Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for destroying or disabling an information or data storage device comprising a first layer and a second layer bonded together. A mechanical device or energy form is inserted into the information or data storage device to cause the first and second layers to separate from each other.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based upon co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/986,078, filed Nov. 7, 2007, incorporated herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention herein relates to a device for splitting or separating the information or data layer from the substrate layer on optical discs to include all optical discs such as a digital versatile disc, or DVD, Blu-Ray DVD, HD-DVD, and holographic DVD. More particularly, the invention relates to a device for destroying or disabling the information content layers of DVDs and other optical disc storage media. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    One important aspect of our society is the continuing development of technology to store and/or transmit digital information or data. With particular regard to storage technology, it is important that the storage media or apparatuses for the media be capable of either permanently and securely deleting the information from the stored media or disabling or destroying the information layer of the media so that this information or data cannot be used non-authorized persons or in unintended ways. For example, for a compact disc read only memory (CD-ROM), there are known mechanical devices for destroying the information-bearing layer of a CD-ROM. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,954,569, 6,039,637, and 6,334,582. For DVDs, there are other mechanical devices, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,585,177, 6,588,687, and 7,134,940. 
         [0004]    A digital versatile disc, or digital video disc, (“DVD”) is a relatively new optical medium, which holds from about seven (4.7 GB) to twenty-eight (50 GB) times the information or data that a CD-ROM can hold, which is 77 times the capacity of a CD-ROM. A new DVD format, the holographic DVD, will soon hold a capacity of 300 GB or 461 times the original CD-ROM media capacity but in nearly the same 12 cm form factor. 
         [0005]    Most DVDs are the same physical size as the original CD-ROM media at 12 or 13 cm in circumference. A DVD has the physical atomic material capability to contain at least 10,000 times the original capacity of a CD in the same physical form factor, therefore it is essential that the development of new destruction technologies for this robust media keeps pace with the immense storage capacity. Both corporate and government sensitive data must be protected from unauthorized access on this optical storage medium. 
         [0006]    The DVD is a high capacity CD-size disc for data, video, multimedia, games, and audio applications, usually, but not always, in the rare 8 cm and 13 cm or the standard 12 cm diameter format. The depth or thickness of all these optical disc mediums is 1.2 mm. While a CD-ROM disc has the information layer on the surface of a polycarbonate substrate, the information layer of some types of DVDs is contained inside two layers of varying thicknesses of polycarbonate, which have been bonded together. There are also two or more types of erasable or re-writable DVD discs called DVD-RW, which stands for DVD Re-Write, and sometimes DVD erasable as well as DVD RAM which stands for DVD Random Access Memory. Some of these DVD media types have the information containing layer inside two pieces of polycarbonate. Blu-Ray DVD has the data nearly back on the surface just under 0.1 mm thick layer with a substrate layer at 1.1 mm, like CD-ROMs where the data is right on the surface, whereas the standard 4.7 GB DVD and its dual layer counterpart. The 9.5 GB discs as well as the high definition or HD DVDs and the newer holographic DVDs have data inside two pieces of 0.6 mm polycarbonate with multi-data layers combined therein. 
         [0007]    There is a need for a simple and efficient way to disable the information-containing layer on a DVD and, after the DVD is disabled, to be able to ascertain that the information can no longer be used. 
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the invention to provide a novel means and method for splitting a device for storing and/or transmitting information or data. 
         [0009]    It is also an object of the invention to provide a relatively simple and manually operated means and method for destroying information or data storage devices such as DVDs. 
         [0010]    It is a further object of this invention is to quickly access the information-containing layer of DVD media which has the information content of the media inside two or more protective polycarbonate or other materials layers for the purposes of rendering the information-containing content layers unusable. 
         [0011]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for manually destroying or disabling an information or data storage device comprising a first layer and a second layer bonded together and a circumferential edge, wherein the apparatus comprises a first circular member, a second circular member, and a circular cutting member rotatably positioned between the first circular member and the second circular member, wherein an annular space is formed by the first circular member, the circular cutting member, and the second circular member, which annular space is sufficient to receive the circumferential edge of the information or data storage device and to cause the first and second layers to separate from each other. 
