...that several people are credited with the invention of the flush toilet? Most people have heard of Thomas Crapper (1837-1910), the sanitary engineer who invented the valve-and-siphon arrangement that made the modern toilet possible. Another claimant to "the throne" was British inventor Alexander Cumming who patented a toilet in 1775. Then there's a nameless Minoan (a native of ancient Crete) who lived 4,000 years ago who supposedly was ahead of his time and created the first flush toilet!
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7367037 | Disk player, and turntable incorporating self-compensating dynamic balancer, clamper incorporating self-compensating dynamic balancer and spindle motor incorporating self-compensating dynamic balancer adopted for disk player A disk player having a self-compensating dynamic balancer which can limit internal vibrations generated by an eccentric center of gravity of a disk, and a turntable, a clamper and a spindle motor which incorporate a self-compensating dynamic balancer. The self-compe... | 04/29/2008 |
| 7356825 | Disk carrying apparatus The disk carrying apparatus includes a lifting portion which carries a disk onto a turntable, a chuck which holds the carried disk on the turntable, and a third switch which detects an intermediate position between a holding operation start position where the chuck ... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7350218 | Optical-disk drive and optical-disk ejection control method An optical disk drive comprises a drive body, a spindle motor, an optical pickup device, a sled motor, a tray, a loading motor, and a controller. When the loaded optical disk is ejected, the controller controls the sled motor and the loading motor so that the return... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7281257 | Cooling device used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus A cooling device is used in an optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus. The optical recording and/or reproducing apparatus is used for writing and/or reading data from the surface of an optical media. The cooling device comprises a grapple and a blower. The g... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7276826 | Spindle motor and disk drive device A simple construction causes a spindle motor rotor to be eccentric in a pickup moving direction and improves axial run-out caused by clearance between a rotating shaft and a bearing. A magnetic cap is attached to an end of a bearing of a spindle motor so as to cover... | 10/02/2007 |
| 7225449 | Optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus An optical disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus (100) includes a first case (110), a base (130), and a main body (140). The first case includes a supporting device (116) with a hole (118) defined therein, and a disk c... | 05/29/2007 |
| 7185350 | Disk drive adopting vibration absorber A disk drive including a spindle motor rotating a disk, a pickup unit accessing the disk, a frame where the spindle motor is installed, and a vibration absorber installed on the frame to absorb vibrations due to rotation of the disk, that vibrates in a direction in ... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7123573 | Method for reducing the rotation speed of an automatic ball balancing system of an optical disk reading device An automatic ball balancing system for an optical disk reading device has a rotor mechanism that has a concave annular track formed on the rotor, with at least one ball placed on the annular track to perform automatic balancing. A surface with a low friction coeffic... | 10/17/2006 |
| 7106685 | Turntable with vertically adjustable platter A turntable that has a platter that can be vertically positioned so that the VTA between the stylus of the cartridge and the record can be easily adjusted without tweaking or touching the tone arm. The turntable includes a base, a platter, a spindle assembly configu... | 09/12/2006 |
| 7073186 | Cartridge type recording medium and disk-shaped recording medium including a hole for centering each thereof, cartridge, driving unit and driving method The object of the present invention is to provide a technology which has high compatibility and can provide users with conveniences. A new system recording medium 100 has a center hole 112 formed on a recording disk 110 and a center hole 121 | 07/04/2006 |
| 7058961 | Disk player, and self-compensating-dynamic-balancer (SCDB) integrated turntable, SCDB integrated clamper and SCDB integrated spindle motor employed in the same A disk player having a self-compensating dynamic balancer so as to subdue internal vibrations due to an eccentric center of mass of a disk, a self-compensating-dynamic-balancer integrated turntable, a self-compensating-dynamic-balancer integrated clamper, and a self... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7055156 | Apparatus for reducing tray-in noise While a tray moves into a disk drive, a clamper and a turntable are used to clamp a disk. While the tray is moving into the disk drive without a disk thereon, the clamper and turntable hit with each other, which generates an uncomfortable noise. The apparatus for re... | 05/30/2006 |
