Apparatus for producing n-layer optical information carriers and method therefor

A method for manufacturing an n-layered optical information carrier, comprising the following steps:

• manufacturing a carrier body with a first information layer in an injection molding process, wherein the first information layer is provided with a reflective layer;
• applying a second information layer to the carrier body by means of an embossing process, wherein the second information layer is provided with a corresponding reflective layer;
• and
• applying (n−2) additional information layers to the carrier body by means of the embossing process and providing each of the additional information layers with a corresponding reflective layer, wherein “n” is greater than two,
• wherein
• the n-layered information carrier is manufactured in an inline manufacturing process, wherein each information layer, except for the first information layer, is manufactured on its own embossing unit (20), wherein the embossing unit (20) comprises at least one application device (23) for lacquer forming the information layer, an embossing device (21) with which information is transferred into the lacquer, a curing device for curing the lacquer, a metallizing device (22), an application and curing device for applying and curing covering lacquer, and an output unit (27), and the manufacturing process is terminated after the last applied information layer by the application of a cover layer,
• a control unit controls the manufacturing process,
• during the production of a multi-layer optical information carrier having less than n layers not all the embossing units are used, wherein the unused embossing units (20′) are removed from the manufacturing process, and the unused embossing units (20′) removed from the manufacturing process are supplied to an additional process and are incorporated with technical control into the additional process.

A device (1) for manufacturing an n-layered optical information carrier, comprising:

• an injection molding unit (10, 10′) for manufacturing a carrier body with a first information layer;
• a first embossing unit (20) operatively connected to the injection molding unit for manufacturing a second information layer, wherein the embossing unit comprises at least one applicator device (23) for lacquer forming the information layer, an embossing device (21) with which the information is transferred into the lacquer, a curing device for curing the lacquer, a metallizing device (22), an application and curing device for applying and curing covering lacquer, and an input via which information carriers are received in the embossing unit (20), wherein the embossing unit further comprises an output unit (27) via which the coated information carriers are discharged;
• and
• (n−2) additional embossing units (20, 20′) operatively connected to the first embossing unit (20) for manufacturing an additional information layer, wherein “n” is greater than two, and the respective units (10, 20;
• 10′, 20′) are linked to one another so that the n-layered information carrier is manufactured in an inline manufacturing, and that the (n−2) additional embossing units (20) are coupled to and uncoupled from the device, wherein the additional embossing units (20, 20′) in each case comprise an input and an output unit (27),
• wherein at least one uncoupled embossing unit (20′) is couplable to a further injection molding unit (10′) so that a further independent apparatus (1′) is thus formed for producing a multi-layered information carrier without spatially moving of the one uncoupled embossing unit (20′) during the removal from the manufacturing process and the incorporation into the additional process.