Method and apparatus for repairing optical discs
AssigneeDigital Innovations LLC
InventorsJoseph Born, Collin D. Anderson, Stephen K. Spatig
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for repairing optical discs, wherein the apparatus includes an improved buffing wheel capable of applying a uniform buffing action across the readable surface of an optical disc, and wherein the method includes the step of mechanically buffing the damaged area of a disc with an abrasive means and thereafter buffing the buffed area with a non-abrasive means to remove fine scratches caused by the abrasive means.
Claims25
The method of repairing a damaged area on the surface of an optical disc, wherein said surface of said disc includes laser-penetrable material and the damaged area is first buffed in a buffing apparatus with at least one abrasive means and then buffed by an apparatus or by hand with at least one non-abrasive means, and wherein the buffing apparatus includes a disc-receiving means and a buffing wheel made of a flexible material and having a hub, a flexible annular outer rim, a plurality of flexible spirally spokes extending between said hub and rim, and an abrasive means around the periphery of said rim, and said non-abrasive means includes a piece of cloth, said method comprising the steps of:
- mounting the disc in said buffing apparatus in a first plane with said surface of said optical disc being exposed,
- positioning said buffing wheel in a second plane substantially perpendicular to said first plane and under pressure against said surface, whereby said spirally extending flexible spokes of said buffing wheel and said rim are deformed so that the rim defines a flattened portion in engagement with said disc surface and facilitates a substantially uniform pressure along the area of contact between said buffing wheel and said surface,
- rotating said buffing wheel such that the abrasive means on the rim removes material from said surface and leaves behind fine scratches,
- moving said cloth under pressure over the area buffed by the apparatus, whereby the action created between said cloth and said surface generates sufficient heat that causes said laser-penetrable material of said surface to flow, smooth the surface, and substantially remove said fine scratches.
A buffing wheel adapted for use in a buffing apparatus having an optical disc driving means for repairing a damaged area on the surface of an optical disc, wherein said surface is comprised of a laser-penetrable material, said buffing wheel comprising:
- a hub,
- a plurality of spirally extending flexible spokes extending outwardly from said hub, and
- a flexible circular outer rim attached to the outer ends of said spokes and adapted to engage said surface,
- whereby the part of said buffing wheel engaging said disc flattens and applies a substantially uniform force across the engaged surface to produce a substantially uniform buffing of the surface.
A buffing wheel for buffing a substantially flat surface comprising:
- a hub adapted to be mounted on a shaft, for rotation therewith,
- a plurality of flexible spokes spirally extending from the hub, and
- an outer flexible circular rim connected to the outer end of said spokes having a buffing surface extending substantially perpendicular to the spokes and adapted to have mounted thereon an abrasive/buffing material,
- whereby pressing the wheel against a surface to be buffed deforms the rim in the area of contact with the surface to define a substantially flattened area which applies a substantially uniform force along said flattened area during buffing to produce a substantially uniform buffing of the area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.