| 7051346 | Disk drive apparatus having particular clamping device A disk drive includes a turntable and a clamper. The turntable and/or the clamper have four or more projections, each of which has predetermined height. The projections are arranged at positions for supporting/holding a mounted disk by using the four or more project... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7035197 | Disk drive including a balancer A disk drive capable of producing the effect of a balancer even in a variety of reproduction and recording speeds without causing problems owing to the balancer, comprising a balancer in which magnetic balls 1 movably accommodated inside a damper 6 can... | 04/25/2006 |
| 7016283 | Spindle motor inclination angle adjusting mechanism for optical disk devices A spindle motor inclination angle adjusting mechanism for an optical disk device includes two adjusting mechanisms to provide two rotational freedom for the base dock of the spindle motor to adjust the inclination angle of the spindle motor. The first adjusting mech... | 03/21/2006 |
| 6938265 | Turntable for disk storage medium and disk drive including the turntable A turntable for a disk storage medium includes disk mounting section, shaft center boss and ribs. The disk mounting section includes disk mount surface, center boss and inner side surface. The disk mount surface is used to mount the disk medium thereon. The center b... | 08/30/2005 |
| 6917137 | Electric motor and manufacturing method therefor At least one cavity is formed extending along the axis of rotation of a rotor. One or more elastic members are fitted into the cavity to balance the rotor. Once the elastic members are inserted in the cavity, they apply their own elasticity to the inner wall of the ... | 07/12/2005 |
| 6915527 | Auto-balancing apparatus having balancer clamping mechanism for optical disk drives An auto-balancing apparatus for optical disk drives mainly includes a housing for holding a balance weight and a plurality of clamp mechanisms movable radially through the perimeter of the housing. The clamp mechanisms are engaged with a spindle of a spindle motor o... | 07/05/2005 |
| 6898165 | Reproducer capable of changing a reproducing speed in accordance with a scratch operation A reproducer can enhance detection accuracy with respect to a rotational motion according to a scratch operation and properly change a reproducing speed of a recording medium. A turntable of a scratch operating part comprises a disk-shaped mounting plate, which is m... | 05/24/2005 |
| 6826771 | Disk holding device A disk holding device according to the present invention is constituted by a turntable (21), a center hub (25), plural claw-shaped members (26), elastic members (27) which energize the claw-shaped members (26) in the direction of t... | 11/30/2004 |
| 6802072 | Turntable for a disc-shaped information carrier, and player with such a turntable The invention relates to a turntable (1) for a disc-shaped information carrier. The turntable is provided with a central element (2), which has a central shaft opening (8), a support surface (6) for the information carrier extending perpe... | 10/05/2004 |
| 6788639 | Reproduction and/or recording device for optical recording media having a unit for adjusting the inclination of a bearing Reproduction and/or recording device for optical recording media having a unit for adjusting the inclination of a bearing, is disclosed. The device includes a unit for adjusting the inclination of a bearing of a laser disk scanning apparatus, which has a board to wh... | 09/07/2004 |
| 6778487 | Turntable, method of manufacturing the same, and disc chucking apparatus and disc drive using the same A plurality of positioning parts for positioning a disc chucking member that is inserted are formed in a circumferential surface of the disc engaging part of a turntable by providing stepped surfaces that are lower than a disc sliding surface of the circumferential ... | 08/17/2004 |
| 6738340 | Device for reducing the radial and axial play of a motor shaft in a deck for playing information discs The invention relates to a device in a deck for playing information discs (2), which preferably have been provided or can be provided with digital information, the information disc (2) being rotated, in the operating condition, about its center by a dr... | 05/18/2004 |
| 6731588 | Disk player, and self-compensating-dynamic-balancer (SCDB) integrated turntable, SCDB integrated clamper and SCDB integrated spindle motor employed in the same A disk player having a self-compensating dynamic balancer so as to subdue internal vibrations due to an eccentric center of mass of a disk, a self-compensating-dynamic-balancer integrated turntable, a self-compensating-dynamic-balancer integrated clamper, and a self... | 05/04/2004 |
| 6657945 | Data storage disc drive apparatus with integral forced air cooling capability A forced flow of cooling air through a computer housing is created during operation of a specially designed data storage disc drive structure operatively disposed in the housing. The drive, which is illustratively a CD ROM drive, has a bladed carrying str... | 12/02/2003 |
| 6552992 | Automatic balancing mechanism for disk driver free from vibrations due to characteristic angular velocity A weight member is attached to a rotor so as to forcibly offset a center of gravity of a rotor from a rotating axis, centrifugal force moves two movable weight members to appropriate positions for canceling the unbalance due to the center of gravity offse... | 04/22/2003 |
