Optical disc auto-changer

Claim 1

Optical disc storage and retrieval apparatus for rapidly retrieving a selected disc to be played on an optical disc player, said apparatus comprising: storage means for holding a plurality of optical discs; picker means for removing a selected optical disc from said storage means, said picker means being structured and arranged to engage and hold said selected disc centrally on a first side thereof; said storage means and said picker means being structured for relative movement wherein said picker means is brought adjacent to said selected disc in position to centrally engage and hold said disc, said picker means being movable to extract a disc from said storage means; transfer means for transferring said gripped disc from said picker means to the optical disc player, said transfer means being structured and arranged to engage and hold said disc centrally on the opposite side from said picker means, said transfer means being movable to bring a disc held thereby into a load position at said disc player.

Claim 4

The apparatus of 2 wherein said central axis is horizontally said picker means moves horizontally between said first and second transfer positions.

Claim 5

The apparatus of 2 wherein said central axis is horizontally said picker means moves horizontally between said first and second transfer positions.

Claim 8

An apparatus for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said player comprising: at least one carousel for storing a plurality of discs, said carousel being mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis; first picker means for gripping a disc in said carousel and moving said disc to a position outside said carousel, said first picker means being adapted to move linearly along a line parallel to said horizontal axis of said carousel; a second picker means for gripping a disc from a position in said carousel disposed 180° relative to said horizontal axis from a position accessed by said first picker means; a second carousel located on an opposite side of said disc player from said first carousel; third and fourth picker means for gripping discs from positions in said second carousel disposed 180° from each other relative to said horizontal axis; and transfer means for gripping said disc and moving said disc from one of said picker means to said disc player.

Claim 9

An apparatus for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said player comprising: at least one carousel for storing a plurality of discs, said carousel being mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis; first picker means for gripping a disc in said carousel and moving said disc to a position outside said carousel, said first picker means being adapted to move linearly along a line parallel to said horizontal axis of said carousel; a second picker means for gripping a disc from a position in said carousel disposed 180° relative to said horizontal axis from a position accessed by said first picker means; a second carousel located on an opposite side of said disc player from said first carousel; third and fourth picker means for gripping discs from positions in said second carousel disposed 180° from each other relative to said horizontal axis; and transfer means for gripping said disc and moving said disc from one of said picker means to said disc player.

Claim 17

An apparatus for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said player comprising: at least one carousel for storing a plurality of discs, said carousel being mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, said carousel including a plurality of retaining members each defining an arcuate slot for engaging an edge of a disc and, a plurality of lockarm members, each attached to a retaining member and extending from said retaining member across a first side of a disc, across an edge of said disc and across a second side of said disc, said lockarm member being movable from a first stable position to hold said disc against said retaining member to a second stable position allowing said disc to be removed; picker means for gripping a disc in said carousel and moving said disc to a position outside said carousel; and transfer means for gripping said disc and moving said disc from said picker means to said disc player.

Claim 18

An apparatus for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said player comprising: at least one carousel for storing a plurality of discs, said carousel being mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis, said carousel including a plurality of retaining members each defining an arcuate slot for engaging an edge of a disc and, a plurality of lockarm members, each attached to a retaining member and extending from said retaining member across a first side of a disc, across an edge of said disc and across a second side of said disc, said lockarm member being movable from a first stable position to hold said disc against said retaining member to a second stable position allowing said disc to be removed; picker means for gripping a disc in said carousel and moving said disc to a position outside said carousel; and transfer means for gripping said disc and moving said disc from said picker means to said disc player.

Claim 21

An apparatus for placing optical discs onto an optical disc player coupled to a frame and for removing said disc from said disc player, comprising: first and second carousels, coupled to said frame on opposite sides of said disc player, for storing a plurality of discs, said carousels having a common horizontal axis of rotation; a pair of linear tracks, parallel to said horizontal axis and coupled to said frame exterior of said carousels on opposite sides of said frame; four picker means, two of said picker means being coupled to each one of said tracks, for moving a disc from one of said carousels to a position outside said carousel; four nosepiece means, each coupled to one of said picker means, for engaging a center portion of one of said discs; and transfer means, rotatable about a vertical axis coupled to said frame, for gripping said disc when said disc is on one of said picker means outside one of said carousels and moving said disc from said picker means to said disc player.

Claim 22

An apparatus for placing optical discs onto an optical disc player coupled to a frame and for removing said disc from said disc player, comprising: first and second carousels, coupled to said frame on opposite sides of said disc player, for storing a plurality of discs, said carousels having a common horizontal axis of rotation; a pair of linear tracks, parallel to said horizontal axis and coupled to said frame exterior of said carousels on opposite sides of said frame; four picker means, two of said picker means being coupled to each one of said tracks, for moving a disc from one of said carousels to a position outside said carousel; four nosepiece means, each coupled to one of said picker means, for engaging a center portion of one of said discs; and transfer means, rotatable about a vertical axis coupled to said frame, for gripping said disc when said disc is on one of said picker means outside one of said carousels and moving said disc from said picker means to said disc player.

Claim 23

A method for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said disc player comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of discs in a carousel having a horizontal axis of rotation; gripping a disc in a horizontal position on a first side of said carousel with a picker and moving said disc to a position outside of said carousel; gripping said disc from said picker with a transfer arm; moving said disc and transfer arm to a position over said disc player; spinning said disc on said transfer arm up to a predetermined spin speed before placing said disc on said disc player; and placing said disc on said disc player.

Claim 24

A method for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said disc player comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of discs in a carousel having a horizontal axis of rotation; gripping a disc in a horizontal position on a first side of said carousel with a picker and moving said disc to a position outside of said carousel; gripping said disc from said picker with a transfer arm; moving said disc and transfer arm to a position over said disc player; spinning said disc on said transfer arm up to a predetermined spin speed before placing said disc on said disc player; and placing said disc on said disc player.

Claim 25

A method for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said disc player comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of discs in a carousel having a horizontal axis of rotation; gripping a disc in a horizontal position on a first side of said carousel with a picker and moving said disc to a position outside of said carousel; gripping said disc from said picker with a transfer arm; moving said disc and transfer arm to a position over said disc player; placing said disc on said disc player; and removing said disc from said disc player with said transfer arm, said transfer arm having a vacuum gripping mechanism spinning at substantially the same speed as said disc, and decelerating said disc until it is no longer spinning.

Claim 26

A method for placing discs onto a disc player and for removing said discs from said disc player comprising the steps of: storing a plurality of discs in a carousel having a horizontal axis of rotation; gripping a disc in a horizontal position on a first side of said carousel with a picker and moving said disc to a position outside of said carousel; gripping said disc from said picker with a transfer arm; moving said disc and transfer arm to a position over said disc player; placing said disc on said disc player; and removing said disc from said disc player with said transfer arm, said transfer arm having a vacuum gripping mechanism spinning at substantially the same speed as said disc, and decelerating said disc until it is no longer spinning.