provided with clamped portions configured to abut against the clamping portions.

An apparatus for rotating disc is provided, the apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment is characterized in that an anti-slip torque that is applied to the upper face of the disc by using the clamp unit and the elastic member is stronger than a rotation torque that is generated by the turn table to inhibit slipping of the optical disc from the turn table.

A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually “fastenerless” and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration. The major components and subassemblies are self-fixturing during the final assembly process, eliminating the need for dedicated tools, fixtures and assembly equipment. The major components and subassemblies self-interconnect by integral guide and connection features effecting “slide lock” and “snap lock” self-interconnection. The radio architecture includes improved push buttons employing 4-bar living hinge linkage and front loaded decorative trim buttons.

A wobble determining apparatus is provided with: a calculating device for calculating (i) a first time required until reaching a number of revolutions of a motor which allows a predetermined linear velocity, and (ii) a second time required to move an optical head to a position which allows the predetermined linear velocity, on the basis of the number of revolutions of the motor and the position of the optical head; a judging device for judging whether to keep the optical head in accordance with the calculated first time and the calculated second time; and a controlling device for controlling a moving device not to move the optical head if it is judged to keep the optical head, and for controlling the moving device to move the optical head to the position which allows the predetermined linear velocity if it is judged not to keep the optical head.

Provided is an optical disk drive including a carrying roller for carrying an optical disk in a first direction. The carrying roller includes a first roller portion and a second roller portion which are aligned in a second direction along the optical disk and orthogonal to the first direction and which are so disposed as to make contact with a surface on one side of the optical disk. An axis of the first roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the first roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward a central portion of the carrying roller. An axis of the second roller portion is so inclined that a distance between the axis of the second roller portion and the one-side surface of the optical disk gradually increases toward the central portion.

A disc drive that includes: a housing configured to receive a tray, a pickup mounted on the tray; a connector installed on the housing for outputting signals obtained from the optical pickup; a ribbon cable that includes a first end which is connected to the connector, including a plurality of wire layers, and a part installed adjacent to a side of a body of the housing; and at least one penetration hole formed in a side of the body of the housing so as to reduce a capacitive coupling between the ribbon cable and the body of the housing.

An electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorber includes an EMI conductive sheet having first and second portions, the first portion absorbing EMI from an EMI absorption target and the second portion for conducting EMI to an EMI discharge target, and an elastic member covered by the first portion.

A data storage media may have at least a multi-layer recording lamination with a predetermined coercivity. The multi-layer recording lamination can be configured to record at least one servo format mark for a plurality of data tracks with a solid immersion mirror and program a data bit on the multi-layer recording lamination with a near field transducer.

Provided is an optical pickup device that compensates for an aberration caused by a beam splitter. When a beam of light is reflected from a disc and proceeds towards a beam splitter, the beam splitter is designed to allow the reflected beam to pass therethrough. However, the beam splitter can cause an astigmatism in the reflected beam due to diffraction. According to various aspects herein, an optical pickup device may include a compensation device that generates an inverse astigmatism to compensate for the astigmatism generated by the beam splitter.

Provided is a disk conveying device including a conveying mechanism configured to convey a disk recording medium inside and outside a disk cartridge including a plurality of holding grooves into which both end portions of the disk recording medium positioned at opposite sides with a center hole interposed therebetween are inserted, the plurality of holding grooves being formed in a line in a thickness direction of the disk recording medium, and a discharge lever configured to press an outer circumferential surface of the disk recording medium to the disk cartridge side when the disk recording medium is conveyed by the conveying mechanism.

Provided is an objective lens driving unit that prevents an electrical short circuit between very closely spaced second terminals in the objective lens driving unit. The objective lens driving unit is capable of being used in a slim-type optical disc drive.

Provided is an optical disc drive including a tray disposed in a case of the optical disc drive. The tray includes a guide fixed to the case, and a rail connected with the tray. The guide guides the rail as the tray is moved in and out of the optical disc drive. The rail further includes a supporter that is configured to stably support the rail with respect to the guide to prevent derailment of the rail from the guide.

