Spindle sleeve

Abstract

A spindle sleeve configured to be placed over a spindle for holding a plurality of manufactured articles is provided. The spindle sleeve includes a hollow cylindrical body having a top end and an open bottom end and configured to slip over the spindle. An inner diameter of the cylindrical body is greater than an outer diameter of the spindle. The spindle sleeve may be used for stacking and transporting a plurality of optical discs. In such an instance, an outer diameter of the cylindrical body is smaller than a diameter of a center hole of the optical disc.

1 . A spindle sleeve configured to be placed over a spindle for holding a plurality of manufactured articles, said spindle sleeve comprising: 
 a hollow cylindrical body having a top end and an open bottom end and configured to slip over the spindle,    wherein an inner diameter of said cylindrical body is greater than an outer diameter of the spindle.    
   
   
       2 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 1 , further comprising a tip assembly removably attached to a top end of said cylindrical body.  
   
   
       3 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein said tip assembly is self-centering relative to the spindle.  
   
   
       4 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 2 , wherein said tip assembly includes a threaded stud which screws into a tapped hole of complementary thread in the spindle.  
   
   
       5 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle sleeve is configured for stacking optical discs, and said outer diameter of said cylindrical body is smaller than a diameter of a center hole of the optical disc.  
   
   
       6 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein a bottom end of said cylindrical body has a notch-like configuration, and said notch-like configuration serves as a detent for a riser plate which slides down said cylindrical body.  
   
   
       7 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle sleeve body is made of plastic.  
   
   
       8 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle sleeve body comprises a polymer material.  
   
   
       9 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle sleeve is configured for stacking and transporting at least 25 optical discs.  
   
   
       10 . The spindle sleeve of  claim 1 , wherein said spindle sleeve is configured to hold at least 125 optical discs, and said spindle sleeve weighs substantially less than said 125 optical discs.  
   
   
       11 . A sleeve-like device configured to slip over a spindle for stacking optical discs, wherein said device comprises an annular body having an outer diameter smaller than a diameter of a center hole of an optical disc, and a bottom end of said annular body has a notch-like configuration serving as a base over which the optical discs stack.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein optical discs are stacked on said device in a replication area of an optical disc manufacturing line.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the device with the optical discs stacked on the device is manually transported from the replication area to a printing area.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein optical discs are stacked on said device in a printing area of an optical disc manufacturing line.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein the device with the optical discs stacked on the device is manually transported from the printing area to a packaging area.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein optical discs are stacked on said device in a packaging area of an optical disc manufacturing line.