Automatic disc changer apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic optical disc data storage and retrieval system comprising: an annular disc storage carrousel member having adjacent disc storage compartments, said storage carrousel member disposed for receiving and storing optical discs therein regardless of physical orientation of said storage carrousel member, said carousal having an upper annular plate and a lower circular plate, said plates disposed in spaced relation and having spaced aligned grooves thereon to define radially arranged compartments to receive an optical disc therein; an optical disc insert and ejector means for inserting and ejecting said optical discs into and out of said annular disc storage member; at least one optical disc player disposed for receiving and playing an optical disc; optical disc displacement means associated with said optical disc player for moving said optical disc radially into and out of a predetermined compartment of said annular disc storage member in a linear path; an enclosure for enclosing said annular disc storage member, said optical disc insert and ejector means, and said optical disc displacement means; and means for rotating said carrousel.

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said carrousel is provided with compartment indexing means, said indexing means disposed for selectively position a predetermined said compartment in predetermined locations in said enclosure.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said indexing means includes means for stopping rotation of said carrousel responsive to a said predetermined compartment of said carrousel arriving at a said predetermined location.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 3 wherein a first of said predetermined locations is a position of alignment of said predetermined compartment with said insert/ejector means, whereby a said optical disc is inserted or ejected into or out of a said predetermined compartment.

Claim 6

A system as set forth in claim 4 wherein a second of said predetermined locations is a position of alignment of said predetermined compartment with said disc player, whereby a said optical disc is inserted or ejected into or out of said player.

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 5 including biasing means mounted in said grooves of said lower plate of said carrousel.

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said biasing means is a spring loaded roller.

Claim 9

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one optical disc player includes clamping means to receive a said optical disc in secured, rotational relation therein.

Claim 10

A system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said player includes loading means for moving said optical disc linearly into said clamping means wherein said optical disc is held in either secured relation or unsecured rotational relation in said clamping means.

Claim 11

A system as set forth in claim 9 wherein said player is provided with unloading means for moving said disc from said clamping means in a linear path and radially into said carrousel.

Claim 12

A system as set forth in claim 10 wherein said clamping means includes a pair of plates disposed in mutually pivotal relation and gripping means for gripped relation of said optical disc therebetween to provide for the secured and rotational relation of said optical disc in said clamping means.

Claim 13

A system as set forth in claim 11 wherein said loading and unloading means includes a pair of spaced, pivotally mounted arms, each arm having an arcurate configuration to retain said optical disc therein for movement between said clamping means and said carrousel.

Claim 14

A system as set forth in claim 12 including an optical pickup means mounted on a second of said pair of plates for playing said disc mounted in said clamping means.

Claim 15

A system as set forth in claim 13 including cam means disposed for moving said plates between open and closed positions.

Claim 16

A system as set forth in claim 14 including guide means mounted adjacent a first of said plates for engaged relation against the periphery of said optical disc.

Claim 17

A system as set forth in claim 15 where said guide means includes a pair of spaced guide members each having a guide channel therein.

Claim 18

A system as set forth in claim 16 including biasing means mounted in said guide channel of at least one of said guide members.

Claim 19

A system as set forth in claim 17 wherein said biasing means is a spring urged roller.

Claim 20

A system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said clamping means includes a slider bar mounted on said chassis of player, an electric motor mounted on said chassis of said player and operatively connected to said slider bar for sliding movement thereof on said chassis of said player, said cam means including a pair of cam surfaces mounted on said slider, each of said plates of said pair of plates having a cam follower member mounted thereon and extending into said cam surfaces for movement therein in response to movement of said cam surfaces to simultaneously pivotally move said plates for the clamping or unclamping function.

Claim 21

A system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said optical disc insert and ejector means comprises a chassis having a pivotally mounted arcuate arm disposed for receiving said optical disc therein and for moving said optical disc radially into or out of said carrousel in a linear path.

Claim 22

A system as set forth in claim 20 including means for pivotally moving said arm.