An optical disc drive (ODD) including a tray having a spindle motor, an optical pickup unit, and a transfer motor, may have first and second flat cables. The first flat cable may be connected to the transfer motor, and the second flat cable may have a first terminal part connected to the first flat cable and a second terminal part connected to a circuit board. The circuit board may be arranged at the front of the tray. The second flat cable may include a plurality of signal lines covered by an insulator. One or more exposure parts may be formed in the second flat cable to expose at least one of the plurality of signal lines. An electric actuator of a locking unit may be connected to the one or more of the plurality of signal lines through the one or more exposure parts.

An optical disc device includes: a loader body having a guiding recess formed of a linear portion and a sloped portion; a traverse chassis mounted in the loader body and having a protrusion that is guided along the recess; a turntable mounted on the traverse chassis, for mounting the optical disc; and a clamper which clamps the optical disc between the clamper and the turntable when the traverse chassis ascends relative to the loader body to a clamp position, in which when the traverse chassis is at a position lower than the clamp position, the protrusion is guided along the recess, and when the traverse chassis is at the clamp position, the protrusion is positioned inside the sloped portion.

A spindle structure for an optical disc and an optical disc drive employing the spindle structure are provided. The spindle structure includes a spindle motor having a rotation axis, a spindle that is coupled to the rotation axis, and a sliding cone coupled to the spindle and inserted into a center hole of the optical disc. The sliding cone includes a plurality of hook-shaped guide rods extended toward the spindle, and the spindle includes guide holes, to which the plurality of hook-shaped guide rods are inserted into and coupled.

A disk device and a method of driving a tray of the disk device. The method includes outputting a tray driving control signal in response to a tray opening instruction, and maximizing an output voltage of the tray driving control signal during a time period in which the tray is expected to be stalled.

A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material molded to provide details to accept audio devices and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips.

A turn table for a spindle motor and a spindle motor having the turn table are provided, the turn table for a spindle motor according to an exemplary embodiment comprising a clamping plate configured to have a locking protrusion protruding from an inner surface of a first recess thereof, the first recess being concavely formed in an outer circumference of the clamping plate; and a turn-table body configured to have a second recess to receive the clamping plate, and a plurality of protrusions protruding from an inner surface defined by the second recess towards the first recess to lock the locking protrusion.

Provided are apparatuses for grounding the objective lens driving unit of an optical pickup device. An optical pickup device includes an objective lens driving unit and a base that supports the objective lens driving unit, and wherein the objective lens driving unit includes a moving structure including an objective lens and a plurality of drive coils; a static structure comprising magnets corresponding to the plurality of drive coils, a yoke that supports the magnets, and a wire holder that has a plurality of wiring layers including a ground wiring layer; a plurality of suspension wires that connect the plurality of drive coils to the plurality of wiring layers; a supporting portion connected to the yoke and fixed to the wire holder; a projection extending from the supporting portion and disposed adjacent to the ground wiring layer; and conductive bonding material connects the ground wiring layer with the projection.

Provided is an optical disc drive that may discharge static electricity externally. The optical disc drive may include a step motor that is configured to move an optical pickup back and forth and a cover disposed below the optical pickup. In one aspect, the cover includes an electrostatic discharge mechanism for moving static electricity generated on the step motor through the cover.

A medium processing device may include a head which reads or writes data to a recording medium; and a flexible cable which is connected with the head. The flexible cable may be formed in a multilayer structure including a data signal layer formed with a data signal pattern and disconnection detecting signal layers which cover a front face and a rear face of the data signal layer and are formed with a disconnection detecting signal pattern. The flexible cable may also include a terminal connecting part formed with a through hole into which a signal terminal of the head is inserted and a terminal covering part folded to cover the terminal connecting part and fixed to the terminal connecting part.

A machine which provides for both leaf stripping and grading can be used to process plants, such as burley tobacco plants, by continuously moving the plants in a first direction while simultaneously varying the position of the plants in a second direction relative to a defoliating apparatus. The plants may be moved horizontally through a machine by a transporter engaging the plant stalks while the vertical distance between the transporter (and thus the plants) is varied relative to the defoliating apparatus. The transporter and defoliating apparatus may be positioned at an angle to one another. Due to the changing amount of vertical distance, leaves from different sections of the plants, such as leaves at different stalk heights, can be contacted and removed at different corresponding horizontal locations in the machine. Accordingly, leaves can be graded based on the location(s) from which they are retrieved after removal.