| 6549508 | Turntable and disk driving device A turntable can be manufactured inexpensively using a comparatively inexpensive material and in accordance with ordinary injection molding technique and mold management. A thin-walled cylindrical fixing portion having an insertion hole, into which a rotat... | 04/15/2003 |
| 6535475 | DISK PLAYER, AND TURNTABLE INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER, CLAMPER INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER AND SPINDLE MOTOR INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER ADOPTED FOR DISK PLAYER A disk player having a self-compensating dynamic balancer which can limit internal vibrations generated by an eccentric center of gravity of a disk, and a turntable, a clamper and a spindle motor which incorporate a self-compensating dynamic balancer. The... | 03/18/2003 |
| 6496472 | Turntable runout compensation system for an optical disk drive Turntable runout of an optical disk drive is corrected by the application of at least three skidproof rubber pads affixed to the turntable on a circle and separated by equal angles. The height of each of the skidproof rubber pads is selected to adjust the... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6459675 | Self-compensating balancer for disk player and turntable for the same A self-compensating balancer for a disk player is provided and includes a supporting plate fixed to a rotating shaft of a spindle motor for supplying rotary power to a disk. Pivot pins are installed in the supporting plate and two or more pendulums are ar... | 10/01/2002 |
| 6456583 | DISK PLAYER, AND TURNTABLE INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER, CLAMPER INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER AND SPINDLE MOTOR INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER ADOPTED FOR DISK PLAYER A disk player having a self-compensating dynamic balancer which can limit internal vibrations generated by an eccentric center of gravity of a disk, and a turntable, a clamper and a spindle motor which incorporate a self-compensating dynamic balancer. The... | 09/24/2002 |
| 6392983 | Optical disc apparatus and method for controlling turntable rotation An optical disc apparatus includes a turntable. The turntable is first rotated at a low speed in response to turning on of a reproduce switch on the disc apparatus, and the balancer is, in turn, brought to rest at an optimal position for low speed rotatio... | 05/21/2002 |
| 6388982 | Spindle motor inclination angle adjusting mechanism in optical disk apparatus A spindle motor inclination angle adjusting mechanism in an optical disk apparatus including a spindle motor. The spindle motor is mounted on a motor base (122) in such a manner as to be tiltable in a direction around a second tilt movement axis. The moto... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6388981 | DISK PLAYER, AND TURNTABLE INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER, CLAMPER INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER AND SPINDLE MOTOR INCORPORATING SELF-COMPENSATING DYNAMIC BALANCER ADOPTED FOR DISK PLAYER A disk player having a self-compensating dynamic balancer which can limit internal vibrations generated by an eccentric center of gravity of a disk, and a turntable, a clamper and a spindle motor which incorporate a self-compensating dynamic balancer. The... | 05/14/2002 |
| 6359856 | Data storage disc drive apparatus with integral forced air cooling capability A forced flow of cooling air through a computer housing is created during operation of a specially designed data storage disc drive structure operatively disposed in the housing. The drive, which is illustratively a CD ROM drive, has a bladed carrying str... | 03/19/2002 |
| 6324154 | Automatic disc-changing apparatus, disc-chucking apparatus, disc apparatus and position-detecting apparatus A disc apparatus for recording information to and reproducing information from a disc includes a turntable with a magnetized surface; an excitation coil disposed opposite the magnetized surface of the turntable; a drive circuit driving a focus actuator; a... | 11/27/2001 |
| 6252841 | Optical disc apparatus and method for controlling turntable rotation An optical disc apparatus includes a turntable. The turntable is first rotated at a low speed in response to turning on of a reproduce switch on the disc apparatus, and the balancer is, in turn, brought to rest at an optimal position for low speed rotatio... | 06/26/2001 |
| 6147962 | Data storage cartridge having a restraining mechanism A data storage cartridge having a data storage disc locking/restraining mechanism. The data storage cartridge includes a shell defined by a cover and a base, within which a disc and the restraining mechanism are disposed. The restraining mechanism operate... | 11/14/2000 |
| 6128268 | Driving mechanism for a record player A driving mechanism for a record player includes a fixing base, a solenoid, a housing, a spindle, a sleeve, a turntable and a magnetic ring. The solenoid is fixed on the fixing base for rotating the housing. The spindle is located in the center of the hou... | 10/03/2000 |