The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 12, 1991
Filed:
Aug. 01, 1990
William G Jacobs, San Jose, CA (US);
Seagate Technology, Inc., Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Abstract
An automatic disc gauging and sorting apparatus for gauging the thickness of the discs and sorting the discs into a series of predetermined ranges of varying thickness is provided. The apparatus includes a revolving disc sorting unit including a plurality of spaced-apart disc sorting containers arranged concentrically and in one plane. Each of the containers is designated to receive discs of a predetermined thickness range. A cassette transport assembly for transporting cassettes containing discs to be gauged and sorted to a disc pick-up position adjacent the sorting unit and for transporting empty cassettes away from the disc pick-up position is included, as well as a disc gauging unit associated with the sorting unit adjacent the disc pick-up position for gauging the thickness of the discs to be sorted. Finally, a disc shuttle arm unit associated with the sorting unit adjacent the disc pick-up position for removing a disc from a cassette in the disc pick-up position, inserting the disc into the disc gauging unit, removing the disc from the disc gauging unit and placing the disc in the proper container for its designated thickness is provided. A host computer coupled to the disc sorting unit controls the operations of the disc sorting unit, the cassette transport assembly, the disc gauging unit and the shuttle arm unit.