EP1834290A1 - Distributeur pour service de restauration de disques - Google Patents

Distributeur pour service de restauration de disques

Info

Publication number
EP1834290A1
EP1834290A1 EP04794646A EP04794646A EP1834290A1 EP 1834290 A1 EP1834290 A1 EP 1834290A1 EP 04794646 A EP04794646 A EP 04794646A EP 04794646 A EP04794646 A EP 04794646A EP 1834290 A1 EP1834290 A1 EP 1834290A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
disc
polishing
housing
vending apparatus
payment
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP04794646A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Steven G. Coldstein
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Scratchbuster Inc
Original Assignee
Scratchbuster Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Scratchbuster Inc filed Critical Scratchbuster Inc
Publication of EP1834290A1 publication Critical patent/EP1834290A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B23/00—Record carriers not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Accessories, e.g. containers, specially adapted for co-operation with the recording or reproducing apparatus ; Intermediate mediums; Apparatus or processes specially adapted for their manufacture
    • G11B23/50—Reconditioning of record carriers; Cleaning of record carriers ; Carrying-off electrostatic charges
    • G11B23/505—Reconditioning of record carriers; Cleaning of record carriers ; Carrying-off electrostatic charges of disk carriers
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/0014—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for vending, access and use of specific services not covered anywhere else in G07F17/00
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/26—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F7/00—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus
    • G07F7/06—Mechanisms actuated by objects other than coins to free or to actuate vending, hiring, coin or paper currency dispensing or refunding apparatus by returnable containers, i.e. reverse vending systems in which a user is rewarded for returning a container that serves as a token of value, e.g. bottles

