JP2004164796A - Optical disk processing system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve an operating rate by downsizing an optical disk processing system while increasing the number of optical disks that can be automatically processed by the system and by preventing the conveyance route for the optical disks from being made longer. <P>SOLUTION: The optical disk processing system for continuously and automatically processing information recording and/or label surface printing to the optical disk comprises a plurality of of cases C1 to C4 for housing the optical disks D. The arbitrarily determined one case among the cases C1 to C4 serves as a recovering case for the processed optical disk and the remaining cases serve as stock cases for the unprocessed optical disks D. The processing of the optical disks D is performed by each of the stock cases and when the housed optical disk D runs short, the corresponding stock case serves as the recovering case. The unprocessed optical disks D housed in the respective stock cases are thus successively processed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical disk processing system that automatically and continuously performs processing operations such as recording information on an optical disk such as a plurality of CDs (Compact Discs) or DVDs (Digital Versatile Discs) and / or printing a label surface. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
In general, CDs or DVDs that record music, movies, and the like as recording media products are usually produced in large quantities, so large-scale devices having large-scale disc changers are used, and reductions in manufacturing costs are being attempted. . On the other hand, so-called custom-made optical disks that do not require mass production, such as those used for school teaching materials, souvenirs, gifts, etc., have a small order volume, but can respond quickly and flexibly to customer orders. It is required.
[0003]
In order to respond to such demands, a recording unit that writes information to the optical disk, a printing unit that prints the label surface of the optical disk, and a disk changer are integrated to supply unprocessed optical disks, and as a recording media product There has been proposed an optical disk processing system that automatically performs a series of processing operations of collecting completed optical disks (for example, see Patent Document 1).
[0004]
FIG. 3 shows an example of an optical disk processing system for achieving such an object, and its mechanical features will be described below with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 1 denotes a disk clamp unit for clamping a center hole of the optical disk D, which is configured on a transfer arm 2, and one end of the transfer arm 2 is fixed to an elevation mechanism 3. The elevation mechanism 3 is supported by columns 4 and 5, and the driving force of the output shaft of the motor 6 is transmitted to a gear 7 via a pulley. The transfer arm 2 moves up and down in the direction.
[0005]
The base ends of the columns 4 and 5 are fixed to a slider block 8, and the slider block 8 is slidably supported by a guide shaft 9. The slider block 8 is connected and fixed to a belt 10 stretched over wheels 11 and 12. By driving the belt 10 by a motor 13, the columns 4 and 5 and the transfer arm 2 are moved together with the slider block 8. Reciprocates horizontally.
[0006]
A printing unit 14 has a built-in function for printing on the label surface of the optical disc D loaded by the disc tray 14a. Reference numeral 15 denotes a recording unit, which has a function of recording information on the optical disc D loaded by the disc tray 15a. A stock case 16 for accommodating a plurality of recording optical discs D and a collection case 17 for accommodating the recorded optical discs D are arranged on a top plate of the housing of the recording unit 15.
[0007]
In the optical disk processing system configured as described above, in the transport of the optical disk between the stock case 16, the recovery case 17, the printing unit 14, and the recording unit 15, the vertical transport of the optical disk D is performed by the elevation mechanism 3. The transfer in the horizontal direction is performed by driving the belt 10.
[0008]
[Patent Document 1]
Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-255010
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
As described above, in the conventional optical disk processing system, in order to improve the productivity, in order to increase the operation unit of the system, that is, to increase the number of optical disks D capable of continuously performing the automatic processing, the stock case 16, The capacity of the recovery case 17 must be increased. This means that in the case of the configuration in the system described above, both the stock case 16 and the collection case 17 must be configured to extend in the height direction as shown in FIG. For example, when the thickness of a standard optical disk is 1.2 mm, the lamination thickness of 100 optical disks is 120 mm. However, the stacked thickness of the 300 optical discs was 360 mm, and the height difference was extremely large, causing various problems.
[0010]
That is, in the configuration of the system shown in FIG. 3, when the stock case 16 and the collection case 17 are configured to be able to accommodate 300 optical discs D, these two cases are three times as high. The dimension in the height direction increases, which hinders space saving. In addition, when the stock case 16 and the collection case 17 are extended in the height direction, the columns 4 and 5 have to be extended to make them long. When the columns 4 and 5 have such a configuration, it is apparent that the rigidity is reduced structurally and the vertical accuracy is reduced. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the distance that the transport arm 2 reciprocates vertically inside the stock case 16 and the collection case 17 and the distance that the optical disk D is transported to the printing unit 14 and the recording unit 15 are increased. Since the transport time R of the optical disc D becomes longer and the processing time becomes longer, the operation unit time cannot be reduced.
