Memory storage disk handling system having a servo-driven elevator pin

Abstract

A memory storage disk handling system includes a housing, an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks, a servo motor with a cam arm. The servo motor rotates to pivot the cam arm, which cams against the elevator pin to lift the elevator pin.

1. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
 a housing;    an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks;    a servo motor attached to the housing; and    a linkage assembly attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin, wherein the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes an arm mounted on the shaft, whereby rotation of the shaft pivots the arm to lift the elevator pin.    
     
     
       2. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the arm has a fixed end and a moveable end, the fixed end mounts on the shaft, and the moveable end includes a cam surface that cams against the elevator pin when the arm pivots. 
     
     
       3. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the elevator pin has an axis, and a base that lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis, the elevator pin includes a slot that parallels the base, the cam surface cams within the slot to lift the elevator pin in the direction of the axis. 
     
     
       4. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the elevator pin has an axis, a longitudinal surface and a cam pin extending radially outward from the longitudinal surface, the moveable end of the arm defines a slot that cams against the cam pin when the arm pivots. 
     
     
       5. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein one end of the arm mounts on the shaft and the other end of the arm mounts on the elevator pin, the elevator pin has an axis, the servo motor pivots the arm to lift the elevator pin in the direction of the axis and the elevator pin rotates about the axis when the arm lifts the elevator pin. 
     
     
       6. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the disks form a stack having a top and a bottom, and wherein a single disk is added to the bottom of the stack. 
     
     
       7. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a conveyor. 
     
     
       8. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 7 , wherein the conveyor delivers disks to the memory storage disk handling system for the elevator pin to stack the delivered disks into a stack. 
     
     
       9. A memory storage disk handling system comprising:
 a housing defining a hopper for receiving disks;    an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper; and    the hopper being configured for aligning lifted disks into a stack and includes at least one pawl for holding lifted disks in the hopper, wherein the hopper includes a plurality of posts oriented to surround lifted disks, at least one pawl mounts on each post.    
     
     
       10. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of posts includes hollow portions and at least two pawls, the pawls being slidably mounted within the hollow portions. 
     
     
       11. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein each pawl includes a slot and the hopper includes pins that insert through the slots to hold each pawl, the pins and slots cooperate to enables the pawls to slide. 
     
     
       12. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein each pawl includes an end with a hook for holding lifted disks. 
     
     
       13. A memory storage disk handling system comprising:
 a housing defining a hopper for receiving disks;    an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper; and    the hopper being configured for aligning lifted disks into a stack and includes at least one pawl for holding lifted disks in the hopper, wherein the hopper includes three posts oriented to surround lifted disks, at least one pawl mounts on each post.    
     
     
       14. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 13 , wherein each post includes a hollow portion, the pawls being mounted at least partially within the hollow portions of the posts. 
     
     
       15. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the pawls are slidably mounted within the hollow portions of the posts so that lifting a disk slides the pawls into the hollow portions, and after the disk is lifted, the pawls extend from the hollow portions to hold the disk in the hopper. 
     
     
       16. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
 a housing defining a hopper for holding disks;    an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper;    a servo motor attached to the housing;    a linkage assembly attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin for lifting the elevator pin in response to the servo motor; and    the hopper defines a base and includes a stack retainer means extending from the base for aligning disks in a vertical stack, the stack retainer means includes more than one pawl for holding lifted disks, wherein the hopper includes a plurality of posts oriented to surrounded lifted disks, at least one pawl mounts on each of the plurality of posts.    
     
     
       17. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes a single arm mounted on the shaft. 
     
     
       18. A memory storage disk handling system comprising:
 a housing defining a hopper for holding disks;    an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper;    a servo motor attached to the housing;    a linkage assembly attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin for lifting the elevator pin in response to the servo motor, the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes a single arm mounted on the shaft, wherein the arm has a fixed end and a moveable end, the fixed end is fixed with respect to the shaft, the moveable end includes a cam surface that cams against the elevator pin to enable the elevator pin to move in response to the servo motor; and    the hopper defines a base and includes a stack retainer means extending from the base for aligning disks in a vertical stack, the stack retainer means includes more than one pawl for holding lifted disks.    
     
