Operating method of disk pick-and-place device

{
  "publication_number": "US10388316B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Operating method of disk pick-and-place device",
  "abstract": "An operating method of a disc pick-and-place device is provided. Discs can be picked up when each flexible rod is driven to rotate and make the disc pick-and-place device enter a first operating state and then a second operating state in which the first carrying portion is located at the disc releasing position and then at the disc holding position, and the second carrying portion is located at the disc releasing position in the first and second operating states. Discs can be unloaded when each flexible rod is driven to rotate and make the disc pick-and-place device enter a third operating state and then a fourth operating state in which the first carrying portion is located at the disc holding position and then at the disc releasing position, and the second carrying portion is located at the disc holding position in the third and fourth operating states.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An operating method of a disc pick-and-place device, wherein the disc pick-and-place device comprises a plurality of picking members flexibly abutting edges of a plurality of discs, each picking member respectively comprises a flexible rod, a first carrying portion and a second carrying portion, the operating method comprising: when the disc pick-and-place device intends to pick up the discs, driving each flexible rod to rotate and make the disc pick-and-place device enter a first operating state in which each first carrying portion and each second carrying portion are located at disc releasing positions; driving each flexible rod to rotate and make the disc pick-and-place device enter a second operating state in which the first carrying portion is located at a disc holding position, and the second carrying portion is located at the disc releasing position; when the disc pick-and-place device intends to unload the discs, driving each flexible rod to rotate and make the disc pick-and-place device enter a third operating state in which both the first carrying portion and the second carrying portion are located at the disc holding positions; and driving each flexible rod to rotate and make the disc pick-and-place device enter a fourth operating state in which the first carrying portion is located at the disc releasing position, and the second carrying portion is located at the disc holding position.",
    "2. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein next time when the disc pick-and-place device intends to unload the discs again, driving each flexible rod to rotate in a reverse direction and make the disc pick-and-place device return to the second operating state from the fourth operating state; and driving each flexible rod to rotate in a forward direction and make the disc pick-and-place device enter the fourth operating state from the second operating state to complete a disc placing operation.",
    "3. The operating method according to claim 1, wherein when the disc pick-and-place device enters the fourth operating state from the third operating state, the disc pick-and-place device further drives a flicking member to rotate to a disc flicking position at which the flicking member has a wedge for separating a first disc from a second disc of the clamped discs in a bottom-up manner."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/864,129, filed Jan. 8, 2018, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,210,897, which claims the benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/562,549, filed Sep. 25, 2017 and People's Republic of China application Serial No. 201711083853.6, filed Nov. 7, 2017, the subject matters of which are incorporated herein by reference.\n\nThe invention relates in general to a pick-and-place device, and more particularly to a disc pick-and-place device and an operating method thereof.\n\nThe disc database, which uses discs as a data storage medium, normally includes multiple drives, a disc library for placing multiple discs, and a disc pick-and-place device. The disc pick-and-place device is for picking up and unloading discs, and moving discs between the disc library and the drives. For example, the disc pick-and-place device picks up a disc from the disc library and then moves and unloads the disc to the drive, or picks up a disc from the drive and then moves and unloads the disc to the disc library. To increase the disc handling efficiency, the disc pick-and-place device may clamp multiple discs and then move the multiple discs at one time. For example, the disc pick-and-place device picks up multiple discs from the disc library and then moves and unloads the multiple discs to their corresponding drives respectively. The disc pick-and-place device picks up discs from respective drives and then clamps the discs on the disc pick-and-place device. Then, the disc pick-and-place device unloads the clamped discs to the disc library.",
  "cpc": [
    "G11B 17/0284",
    "G11B 17/08"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G11B 17/028",
    "G11B 17/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Lite On Technology Corp"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jung-Fang Chang",
    "Cheng-Wen Huang"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-01-04",
  "publication_date": "2019-08-20",
  "grant_date": "2019-08-20",
  "priority_date": "2017-09-25",
  "application_number": "US-201916239694-A",
  "family_id": "65322760",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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}