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an automatic service vending machine that accepts currency and/or credit or debit cards or any other form of renumeration and restores scuffed or scratched compact discs (optical discs), such as music or software CD's, DVD's, game discs and CD-ROMs (hereinafter referred to as discs).
  • optical discs such as music or software CD's, DVD's, game discs and CD-ROMs (hereinafter referred to as discs).
  • the invention provides disc restoration service vending apparatus comprising means for inspecting a disc to determine whether it is correctly positioned and for detecting scratches/puncture (in the reflective layer) and assessing repairability and means for polishing the exposed light receiving protective (polycarbonate) layer of the disc to reduce, ameliorate or eliminate scratches in response to payment by a user.
  • a disc transferring means may be provided to transfer the disc between the inspection means and the polishing means.
  • the inspection means and the polishing means may be provided at same operating station avoiding disc transfer.
  • the invention also provides vending apparatus for optical disc restoration comprising: a housing; means for receiving and guiding an optical disc to be restored from a customer into the housing; means for inspecting the disc in the housing to determine whether the disc is correctly positioned for polishing and for providing a signal indicative of a position of the disc; means for detecting any perforation in a reflective layer of a correctly positioned disc and providing a signal indicative thereof; means for ejecting the disc from the housing in response to a signal by the detecting means that the reflective layer has been perforated; a user interface for requesting and receiving payment from a customer in response to a signal by the detecting means that the reflective layer is imperforate and for providing a signal indicating receipt of correct payment; means for polishing an exposed light receiving surface of a data carrying protective layer of the disc to ameliorate any scratches therein in response to receipt of a signal from the user interface means indicating correct payment by the payment requesting and receiving means; and, means for ejecting a polished disc from the housing to the customer.
  • the detecting means and the polishing means are provided at a detecting station and a polishing station, respectively, and means are provided for transferring the disc from the detecting station to the polishing station in response to a signal from the detecting means that the reflective layer is imperforate.
  • the guiding means comprises a disc receiving slot formed in an outer wall of the housing and means are provided for feeding a disc received in the slot to the inspecting station.
  • the detecting station is located vertically above the polishing station and the transferring means comprises a vertical spindle having an upper end provided with disc supporting means and being movable between an upper disc receiving position at the detecting station and a lower disc polishing position at the polishing station.
  • the spindle forms a hub driving a disc supporting turntable at the polishing station.
  • the polishing means comprises: a polishing wheel having a smooth, hard polishing surface; means for supplying, sequentially, a first grade and a second grade of abrasive slurry at a controlled rate to the surface of the polishing wheel, the first grade being coarser than the second grade; and, means maintaining the polishing surface parallel to and spaced apart from the disc surface by an amount sufficient to permit distribution of the abrasive slurry therebetween thereby to polish the disc surface.
  • This contactless approach significantly reduces wear on the polishing wheel obviating frequent replacement and consequential downtime.
  • the disc is ejected from the housing through the disc receiving slot.
  • the invention provides a method for polishing the surface of an optical disc comprising the steps of: providing a rotating polishing wheel having a smooth, hard polishing surface; supplying, sequentially, a plurality of grades of abrasive slurry of successively increasing fineness at a controlled rate to the polishing surface of the rotating polishing wheel, successive grades being finer than prior grades, while maintaining the polishing surface parallel to and spaced apart from the disc surface during the supply of the slurry by an amount sufficient to permit distribution of the abrasive slurry therebetween, thereby to polish the disc surface.
  • the invention provides apparatus for polishing the surface of an optical disc comprising: a rotating polishing wheel having a smooth, hard polishing surface; means for supplying, sequentially, a plurality of grades of abrasive slurry of successively increasing fineness at a controlled rate to the polishing surface of the rotating polishing wheel, means for maintaining the polishing surface and a surface of a disc to be polished parallel to and relatively spaced apart; during the supply of the slurry by an amount sufficient to permit distribution of the abrasive slurry therebetween, thereby to polish the disc surface.
  • the invention also provides an automated method for restoring optical discs in return for payment by a customer comprising the steps of: providing a housing; receiving in the housing a disc to be restored from a customer; checking that the disc is correctly positioned in the housing for polishing; one of ejecting the disc from the housing if the disc is incorrectly positioned for polishing and, if correctly positioned, inspecting the disc for any perforation in a reflective layer of the disc; one of ejecting the disc from the housing if the reflective layer is perforated and, if imperforate, requesting payment from the customer; one of ejecting the disc from the housing if correct payment is not received and, if correct payment received, restoring the disc by polishing; and ejecting the restored disc from the housing.
  • means are provided for one of rejecting, for example, ejecting an incorrectly positioned disc and repositioning an incorrectly positioned disc to enable polishing.
  • Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the disc restoration service vending machine
  • Figure 2 is a schematic exploded perspective view of a disc inspection station of the vending machine
  • Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of the inspection station during a detection step of a disc
  • Figure 4 is a schematic fragmentary perspective view of a disc restoring station according to a first embodiment, during a disc polishing step
  • Figure 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the main operational steps of the first embodiment.
  • Figure 6 is a schematic fragmentary perspective view of a disc restoring station according to a second, preferred embodiment, during a disc polishing step
  • Figure 7 is a schematic fragmentary cross-sectional view of the restoring station of the second embodiment during a disc polishing step
  • Figure 8 is a flow diagram illustrating the main operational steps of the second embodiment.
  • the disc restoration service vending machine comprises a console type cabinet 1 housing a disc inspection station 2 (fig 2) with a disc insertion slot 3, aligned above a disc restoring station 4 (fig 3) exposed behind a waist high glass window 5 for viewing a disc polishing operation and, a user interface comprising a card/cash input area with a display/instruction panel 6 immediately below the window 5 and adjacent a disc jewel case/disc protector vending area 7.
  • the disc inspection station comprises a roller nip 9 aligned with the disc insertion slot 3, for transferring a disc 10 to a shouldered disc rotating spindle 11 , a photo reflective sensor device 12 with an emitter 13 and receiver 13' arranged to receive emitted light reflected by the reflective surface 14 of the disc polycarbonate layer; and, a disc scanning device 15 comprising a lower LED array 16 aligned with an upper sensor array 17 of a CCD-type.
  • the disc rotating spindlei 1 is mounted for vertical movement, by a suitable mechanism such as a simple piston/cylinder lift, toothed belt, jackscrew or other gear mechanism, to convey the disc between the disc inspection station 2 and the disc restoring station 4.
  • the lower LED array is mounted on an arm (not shown) for lateral pivotal movement away from the underside of the disc to provide clearance for the vertical downward movement of the disc to the disc restoring station.
  • the disc restoring station 4 comprises a high speed polishing turntable 21 receiving the spindle 11 coaxially as a hub and three polishing wheels 22 having rotary polishing heads 23 of successively finer grade abrasive carried by transverse arms 24 successively pivotable over the turntable into polishing engagement with a disc, when lowered by the spindle onto the turntable.
  • the polishing wheels are rotated about parallel axis by individual electric motors in respective polishing heads or, alternatively, linked to a common drive.