     
       19. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein the stack retainer means includes three posts oriented to surround lifted disks, each post includes a hollow portion, the pawls normally extend from the post and retract within the hollow portions of the posts when a disk lifts past the pawls. 
     
     
       20. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
 a housing;    an elevator pin mounted on the housing, wherein the elevator pin presses a single disk into a stack of disks;    a servo motor attached to the housing;    a base having a position sensor; and    a linkage assembly between the servo motor and the elevator pin wherein the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes an arm mounted on the shaft, whereby rotation of the shaft pivots the arm to lift the elevator pin.    
     
     
       21. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the position sensor includes a mechanical arm, the arm engages the elevator pin to detect elevator pin position. 
     
     
       22. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the position sensor includes an optical sensor element. 
     
     
       23. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein the position sensor includes a magnetic sensor element. 
     
     
       24. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
 a housing defining a hopper for holding disks in a stack;    an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper; and    a plurality of pawls for holding disks, wherein the plurality of pawls slide between a retracted position which enables the elevator pin to lift disks into the stack and an extended position for holding disks, wherein the housing includes a plurality of posts oriented to surround lifted disks, and at least one pawl mounts on each post.    
     
     
       25. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 24 , further comprising a servo motor and a linkage assembly, wherein the linkage assembly is attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin for lifting the elevator pin in response to the servo motor. 
     
     
       26. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the linkage assembly includes at least one belt and at least one pulley. 
     
     
       27. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 25 , wherein the linkage assembly is a gear linkage assembly. 
     
     
       28. The disk handling system as set forth in  claim 24 , wherein the disks are retained in a vertical stack. 
     
     
       29. A dispenser comprising:
   a first member configured to support a bottom disk of a vertical stack of disks, the first member including a horizontal surface that is configured to receive an outer edge of the bottom disk so that a bottom surface of only the outer edge rests on the horizontal surface;        a second member operable in response to actuation to push the outer edge of the bottom disk off the horizontal surface, the second member having a thickness that is equal to or less than a thickness of the bottom disk so that only the bottom disk is pushed; and        a third member configured to prevent an outer edge of a next - to- - bottom disk of the vertical stack of disks from being pushed off the horizontal surface when the second member pushes the bottom disk, the third member having a side surface configured to act as a stop,        wherein actuation of the second member pushes only the bottom disk off the horizontal surface causing only the bottom disk to fall out of the dispenser.     
     
     
       30. The dispenser of  claim 29 , wherein:
   the disk is a compact disc or a digital versatile disc.     
     
     
       31. The dispenser of  claim 29 , wherein:
   the third member is an upper guide that is situated on top of the first member and that includes an aperture configured to guide the bottom disk to a resting position at which the bottom surface of only the outer edge of the bottom disk rests on the horizontal surface of the first member.     
     
     
       32. The dispenser of  claim 31 , wherein:
   the side surface configured to act as a stop is a side surface of the aperture in the upper guide.     
     
     
       33. The dispenser of  claim 31 , wherein:
   the first member is a lower guide that includes an aperture sized and shaped to allow the bottom disk to fall through; and        the horizontal surface on which the outer edge of the bottom disk rests is located at an edge of the aperture in the lower guide.     
     
     
       34. The dispenser of  claim 33 , wherein:
   the aperture of the lower guide has a first central axis;        the aperture of the upper guide has a second central axis; and        the first and second axes are offset relative to each other.     
     
     
       35. The dispenser of  claim 33 , wherein:
   the second member is a plate that includes an aperture configured to circumscribe and receive the bottom disk, the plate being situated between the upper and lower guides; and        the plate is operable to slide from a first position to a second position, the first position situating the bottom disk at the resting position and the second position situating the bottom disk off the horizontal surface, whereby movement of the plate from the first position to the second position pushes the outer edge of the bottom disk off the horizontal surface.     
     
     
       36. The dispenser of  claim 35 , wherein:
   the outer edge of the bottom disk is a first outer edge, the bottom disk including a second outer edge opposite the first outer edge;        the horizontal surface of the lower guide is a first horizontal surface, the lower guide including a second horizontal surface at an edge of the aperture in the lower guide, the second horizontal surface being on an opposite side of the lower guide's aperture as the first horizontal surface; and        movement of the plate from the first position to the second position causes the first outer edge of the bottom disk to fall off the first horizontal surface and a subsequent movement of the plate from the second position to the first position causes the second outer edge of the bottom disk to fall off the second horizontal surface, whereby the bottom disk is dispensed to fall through the aperture in the lower guide.     
     
