Loader mechanism for tape cartridge systems
AssigneeWangDAT, Inc.
InventorsPhilip S. Bryer, James V. Tierney, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A data transfer system using cassettes with a tape drive is configured with a number of removable cassettes stored in front to rear alignment adjacent one side (e.g. the bottom) of the tape drive. Cassettes in a removable cassette tray in a magazine are disposed in two levels, and shifted between entry and exit regions of the cassette tray after each successive cassette is derived from the tape drive and a new one is supplied. A transporter moves the individual cassette between the cassette tray and the tape drive. Advantageously, this system is configured to fit into the form factor of a standard height enclosure, with a high density DAT format tape drive occupying the upper half and the cassette tray and magazine occupying the lower half.
Claims41
A data storage system, comprising:
- a tape drive having a front loading entrance for receiving a tape cassette, the tape drive being mounted within an enclosure substantially defining a standard peripheral form factor, wherein the enclosure comprises a single cassette loading entrance in line with the front loading entrance of the tape drive, the system further comprising means for accepting a cassette through the single cassette loading entrance, and means for loading the accepted cassette into the front loading entrance of the tape drive;
- a horizontally-oriented magazine removably disposed within the enclosure in a position adjacent the tape drive for storing a plurality of tape cassettes, wherein the cassettes reside on their broad faces therein to maintain a low profile;
- and
- means, adjacent both the magazine and the tape drive, for transporting cassettes between the tape drive and the magazine.
A system for storing data on a plurality of tape cassettes, comprising:
- a frame defining a standard peripheral form factor;
- a tape drive disposed within the frame and occupying a predetermined portion of the standard peripheral form factor;
- and
- a cassette magazine, disposed within the frame adjacent the tape drive and occupying a different portion of the standard peripheral form factor, for storing the cassettes;
- and
- means for interchanging the cassettes between the cassette magazine and the tape drive.
A system for supplying cassettes to a tape drive, comprising:
- a housing disposed within a receiving volume of a standard-size computer peripheral device, wherein the tape drive is disposed within a first portion of the housing;
- a magazine, removably disposed within a second portion of the housing adjacent the tape drive, for storing the cassettes;
- and
- means for interchanging cassettes between the magazine and the tape drive.
A data storage system, comprising:
- an enclosure having a given volumetric format of a standard-size peripheral device;
- a tape drive, disposed within the enclosure, for recording data on a tape cassette, the tape drive having a front loading entrance for receiving the tape cassette along a front to rear axis of the enclosure;
- a horizontally-oriented magazine for storing a plurality of tape cassettes, wherein the cassettes reside on their broad faces therein to maintain a low profile, the magazine being disposed within the enclosure in a position adjacent the tape drive and substantially parallel to the front to rear axis of the enclosure;
- and
- means, adjacent the front loading entrance of the tape drive and spanning a distance to the magazine, for transporting cassettes between the tape drive and the magazine.
A system for transferring data utilizing a plurality of tape cassettes, comprising:
- a DAT type tape drive, disposed within an enclosure for recording data on the cassettes;
- a magazine, removably disposed within the enclosure adjacent the tape drive, wherein the cassettes, each having a broad and a narrow surface, are positioned within the magazine so that the broad surface of each cassette forms a plane parallel to the front to rear axis of the enclosure and the narrow surface forms a plane perpendicular therewith;
- and
- means, disposed adjacent the tape drive and the magazine, for transferring cassettes between the tape drive and the magazine.
A data storage system utilizing a plurality of tape cassettes, comprising:
- a tape drive having a front loading entrance for accepting an individual cassette and recording data thereon;
- and
- cassette handling means, mounted adjacent the tape drive, for interchanging cassettes therewith, wherein the cassettes are arranged in rows in a removable magazine along a horizontal axis, each row containing a plurality of cassettes, each cassette having a broad and a narrow surface, wherein the cassettes are juxtaposed narrow surface to narrow surface in the rows.
A system for enabling a tape drive to effect data transfer with a plurality of cassettes, comprising:
- an enclosure wherein the tape drive is mounted in a portion of the enclosure and having a loading aperture for receiving the cassettes along a first horizontal axis, wherein the enclosure further comprises a cassette loading entrance coplanar with the loading aperture of the tape drive;
- means for loading a cassette through the cassette loading entrance of the enclosure into the loading aperture of the tape drive;
- cassette holding means, mounted in a different portion of the enclosure from the tape drive, for storing cassettes spaced along a second horizontal axis parallel to the first horizontal axis;
- and
- means for transferring cassettes between the loading aperture of the tape drive and the cassette holding means along a third vertical axis perpendicular to the first horizontal axis and the second horizontal axis.
A magazine for storing tape cassettes, comprising:
- a rectangular magazine frame having an open front end and means defining an aperture in a side region and an aperture in a rear region thereof;
- and
- a rectangular cassette tray disposed within the magazine frame and including a divider therein that separates the tray into adjacent and parallel cassette paths, the divider being interrupted in a region adjacent the side region aperture in the magazine frame, and the tray including a rear wall aperture in the region adjacent the rear region aperture in the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.