US 5,734,629 AGranted

CD transporter

AssigneeRimage Corporation

InventorsJohn S. Lee, Roger E. Haro, David Rother, Donald Hollerich

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An apparatus for recording and verifying information recorded on compact disks and for printing label information on the disks, and a method of operating the apparatus, wherein the respective recorders, verifiers, and printers are vertically stacked in a housing, and a vertically movable carriage is arranged to transport compact disks to each of the stacked devices. A rotatable carousel is mounted to the housing beneath the carriage; the carousel having multiple bins for receiving and holding compact disks. A computer processor controls the actuation of the respective devices, the carriage, and the carousel, to sequentially process unrecorded compact disks through the steps of recording, verifying and printing, and to reject compact disks which have failed the verification tests. A camera may be connected to the housing and used in conjunction with the computer processor to rotatably position a compact disk into a preferred position prior to the printing step.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A transporter apparatus for performing sequential recording and printing operations on compact disks, comprising:

a) a horizontal base frame and a vertical frame affixed thereto;
b) a rotatable carousel positioned on said base frame, said carousel being rotatably positionable by a motor, said carousel having at least two bins for holding compact disks;
c) a carriage assembly affixed to said vertical frame, said carriage assembly having a vertically movable carriage, said carriage having a gripper for selectively gripping onto a compact disk, and said carriage being vertically movable into any one of said at least two bins positioned directly beneath and vertically aligned with said carriage;
d) a printer and at least one recorder vertically stacked on said base frame and adjacent to the vertical path of movement of said carriage, each of said printer and at least one recorder having an openable drawer which may be extended into a position beneath said carriage when said carriage is raised to an elevated position;
and
e) a computer processor having means for selectively moving said carriage, said carousel, and the openable drawers of said printer and said at least one recorder;
and for selectively activating said gripper to sequentially move a compact disk between said carousel and said printer and said at least one recorder, for recording data on said disk and for printing label information on said disk and for loading said disk onto said carousel.

4 more elements

An apparatus for automating the process of applying recorded information and label printing to compact disks, comprising:

a) a housing having a horizontal base and a vertical support member;
b) a rotatable carousel mounted on said base and a carousel drive motor mounted on said base and mechanically coupled to rotatably drive said carousel;
said carousel having at least two bins, each of said bins sized to receive a plurality of stacked compact disks;
c) a carriage assembly attached to said base and to said vertical support member, said carriage assembly having at least one vertical guide post and a carriage slidably attached thereto;
and a carriage drive motor attached to said base and mechanically coupled to said carriage, to slidably move said carriage along said at least one vertical guide post;
and said carriage being vertically movable into any one of said at least two bins positioned directly beneath and vertically aligned with said carriage;
d) a compact disk recorder affixed above said base and adjacent said carriage assembly, said compact disk recorder having an openable drawer movable into alignment with and beneath said carriage when said carriage is raised to an elevated position;
e) a compact disk printer affixed above said base and adjacent said carriage assembly, said compact disk printer having an openable drawer movable into alignment with and beneath said carriage when said carriage is raised to an elevated position;
and
f) a computer processor attached to said housing, said computer processor having means for transmitting and receiving electrical signals to said compact disk recorder and said compact disk printer;
said computer processor having further means for actuating said carousel drive motor and said carriage drive motor.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/579,927Filed 28 Dec 1995
Granted: 31 Mar 1998
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G11B 17/08
Guiding record carriers not specifically of filamentary or web form, or of supports therefor: from consecutive-access magazine of disc records
G11B 7/26
Record carriers characterised by shape, structure or physical properties, or by the selection of the material: apparatus or processes specially…
G11B 19/12
Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing: by sensing distinguishing features of or on records, e.g. diameter…
G11B 23/40
Visual features other than those contained in record tracks or represented by sprocket holes the visual signals being auxiliary signals:…