Linear optical disk changer with side switching capabilities

1. An optical disk changer for reading a dual-sided optical disk, comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a disk bin carried by the base and extending laterally in a first direction;

(c) a transfer mechanism carried by the base and having a first side and a second side,

the transfer mechanism being slidable laterally with respect to the disk bin, and

the transfer mechanism being rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the first direction to selectively position the first side or the second side in a loading position proximate the disk bin; and

(d) an optical disk reader slidably carried by the base, the optical disk reader being configured to receive a disk from the transfer mechanism and to read the disk.

2. An optical disk changer for reading a dual-sided optical disk, comprising:

(a) a base;

(b) a disk bin carried by the base and configured to hold a plurality of dual-sided optical disks;

(c) a transfer mechanism slidably and rotatably carried by the base, the transfer mechanism being configured to load one of the disks from the disk bin and position the disk in a transfer position; and

(d) an optical disk reader slidably carried by the base, the optical disk reader being configured to receive the disk from the transfer position and read the disk.

3. The optical disk changer of claim 2 wherein the optical disk is a dual-sided DVD.

4. The optical disk changer of claim 2 wherein the disk bin holds a first disk and a second disk, a center rotational axis of the first disk being substantially linearly coaxial with a center rotational axis of the second disk.

5. The optical disk changer of claim 2 wherein the transfer mechanism includes a disk turner, a first loading mechanism on a first side of the disk turner, and a second loading mechanism on a second side of the disk turner.

6. The optical disk changer of claim 5 wherein the first loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into and out of the disk turner and the second loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into and out of the disk turner.

7. The optical disk changer of claim 2 wherein at least a portion of the transfer mechanism rotates about a vertical axis.

8. The optical disk changer of claim 2 wherein the reader unit has a loading mechanism on a first side of the reader unit.

9. The optical disk changer of claim 8 wherein the loading mechanism includes two substantially parallel cylinders that cooperatively rotate to move the optical disk into the reader unit.

10. The optical disk changer of claim 2 further comprising an ejector arm configured to push the optical disk from the disk bin along a first direction.

11. A method of reading data from an optical disk comprising:

(a) holding the optical disk in a bin;

(b) delivering the optical disk from the bin to a transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a first direction;

(c) moving the optical disk reader laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk prior to delivering the optical disk from the bin to the transfer mechanism;

(d) delivering the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to an optical disk reader by translating the optical disk farther in the first direction;

(e) reading data from a first side of the optical disk;

(f) delivering the optical disk to the transfer mechanism by translating the optical disk in a second direction that is opposite the first direction;

(g) rotating the transfer mechanism about a vertical axis;

(h) loading the optical disk from the transfer mechanism to the optical disk reader by translating the optical disk in the first direction; and

(i) reading data from a second side of the optical disk with the optical disk reader.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the acts of:

(a) delivering a second optical disk from the bin to the transfer mechanism by translating the second optical disk in the first direction after the act of delivering the first optical disk from the transfer mechanism to the optical disk reader;

(b) delivering the second optical disk from the transfer mechanism to a second optical disk reader by translating the second optical disk in the first direction; and

(c) reading data from a first side of the second optical disk with the second optical disk reader.

13. A method of translating a dual-sided optical disk, comprising:

(a) holding an optical disk in a disk bin;

(b) if data from a first side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in a first direction to a first location, wherein the first location is within an optical disk reader, and wherein the method further comprises moving the optical disk reader laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk in the disk bin prior to translating the optical disk to the first location when data from the first side of the optical disk is to be read; and

(c) if data from a second side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in the first direction to a transfer mechanism, rotating the optical disk, and translating the optical disk to the optical disk reader in the first direction.

14. A method of translating a dual-sided optical disk, comprising:

(a) holding an optical disk in a disk bin;

(b) if data from a first side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in a first direction to a first location, wherein the first location is within an optical disk reader, and wherein the method further comprises moving the optical disk reader laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk in the disk bin prior to translating the optical disk to the first location when data from the first side of the optical disk is to be read; and

(c) if data from a second side of the optical disk is to be read, then translating the optical disk in the first direction to a transfer mechanism, rotating the optical disk, and translating the optical disk to the optical disk reader in the first direction, wherein the second location is within a transfer mechanism, and wherein the method further comprises moving the transfer mechanism laterally relative to the disk bin and into alignment with the optical disk in the disk bin prior to translating the optical disk to the second location in the transfer mechanism when data from the second side of the optical disk is to be read.