         [0012]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for manually destroying or disabling an information or data storage device wherein the information or storage device can be rotated. 
         [0013]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for manually destroying or disabling an information or data storage device wherein the information or data storage device is a DVD. 
         [0014]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide an apparatus for manually destroying or disabling an information or data storage device wherein the diameter of each of the first and second circular members is greater than the diameter of the circular cutting member. 
         [0015]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a method for destroying or disabling an information or data storage device comprising a first layer and a second layer bonded together and a circular edge, which comprises the steps of:
       (a) inserting the circular edge of the information or data storage device into an apparatus comprising a first circular member, a second circular member, and a circular cutting member rotatably positioned between the first circular member and the second circular member, wherein an annular space is formed by the first circular member, the circular cutting member, and the second circular member, which annular space is sufficient to receive the circular edge of the information or data storage device, and   (b) causing the apparatus to contact the entire circular edge of the information or data storage device to cause the first and second layers to separate from each other.       
 
         [0018]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a method wherein the information or storage device is rotated. 
         [0019]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a method wherein the information or data storage device is a DVD. 
         [0020]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a method wherein the first and second layers completely separate from each other. 
         [0021]    It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a method wherein in step (b) the first or second layer is reduced to small particle size pieces. 
         [0022]    These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent in the discussion below. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0023]    A representation of a partial cross-section of a typical DVD is set forth in  FIG. 1 . The primary structural components of a DVD  2  are a first layer  4  and a second layer  6 , each of which layer is typically comprised of a polycarbonate with a thickness of about 0.6 mm. Second layer  6  has a reflective layer  8  comprising grooves  10 , where information has been laser-etched. An optically transparent bonding layer  12  bonds first layer  4  to second layer  6 . Optionally an outer surface  14  of first layer  4  has a label  16 . 
         [0024]    Grooves on a DVD are often referred to as tracks. Tracks are separated on a DVD by 740 nanometers (0.74 microns) (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter where a micron is one millionth of a meter). This is in contrast to a CD where the tracks are separated by 1600 nanometers (1.6 microns), or roughly 2.16 times larger separation of tracks on a CD as compared to a DVD. The minimum length of the pit or track on a DVD (single-sided) is 400 nanometers (0.4 microns), or roughly 2.08 times smaller than on a CD. If one multiplies 2.16 times 2.075, one appreciates that the capacity increase of a DVD is equal to about 4.5 times. This, along with a less restrictive error correction redundancy code (in a CD-ROM there was a 14 bit-byte instead of the normal 8 bit-byte), leaves the DVD disc containing roughly seven times the information per layer with up to four layers with existing commercial applications. (Thin film technology may alter the capacity of DVDs by adding more layers in the future). 
         [0025]    According to the invention here, first DVDs are made unreadable by separating the polycarbonate layers, thereby making the read laser unable to focus on the reflective layer pits, and then there is a secondary physical alteration of the information-bearing layer to alter the pits and tracks in such a manner as to be unreadable with existing technology. 
         [0026]    According to the invention, an information or data storage device such as a DVD is split or disabled by causing two layers to separate. In one embodiment of the invention, a sharp or cutting element is inserted or forced between the first and second layers to cause the layers to separate. Optionally the information or data storage device is forced against the cutting element while the information or data storage device is rotated, or the cutting element is rotated on the data storage medium. 
         [0027]    In an embodiment of the invention an apparatus for manually destroying or disabling an information or data storage device comprising a first layer and a second layer bonded together and a circumferential edge, the apparatus comprises a first circular member having a top surface, a circumferential surface, a bottom surface, and a diameter, and a second circular member having a top surface, a circumferential surface, a bottom surface, and a diameter. A circular cutting member having a circumferential cutting edge and a diameter is rotatably positioned between the bottom surface of the first circular member and the top surface of the second circular member. An annular space is formed by the first circular member bottom surface, the cutting edge of the circular cutting member, and the second circular member top surface, which annular space is sufficient to receive the circumferential edge of the information or data storage device and to cause the first and second layers to separate from each other. 
