Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture – Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor – With testing – measuring – and/or indicating means
Patent
1997-02-28
2000-08-29
Dixon, Merrick
Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
Surface bonding means and/or assembly means therefor
With testing, measuring, and/or indicating means
156277, 156379, 156384, 156387, 29775, 53411, 53246, 53254, B32B 3100
Patent
active
061093246
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to methods and apparatus for preparing digital discs, such as compact writable discs. The invention more particularly relates to a method and apparatus for preparing a labelled digital disc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Optical storage media, and particularly the optical disc, is finding increasing use in the high density storage of digital information, such as digitized music, digitized photographs, and computer programs. At present, three principal types of optical storage media are in common use.
The first type, referred to as a CD or ROM (read only memory) disc, is manufactured by pressing depressions into a substrate, in a manner analogous to the manufacture of phonograph records. This type of optical disc has shortcomings similar to those of phonograph records. Prepared recordings must be warehoused until needed and small production runs are subject to an economic disincentive.
A second type of optical storage media, commonly referred to as a writable optical storage disc, has the capability of having information recorded (written) thereon at some time after fabrication of the medium. A third type can also have information added after fabrication, but that information can be erased or modified at a later time. The latter two types of optical storage media lend themselves to small production runs and "on demand" preparation. The ease of preparation of writable and erasable optical storage discs in combination with an elimination of physical storage requirements, suggests their use as a replacement for ROM discs.
It is highly desirable to provide writable and erasable digital discs with labels identifying digital program contents. It is also often desirable to provide uniform features, such as common trade dress, on a series of digital discs differing in program content.
It would thus be desirable to provide apparatus and methods for preparing labelled digital discs from preprinted digital discs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides methods and apparatus for labelling digital discs. In the method, a disc is provided that has an alignment mark An image is printed onto the disc in registration with the alignment mark.
It is an advantageous effect of the invention that apparatus and methods are provided for the preparation of digital discs from unprinted or aligned preprinted discs.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
The invention itself will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures wherein:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatical view of an embodiment of the method of the invention. This figure is also illustrative of the apparatus of the invention. Inactive components, that is, the secondary printer and locator in succeeding steps, are indicated by dashed lines.
FIG. 2 is a partial diagrammatical view of another embodiment of the method and apparatus of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a semi-diagrammatical side plan view of a printer of another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a semi-diagrammatical top plan view of the printer of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a semi-diagrammatical top plan view of the holder of a printer of another embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 6 is a semi-diagrammatical cross-sectional view of the printer of FIG. 5, taken substantially along line 6--6.
FIG. 7 is a more detailed diagrammatical view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the station and locator of the apparatus of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The figures provide diagrammatical representations of embodiments of the methods and apparatus of the invention. The following discussion will generally refer to the apparatus, however, the features of the methods of the invention will also be readily apparent from this discussion.
In the methods and apparatus of the invention, a labelled digital disc, is prepared from a blank disc. A disc is provided that has an alignment mark. An image is printed onto the face of the disc in registry wit
REFERENCES:
patent: 4910675 (1990-03-01), Burns et al.
patent: 5285620 (1994-02-01), Kaye et al.
Amell Alfred J.
Bugner Douglas E.
Mueller William J.
Staudenmayer William J.
Dixon Merrick
Eastman Kodak Company
Wells Doreen M.
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