BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a sectional view showing a construction of a label device according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 1B illustrates one embodiment showing a base attached to the bottom side of the label device by an adhesive.
FIG. 2 is a top view of the label device showing a plurality of marks formed on the substrate of the label device according to the first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 illustrates the configuration of the label device in an optical disc device according to the first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a label sheet including the label device according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a label device for optical discs. The label device, according to the invention, is capable of being installed into an optical disc device to form an image thereon. The optical disc device includes a writing unit for irradiating a laser beam on the label device to form the image.
Referring to FIG. 1A, FIG. 1A is a sectional view showing a construction of a label device according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1A, the label device 1 includes a label layer 11 and an adhesive 13. The label layer 11 has a bottom surface 114. The adhesive 13 is formed on the bottom surface 114 of the label layer 11. The label layer 11 is configured to form the image via the writing unit. The label layer 11 further includes a substrate 110 and a label film 112 for forming the image thereon. It should be noted that, as a point of reference, the thicknesses of the various components of label device 1 are greatly exaggerated in FIG. 1A for the purpose of illustration.
In one embodiment, the substrate 110 is formed adjacent to the bottom surface 114, and the label film 112 is formed on top of the substrate 110. Alternately, the label film 112 is formed adjacent to the bottom surface 114, and the substrate 110 is formed on top of the label film 112 in another embodiment. It should be noted that FIG. 1A only shows the latter case.
Please refer to FIG. 1B. In one embodiment, because the substrate 110 and the label film 112 are formed by very thin and flexible materials; a rigid disc-like base 30 is attached to the label device 1 by the adhesive 13 to support the label device 1. The label device 1 and the base 30 are sized to meet general-purpose optical discs; thus, it is acceptable by optical disc devices. Referring to FIG. 3, the base 30 in conjunction with the label device 1 are installed into an optical disc device 4 and are set with the label layer 11 facing the writing unit 40 of the optical disc device 4. The writing unit 40 irradiates a laser beam on the label film 112 of the label layer 11 to form the image. In one embodiment, the label device 1 can be detached from the base 30 to be further attached on a non-data side of an optical disc. In practical applications, the base 30 may be made of polycarbonate.
Referring to FIG. 2, FIG. 2 is a top view of the label device 1 according to the first embodiment of the invention. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of marks 32 are formed on the substrate 110 for assisting the writing unit 40 to position the image to be formed on the label film 112. Alternately, the marks 32 may also be formed on the base 30 in another embodiment.
In one embodiment, the label device 1 may also be provided as part of a label sheet 5, one example of which is shown in FIG. 4. The label device 1 is defined on the label sheet 5 by a cut pattern (indicated by dashed lines in FIG. 4). The label sheet 5 may also be sized, such that a plurality of label devices 1 are provided. During use, the label device 1 is removed from the label sheet 5, and the bottom surface 114 of the label layer 11 is attached to a non-data side of an optical disc by the adhesive 13. The optical disc in conjunction with the label device 1 is installed into an optical disc device. The optical disc device is then utilized to form the image on the label film 112. As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of marks 32 are formed on the substrate 110 for assisting the writing unit 40 to position the image to be formed on the label film 112. Alternately, the marks 32 may also be formed on the optical disc in another embodiment.
With the example and explanations above, the features and spirits of the invention will be hopefully well described. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teaching of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
Patent Application
20070285489
