AU2002100576B4 - Labelling device - Google Patents

Description

-1-

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicants: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Rocky Mountain Traders Ltd Stanley Grossman BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS MARGARET STREET SYDNEY NSW 2000 LABELLING DEVICE Details of Original Application No. 42465/99 dated 3 August 1999 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us File: 35663AUP00 la LABELLING DEVICE TECHNICAL FIELD The present application is a divisional application from Australian Patent Application Number 42465/99 which itself is a divisional of 20408/97 and the entire disclosure of both of these documents is incorporated herein by cross reference.

This invention relates to a device for applying or adhering two substantially planar discs each having a central aperture so that they are concentrically aligned, and more specifically, to a device for centering and applying labels to compact discs.

BACKGROUND

Any discussion of the prior art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such prior art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.

Electro-optical storage devices presently include Compact Disc Read Only Memory devices (CD-ROMs) which are stored digital information, the information being either or both audio and visual in nature. CD ROMs comprise a plastic or "glass" disc which is etched or cut such that when placed In a CD ROM reader and spun at high speed the etched pattern may be identified by a laser or other scanning method.

By their form, function and manufacture, CD ROMs are generally indistinguishable from one another. It is also generally difficult if not impossible to identify the nature or content of the information on a given CD ROM by visual inspection alone. It is therefore necessary to provide CD ROMs with a physical, unique mark or label.

The capability of a CD ROM to faithfully represent the information contained thereon is in large part dependent on the ability of the disc to be placed into a sustained, -2steady high speed spin about its physical centre. This high speed spin presents complications to the marking methods employed.

Traditional ink based marking methods wherein the ink is applied directly to the disc must use an ink that will remain in place during sustained high speed spin.

Additionally, the ink must be non-deleterious to the material of the disc. Use of conventional writing instruments, such as felt tip pens, is generally unsatisfactory since the ink may particulate and become dissociated from the disc with the potential for becoming lodged in the mechanism of the disc reader. In addition, marking in this way does not present a professional appearance if the CD ROMs are to be sold or used commercially.

Printers specially adapted for printing onto compact discs are available.

However, the cost of such printers is prohibitive to those who are producing CD ROMs in low volumes only.

An alternative to using an ink marker directly on the disc is to use a label, usually a self-adhesive label, which is subsequently attached to the disc. While in theory this seems a simple task, because of the high speed at which the disc must be spun, it is essential that the label be affixed in such a way that the overall balance of the disc is not adversely affected. In particular, it is necessary that the centre of balance of the disc remains about its geometric centre. Labels which are not concentrically affixed to the discs, for example, "half-moon" or semi-circular labels, have previously caused malfunctions and often rendered the discs virtually useless.

A known device for concentrically applying self-adhesive labels to compact discs comprises a first member comprising a cylinder closed at one end by a slightly convex exterior face having a central aperture corresponding approximately to the size of the central aperture of a label and a separate second member comprising a plunger including -3a first portion having a diameter approximating to the diameter of the aperture of the first member and a second portion having a diameter corresponding approximately to the diameter of the central aperture of the compact disc and the first and second portions together forming a shoulder against which the compact disc is seated.

In use, the operator must initially position an adhesive label on the first member so that its adhesive surface is uppermost and the label aperture is aligned with the central aperture of the end face of the cylinder. This step alone can be difficult because of the tendency of the label to stick to the operator's fingers and hence move off-centre when the operator attempts to withdraw his fingers ready for the compact disc to be pressed onto the label. Also, there is a tendency for the label to curl upwards when the operator is not holding the label down.

Once the label is in its desired position on the first member, the compact disc which is retained against the shoulder portion of the plunger, can be pressed down onto the label. In order to achieve the desired concentric alignment between the label and the disc, it is necessary to firmly press the disc against the shoulder portion while pushing the first portion of the plunger through the aligned apertures of the first member and the label.

Since the surface of the first member against which the label and compact disc are pressed is not planar, further care has to be taken to ensure that no air bubbles are trapped between the label and the disc as such bubbles are not only unsightly but may also cause balancing problems in the CD ROM reader. Another version of this same device is disclosed in WO96/05057.

It will be appreciated that this known device therefore relies upon the skill and manual dexterity of the operator in order to achieve correct alignment of the label and -4compact disc. Moreover, the device is reliant upon the operator being sufficiently wellorganized to keep the two components in close proximity ready for use.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a device which is inexpensive to produce and manually operable, yet which overcomes the aforementioned problems, permitting reliable alignment of the label and compact disc and substantially eliminating the opportunity for operator error.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a unitary device to affix a label to a compact disc in a substantially concentric manner, the label having a first central aperture ofa first diameter and the compact disc having a second central aperture of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the device including: a label support surface having an opening therethrough; an assembly retained to extend through said opening; said assembly including a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being connected to said second portion to form a shoulder adapted to support at least a part of a compact disc; said first and second portions being respectively configured to retain a label and compact disc in generally coaxially aligned positions by the first portion extending through said first central aperture and the second portion extending through said second central aperture; said assembly and label support surface being operable between a first position wherein a compact disc on said shoulder is above the label support surface and a second position wherein the compact disc is brought into substantially concentric contact with a label on the label support surface.

tpaa Z0OON ost?666Lzez~mo A3N(Lk MSE t~0ej ~G6Tk1 6SV#66&.28?9a80 E a~ja,'s nsa According to a preferred formn of the invention there is provided a unitary device to affix a label to a compact disc in a substantially concentric manner, the label having a first central aperture of a first diameter and the compact disc having a second central apertue of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter 1 the device including: a label support surface having an opening theretrough; a movable assembly retained in said opening to operate by reciprocal movement through said opening; said movable assembly including a first Portion and a second portion, said first portion being connected to said second portion to form a shoulder adapted to support at least a part of a compact disc; said first and second portions being respectively configured to retain a label and compact disc in generally coaxially aligned positions by the first portion extending through said first central aperture and the second portion extending through said second central aperture; said movable assembly being adapted to move from a first raised position wherein a compact disc on said shoulder is above the label support surface, to a second retracted position wherein the compact disc is brought into substantially concentric contact with a label on the label support surface.

