Wea Manufacturing, Inc.

Other

William R Mueller

Edward Pickutoski

Lewis R Gensel

Peter Van Hoof

Ellis E Kern

Joseph Bistran

Edward Misewicz

Lewis Robert Gensel, Jr

Thomas Havrichak

Michael McHale

A method of making composite discs continuously, including forming for each disc a first, a second layer, and a third support layer, each support layer being disc shaped and having a first surface with information indicia. An information layer is added to each support layers respectively. The said first and third support layers are positioned in a facing relationship, with the first and third information layers being adjacent. The third support layer is then separated from the third information layer, which thus remains attached to the first support layer. The first and second support layers are then joined. These steps are performed on a manufacturing line with conveyor belts transferring the support layers from station to station.

Method of manufacturing a composite disc structure and apparatus for performing the method

Methods for forming a single-side-readable DVD having graphical information viewable from the DVD's frontside disc are provided. A first, frontside disc having a first and a second surface, with the second surface comprising program information and coated with a semi-reflective coating, is bonded to a second, backside disc having a third and a fourth surface. A first portion of the fourth surface comprises spillover program information and a second portion of the fourth surface comprises graphical information. The fourth surface is coated with a reflective coating. During DVD formation, the frontside and backside discs are adhesively bonded back to back so that the second surface of the frontside disc faces the fourth surface of the backside disc. Because the frontside disc comprises a semi-reflective coating, the graphical information on the second portion of the fourth surface of the backside disc is viewable through the frontside disc. The graphical information does not affect the playability of the DVD.

Two sided graphical image DVDs and methods for making same

A method and apparatus for vacuum assisted venting of an injection mold. The apparatus includes a main body structured to be mounted around an outer circumference of the injection mold and configured to facilitate application of a vacuum pressure therein. The method and apparatus are particularly directed towards preventing the accumulation of residual material inside an injection mold and reducing the frequency of disassembly and cleaning required for the injection mold.

Apparatus for vacuum assisted venting

Two-sided graphical image DVDs and methods for making same

A protective layer is applied to the surface of a compact disc precursor that must be protected from dust during manufacture. The layer is removable and preferably made of ethylene vinyl acetate.

Coating for optical discs

A system and method are provided that allow an optical media inspection device to detect defects on or in optical media despite the presence of gross deformations in the media that would otherwise interfere with the inspection process. A holding device holds the optical media near the center while it is rotated for inspection. A negative displacement prohibitor impedes any negative displacement of the optical media. A positive displacement inhibitor, i.e., air pressure exerted on the optical media, holds the optical media substantially flat while it is being inspected. A closed-loop feedback system may be used to control the amount of air pressure exerted against the optical media.

Optical disc inspection equalization system and method

A dual-layer DVD disc that does not require a stamping step (typically, as part of the 2P prior art manufacturing process) during its manufacture. A polycarbonate substrate is molded and coated with a semireflective data layer in the usual way. A PMMA substrate is molded and coated with a fully reflective data layer. Adhesive is placed on the semireflective data layer, and the fully reflective data layer is transferred from its PMMA substrate to the polycarbonate substrate. The polycarbonate substrate thus ends up with two data layers in conformance with the DVD specifications, and the PMMA substrate can even be recycled for another use.

Dual-layer DVD disc, and method and apparatus for making same

Methods and apparatus for making optical discs (e.g., for use in digital versatile discs ('DVDs') are provided. An optical disc made in accordance with this invention includes at least one roughened surface portion to mask any manufacturing irregularities and thereby improve the appearance of the disc and, if the disc is used in a DVD, then also the DVD. The method includes roughening a section of a mold in contact with molten plastic, molding an optical disc with that mold so that at least one side of the optical disc has a roughened surface portion, and if the disc is used in a DVD, securing the disc to another disc with adhesive to form a DVD.

Etched mold surface for use in making light-readable discs

To protect the optical surface of optical disc information recording media such as a compact disc (CD) or a digital versatile disc (DVD), that surface is coated with a removable layer of a material that does not significantly alter the optical properties of the disc. Whenever the coating layer may have become damaged, it is removed and replaced with a new layer.

Protective coatings for optical disc information recording media, and

Automatic process control of the optical disc bonding process is achieved by tacking the adhesive and deforming the composite prior to final bonding. A separator chuck is used to maintain the separation of the disc halves through tack curing and a disc deforming jig is used during final bonding to compensate for any tendency of the disc halves to deform during the bonding operation.

Compact disc curing assembly line with deforming to a predetermined

An in-line system for fabricating a double sided compact discs by bonding together an information bearing surface and another surface, has a prestressing station with means for deforming at least one of the surfaces in such away as to not disturb any of the data. It employs an adjustable spacer for maintaining an adjustable separation between symmetrical arcuate portions of the outer circumference of the information bearing surfaces in the bonding station. This adjustable spacer comprises two spacer arms that comprise wedge shaped portions for entry between the edges of said discs and maintaining a displacement of at least the outermost edges of said discs. There is also disc displacement means for bringing together the two information bearing surfaces by displacement of at least one of said information bearing surfaces orthogonal to the plane of the surfaces.

Pre-stressed bonding system for double sided compact discs

The warping of the surface of a composite compact disc occurring during the bonding of two surfaces together to form the disc is reduced by the use of a curing filter that modulates the intensity of the ultraviolet light used to set the bonding agent. The curing filter may be in the form of a disc having a greater density near the periphery of the disc than at the center.

Process for manufacturing a compact disc using a curing regulating filter

Methods for bonding structurally asymmetrical or otherwise structurally dissimilar optical discs are provided. A bonded optical disc stack is formed from a first and a second optical disc by coating the back side of at least one of the optical discs with a light-curable bonding material and stacking the first and second optical discs back to back. The front side of the second optical disc is exposed to light for a first predetermined time period. The front sides of both the first and second optical discs are then exposed to light for a second predetermined time period. Finally, the front side of the first optical disc is exposed to light for a third predetermined time period. In this manner, when the second optical disc comprises program information and the first optical disc comprises a graphical image or other artwork, image pass-through due to simultaneous exposure and disc warpage due to one-sided exposure are significantly reduced.

Growing community of inventors

Clarks Summit, PA, United States of America

William R Mueller