Data cartridge library system

A removable data cartridge holder for use in a data cartridge library system comprising:

• a box-like structure that has an interior space which is capable of accommodating a plurality of data cartridges;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a bottom wall with an interior bottom surface and exterior bottom surface;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a side wall that is operatively attached to said bottom wall, extends from said bottom wall to a side wall terminal edge, and has an interior side surface, and an exterior side surface;
• wherein said interior bottom surface and said interior side surface define said interior space;
• wherein said side wall terminal edge defines an opening for the insertion/extraction of data cartridges into/from said interior space;
• a dust cover for placing over said interior space when the removable data cartridge holder is not in use;
• wherein said dust cover has a dust cover interior surface;
• wherein said dust cover has a dust cover exterior surface;
• wherein said dust cover has a dust cover terminal edge;
• a connector for attaching/detaching said box-like structure to/from a data cartridge library system;
• a coupler for attaching said dust cover to said box-like structure such that said dust cover does not interfere with inserting/extracting data cartridges into/from said box-like structure when said box-like structure is in use.

A data cartridge holder for use in a data cartridge library system comprising:

• a box-like structure that has an interior space which is capable of accommodating a plurality of data cartridges;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a bottom wall;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a side wall that extends substantially perpendicularly from said bottom wall to a side wall terminal edge;
• wherein said side bottom wall and said side wall define said interior space;
• wherein said side wall terminal edge defines an opening for inserting/extracting data cartridges into/from said interior space;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a partition structure for partitioning said interior space into a plurality of slots, each of which is capable of accommodating a data cartridge;
• a separate cantilever member associated with each slot for use in retaining a data cartridge;
• wherein said cantilever member includes a fixed terminal end, a free terminal end and a detent for engaging a notch in a data cartridge and that is located between said fixed terminal end and said free terminal end;
• wherein said fixed terminal end is operatively attached to said box-like structure;
• wherein said free terminal end is located further from said opening than said fixed terminal end;
• wherein insertion/extraction of a data cartridge into/from a slot causes said cantilever member to flex such that said detent is displaced towards said side sidewall.

A data cartridge holder for holding a plurality of data cartridges of a type that include a door for exposing the recording media where the door, when opened, rotates about a pivot point such that a portion of the door moves away from the remainder of the data cartridge, the data cartridge holder comprising:

• a box-like structure that has an interior space which is capable of accommodating a plurality of data cartridges;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a bottom wall;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a first side wall that extends substantially perpendicularly from said bottom wall to a side wall terminal edge;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a second side wall that is substantially parallel to said first side wall and extends substantially perpendicularly from said bottom wall to said side wall terminal edge;
• wherein said side bottom wall, said first side wall and said second side wall define said interior space;
• wherein said side wall terminal edge defines an opening for inserting/extracting data cartridges into/from said interior space;
• wherein said box-like structure includes a partition structure for partitioning said interior space into a plurality of slots, each of which is capable of accommodating a data cartridge and extends from said first side wall to said second side wall;
• means, associated with each slot, for causing the door of an improperly oriented data cartridge to open and thereby inhibit further insertion of the data cartridge into said slot of said data cartridge holder.

A data cartridge library system for storing data cartridges that each have a top side, bottom side that is separated from and substantially parallel to the top side, a first lateral side that extends from the bottom side to the top side, and a second lateral side that is separated from and substantially parallel to the first lateral side and extends from the bottom side to the top side, wherein one of the bottom side, top side, first lateral side and second lateral side includes an discontinuity, the data cartridge library system comprising:

• a data cartridge holder capable of retaining a plurality of data cartridges that each contain a recording medium;
• a drive for transferring data to/from a recording medium in a data cartridge;
• wherein said drive includes a drive face plate with a first opening for receiving a data cartridge;
• a transport assembly for moving a data cartridge between said data cartridge holder and said drive;
• wherein said transport assembly may not be able to position a data cartridge with enough precision for insertion into said first opening of said drive;
• a face plate extension for facilitating the positioning of a data cartridge for insertion into said first opening of said drive by said transport assembly;
• wherein said face plate extension includes a guide means for engaging one or more of up to, but no more than three of the top side, bottom side, first lateral side and second lateral side of the data cartridge to address a misalignment of the data cartridge during insertion of the data cartridge into the drive by making use of the discontinuity associated with one of the sides of the data cartridge.

A data cartridge library system for storing data cartridges that each have a top side, bottom side that is separated from and substantially parallel to the top side, a first lateral side that extends from the bottom side to the top side, a second lateral side that is separated from and substantially parallel to the first lateral side and extends from the bottom side to the top side, and a front side that extends from the bottom side to the top side and from the first lateral side to the second lateral side, wherein the front side has a cartridge width equal to the distance between the top side and the bottom side, wherein the front side has a cartridge length equal to the distance between the first lateral side and the second lateral side, said data cartridge library system comprising:

• a data cartridge holder capable of retaining a plurality of data cartridges that each contain a recording medium;
• a drive for transferring data to/from a recording medium in a data cartridge;
• wherein said drive includes a drive face plate with a first opening for receiving a data cartridge;
• wherein said first opening has a first opening length and a first opening width that are only slightly greater than the cartridge length and the cartridge width;
• a transport assembly for moving a data cartridge between said data cartridge holder and said drive;
• wherein said transport assembly may not be able to position a data cartridge with enough precision for insertion into said first opening of said drive;
• a face plate extension for facilitating the positioning of a data cartridge for insertion into said first opening of said drive by said transport assembly;
• wherein said face plate extension includes a second opening, a third opening and a guide structure for correcting misalignments of a data cartridge during insertion of a data cartridge into said drive that is located between said second opening and said third opening;
• wherein said second opening of said face plate extension has second opening length and second opening width that are substantially equal to the first opening length and the first opening width;
• wherein said third opening of said face plate extension has a third opening length and a third opening width with one of the third opening length and third opening width being substantially equal to said first opening length and said first opening width of said drive.