  • the spindle is linked to the turntable for driving/driven engagement therewith (e.g. by splines provided at a suitable location on the spindle shaft or a ratchet mechanism) at the polishing station.
  • driving/driven engagement therewith e.g. by splines provided at a suitable location on the spindle shaft or a ratchet mechanism
  • a separate individual drive mechanism is provided for each.
  • a vacuum nozzle 25 for dust removal is mounted to extend over the disc surface, at least during the polishing process.
  • a conventional dust guard covers the insertion slot and excludes light to facilitate detection of a perforation in the reflective layer of the disc caused , for example, by a severe scratch.
  • a floor of the inspection compartment includes a trap door type light shutter in light sealing engagement with the shaft of the spindle (effectively forming a bottom wall of the inspection compartment to provide a light proof chamber) and openable to permit lowering of the disc into the polishing chamber.
  • the entire disc handling and polishing process is controlled by operating circuitry controlled by a microprocessor responding to t ⁇ operating status signals received from the devices at each station.
  • a user inserts a disc, label side down through the insertion slot where it is conveyed by the roller nips to the inspection compartment.
  • the machine checks for proper orientation and ejects the disc if label side is uppermost displaying a status message on the panel 6.
  • a well known disc turning mechanism similar to those found in many jukeboxes can be employed.
  • the machine scans the disc to determine reparability.
  • the imaging array is a CMOS or CCD-type machine vision system that differentiates between the clear inner ring(s) in some manufactured discs and actual scratches in the recorded area of the disc.
  • an array of photo detectors is used.
  • the lower lamp or LED array illuminates the label side of the disc while the upper sensor(s) scans the disc for scratches in the reflective layer under the label.
  • the machine will eject the disc and display a message informing the customer that the disc is not repairable.
  • the disc is repairable and the machine will display a request for payment.
  • the disc is ejected. If payment is received, the disc is ejected. If payment is received, the LED array is moved away from the detection position under the disc and the spindle operated to lower the disc to the polishing turntable. The polishing spindle is raised to engage the disc and then lower the disc into a dust-evacuated polishing chamber. Alternatively, the CD is loaded directly onto the polishing spindle which is at the same level as the CD, and then both are lowered into the polishing chamber.
  • robotic arms utilizing suction pick-up devices, linear transfer platforms or similar devices are provided to move the disc mechanically.
  • the polishing table rotates the CD at high speed (for example, 1800 rpm) and resurfacing process started.
  • high speed for example, 1800 rpm
  • the CD is then polished with successively finer wheels which are sequentially swung over and then back, away from the disc .
  • the panel 6 displays a status message during each phase that explains the operation in process. This adds an entertainment aspect to the machine.
  • the transverse arms withdraw all polishing wheels clear of the turntable and the spindle is raised carrying the disc back into the inspection chamber into engagement with the nips of the transfer mechanism which are then closed to grip the edge of the disc, the spindle is lowered releasing the disc and the roller nip operated to eject the repaired disc through the insertion slot to the customer.
  • a conventional disc handling mechanism similar to that used in jukeboxes or CD players may be employed to transfer the disc from the turntable to an outlet and to transfer the disc to the spindle in the inspection compartment.
  • the total restoration time per disc is estimated at 3 minutes.
  • the machine is built in modular fashion so that components are easily repaired and expendables are quickly replaced in the field.
  • the machine may be equipped to issue a club card (a debit card) that will allow the customer to prepay for multiple disc restorations as well as providing membership benefits such as discounts and special offers.
  • a club card a debit card
  • the viewing area provided by the window adds an entertainment aspect to the machine.
  • the service vending machine may be placed in retail service locations such as car washes and laundromats, retail stores including music, game and software stores as well as business to business (at a reduced fee) rental stores such as video, games and music.
  • the rotary abrasive polishing wheels are in direct contact with the disc surface so that the abrasive grit on the face of the polishing wheels slowly wears away, causing them to wear down.
  • This may not be optimal for a self-service vending machine as polishing wheel faces must be replaced often, increasing maintenance cost and down time.
  • the second embodiment avoids the above disadvantage as the polishing heads/wheel do not come into direct contact with the disc but are used as a slurry delivery system.
  • an abrasive slurry is sandwiched between the rotating polishing head 31 and the disc surface 32 which are spaced apart from each other by typically 0.05 inches.
  • the polishing wheel has a resilient mount which permits a degree of vertical float to accommodate flow of the slurry between the polishing head and disc surface.
  • This non-contact polishing system utilizes slurries of different grades of coarseness, starting with a most coarse grade of 220 grit and progressing to grits of finer grades 440, and 880 in subsequent stages.
  • the slurries are delivered from multiple nozzles 34, 35, and 36 positioned to apply the slurry of the desired coarseness onto the disc surface, from respective slurry containers by an electrically operated sequential valve 37.
  • the microprocessor is programmed to operate a pump or pumps sequentially to pump each slurry from its individual container onto the polishing surface of the wheel during rotation which carries the slurry between the opposed surfaces of the disc and polishing wheel. Between each application of slurry, a rinse agent is automatically applied by nozzle 38 to rinse residue of the previous grade of slurry.
  • the system may utilize a single nozzle system with a valve and pump system that directs the correct grade of slurry through the single nozzle during each phase of the process. When polishing is complete, the disc is spun dry by continued rotation at high speed.
  • the preferred material for the polishing heads is a hard material such as stainless steel.
  • a special finishing head may be utilized for the final optical polishing process. This finishing head may be made of a dense plastic foam material.
  • the flow chart of fig. 8 shows main system steps of the second embodiment.
  • polishing is performed using a series of polishing discs of hard abrasives of progressively decreasing particle size, (e.g. 400-10000 grit epoxy embedded diamond), with a liquid slurry cooling system, for example, GERBER COBURN Plasti-sheen polish, (1.3 micron).
  • a final optical polishing step utilizes a felt polishing disc which removes any fogging on the optical disc.
  • the polishing discs have a resilient mount which permits a degree of vertical float to facilitate a parallel polisishing surface to the disc being polished.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Optical Record Carriers (AREA)
  • Grinding-Machine Dressing And Accessory Apparatuses (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un distributeur pour la restauration de disques optiques, comprenant un boîtier (1) pour recevoir un disque d'un client ; un dispositif d'inspection de disque (2) pour déterminer si le disque est correctement positionné en vue de son polissage et pour fournir un signal indiquant la position du disque, un dispositif de détection de perforation de disque fournissant un signal indiquant la présence éventuelle d'une perforation dans la couche réfléchissante du disque ; et un dispositif pour éjecter un disque perforé du boîtier. Une interface-utilisateur (6) sollicite et reçoit un paiement de la part d'un client en réponse à un signal fourni par le dispositif de détection (16/17) indiquant que la couche réfléchissante n'est pas perforée et fournit un signal indiquant la réception du paiement correct. Des roues polisseuses (22/23) polissent, à l'aide d'un coulis, une surface réceptrice de lumière exposée d'une couche protectrice de support de données du disque (32) pour réduire les rayures en réponse à un signal de paiement correct provenant de l'interface-utilisateur (6) et un dispositif éjecte un disque poli du boîtier (1) pour le remettre à un client.
EP04794646A 2004-10-08 2004-10-08 Distributeur pour service de restauration de disques Withdrawn EP1834290A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US2004/033357 WO2006041492A1 (fr) 2004-10-08 2004-10-08 Distributeur pour service de restauration de disques

