Disc grabbing device and operating method thereof

{
  "publication_number": "US10008235B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Disc grabbing device and operating method thereof",
  "abstract": "A disc grabbing device including a body, a drive shaft, a first cam, a second cam, multiple first movable parts and multiple second movable parts are provided. The drive shaft is rotatably disposed in the body. A first cam and a second cam are disposed on the drive shaft, and rotate together with the drive shaft. The first movable parts are disposed in the body and correspond to the first cam, and move to a disc hold position or a disc release position along with the rotation of the first cam. The second movable parts are disposed in the body and correspond to the second cam, and move to a disc release position or a disc hold position along with the rotation of the second cam.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A disc grabbing device used for grabbing a plurality of discs and sequentially unloading the discs, the disc grabbing device comprising: a body; a drive shaft rotatably disposed in the body; a first cam and a second cam disposed on the drive shaft, wherein the first cam and the second cam are rotated together with the drive shaft; a plurality of first movable parts disposed in the body and corresponding to the first cam, wherein the first movable parts move to a disc hold position or a disc release position along with a rotation of the first cam; and a plurality of second movable parts disposed in the body and corresponding to the second cam, wherein the second movable parts move to the disc release position or the disc hold position along with a rotation of the second cam; wherein the disc grabbing device has a first operating state in which the first movable parts and the second movable parts are located at the disc release positions; wherein the disc grabbing device has a second operating state in which the first movable parts are located at the disc hold position and the second movable parts are located at the disc release position; wherein the disc grabbing device has a third operating state in which the first movable parts are located at the disc release position and the second movable parts are located at the disc hold position.",
    "2. The disc grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein the positions of the first movable parts correspond to an underneath of the position of a first disc of the grabbed discs counted from bottom side, and the position of the second movable parts correspond to the position of a second disc of the grabbed discs counted from bottom side.",
    "3. The disc grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein the drive shaft drives the first cam and the second cam to rotate, such that the disc grabbing device switches among the first operating state, the second operating state and the third operating state.",
    "4. The disc grabbing device according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of first elastic parts disposed corresponding to the first movable parts for providing an elastic force to the corresponding first movable parts, such that the first movable parts return to the disc release position; and a plurality of second elastic parts disposed corresponding to the second movable parts for providing an elastic force to the corresponding second movable parts, such that the second movable parts return to the disc release position.",
    "5. The disc grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein when the first movable parts are located at the disc release position, first ends of the first movable parts are located inside the body; when the first movable parts are located at the disc hold position, the first ends of the first movable parts is located outside the body; when the second movable parts are located at the disc release position, first ends of the second movable parts are located inside the body; when the second movable parts are located at the disc hold position, the first ends of the second movable parts are located outside the body.",
    "6. The disc grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein the first cam has a plurality of first drive contours corresponding to the first movable parts respectively leaning on the corresponding first drive contours, and when the first cam rotates, the first drive contours lead the first movable parts to move; the second cam has a plurality of second drive contours corresponding to the second movable parts respectively leaning on the corresponding second drive contours, and when the second cam rotates, the second drive contours lead the second movable parts to move.",
    "7. The disc grabbing device according to claim 1, wherein the first movable parts are staggered with the second movable parts.",
    "8. An operating method of a disc grabbing device comprising a drive shaft, a first cam and a second cam disposed on the drive shaft, a plurality of first movable parts corresponding to the first cam, and a plurality of second movable parts corresponding to the second cam, the operating method comprising steps of: when the disc grabbing device intends to grab a plurality of discs, driving the first cam and the second cam to rotate by the drive shaft, such that the disc grabbing device enters a first operating state in which the first movable parts and the second movable parts are located at a disc release position; driving the first cam and the second cam to rotate by the drive shaft, such that the disc grabbing device enters a second operating state to complete the operation of grabbing the discs, wherein in the second operating state, the first movable parts are located at a disc hold position, and the second movable parts are located at the disc release position; when the disc grabbing device intends to unload one of the grabbed discs, driving the first cam and the second cam to rotate by the drive shaft, such that the disc grabbing device enters a third operating state in which the first movable parts are located at the disc release position, and the second movable parts are located at the disc hold position; and driving the first cam and the second cam to rotate by the drive shaft, such that the disc grabbing device enters the second operating state to complete the operation of disc unloading.",
    "9. The operating method of a disc grabbing device according to claim 8, wherein when the disc grabbing device intends to unload one of the grabbed discs, the drive shaft drives the first cam and the second cam to rotate forwardly, such that the disc grabbing device enters the third operating state from the second operating state; and the drive shaft drives the first cam and the second cam to rotate forwardly, such that the disc grabbing device enters the second operating state, to complete the operation of disc unloading from the third operating state.",
    "10. The operating method of a disc grabbing device according to claim 9, wherein when the disc grabbing device intends to unload one of the discs again, the drive shaft drives the first cam and the second cam to rotate reversely, such that the disc grabbing device enters the third operating state from the second operating state; and the drive shaft drives the first cam and the second cam to rotate reversely, such that the disc grabbing device enters the second operating state from the third operating state to complete the operation of disc unloading."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application claims the benefit of People's Republic of China application Serial No. 201710626095.1, filed Jul. 27, 2017, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.\n\nThe invention relates in general to a grabbing device, and more particularly to a disc grabbing device and an operating method thereof.\n\nThe disc archive system, which uses discs as a data storage medium, normally includes multiple disc drives, a disc library for placing multiple discs, and a disc grabbing device. The disc grabbing device is used for grabbing and releasing discs, and moving discs between the disc library and the disc drives. For example, the disc grabbing device grabs discs from the disc library and then moves and releases the discs to the disc drives, or grabs discs from the disc drive and then moves and releases the discs to the disc library. To increase the disc handling efficiency, the disc grabbing device may grab multiple discs and then move and release the multiple discs at one time. For example, the disc grabbing device may grab multiple discs from the disc library and then move and release the multiple discs to corresponding disc drives respectively. The disc grabbing device may pick up the discs from respective disc drives and then grab the discs on the disc grabbing device. Then, the disc grabbing device may place the grabbed discs back to the disc library.\n\nAlthough the disc grabbing device can grab multiple discs and move the multiple discs at one time, the disc drive normally can only read singular disc.",
  "cpc": [
    "G11B 17/225",
    "G11B 17/053",
    "G11B 17/08",
    "G11B 17/223"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G11B 17/04",
    "G11B 17/22"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Lite On Technology Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jung-Fang Chang",
    "Cheng-Wen Huang",
    "Ming-Chun Tsao",
    "Chien-Shou Chen"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-11-29",
  "publication_date": "2018-06-26",
  "grant_date": "2018-06-26",
  "priority_date": "2017-07-27",
  "application_number": "US-201715825202-A",
  "family_id": "62598901",
  "cited_by_count": 7,
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}