Linear optical disk changer with side switching capabilities

• US 20060161934A1
• Filed: 03/17/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Micron Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Klein, Dean A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 720/619
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/225 wherein the disks are transferred from a fixed magazine to a fixed playing unit using a moving carriage
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 17/28 the magazine having a cylindrical shape with horizontal axis

Abstract

An optical disk changer that is capable of automatically playing both sides of a dual-sided optical disk. By coordinated rotation and delivery of disks taken from a linear disk storage bin, both sides of a dual-sided optical disk can be automatically accessed.

Claims

1. An optical disk changer for reading a first and a second side of an optical disk comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a disk bin coupled to said base for holding the optical disk;

(c) a transfer mechanism slidably and rotatably coupled to said base for loading a disk from said disk bin and positioning the disk to be read; and

(d) an optical disk reader attached to said base for loading a disk from said transfer mechanism and reading the disk.

2. The optical disk changer of claim 1 wherein the optical disk is a dual-sided DVD.

3. The optical disk changer of claim 1 wherein said disk bin holds a first disk and a second optical disk, the first disk being substantially linearly coaxial with the center rotational axis of the second optical disk.

4. The optical disk changer of claim 3 wherein said disk bin has slots for holding a plurality of disks.

5. The optical disk of claim 1 wherein said transfer mechanism has a first loading mechanism on a first side of said transfer mechanism and a second loading mechanism on a second side of said transfer mechanism.

6. The optical disk changer of claim 5 wherein the first loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into and out of said transfer mechanism and the second loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into and out of said transfer mechanism.

7. The optical disk changer of claim 1 wherein said transfer mechanism includes and ejector arm for pushing the optical disk from said disk bin along a first direction.

8. The optical disk changer of claim 1 wherein said transfer mechanism rotates about a vertical axis.

9. The optical disk changer of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said optical disk reader has a loading mechanism on a first side of said reader.

10. The optical disk changer of claim 9 wherein the loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into said optical disk reader.

11. The optical disk changer of claim 1 wherein said optical disk reader is attached to said base so that the direction of loading into said reader is substantially perpendicular to the sliding of said transfer mechanism.

12. The optical disk changer of claim 1 wherein said optical disk reader is attached to said base so that the direction of loading into said reader is substantially parallel with the sliding of said transfer mechanism.

13. An optical disk changer for reading a first and a second side of an optical disk comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a disk bin coupled to said base for holding the optical disk; and

(c) an optical disk reader slidably and rotatably coupled to said base for loading a disk from said disk bin, reading the disk, and returning the disk to said disk bin;

14. The optical disk changer of claim 13 wherein the optical disk is a dual-sided DVD.

15. The optical disk changer of claim 13 wherein said disk bin holds a first disk and a second optical disk, the first disk being substantially linearly coaxial with the center rotational axis of the second optical disk.

16. The optical disk changer of claim 13 wherein said disk bin has slots for holding a plurality of disks.

17. The optical disk changer of claim 13 wherein said optical disk reader has a first loading mechanism on a first side of said optical disk reader and a second loading mechanism on a second side of said optical disk reader.

18. The optical disk changer of claim 17 wherein the first loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into and out of said optical disk reader and the second loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into and out of said optical disk reader.

19. The optical disk changer of claim 13 wherein said optical disk reader includes an ejector arm for pushing the optical disk from said disk bin along a first direction.

20. The optical disk changer of claim 17 wherein at least a portion of said optical disk reader rotates about a vertical axis.

21-41. -41. (canceled)