Patent ID: 8128336

Claim:
A device for gripping a CD or DVD object with an axially positioned circular opening, for subsequent processing operations, and designed to be part of an apparatus for automated processing of a stack of CD or DVD objects, to take an object from the top of a stack of objects, move it to another location and put it down there, wherein the device having a gripper head comprising gripping means, puts said gripping means in the opening of the object, which device comprises the following features: a cantilevered arm ( 1 ) the one end of which is mounted to motorised displacing means such that the gripper head ( 2 ) at the opposite end of the arm 1 can be spatially moved; a press button actuated micro switch ( 3 ) housed in a housing ( 4 ) and having an axially displaceable stud as an axially displaceable member ( 6 ) to carry a push button and having mechanical biasing means and releasable, mechanical retaining means such that the stud can take a retained extended and a first retracted axial position, respectively, in both which positions it is biased by the mechanical biasing means towards the extended position and in both which positions it is retained in position by the mechanical retaining means, while the switch ( 3 ) is arranged such that the stud can be brought from the first retracted towards the extended position by initially moving it from the first retracted position towards a non-retained second retracted position beyond the first retracted position and further away from the extended position and wherein the switch ( 3 ) is such that the stud ( 6 ) can be brought from the extended towards the first retracted position by displacing it towards and beyond the first retracted position to the second retracted position; a finger arrangement ( 5 ); transmission means to operate the retaining means; the finger arrangement ( 5 ) comprising at least two fingers ( 7 ) with outwardly turned hooks ( 8 ) at their free ends, designed to radially deflect when conveniently loaded, such that the hooks ( 8 ) move radially; ridges ( 9 ) at positions to provide the load for deflecting the fingers ( 7 ); the finger arrangement ( 5 ) being externally provided with an abutment shoulder ( 10 ); the shoulder ( 10 ) extending radially further outward than the hooks ( 8 ), at least in the radially retracted position of the hooks 8 ; and the axial end ( 11 ) of the finger arrangement ( 5 ) is conical.