     
       37. The dispenser of  claim 36 , wherein:
   the subsequent movement of the plate from the second position to the first position also positions the next - to - bottom disk in the resting position.     
     
     
       38. The dispenser of  claim 36 , wherein:
   the plate is spring loaded to return from the second position to the first position.     
     
     
       39. The dispenser of  claim 36 , further comprising:
   a fourth member having a side surface against which disks above the vertical stack of disks can rest.     
     
     
       40. The dispenser of  claim 36 , wherein:
   the lower guide is situated to dispense the bottom disk to an extended tray of a digital data reader, a digital data writer, or a printer.     
     
     
       41. The dispenser of  claim 29 , wherein:
   the bottom disk is dispensed without being deformed.     
     
     
       42. A method for dispensing a disk, the method comprising:
   providing a lower member with an aperture configured to pass a first disk of a particular type, the lower member having a horizontal surface by an edge of the aperture that is configured to receive an outer edge of the first disk so that a bottom surface of only the outer edge rests on the horizontal surface, preventing the first disk from falling through the aperture of the lower member;        using an upper guide that includes an aperture through which the first disk and a second disk of the particular type can pass to stack the disks in a vertical stack such that the edge portion of the first disk rests on the horizontal surface and the second disk rests on the first disk; and        in response to actuation, causing a pusher to push, at the outer edge, the first disk off the horizontal surface and into the aperture of the lower member, the pusher having a thickness that is equal to or less than a thickness of the first disk so that only the first disk is pushed, the aperture in the upper guide preventing the second disk from being pushed into the aperture in the lower member when the first disk is being pushed, wherein the first disk but not the second disk is dispensed to fall through the aperture in the lower member when the pusher is actuated.     
     
     
       43. The method of  claim 42 , wherein:
   the outer edge of the first disk is a first outer edge, the first disk including a second outer edge that is opposite the first outer edge;        the horizontal surface of the lower member is a first horizontal surface and the edge of the aperture in the lower member is a first edge of the aperture, the lower member having a second horizontal surface by a second edge of the aperture that is opposite the first edge of the aperture; and        the pusher pushes in a reciprocating action that includes a first movement and a second reciprocating movement so that the first movement pushes the first outer edge of the first disk off the first horizontal surface and the second movement pushes the second outer edge of the first disk off the second horizontal surface.     
     
     
       44. A method for dispensing a disk, the method comprising:
   stacking two or more disks of a particular type in a vertical stack and on a horizontal surface where the horizontal surface is configured to receive an outer edge of a bottom disk so that a bottom surface of only the outer edge rests on the horizontal surface, preventing the bottom disk from falling through an aperture; and        pushing only the bottom disk off the horizontal surface, the pushing being effected at an outer edge of the bottom disk and while disks on top of the bottom disk are held so that they are not pushed off the horizontal surface, wherein the pushing dispenses only the bottom disk from the stack.     
     
     
       45. The method of  claim 44 , wherein:
   the bottom disk includes an edge portion; and        stacking is effected such that only the bottom surface of the edge portion rests on the horizontal surface.     
     
     
       46. The method of  claim 45 , wherein:
   the edge portion has a horizontal extent; and        pushing is effected so that the bottom disk is displaced by a distance less than or equal to the horizontal extent.     
     
     
       47. The method of  claim 46 , wherein:
   the horizontal surface is adjacent to an aperture configured to allow the bottom disk to fall through; and        the pushing causes the disk to fall through the aperture.     
     
     
       48. The method of  claim 47 , wherein:
   stacking includes using a guide to position the two or more disks.     
     
     
       49. The method of  claim 48 , further comprising:
   when the bottom disk is dispensed, guiding the bottom disk to fall into an extended tray of a data writer, a data reader, or a printer.     
     
     
       50. A dispenser comprising:
   a first member configured to support a bottom disk of a vertical stack of disks, the first member including a horizontal surface that is configured to receive an outer edge of the bottom disk so that a bottom surface of only the outer edge rests on the horizontal surface;        a second member operable in response to actuation to push the outer edge of the bottom disk off the horizontal surface so that only the bottom disk is pushed; and        wherein actuation of the second member pushes only the bottom disk off the horizontal surface causing only the bottom disk to drop.     
     
