Disc Carrier Stacking Mechanism for High-Density Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disc devices face limitations in storing a large number of discs due to tray-based systems, which lead to increased disc conveying time and inaccuracies in disc placement, as they require suction pads to handle each disc individually and struggle with stacking multiple discs without them sticking together.
Innovation Solution
A disc device with a carrier that retains stacked discs using claw portions to hold the inner circumferential portion of the bottommost disc and a disc press to ensure the topmost disc is parallel to the tray, allowing for stable stacking and accurate placement on disc drives without the need for suction pads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If one disc is stored per tray in a magazine, then disc placement accuracy is maintained, but the number of stored discs is limited and conveying time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the disc handling process into two distinct functional segments: (1) a magazine system that stores multiple discs in a stacked state without trays, and (2) a picker system with suction pads that individually extracts and places discs onto disc drives. This segmentation allows the magazine to maximize storage capacity while the picker ensures accurate individual disc placement, resolving the contradiction between storage quantity and placement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The picker acts as an intermediary component between the magazine and disc drives. It receives stacked discs from the magazine, uses suction pads to individually grasp and transport each disc, and places it accurately on the corresponding disc drive. This intermediary mechanism enables the system to handle multiple stacked discs while maintaining precise placement accuracy for each individual disc.
2Quantity of substance
If multiple discs are stacked without trays, then storage capacity increases, but discs stick together and cannot be separated easily
Solution Approach 1:
The picker employs suction pads that utilize pneumatic pressure to grasp individual discs from the stacked arrangement in the magazine. The suction pads create a vacuum seal on the disc surface, allowing reliable individual disc extraction even when multiple discs are stacked without physical separators. This pneumatic mechanism effectively solves the disc adhesion problem and enables easy separation and handling of individual discs.
3Quantity of substance
If the number of magazines is increased to store more discs, then storage capacity increases, but the distance from disc drive to magazine increases and conveying time increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of horizontally expanding the system by adding multiple magazines at different positions, the patent utilizes the vertical dimension by allowing the magazine to store multiple discs in a stacked arrangement. This vertical stacking approach increases storage capacity without increasing the horizontal footprint or the distance between the magazine and disc drives, thereby maintaining short conveying times while maximizing storage capacity.
4Device complexity
If only the inner circumferential portion of the bottommost disc is held by claw portions, then disc stacking is simplified, but the outer circumferential side wobbles and placement accuracy decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical claw portion holding system with a pneumatic suction pad system for the final disc placement step. While claw portions initially hold and manipulate the stacked discs during the stacking process, the suction pads take over for the precise placement operation, using pneumatic adhesion to gently grasp and position each disc accurately on the disc drive without causing outer circumferential wobble.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables a significant increase in stored discs while reducing conveying time and improving accuracy in placing discs on multiple disc drives, maintaining the stacked state and preventing disc wobbling.
Implementation Method 1
one disc stored in the drawn out tray is suctioned and held by a suction pad
Data Source
AI summary
A disc device supplies a disc to each of a plurality of disc drives. The disc device includes a carrier which retains a plurality of discs being stacked in such a stacked state, which separates one disc from the retained plurality of discs above a tray ejected from an arbitrary one of the disc drives, and which places the separated disc on the tray. The carrier includes a plurality of claw portions holding the inner circumferential portion of the bottommost disc out of the plurality of discs, and a disc press pressing the topmost disc out of the plurality of discs so as to be in parallel to the disc placing face of the tray.