Recording media storage apparatus and technique
AssigneeIDN Inventions and Development of Novelties AG
InventorPeter Ackeret
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a container for use in the storage of recording media, the container comprising a housing and at least one transport slider which receives the recording media and which is movable in the housing between an inserted and a recording media removal position, the transport slider is locked against the bias of an ejection spring by cooperating coupling and cam members. Unlocking is accomplished by moving the transport slider in the insertion direction from the locked position while locking is accomplished by moving the transport slider in the insertion direction until resistance to further insertion is encountered. The locking mechanism does not employ any spring elements which are in a stressed condition in either the locked or unlocked positions.
Claims36
Recording media storage apparatus comprising:
- housing means;
- transport slider means for accommodating recording media, said slider means being movable along a linear path for conveying the recording media from a storage position in which it is completely enclosed in said housing means and a removal position in which it is accessible for removal from said slider means;
- spring means for biasing said transport slider means toward the removal position;
- and
- locking means for retaining said transport slider means in the storage position against the bias of said spring means, said locking means including cooperating locking elements on said housing means and said slider means which are responsive to movement of said slider means in a first direction to alternately lock and unlock said locking means, said locking elements comprising:
- at least first coupling means, said coupling means including a first movable coupling member, said coupling member being supported along the path of movement of said transport slider means;
- and
- cam means, said cam means being supported in the direction of movement of said transport slider means and cooperating with said coupling means coupling member to establish a locked position of said transport slider means, said coupling member and cam means being movable relative to one another and being urged together in a second direction opposite to said first direction of motion of said slider means by said spring means when said locking means is in the locked position, said cam means being shaped to cause disengagement of said coupling means and said cam means upon movement of said transport slider means in said first direction when said locking means is in the locked condition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.