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1834290A1 true EP1834290A1 (fr) 2007-09-19

Family

ID=36148634

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP04794646A Withdrawn EP1834290A1 (fr) 2004-10-08 2004-10-08 Distributeur pour service de restauration de disques

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1834290A1 (fr)
CA (1) CA2583128A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO2006041492A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP4917052B2 (ja) * 2008-01-30 2012-04-18 株式会社 ジャックス 光ディスク研磨装置及びその運転方法
EP2290655A1 (fr) * 2009-08-26 2011-03-02 Harald Schmid Procédé de réparation de plaques d'enregistrement numériques

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP3124074B2 (ja) * 1991-09-30 2001-01-15 富士通株式会社 情報自動販売機
US5825739A (en) * 1995-10-20 1998-10-20 Sony Corporation Recording method and apparatus for recording medium
US5627805A (en) * 1995-11-15 1997-05-06 Zen Research N.V. Methods and apparatus for high speed optical storage device
CA2240535C (fr) * 1997-06-20 2003-04-29 Cd Repairman, Inc. Methode et appareil pour remettre en etat des disques compacts
US6046966A (en) * 1998-06-10 2000-04-04 Seagate Technology, Inc. Magneto-optical data storage system
AU5591299A (en) * 1998-07-31 2000-02-21 Benjamin Filmalter Grobler Data vending system
JP2000285312A (ja) * 1999-03-30 2000-10-13 Minolta Co Ltd データ頒布装置
US6261159B1 (en) * 1999-07-06 2001-07-17 Kevin Krieg Apparatus and method for the restoration of optical storage media
JP4622049B2 (ja) * 2000-06-13 2011-02-02 マックス株式会社 タイムレコーダ
US6595835B2 (en) * 2000-07-11 2003-07-22 Avs Supply, Inc. CD refacing system
US6638149B2 (en) * 2001-01-22 2003-10-28 Edward A. Lalli Disc repair system
US6726527B2 (en) * 2001-06-08 2004-04-27 Edward A. Lalli Automatic disc repair system
US7092337B2 (en) * 2001-12-10 2006-08-15 Butler Brian F Integrated disc inspection and repair apparatus and appertaining method
US6699110B2 (en) * 2001-12-31 2004-03-02 Jean Chin Chu Lee Apparatus for repairing the surface of an optical disc
US6960122B2 (en) * 2003-06-23 2005-11-01 Mao-Sang Lin Optical disc repairing device

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
See references of WO2006041492A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CA2583128A1 (fr) 2006-04-20
WO2006041492A1 (fr) 2006-04-20

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