Cartridge transfer manipulator
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorDavid Michael Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cartridge loading and unloading mechanism, and in particular, pertains to a removable media cartridge transfer manipulator for accurately positioning a cartridge into a deck tape or other removable media for the purpose of data interchange. Also provided is a method for implementing the manipulation of the cartridge.
Claims16
A cartridge transfer manipulator mechanism for loading a cartridge into and unloading from a cartridge deck, said cartridge having guide features formed on opposite sides thereof;
- comprising:
- said deck including a housing having a front aperture for the inserting therethrough of said media cartridge, said housing having sidewalls extending in close proximity to said opposite sides of the tape cartridge during insertion of said cartridge, a plurality of slots being formed in each of said housing sidewalls, and guide structure in said housing slidingly communicating with said slots for contacting said cartridge sides and/or engaging said guide features formed on the opposite sides of said cartridge so as to facilitate the accurate manipulation thereof during loading into and unloading from said deck.
A method for loading a media cartridge into and unloading from a cartridge deck, said tape cartridge having guide features formed on opposite sides thereof;
- comprising:
- inserting said cartridge into a housing of said tape deck having a front aperture for the inserting therethrough of said cartridge, said housing having sidewalls extending in close proximity to said opposite sides of the cartridge during insertion of said deck, a plurality of slots being formed in each of said housing sidewalls, and guide structure in said housing slidingly communicating with said slots for contacting said cartridge sides and/or engaging said guide features formed on the opposite sides of said cartridge so as to facilitate the accurate manipulation thereof during loading into and unloading from said deck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.