A cleaning system for use in a combine harvester including an auger bed mounted within a frame such that when the combine harvester is laterally inclined from the horizontal, the cleaning system, including the auger bed and a sieve, may be leveled or substantially leveled to a generally horizontal position. The auger bed can include a plurality of augers located side by side with their axes positioned generally longitudinally in the combine harvester.

The airflow through a harvesting machine is adjusted by calculating a G-factor at a first point on an upper chaffer to determine if it is greater than 1+n, where n represents a desired factor. A blower is adjusted to reduce an airstream if the G-factor is greater than 1+n. A MOG factor is calculated if the G-factor is less than 1+n. The blower is adjusted to increase the airstream if the MOG-factor is less than 1+x, where x represents a desired factor. A MOG-factor is calculated at a second point if the MOG-factor at the point is greater than 1+x and the blower is adjusted to reduce the airstream if the MOG-factor at the second point is greater than 1+y, where y represents a desired factor or adjusted to increase the airstream if the MOG-factor at the second point is less than 1+y.

A cob conveying and cleaning system for use with a corn harvester, incorporating air induction in cooperation with an air flow from the harvester, for cleaning and separating lighter crop residue to be returned to the field from a mixed flow of the residue and cobs, such that the cleaned cobs can be collected, and the lighter residue optionally spread on the field. The air flow and induction are combined to cooperatively lift or draw the lighter residue from the mixed flow, and to optionally spread the removed lighter residue over a field. The induction apparatus can be located on the harvester, and used as a residue spreader when cobs are not collected.

A grain conveyor for a combine harvester capable of increasing capacity and reducing component wear is disclosed. The grain conveyor includes a grain elevator, a transition chamber and an auger assembly. The grain elevator has an inlet for receiving a flow of grain. The transition chamber includes an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the transition chamber inlet and the grain elevator inlet. The transition chamber outlet has an asymmetric non-circular opening larger than the non-cylindrical opening of the transition chamber inlet. The auger assembly is operatively connected to the transition chamber and includes an inlet for receiving a flow of grain and an outlet in fluid communication with the transition chamber inlet.

A harvesting system includes a self-propelled harvesting machine and a drivable collecting container equipped with a drive unit, which can be positioned relative to the harvesting machine and moved in parallel therewith. Crop is fed directly or indirectly to the collecting container during harvesting operation from the harvesting machine using a feed pipe equipped with an outlet chute. The collecting container is equipped with a device for loading it with crop in a uniform manner. The collecting container is moved in a constant position relative to the harvesting machine by way of a control device while the crop is being conveyed. The collecting container is preferably a filling device, by way of which uniform distribution of the crop in the collecting container (8) can be attained.

A spreader assembly for a combine harvester, the assembly including a pair of disks configured to be rotated such that chaff material dropped onto the disks is spread about the combine harvester, wherein each disk is operably connected to its own motor and a spreader frame assembly. The spreader frame assembly includes a first side support pivotably connected to a frame of the combine harvester, a second side support pivotably connected to the frame of the combine harvester, and at least one disk support configured to support at least one of the pair of disks. The spreader frame assembly further defines an opening configured such that when the combine harvester is windrowing material, no portion of the spreader frame assembly interferes with the flow of windrowing material.

An unload auger assembly for a combine harvester includes a drive coupler configured between adjacent first and second auger segments. The coupler includes a driver component and associated driver cog coupled to the first auger segment. A driven component and associated driven cog is coupled to the second auger segment. The driven cog is rotationally engaged by the driver cog to transmit rotational drive from the first auger segment to the second auger segment. A friction clutch is configured in-line between the driver component and driven component and rotationally couples the driver component to the driven up to a release torque value wherein the friction clutch disengages the driver component from the driven component.

A method of manufacturing a helical bar concave from a flat, rolled laser cut arrangement that provides a net helical concave functionality. Laser cutting a flat metal sheet to form helical cutouts defining a percent open area having a helical geometry in combination with configurable rub bars mounted in a helical fashion results in a configurable helical bar concave in which the number or aggressiveness of the threshing surface on the inside radius of the grate may be changed and/or the rub bars may be moved to the outside of the grate to change the percent open area and hence the separation characteristics of the concave.