     
       51. The dispenser of  claim 50 , further comprising:
   a third member configured to hold one or more next - to - bottom disks of the vertical stack of disks while the second member pushes the bottom disk, the third member having a side surface configured to act as a stop.     
     
     
       52. The dispenser of  claim 51 , wherein:
   the third member is an upper guide that is situated on top of the first member and that includes an aperture configured to a guide the bottom disk to a resting position at which the bottom surface of only the outer edge of the bottom disk rests on the horizontal surface of the first member.     
     
     
       53. The dispenser of  claim 52 , wherein:
   the first member includes an aperture configured to allow the bottom disk to fall through; and        the horizontal surface on which the outer edge of the bottom disk rests is located at an edge of the aperture in the first member.     
     
     
       54. The dispenser of  claim 53 , where the horizontal surface is adapted to interact with the second member such that only the bottom disk from the vertical stack is pushed. 
     
     
       55. The dispenser of  claim 53 , wherein:
   the second member is a plate that includes an aperture configured to receive the bottom disk, the plate being positioned between the upper and lower guides; and        the plate is operable to slide from a first position to a second position, the first position situating the bottom disk at the resting position and the second position situating the bottom disk off the horizontal surface, whereby movement of the plate from the first position to the second position pushes the outer edge of the bottom disk off the horizontal surface.     
     
     
       56. The dispenser of  claim 55 , where the aperture of the second member is adapted to pass disks from the vertical stack one at a time.  
     
     
       57. The dispenser of  claim 55 , wherein:
   the outer edge of the bottom disk is a first outer edge, the bottom disk including a second outer edge opposite the first outer edge;        the horizontal surface of the lower guide is a first horizontal surface, the lower guide including a second horizontal surface at an edge of the aperture in the lower guide, the second horizontal surface being on an opposite side of the lower guide's aperture as the first horizontal surface; and        movement of the plate from the first position to the second position causes the first outer edge of the bottom disk to fall off the first horizontal surface and the second outer edge of the bottom disk to rest on the second horizontal surface and where a subsequent movement of the plate from the second position to the first position causes the second outer edge of the bottom disk to fall off the second horizontal surface, whereby the bottom disk is dispensed to fall through the aperture in the lower guide.     
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 57 , where in the first position, the first outer edge rests on the first horizontal surface and the second outer edge rests on a third horizontal surface, the third horizontal surface being a surface of the plate. 
     
     
       59. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
   a housing;        an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks;        a servo motor attached to the housing; and a linkage assembly attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin, wherein the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes an arm mounted on the shaft, whereby rotation of the shaft pivots the arm to lift the elevator pin.     
     
     
       60. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein the arm has a fixed end and a moveable end, the first end mounts on the shaft, and the moveable end includes a cam surface that cams against the elevator pin when the arm pivots. 
     
     
       61. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 60 , wherein the elevator pin has an axis, and a base that lies in a plane perpendicular to the axis, the elevator pin includes a slot that parallels the base, the cam surface cams within the slot to lift the elevator pin in the direction of the axis. 
     
     
       62. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 60 , wherein the elevator pin has an axis, a longitudinal surface and a cam pin extending radially outward from the longitudinal surface, the moveable end of the arm defines a slot that cams against the cam pin when the arm pivots. 
     
     
       63. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein one end of the arm mounts on the shaft and the other end of the arm mounts on the elevator pin, the elevator pin has an axis, the servo motor pivots the arm to lift the elevator pin in the direction of the axis and the elevator pin rotates about the axis when the arm lifts the elevator pin. 
     
     
       64. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 59 , wherein the disks form a stack having a top and a bottom, and wherein a single disk is added to the bottom of the stack. 
     
     
       65. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 59 , further comprising a conveyor. 
     
     
       66. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 65 , wherein the conveyor delivers disk to the memory storage disk handling system for the elevator pin to stack the delivered disks into a stack. 
     
     
       67. A memory storage disk handling system comprising:
   a housing defining a hopper for received disks;        an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper; and        the hopper being configured for aligning lifted disks into a stack and includes at least one pawl for holding lifted disks in the hopper, wherein the hopper includes a plurality of posts oriented to surround lifted disks, at least one pawl mounts on each post.     
     