         [0028]    In another embodiment of the invention, the information or storage device can be rotated. 
         [0029]    In a further embodiment of the invention, the information or data storage device is a DVD. 
         [0030]    In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the diameter of each of the first and second circular members is greater than the diameter of the circular cutting member. 
         [0031]    In an embodiment of a method of the invention for destroying or disabling an information or data storage device comprising a first layer and a second layer bonded together and a circular edge, the method comprises the steps of: 
         [0032]    (a) inserting the circular edge of the information or data storage device into an apparatus comprising: 
         [0033]    a first circular member having a top surface, a circumferential surface, a bottom surface, and a diameter, 
         [0034]    a second circular member having a top surface, a circumferential surface, a bottom surface, and a diameter, and 
         [0035]    a circular cutting member having a cutting edge and a diameter and being rotatably positioned between the bottom surface of the first circular member and the top surface of the second circular member, 
         [0036]    wherein an annular space is formed by the first circular member bottom surface, the cutting edge of the circular cutting member, and the second circular member top surface, which annular space is sufficient to receive the circular edge of the information or data storage device, and 
         [0037]    (b) causing the apparatus to contact the entire circular edge of the information or data storage device to cause the first and second layers to completely separate from each other. 
         [0038]    In another embodiment of a method of the invention, the information or storage device is rotated. 
         [0039]    In a further embodiment of a method of the invention, the information or data storage device is a DVD. 
         [0040]    In a yet further embodiment of a method of the invention, the first and second layers of the information or data storage device completely separate from each other. 
         [0041]    In a yet further embodiment of a method of the invention, the information or data storage device is rotated. 
         [0042]    In a yet further embodiment of a method of the invention, the information or data storage device is a DVD. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0043]      FIG. 1  is a representation of a cross-section of a DVD; 
           [0044]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0045]      FIGS. 3A to 3C  are views of the components of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0046]      FIG. 4  is an oblique view of an embodiment of the invention as in operation; 
           [0047]      FIG. 5  is a perspective expanded view of the components of a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0048]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of a detail of an embodiment of the invention in operation; and 
           [0049]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a detail of an embodiment of the invention, representing the splitting of a disc. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0050]    In the embodiment of the invention as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3A  to  3 C, a disc splitter  20  comprises a first cylindrical member  22  having a top surface  24 , a circumferential surface  26 , and a bottom surface  28 ; a second cylindrical member  32  having a top surface  34 , a circumferential surface  36 , and a bottom surface  38 ; and a circular cutting member  42  having a cutting edge  44  and being rotatably positioned between bottom surface  28  of first cylindrical member  22  and top surface  34  of the second cylindrical member  32 . 
         [0051]    In an embodiment of the invention, first cylindrical member  22  has a circular aperture  48  that extends the from the center of top surface  24  to the center of bottom surface  28 ; second cylindrical member  32  has a circular aperture  50  that extends from the center of top surface  34  to the center of bottom surface  38 ; and cutting member  42  has a circular aperture  52 . A spring biased bolt  54 , having an upper member  56  and an elongated lower member  58  encircled by a spring  60 , may be inserted through apertures  48 ,  50 , and  52 , each of which are aligned to receive spring biased bolt  54 . Spring biased bolt  54  may be adjusted into a locked position, creating, as shown in  FIG. 4 , an annular space  62  located between the bottom surface  28  of first cylindrical member  22 , the cutting edge  44  of circular cutting member  42 , and top surface  34  of second cylindrical member  32 , which annular space  62  is sufficient to receive a circumferential edge  64  of an information storage device  66 . When inserted, circumferential edge  64  of information storage device  66  is biased against cutting edge  44  of circular cutting member  42 . 
         [0052]    In an embodiment of the invention, first cylindrical member  22  and second cylindrical member  32  have diameters greater than the diameter of cutting member  42 . 