[0011]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and reduces the volume of a stock case and a collection case while increasing the number of optical discs that can be automatically processed continuously. The vertical reciprocation inside is prevented from becoming large. As a result, it is possible to make the entire system compact, to prevent the rigidity and vertical accuracy of the optical disk transport mechanism from deteriorating, and to improve the operating rate by preventing the optical disk transport path from becoming long. Is what you do.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Accordingly, the present invention provides an optical disk processing system which automatically and continuously processes information recording and / or label surface printing on an optical disk, wherein a plurality of cases for accommodating the optical disk are arranged. Arbitrarily determined one of the above cases as a collection case for processed optical disks, and the remaining cases as unprocessed optical disk stock cases. In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, when the used optical disk is dislodged, the stock case becomes a collection case, and the unprocessed optical disks stored in each stock case are sequentially processed.
[0013]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the embodiment described below, the processing function will be described on the assumption that the system can simultaneously perform the information recording on the optical disk and the label surface printing processing as in the related art. However, the processing function of the system is limited to the information recording only. Alternatively, it is also possible to limit the printing to only label surface printing, and even in this case, the gist of the present invention is not deviated. In addition, portions common to the related art other than the configuration that is the gist of the present invention are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of an optical disk processing system embodying the present invention. A plurality of cases C1, C2, C3, C4 of the same capacity for accommodating an optical disk D are provided on the upper surface of a top plate of a recording unit 15. Is arranged. The cases C1, C2, C3, and C4 are supported by a support structure 18 disposed on the back surface thereof, and are detachable from the support structure 18. In the arrangement state of the cases C1, C2, C3, and C4 shown in the drawing, the case C1 is a collection case, and the cases C2, C3, and C4 are stock cases, and a predetermined number of unprocessed optical disks are stored in each case.
[0015]
Next, an example of processing steps of the optical disk D by the optical disk processing system of the present invention prepared for operation as described above will be described with reference to FIG. The control program is configured so that the processing of the optical disk D is performed for each of the cases C2, C3, and C4 that are stock cases. First, the optical disk D in the uppermost layer of the case C2 is stored in the disk clamp unit 1. When the optical disc D is conveyed to the printing unit 14 and the recording unit 15 in order and completed the predetermined processing, the processed optical disc D follows the conveyance path R1 shown in FIG. Housed in C1.
[0016]
In this way, the optical discs D in the case C2 are sequentially processed, and when the optical discs D accommodated in the case C2 are exhausted, the case C2 is made a collection case at this time according to the judgment of the control program. Then, when the processing is continued, the unprocessed optical disk D accommodated in the case C3 follows the transport path R2 shown in FIG. 2B, and after predetermined processing is performed, the optical disk D is removed from the collection case. In the case C2. Then, when the optical disk D accommodated in the case C3 is exhausted, the case C3 is determined as a collection case again by the judgment of the control program, and when the process is continued, the unprocessed optical disk D accommodated in the case C4 is shown in FIG. After tracing the transport route R3 shown in C) and performing predetermined processing, the optical disc D is stored in a case C3 serving as a collection case.
[0017]
As is apparent from the above, according to the present invention, the distance of the vertical reciprocation of the transport arm in each case is not increased, and the transport path to the printing unit and the recording unit is also reduced. it can. With such a configuration, it is possible to easily add a case having the same capacity, and it is possible to increase the processing amount in the operation unit. In addition, the processing order of each case accommodating the optical disk can be arbitrarily determined by the control program, and is not limited to the embodiment.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described in detail above, according to the present invention, an unprocessed optical disk is divided and accommodated in a plurality of cases, and when the optical disk accommodated in the case is depleted, the case becomes a collection case. Irrespective of the increase in the total amount of optical disks in the above, the space in the entire system can be saved without increasing the size in the height direction due to the case. As a result, the distance of reciprocation of the transport arm in the vertical direction can be reduced, so that the rigidity and vertical accuracy of the transport mechanism of the optical disk can be prevented from being reduced. Further, it is possible to shorten the transport path of the optical disk and to improve the operation rate, thereby achieving a great effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical disk processing system embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an operation mode of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a conventional optical disk processing system.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of improvement of a conventional optical disk processing system.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram schematically showing an operation mode of the system shown in FIG. 4;
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Disc clamp unit 2 Transport arm 3 Elevation mechanism 4 5 Support 6 Motor 7 Gear 8 Slider block 9 Guide shaft 10 Belt 11 12 Wheel 13 -Motor 14-Printing unit 15-Recording units D1 to D4-Case

Claims (1)

In an optical disk processing system configured to automatically and automatically process information recording and / or label surface printing on an optical disk,
A plurality of cases are arranged to accommodate an optical disk, and one of these cases is arbitrarily determined as a collection case for processed optical disks, and the remaining case is used as a stock case for unprocessed optical disks. None, when the processing of the optical disk is progressed for each stock case and the stored optical disk runs out, the unprocessed optical disk stored in each stock case is sequentially processed so that the stock case becomes a collection case. An optical disk processing system, characterized in that:

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