Patent ID: 6111848
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A compact disc storage and retrieval system comprising:a compact disc filer having a plurality of compact disc storage slots located side by side and delineated from each other by a plurality of guides located therebetween;a separately actuable compact disc ejection mechanism mounted on said compact disc filer at each of said compact disc storage slots, all of said ejection mechanisms being operable to move between retracted positions which permit said compact discs to reside stored within said storage slots and ejection positions in which said compact discs are forced at least partially out of said storage slots, each ejection mechanism including a spring moveable between a relaxed condition when said disc ejection mechanism associated therewith is in its ejection position and an elastically deformed condition when said disc ejection mechanism associated therewith is in its retracted position;latching mechanisms for each of said storage slots for holding said disc ejection mechanisms in their retracted positions with said springs in their elastically deformed conditions;a plurality of solenoids, each located at a separate one of said compact disc storage slots, for selectively and individually releasing said latching mechanisms to allow said springs to return from their elastically deformed conditions to their relaxed conditions;a keyboard through which each of said solenoids is selectively and individually addressable with an electronically encoded solenoid address; anda central processing unit connected to said keyboard and to said solenoids to transmit a storage slot address code selected at said keyboard to actuate only a single one of said plurality of solenoids that is responsive to said selected storage slot address code.