A support assembly for supporting a moveable member of an agricultural combine is provided. The support assembly includes a moveable member, such as a foldable chaff pan assembly for spreading chaff and other crop residue from the rear of an agricultural combine, a support member and a resilient member connected to the support member for supporting the moveable member. The resilient member can be configured as an arched shaped or cylindrically shaped member.

An auger assembly for a combine harvester includes an auger trough having side walls with a length so as to extend laterally between opposed side sheets. Guide tracks are configured along bottom edges of the side walls. A flexible bottom cover member is slidably engaged within the guide tracks. The cover member is removably attached to the side walls by being slid into and out of the guide tracks from a longitudinal end of the side walls outboard of the side sheets for an auger clean-out procedure.

The invention concerns a harvested crop residue chopper and distribution arrangement for a combine (10) with a straw chopper (60) with a rotor (74) that can be brought into rotation about a horizontal axis (98) with chopper blades (76) fastened thereto that define an outer envelope (96), and with at least one impeller blower (82) arranged downstream of the straw chopper (60) with impeller blades (84) that can rotate about an axis of rotation (88) that extends vertically, in which the impeller blades (84) are provided with outer edges (94) that conform to the envelope (96) of the chopper knives (76) and follow it very closely and are not in contact with it.

The present disclosure is a handheld harvester apparatus including a threshing drum configured to rotate. The harvester may further include a plurality of teeth connected to the threshing drum and configured to strip seeds from a head of a plant. The harvester also includes a screening assembly coupled to the threshing drum. The screening assembly is configured to receive seeds and plant material from the threshing drum and to eject the plant material from the harvester and direct the seeds downward. The harvester further includes a first screen configured to receive the seeds from the screening assembly and to allow seeds sized below a predetermined threshold to pass through the first screen and to prevent plant material exceeding the predetermined threshold to pass through the first screen. The harvester may further include a collection chamber coupled to the first screen and configured to receive the seeds.

An agricultural combine having an adjustable spreader assembly is provided that includes a spreader with one or a pair of regulators. The spreader includes a discharge opening about its lateral side. The regulator is pivotably connected to the lateral side of the spreader such that the regulator is in fluid communication with the discharge opening. The regulator can be configured to move from a retracted position to an extended position or to vary the direction of discharge of crop residue. The spreader can be a vertical spreader, a horizontal spreader, or a spread board.

A forage harvester has an engine which is drivingly connected to a chopper cylinder via first drive belt, and to a first end of a drive shaft of a discharge accelerator. A second end of the drive shaft of the discharge accelerator is drivingly connected to a kernel processor via a second drive belt, is arranged, in the direction of harvested material flow, between the chopper cylinder and the discharge accelerator. The discharge accelerator comprises support disks which extend radially, and paddles. The support disks are attached to a hollow shaft enclosing the drive shaft, and, a sensor is arranged between the drive shaft and the discharge accelerator for the determination of the force transmitted by the drive shaft to the discharge accelerator.

A sensor for monitoring a plant population in front of a harvester and a transfer process of the crop from the harvester to a transport vehicle is arranged on an unmanned aircraft. The aircraft moves in the vicinity of the harvester in the harvesting mode and communicates in a wireless fashion with a control unit that controls an actuator for influencing an operating parameter of the harvester and/or the transport vehicle (in real time based on signals of the sensor in the harvesting mode.

An intake feeder system having a stone separator mounted between a crop elevator and the mouth of a threshing mechanism disposed longitudinally in a combine harvester. The stone separator includes a rotary feed beater and a sump disposed beneath the feed beater. The feed beater serves to advance crop raised by the elevator along a crop flow path towards the mouth of the threshing mechanism and to propel stones in the crop into the sump. A duct is provided in parallel with the crop flow path for connecting a space above the rotary feed beater to the mouth of the threshing mechanism.

A depth adjustable crop transport vane, crop transport vane assembly, and agricultural combine threshing chambers employing such adjustable crop transport vanes are disclosed.