Abstract: A system for optical disc storage, writing and reading including a housing holding at least two optical disc racks and a plurality of read/write drives that may be positioned in line with the storage rack. A track spans the racks, (e.g., a parallel track is positioned between two racks). A shuttle mounted on the track allows transfer of discs from the racks to drives. The shuttle may allow for disc pass through, disc rotation, or have other structures for disc transport.

Abstract: An optical disk cassette has a cassette case with a disk retention device. A free end of the disk retention device acts upon an edge of the optical disk, opposably displacing during insertion and ejection of the optical disk. The device and disk are at equilibrium when the free end is displaced by the full diameter of the disk. When the disk is displaced in the insertion or ejection direction, the free end urges the disk in the insertion or ejection direction, assisting with the optical disk insertion or ejection respectively. Embodiments may have the disk retention device including one or more retainers. Each retainer may have a free end and opposing fixed end, and be flexible or have a flexible region. The free end slides along or otherwise contacts the circumferential edge of the optical disk, exerting a force upon it during optical disk insertion, retention and ejection.

Abstract: An optical disk mechanism has a housing with at least one disk entry/exit aperture. A disk guide, such as a plate, is aligned with and guides an optical disk through the disk entry/exit aperture. Two beams rotatably support at least one roller and a drive mechanism. Flexing and biasing the roller towards the disk, the two beams maintain a rotational axis of the roller parallel to the disk and accommodate varying separation between the roller and the disk guide. The two beams are closely spaced and non-coplanar, and may be part of a double-beam mount. The double-beam mount attaches the two beams to the housing and to a frame, which positions the roller near the disk guide and the disk entry/exit aperture. Sliding the disk along the plate or other disk guide, the roller is reversible to drive the disk in or out through the disk entry/exit aperture.

Abstract: An optical disk cassette has a disk eject mechanism that ejects a disk such as a DVD or CD. The disk eject mechanism has pushrod, transfer and kick out portions. The pushrod portion slides relative to a side of the cassette case. Pivotally mounted within the case, the kick out portion pushes a disk to eject it from the case. The transfer portion translates pushrod motion to motion of the kick out portion. In a preferred embodiment, the disk eject mechanism is a unitary body, with pushrod, transfer and kick out portions made homogeneously as a single entity, the pushrod portion being a resilient joining elbow. In another preferred embodiment, the disk eject mechanism has a transfer portion that is a rack and a pinion. The rack extends from the pushrod portion and the pinion is attached to or formed as part of the kick out portion.