         [0053]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , when disc splitter  20  is rotated, circumferential edge  64  is forced against cutting member  42  to cause layers of information storage device  66  to separate into two layers. Optionally, information storage device  66  may be rotated to effect separation of the layers. 
         [0054]    In another embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a disc splitter  70  comprises a first circular member  72  radially disposed having a top surface  74 , a circumferential surface  76 , a bottom surface  78 , and a circular aperture  82 ; a second circular member  84  radially disposed and having a top surface  86 , a lateral circumferential surface  88 , a bottom surface  90 , and a circular aperture  94 ; and a circular cutting member  96  having a cutting edge  98 , and a circular aperture  102 . Circular cutting member  96  is rotatably positioned between bottom surface  78  of first circular member  72  and top surface  86  of second circular member  84 . Disc splitter  70  further comprises a spring  104 , a nut  106 , and a bolt  108  having an upper member  110  and an elongate lower member  112 . Circular apertures  82 ,  94 ,  102 , and spring  104  may be positioned to receive elongate lower member  112  of bolt  110 . When inserted, bolt  110  may be secured by attaching nut  106 , creating an annular space  114  located between the bottom surface  78  of first circular member  72 , cutting edge  98  of circular cutting member  96 , and top surface  86  of second circular member  84 , which annular space  114  is sufficient to receive the circumferential edge  64  of the information storage device  66 . 
         [0055]    Annular space  114  may be adjusted to accommodate discs of different sizes. Annular space  114  may be at a height of about 0.6 mm, but may be adjusted for discs other than DVDs. In Blue Ray high density DVD media, the information bearing layer is under a thin 0.1 mm plastic surface over a 1.1 mm polycarbonate substrate. In HD DVD, the information bearing layer is between two 0.6 mm layers as on a standard 4.7 GB DVD disc. In the holographic DVD discs, the information bearing layer can be within a range of the 1.2 mm polycarbonate surface. 
         [0056]    In an embodiment, the device may further comprise a rotary handle attached to a disc or disc holder for moving discs in a rotary manner or a handle attached to device  70  to cause it to turn in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. 
         [0057]    In an embodiment, first circular member  72  and second circular member  84  have diameters greater than the diameter of circular cutting member  96 . 
         [0058]    In an embodiment, the device may be adapted to accommodate a mechanical motor. The motor may supply energy for operation of the device. 
         [0059]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , circumferential edge  64  of information storage device  66  is inserted into annular space  114  and is biased against cutting edge  98  of circular cutting member  96 . When disc splitter  70  is rotated, circumferential edge  64  is forced against cutting member  96  to cause layers of information storage device  66  to partly or completely separate into two layers. Optionally, information storage device  66  may be rotated to effect separation of the layers. 
         [0060]    It is within the scope of the invention that there may be a chemical, electronic, electrical, or mechanical equivalent to cutting member  96  to separate a disc into two layers. For example, there could be a laser member  96  or a heated member  96  that is effective to separate layers. 
         [0061]    The technology described and claimed herein is applicable to Type-5 DVDs as well as other information or data storage devices having layers, including, but not limited to, Type DVD-9, Type DVD-10, or Type DVD-18 DVD&#39;s. When there are more than two layers, respective adjacent layers can be separated by simultaneous or sequential application of the procedures discussed above. 
         [0062]    While the mere act of cutting or splitting a DVD makes the disc unreadable and/or unusable, further secondary processing of the information layer(s) should be conducted after the splitting process to destroy the DVD&#39;s or any information contained thereon. These secondary process steps include physical abrasion of the information layer, heat, chemical or laser scoring of the information layer, as well as physical pressure indentation of the information layer(s). Other mechanical or chemical procedures can be used to reduce the split disc members to small particle size pieces, optionally to meet industry or Department of Defense standards. 
         [0063]    The preceding specific embodiments are illustrative of the practice of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that other expedients known to those skilled in the art or disclosed herein, may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.