Linear optical disk changer with side switching capabilities

An optical disk changer for reading a dual-sided optical disk, comprising:

• (a) a base;
• (b) a disk bin carried by the base and configured to hold a plurality of dual-sided optical disks;
• (c) a transfer mechanism slidably and rotatably carried by the base, the transfer mechanism being configured to load one of the disks from the disk bin and position the disk in a transfer position;
• and
• (d) an optical disk reader slidably carried by the base, the optical disk reader being configured to receive the disk from the transfer position and read the disk.

A method of reading data from an optical disk comprising:

• (a) holding the optical disk in a bin;
• (b) delivering the optical disk from the bin to a transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a first direction;
• (c) moving the optical disk reader laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk prior to delivering the optical disk from the bin to the transfer mechanism;
• (d) delivering the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to an optical disk reader by translating the optical disk farther in the first direction;
• (e) reading data from a first side of the optical disk;
• (f) delivering the optical disk to the transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;
• (g) rotating the transfer mechanism about a vertical axis;
• (h) loading the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to the optical disk reader by translating the optical disk in the first direction;
• and
• (i) reading data from a second side of the optical disk with the optical disk reader.

A method of translating a dual-sided optical disk, comprising:

• (a) holding an optical disk in a disk bin;
• (b) if data from a first side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in a first direction to a first location, wherein the first location is within an optical disk reader, and wherein the method further comprises moving the optical disk reader laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk in the disk bin prior to translating the optical disk to the first location when data from the first side of the optical disk is to be read;
• and
• (c) if data from a second side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in the first direction to a transfer mechanism, rotating the optical disk, and translating the optical disk to the optical disk reader in the first direction.

A method of translating a dual-sided optical disk, comprising:

• (a) holding an optical disk in a disk bin;
• (b) if data from a first side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in a first direction to a first location, wherein the first location is within an optical disk reader, and wherein the method further comprises moving the optical disk reader laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk in the disk bin prior to translating the optical disk to the first location when data from the first side of the optical disk is to be read;
• and
• (c) if data from a second side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in the first direction to a transfer mechanism, rotating the optical disk, and translating the optical disk to the optical disk reader in the first direction, wherein the second location is within a transfer mechanism, and wherein the method further comprises moving the transfer mechanism laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk in the disk bin prior to translating the optical disk to the second location in the transfer mechanism when data from the second side of the optical disk is to be read.