US 8,128,336 B2Granted

Device for gripping a compact disc

AssigneeMicroservice Tecnologia Digital da Amazonia LTDA

InventorAlfred Kramp

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The invention relates to a device for gripping a CD from the top of a stack for automated processing, by putting actuated deflectable fingers in the central opening of the CD. Axial displacement is used to force the fingers radially outward. The axial displacement is advantageously provided by abutting a relatively axially displaceable part of the gripper against a fixed object and continue axial displacement of the gripper. Use is made of an arrangement similar to the actuating mechanism of a ball-point to extend and retract the writing tip or the mechanical arrangement used in electrical micro switches operated by a push button (e.g. the Short Stroke Key Switches of ITT Industries). This arrangement is combined with an electrical switch to detect the extended or retracted position of the fingers to provide a corresponding electrical signal to a control means.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A device for gripping a CD or DVD object with an axially positioned circular opening, for subsequent processing operations, and designed to be part of an apparatus for automated processing of a stack of CD or DVD objects, to take an object from the top of a stack of objects, move it to another location and put it down there, wherein the device having a gripper head comprising gripping means, puts said gripping means in the opening of the object, which device comprises the following features:

a cantilevered arm (1) the one end of which is mounted to motorised displacing means such that the gripper head (2) at the opposite end of the arm 1 can be spatially moved;
a press button actuated micro switch (3) housed in a housing (4) and having an axially displaceable stud as an axially displaceable member (6) to carry a push button and having mechanical biasing means and releasable, mechanical retaining means such that the stud can take a retained extended and a first retracted axial position, respectively, in both which positions it is biased by the mechanical biasing means towards the extended position and in both which positions it is retained in position by the mechanical retaining means, while the switch (3) is arranged such that the stud can be brought from the first retracted towards the extended position by initially moving it from the first retracted position towards a non-retained second retracted position beyond the first retracted position and further away from the extended position and wherein the switch (3) is such that the stud (6) can be brought from the extended towards the first retracted position by displacing it towards and beyond the first retracted position to the second retracted position;
a finger arrangement (5);
transmission means to operate the retaining means;
the finger arrangement (5) comprising at least two fingers (7) with outwardly turned hooks (8) at their free ends, designed to radially deflect when conveniently loaded, such that the hooks (8) move radially;
ridges (9) at positions to provide the load for deflecting the fingers (7);
the finger arrangement (5) being externally provided with an abutment shoulder (10);
the shoulder (10) extending radially further outward than the hooks (8), at least in the radially retracted position of the hooks 8;
and
the axial end (11) of the finger arrangement (5) is conical.

7 more elements

A device for gripping a recordable disc, like a CD or DVD with axially positioned opening (16) for subsequent processing operations, to be part of an apparatus for automated processing of the discs, to take a disc from the top of a stack of discs, move the disc to another location and put the disc down there, the device comprising:

gripping means with parts (8) that can be extended and retracted, which gripping means are designed to be put in the opening of the disc, and gripping the disc by extending the parts (8) for hooking under the disc, and an arrangement having an axially displaceable member (6) that can take a retained axial extended position and a retained axial first retracted position by the action of mechanical retaining means of the device, the design being such that displacement of the member (6) results in actuation of the parts (8);
and
a push button actuated micro switch (3) having an axially displaceable stud to carry a push button, said stud provides said axially displaceable member (6), while said switch (3) contains mechanical biasing means and said releasable, mechanical retaining means such that said extended and retracted position of the member (6) correspond to operative switching positions of the micro switch,
wherein the stud is movable with regard to the recordable disc between the retained axial extended position and the retained axial first retracted position upon forcing the device against the recordable disc,
wherein the parts (8) are deflectable fingers.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/307,207Filed 2 Jul 2007
Priority: NL 10321003 Jul 2006
Published: US 2009/0317222 A124 Dec 2009
Granted: 6 Mar 2012
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

G11B 17/028
Positioning or locking of single discs: of discs rotating during transducing operation
G11B 17/16
With axial transfer to the turntable from a stack with a vertical axis: by mechanism in stationary centre post, e.g. with stepped post, using…
G11B 23/00
Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing
Y10S 414/121
Material or article handling: perforated article handling