Claim 23

A system as set forth in claim 21 wherein said chassis of said disc insert and ejector means is provided with an electric motor mounted thereon, and a slider bar operatively connected to said motor for sliding movement on said chassis, said arcuate arm being pivotally mounted on said slider bar for pivotal movement responsive to sliding movement of said slider bar.

Claim 24

A system as set forth in claim 22 including means for actuation of said motor.

Claim 25

An automatic optical disc data storage and retrieval system comprising: an annular disc storage member having adjacent disc storage compartments, said storage member disposed for receiving and storing optical discs therein; an optical disc insert and ejector means for inserting and ejecting said optical discs into and out of said annular disc storage member; at least one optical disc player disposed for receiving and playing an optical disc; optical disc displacement means associated with said optical disc player for moving said optical disc radially inwardly into said annular disc storage member into a predetermined said compartment thereof in a linear path; an enclosure for enclosing sand annular disc storage member, sand optical disc insert and ejector means, and said optical disc displacement means; and, first retaining means for retaining said discs in said storage member regardless of physical orientation of said enclosure, said first retaining means comprising a member mounted in each said groove of said lower plate, said member disposed for biased relation along the peripheral surface of each said discs.

Claim 26

An automatic optical disc data storage and retrieval system comprising: an annular disc storage member having adjacent disc storage compartments, said storage member disposed for receiving and storing optical discs therein; an optical disc insert and ejector means for inserting and ejecting said optical discs into and out of said annular disc storage member; at least one optical disc player disposed for receiving and playing an optical disc; optical disc displacement means associated with said optical disc player for moving said optical disc radially inwardly into said annular disc storage member into a predetermined said compartment thereof in a linear path; an enclosure for enclosing sand annular disc storage member, sand optical disc insert and ejector means, and said optical disc displacement means; and, first retaining means for retaining said discs in said storage member regardless of physical orientation of said enclosure, said first retaining means comprising a member mounted in each said groove of said lower plate, said member disposed for biased relation along the peripheral surface of each said discs.

Claim 27

A system as set forth in claim 24 including second retaining means for retaining a said disc in said optical disc player regardless of physical orientation of said enclosure.

Claim 28

A system as set forth in claim 24 wherein said member is a spring biased roller.

Claim 29

An automatic optical disc data storage and retrieval system comprising: an annular disc storage member having adjacent disc storage compartments, said storage member disposed for receiving and storing optical discs therein regardless of physical orientation of said storage member; an optical disc insert and ejector means for inserting and ejecting said optical discs into and out of said annular disc storage member; at least one optical disc player disposed for receiving and playing an optical disc; optical disc displacement means associated with said optical disc player for moving said optical disc radially into and out of a predetermined compartment of said annular disc storage member in a linear path; an enclosure for enclosing said annular disc storage member, said optical disc insert and ejector means, and said optical disc displacement means; and clamping means carried by said at least one optical disc player for receiving an optical disc in secured, rotational relation therein, said clamping means including a pair of spaced movable members for receiving said optical disc in the space therebetween; and, means for moving aid movable members into and out of engagement with said optical disc.

Claim 30

An automatic optical disc data storage and retrieval system comprising: an annular disc storage member having adjacent disc storage compartments, said storage member disposed for receiving and storing optical discs therein regardless of physical orientation of said storage member; an optical disc insert and ejector means for inserting and ejecting said optical discs into and out of said annular disc storage member; at least one optical disc player disposed for receiving and playing an optical disc; optical disc displacement means associated with said optical disc player for moving said optical disc radially into and out of a predetermined compartment of said annular disc storage member in a linear path; an enclosure for enclosing said annular disc storage member, said optical disc insert and ejector means, and said optical disc displacement means; and clamping means carried by said at least one optical disc player for receiving an optical disc in secured, rotational relation therein, said clamping means including a pair of spaced movable members for receiving said optical disc in the space therebetween; and, means for moving aid movable members into and out of engagement with said optical disc.