Optical storage and retrieval device

A mechanism for manipulating video disk cartridges comprising:

• a frame supporting first and second slots into which one of said cartridges can be removably inserted;
• a rotatable carriage means for holding said cartridge during transportation, and for orienting one of said cartridges to correspond to the orientation of said first and second slots, respectively, by rotating said cartridge about a first axis about which said carriage means rotates;
• an extension and retraction mechanism in said carriage means, comprising:
• a retractably extendable engaging means for releasably engaging an aperture in one of said cartridges when said one of said cartridges is in said first slot, in order to slideably retract said cartridge into said carriage;
• and
• a retractably extendable pushing means for slideably pushing said one of said cartridges from said carriage into one of said slots when said carriage is aligned with the position and orientation of the slot into which said one of said cartridges is to be pushed;
• a slot full indicator in at least one of said slots to indicate when a cartridge is placed in said slot, said slot full sensor being activated by inserting said cartridge into said slot a predetermined distance, said slot full sensor comprising:
• a slideably supported member having a first projection which extends into said slot so as to contact said cartridge when said cartridge is inserted into said slot a predetermined distance, and having a second projection which is resiliently urged into a position whereby said second projection is sensed from said carriage by said sensor, said cartridge slideably urging said member into a position whereby said second projection is not sensed from said carriage by said sensor in order to indicate whether a cartridge is present in said slot.

A mechanism for manipulating video disk cartridges comprising:

• a frame supporting first and second slots into which one of said cartridges can be removably inserted;
• a rotatable carriage means for holding said cartridge during transportation, and for orienting one of said cartridges to correspond to the orientation of said first and second slots, respectively, by rotating said cartridge about a first axis about which said carriage means rotates;
• an extension and retraction mechanism in said carriage means, comprising:
• a retractably extendable engaging means for releasably engaging an aperture in one of said cartridges when said one of said cartridges is in said first slot, in order to slideably retract said cartridge into said carriage;
• and
• a retractably extendable pushing means for slideably pushing said one of said cartridges from said carriage into one of said slots when said carriage is aligned with the position and orientation of the slot into which said one of said cartridges is to be pushed;
• a plurality of position reference locations on said frame, each immediately adjacent one of said slots so the position of said slot is known with respect to said immediately adjacent reference location;
• at least one position sensor on said carriage, cooperating with at least one of said position reference locations to determine the position of said carriage with respect to one of said position reference locations on said frame;
• orientation indicator means on said frame for indicating a reference orientation having a known orientation with respect to the orientation of said slots;
• and
• orientation sensor means on said carriage means cooperating with said orientation indicator means to indicate the orientation of said carriage means with respect to the orientation of said slots so said carriage means can be rotated about said first axis to coincide with the orientation of said slot.