     
       68. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 67 , wherein each of the plurality of posts includes hollow portions and at least two pawls, the pawls being slidably mounted within the hollow portions. 
     
     
       69. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 68 , wherein each pawl includes a slot and the hopper includes pins that insert through the slots to hold each pawl, the pins and slots cooperate to enables the pawls to slide.  
     
     
       70. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 68 , wherein each pawl includes an end with a hook for holding lifted disks. 
     
     
       71. A memory storage disk handling system comprising:
   a housing defining a hopper for receiving disks;        an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper; and        the hopper being configured for aligning lifted disks into a stack and includes at least one pawl for holding lifted disks in the hopper, wherein the hopper includes three posts oriented to surround lifted disks, at least one pawl mounts on each post.     
     
     
       72. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 71 , wherein each post includes a hollow portion, the pawls being mounted at least partially within the hollow portions of the posts. 
     
     
       73. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 72 , wherein the pawls are slidably mounted within the hollow portions of the posts so that lifting a disk slides the pawls into the hollow portions, and after the disk is lifted, the pawls extend from the hollow portions to hold the disk in the hopper. 
     
     
       74. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
   a housing defining a hopper for holding disks;        an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper;        a servo motor attached to the housing;        a linkage assembly attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin for lifting the elevator pin in response to the servo motor; and        the hopper defines a base and includes a stack retainer means extending from the base for aligning disks in a vertical stack, the stack retainer means includes more than one pawl for holding lifted disks, wherein the hopper includes a plurality of posts oriented to surround lifted disks, at least one pawl mounts one each of the plurality of posts.     
     
     
       75. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 74 , wherein the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes a single arm mounted on the shaft. 
     
     
       76. A memory storage disk handling system comprising:
   a housing defining a hopper for holding disks;        an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper;        a servo motor attached to the housing;        a linkage assembly attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin for lifting the elevator pin in response to the servo motor, the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes a single arm mounted on the shaft, wherein the arm has a fixed end and a moveable end, the fixed end is fixed with respect to the shaft, the moveable end includes a cam surface that cams against the elevator pin to enable the elevator pin to move in response to the servo motor; and        the hopper defines a base and includes a stack retainer means extending from the base for aligning disks in a vertical stack, the stack retainer means includes more than one pawl for holding lifted disks.     
     
     
       77. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 76 , wherein the stack retainer means includes three posts oriented to surround lifted disks, each post includes a hollow portion, the pawls normally extend from the post and retract within the hollow portions of the posts when a disk lifts past the pawls. 
     
     
       78. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
   a housing;        an elevator pin mounted on the housing, wherein the elevator pin presses a single disk into a stack of disks;        a servo motor attached to the housing; a base having a position sensor; and        a linkage assembly between the servo motor and the elevator pin wherein the servo motor includes a shaft, the linkage assembly includes an arm mounted on the shaft, whereby rotation of the shaft pivots the arm to lift the elevator pin.     
     
     
       79. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein the position sensor includes a mechanical arm, the arm engages the elevator pin to detect elevator pin position. 
     
     
       80. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein the position sensor includes an optical sensor element. 
     
     
       81. A memory storage disk handling system as set forth in  claim 78 , wherein the position sensor includes a magnetic sensor element. 
     
     
       82. A memory storage disk handling system, comprising:
   a housing defining a hopper for holding disks in a stack;        an elevator pin mounted on the housing for lifting disks into the hopper; and        a plurality of pawls for holding disks, wherein the plurality of pawls slide between a retracted position which enables the elevator pin to lift disks into the stack and an extended position for holding disks, wherein the housing includes a plurality of posts oriented to surround lifted disks, and at least one pawl mounts on each post.     
     
     
       83. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 82 , further comprising a servo motor and a linkage assembly, wherein the linkage assembly is attached between the servo motor and the elevator pin for lifting the elevator pin in response to the servo motor. 
     
     
       84. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 83 , wherein the linkage assembly includes at least one belt and at least one pulley. 
     
     
       85. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 83 , wherein the linkage assembly is a gear linkage assembly. 
     
     
       86. A disk handling system as set forth in  claim 82 , wherein the disks are retained in a vertical stack.