Apparatus and method for producing a dvd carrier assembly

Abstract

An apparatus and method are provided for producing an assembly comprising a plurality of digital data storage media carriers attached to a carrier strip. In the production of the assemblies, carriers are positioned for movement in a longitudinal direction of the conveyor system with the carriers being in a row. Carrier strips are secured to the carriers with the longitudinal axis of the assembly and the carrier strips being generally parallel to the direction of movement of the conveyor system. Carriers are deposited onto the conveyor system via a bottom feed depositor which depositor utilizes a pressure differential to help produce positive movement of carriers from a carrier magazine onto the conveyor.

1 . A method of making an assembly of a connected series of carriers adapted to hold digital data devices, said method including: 
 depositing a plurality of carriers on a conveyor, said carriers each being deposited from a bottom of a stack of said carriers, said carriers being in a row and spaced apart from each other predetermined distances after depositing;    conveying said carriers in a row on a conveyor system in a generally straight line path after depositing through a plurality of stations;    depositing glue on said carriers at selected locations on the carriers at a first said station;    applying a carrier strip to a selected group of said carriers at a second said station; and    adhesively securing the cover strip to its respective group of carriers, said carrier strip having its longitudinal axis generally parallel to said straight line path.    
   
   
       2 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  including storing cover strips in a stack with the longitudinal axes of the stored carrier strips being generally parallel to the path.  
   
   
       3 . A method as set forth in  claim 2  wherein at least some of the carriers attached to a carrier strip are spaced from an adjacent carrier along the longitudinal axis of the carrier strip wherein a portion of the carrier strip between adjacent carriers forms a bridge between adjacent carriers.  
   
   
       4 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  including applying an air pressure differential to a carrier prior to depositing said carrier on the conveyor.  
   
   
       5 . A method as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the pressure differential is induced by reducing the pressure from atmospheric pressure on a face of a lower-most carrier facing a portion of the conveying system under the lower-most carrier.  
   
   
       6 . A method as set forth in  claim 5  including heating at least a portion of the glue from the glue depositor between the glue depositor and a carrier on which glue has been deposited after the deposition of the glue on the carrier.  
   
   
       7 . A method as set forth in  claim 1  -wherein said carriers are deposited front side down, back side up and said carrier is deposited on the back sides of the carrier inside face down and outside face up.