Method and apparatus for firm handling disc shaped objects with a concentric bore

Abstract

A method and apparatus for firm handling of disc-shaped objects with a concentric bore, such as compact discs CD comprises a conic-ended rod-shaped body to be inserted in the bore of the CD stack and a finger-like gripper slides the topmost disk in the semi-groove provided on rod-shaped body and holding it in firmly during the placing process.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An apparatus for picking up a CD from a stack of CD's forming a concentric bore in the stack, comprising: 
 conic-ended rod-shaped body,    semi-groove,    finger-like gripper on the opposite side of the said semi-groove and housed in said rod-shaped body and being shiftable between a said retracted position and a said extended position relative to said center axis of the said rod shaped body, said finger-like gripper means for gripping of the inner surface of the concentric bore of top most CD in the stack and sliding it in the said semi-groove, said biasing means securing the CD in said picker for placing process.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the said finger-like gripper includes a multitude of said finger-like grippers each having its said gripping part and are housed in the same said housing in the said rod-shaped body.  
     
     
         3 . An apparatus for picking up a disc shaped object with a concentric bore from a stack forming a concentric bore in the stack, comprising: 
 conic-ended rod-shaped body,    semi-groove,    finger-like gripper on the opposite side of the said semi-groove and housed in said rod-shaped body and being shiftable between a said retracted position and a said extended position relative to said center axis of the said rod shaped body, said finger-like gripper means for gripping of the inner surface of the concentric bore of top most disc shaped object in the stack and sliding it in the said semi-groove, said biasing means securing the disc shaped object in said picker for placing process.    
     
     
         4 . A method for picking a single CD from a stack of CD's comprising: providing a picker module having a said rod-shaped body to be inserted in the said bore of CD's stack, a said semi-groove on the said rod-shaped body, a said finger-like gripper, shiftable between said retracted position and said extended position moving the said finger-like gripper from said retracted position to said extended position such that said gripping part of the said finger-like gripper engaging the inner surface of the topmost CD's concentric bore and slides it in said semi-groove securing it between the said semi-groove and the said finger-like gripper, thereof maintaning the CD firmly engaged.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising: moving the picker module having the engaged CD to a CD handling position and moving the said finger-like gripper toward said retracted position so that the engaged CD is released and dropped.