Clamper Restricting Member for Disk Device Vibration Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional disk devices experience clearance issues between the clamper and clamp arm, leading to potential damage to disks during loading and vibration, and require increased thickness to accommodate these clearances.

Innovation Solution

A disk device design featuring a clamper with a hook and a resilient clamper restricting member, including a leaf spring with multiple resilient claws, which adjusts the clamper's position to eliminate clearance and absorb vibrations, ensuring stable disk placement and reduced thickness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If sufficient clearances are defined between the clamper and clamp arm to prevent disk damage during rotation, then disk safety is improved, but the device thickness increases and the clamper cannot be positioned close to the disk during loading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisk safetyVSAvoiddevice thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp arm is designed to pivot between two distinct positions: during disk loading, it positions the clamper close to the disk for stable placement; during disk rotation, it moves the clamper away to prevent contact. This dynamic repositioning resolves the contradiction by allowing the clamper to be close when needed for stability but far when needed for safety, eliminating the need for permanent thick clearance spacing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The clamp arm performs preliminary positioning of the clamper before the disk is fully loaded or before rotation begins. By pre-positioning the clamper in the appropriate location based on the operational phase, the system ensures disk safety during rotation while enabling close positioning during loading, thus resolving the thickness contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Stability of the object's composition

If the clamp arm is positioned closer to the disk during loading to improve stability, then disk placement stability is improved, but the risk of disk damage during rotation increases due to potential contact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisk placement stabilityVSAvoiddisk damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the clamp arm position based on operational phase: close positioning during loading for stability, and retracted positioning during rotation to prevent damage. This temporal separation of positioning modes resolves the contradiction between stability and safety risks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The operation is segmented into distinct phases (loading phase and rotation phase), with the clamp arm positioned differently in each phase. This segmentation allows optimization for each specific operation: close positioning for loading stability, distant positioning for rotation safety, eliminating the need to compromise either requirement simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If larger clearances are defined between the clamper and clamp arm to prevent contact during rotation, then disk safety is improved, but the clamper cannot be positioned close to the disk during loading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisk safetyVSAvoiddisk loading stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The clamp arm's ability to dynamically change position between loading and rotation phases enables the system to have large effective clearances during rotation (improving safety) while maintaining close positioning during loading (improving ease of operation). The dynamic repositioning resolves this contradiction by allowing optimal positioning for each operational phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design effectively prevents disk damage by eliminating clearance and stabilizing the clamper's position, even under vibration, while reducing the device's thickness and enhancing its durability.

Implementation Method 1

a clamper restricting member including a resilient portion capable of contacting a part of the clamper

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the resilient portion of the clamper restricting member contacts the clamper to restrict the position of the clamper

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectVibration: Vibration

Data Source

PatentUS8146116B2Disk device having a clamper restricting member

Publication Date: 2012.03.27 PANASONIC HOLDINGS CORP

AI summary

A disk device includes a turntable which is rotationally driven and, for placing a disk thereon, a clamper for rotatably holding the disk between the turntable and the clamper, a loading mechanism for carrying the disk inserted to between the turntable and the clamper, a clamp arm which includes a clamper holder for rotatably holding the clamper by a claw fitted to the hook with a clearance and an arm unit disposed pivotably on a pivot shaft positioned apart from the clamper holder, the clamp arm moving the clamper between a disk pressing position and a retreat position, and a clamper restricting member including a resilient portion capable of contacting a part of the clamper on the side opposite to the side of the clamper moved to the retreat position and on a side apart from the pivot shaft of the arm unit.