Preferably, the movable assembly is guided for reciprocal movement by a tube that is fixed relative to the label support surface.

Desirably, the preferred device further comprises a spring to bias said movable assembly to the frst raised position relative to the label support surface.

Preferably, the first and second poftio~s have substantially concentric. generally cylindrical shapes.

rood ?-OO'ON Ost7#6662.28z9ZOO k34aAs Msa 017 -1 9 T 9~i ~G0ON 6~t'466&S6~9e00 A3'JOAS MSS tt :9t -6- DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A specific embodiment of the invention will now he described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates all the individual components of a preferred embodiment of this present invention along with the CD ROM 1 and the disc label 2; Figure 2 shows in perspective the embodiment of Figure 1 fully assembled with the CD ROM and the CD label just prior to application.

Referring to the drawings there is shown an apparatus 1' for concentrically applying a label 2 having a first central aperture to a compact disc (CD) having a second central aperture. The apparatus includes a label support surface defined by top cover plate 7 which has a central opening 6.

An assembly is provided that is used to support the CD which is shown generally at 20. This assembly includes a first portion in the form of a first rod 4 from which extends a second portion in the form of a concentric narrower diameter second rod 3.

Where the two rods 3 and 4 are conjoined there is created a shoulder 22 against which the CD is at least partially supported in use. The CD is centrally located by the second rod 3 extending through the second aperture in the CD.

The assembly of this preferred form is preferably movable and guided to operate through the opening 6 by a piston 5 from which rods 3 and 4 extend. The piston operates within a cylinder or tube 8 that is concentrically aligned with the central opening 6.

In this preferred embodiment, a bottom cover plate 9 is affixed to the lower opening of cylinder 8. The enclosure assembly 21 formed by top cover plate 7, cylinder 8 and bottom cover plate 9 houses the piston 5. Extending from piston 5 are the solid rods 3, 4 of varying concentric diameters with the narrowest rod 3, extending upwardly above the top cover plate 7. The piston 5 is generally free to travel upwardly and downwardly within the enclosure assembly 21.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figure 1 includes a spring 11 housed within the enclosure assembly 21 and placed between bottom cover plate 9 and piston 5. Spring 11 ensures that the piston 5 rests in a fully upward first raised position such that the rods 3,4 protrude upwardly through the centre hole 6 in the top cover plate 7. The piston 5 has a diameter larger than the diameter of hole 6 such that during normal operation the piston 5 cannot be removed from the enclosure assembly 21 and the movable assembly is retained to extend and operate through the opening 6.

Illustrated by figure 2, the present invention is used to apply labels to CD ROMs as follows: a label 2 is placed onto the top cover plate 7 with its adhesive side facing upwardly such that the rods 3,4 are protruding through the centre aperture of the label 2.

The central aperture of the CD ROM 1 is then placed over the rod 3 on to the shoulder 22 with its side to be labelled facing downwardly toward the adhesive side of the label 2 which is resting on the top cover plate 7. The CD ROM 1 is prevented from coming into casual contact with the adhesive side of the label 2 because the rod 4 has an intermediate diameter which is greater than the diameter of the central aperture of the CD ROM 1.

Gentle downward pressure is then applied to the rod 3 to depress the piston within the enclosure assembly 21 against the action of compression spring 11. The piston 5 is gently deflected downwardly until the point at which rod 4 is fully retracted into the assembly housing 21. At this point the CD ROM 1 comes into contact with the adhesive side of the label 2.

Claims (3)

1. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said movable assembly is guided for reciprocal movement by a tube that is fixed relative to the label support surface.
2. 3. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising a spring to bias said movable assembly to the first raised position relative to the label support surface.
3. 4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first and second portions have substantially concentric generally cylindrical shapes. 9W ?,OO"ON 0911#666626ZWOO A3NCAS MSE VV'- 13T ?0/?1/170 906 ~00ON frU6S6L~&9~06 4- A3'JGAS mse 14 -9- A unitary device to affix a label to a compact disc in a substantially concentric manner, the label having a first central apertuwe of a first diameter and the compact disc having a second central aperture of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the device including: a label support surface having an opening therethrough; an assembly retained to extend through said opening; said assembly including a first portion and a second portion, said first portion being connected to said second portion to fbrm a shoulder adapted to support at least a part of a compact disc; said first and second portions being respectively configured to retain a label and compact disc in generally coaxially aligned positions by the first portion extending through said first central aperture and the second portion extending through said second central aperture; said assembly and label support surface being operable between a first position wherein a compact disc on said shoulder is above the label support surface and a second position wherein the compact disc is brought into substantially concentric contact with a label on the label support surface. Dated this 4 Day of December, 2002 BALDWIN SHELSTON WATERS Attorneys for: ROCKY MOUNTAIN TRADERS LTD &O0e] Z80"ON 0917#6662.L,8E2.00O A.t43NAS MS8 147:9T 1.06 ~00ON 0SttS6&L&9~0G 4- AHNOAS rise tt :9