Optical Disc Carrier Parallel Tray Conveyance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical disc devices face increased disc replacing time due to the distance between optical disc drives and magazines, especially when the number of magazines is increased to enhance data capacity, leading to inefficiencies in conveying optical discs to multiple drives.
Innovation Solution
The optical disc device employs a carrier to hold stacked optical discs, with optical disc drives having tray discharge ports oriented in opposing directions, allowing for parallel control to convey trays between recording/reproducing and disc replacing positions, thereby reducing disc replacing time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the number of magazines is increased to enhance data capacity, then the data capacity is improved, but the distance between optical disc drive and magazine increases, leading to increased disc conveying time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a carrier that moves in the height direction (vertical dimension) to convey stacked optical discs to multiple optical disc drives arranged in the width direction. This dimensional change allows the system to serve multiple drives simultaneously without increasing the horizontal distance, thus resolving the contradiction between data capacity and conveying time.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier acts as an intermediary between the magazine and multiple optical disc drives. It collects optical discs from the magazine and distributes them to multiple drives in parallel, reducing the overall conveying time compared to sequential delivery to each drive individually.
2Device complexity
If optical discs are supplied one by one from magazine to optical disc drives, then the structure is simple, but considerable time is required for conveying optical discs to multiple drives
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple sequential disc replacement operations into a single parallel operation. The carrier holds multiple optical discs and can supply them to different optical disc drives simultaneously, combining several individual tasks into one unified process that completes much faster.
Solution Approach 2:
The carrier pre-loads multiple optical discs in advance and positions them for simultaneous delivery to different drives. This preliminary preparation allows the system to perform multiple disc replacements in parallel without waiting for sequential completion, significantly reducing the total time required.
3Device complexity
If trays are conveyed sequentially to recording and reproducing position, then control is simple, but disc replacing time cannot be suppressed further
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic action by having the carrier alternately move to different positions to serve multiple optical disc drives in sequence during a single operation cycle. The control unit manages this periodic movement to achieve parallel disc replacement across multiple drives, reducing total replacing time while maintaining controllable operation.
Data Source
AI summary
An optical disc device according to the present invention performs, in parallel, a first control to convey a first tray in the first optical disc drive group from the disc replacing position to the recording and reproducing position, and a second control to convey a second tray in the second optical disc drive group 40R from the recording and reproducing position to the disc replacing position. The second tray is opposed to the first tray.