解:连接$OC,$过点$O$作$OE\perp AB$于点$E,$则$\angle OEC = 90^{\circ},$$CE=\frac{1}{2}CD。$设$CE = x,$则$CD = 2x。$因为$AC = 3,$所以$AE = AC + CE = 3 + x。$因为大圆和小圆的半径分别为$6$和$4,$所以$OA = 6,$$OC = 4。$因为$OE^{2}+CE^{2}=OC^{2},$$OE^{2}+AE^{2}=OA^{2},$所以$OC^{2}-CE^{2}=OA^{2}-AE^{2},$即$4^{2}-x^{2}=6^{2}-(3 + x)^{2},$
$\begin{aligned}16 - x^{2}&=36-(9 + 6x + x^{2})\\16 - x^{2}&=36 - 9 - 6x - x^{2}\\16 - x^{2}&=27 - 6x - x^{2}\\6x&=27 - 16\\6x&=11\\x&=\frac{11}{6}\end{aligned}$
所以$CD = 2x=\frac{11}{3}。$