Optical Disc Drive Chuck Pulley Motion with Fewer Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Optical disc drives have mechanisms that require a large number of components to move the chuck pulley in the up-down direction, increasing complexity and potentially reducing reliability.

Innovation Solution

An optical disc drive design that utilizes a turntable, a chuck pulley, a top frame with an opening, and a first arm with an inclined surface to move the chuck pulley between stand-by and chuck positions, reducing the need for additional components by using the top frame's edges to change the arm's posture.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a mechanism is added to move the chuck pulley in the up-down direction, then the chuck pulley can be fixed to the spindle motor or separated from it, but the number of components increases undesirably

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechuck pulley fixing reliabilityVSAvoidnumber of components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first arm combines multiple functions: it holds the chuck pulley, moves it between stand-by and chuck positions, and uses its inclined surface to interact with the top frame opening edge for posture change. This integration of functions into a single component reduces the overall number of parts while maintaining the required chucking mechanism functionality

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The top frame opening serves multiple purposes: it provides structural support, guides the first arm movement, and its edge acts as a contact surface for the inclined surface to change the arm's posture. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate guide components and posture adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If additional components are added to move the chuck pulley, then the chucking mechanism becomes more reliable, but the overall size of the mechanism increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechuck pulley positioning reliabilityVSAvoidmechanism size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The first arm rotates within the space defined by the top frame opening, and the chuck pulley is held by the first arm rather than requiring a separate mounting structure. This nested arrangement allows components to occupy shared space, reducing the overall mechanism footprint while maintaining positioning reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Reliability

If a mechanism with more components is used to move the chuck pulley, then the chucking function is more reliable, but impact sounds increase during movement

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechuck pulley attachment reliabilityVSAvoidimpact sound
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The inclined surface on the first arm provides a gradual transition for posture change, allowing the arm to rotate smoothly as it contacts the top frame opening edge. This curved surface approach replaces abrupt mechanical engagement with gradual rotation, reducing impact sounds during the chuck pulley movement from stand-by to chuck position

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

This design reduces the number of components, enhances durability, and minimizes impact sounds during pulley movement, while maintaining rigidity and reducing the overall size of the mechanism.

Implementation Method 1

the first arm includes an inclined surface at a lower portion thereof, contacts a first edge of the opening, and changes a posture so as to move the chuck pulley between a stand-by position and a chuck position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectInclined plane: Inclined Plane

Implementation Method 2

a chuck pulley that magnetically fixes, to the spindle motor, the optical disc having reached the position of the spindle motor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic fixation: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentEP4632740A1Optical disk drive
Publication Date: 2025.10.15 SONY INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT LLC
  • EP4632740A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4632740A1 patent drawingFigure 2A
  • EP4632740A1 patent drawingFigure 2B

AI summary

To provide an optical disc drive (1) with a smaller number of components. The optical disc drive (1) includes a turntable (30) for rotating an optical disc, a chuck pulley (15), a top frame (10) having an opening (10a) formed at a position overlapping the chuck pulley (15) in a plan view, and a first arm (141) that holds the chuck pulley (15), in which the first arm (141) contacts a first guide section (101) of the opening (10a) and changes the posture so as to move the chuck pulley (15) between the stand-by position and the chuck position at which the first arm (141) and the turntable (30) sandwich the optical disc depending on a position at which the first arm (141) contacts the first guide section (101).