Gravity feed data storage library having magnetic picker

A magnetic picker apparatus for storing and retrieving data storage elements to and from a cartridge storage apparatus, said data storage elements being maintained within said cartridge storage apparatus by a roller gate on said cartridge storage apparatus, said data storage elements having a magnetically attractable portion, said magnetic picker apparatus comprising:

• a coil carriage;
• first and second electromagnetic coils mounted on said coil carriage;
• means for energizing said first and second electromagnetic coils;
• means, responsive to said first electromagnetic coil being energized, for raising said roller gate to release said data storage element from said cartridge storage apparatus, said means for raising said roller gate including an L-shaped roller gate flipper having a magnetically attractable vertical and a horizontal leg and being mounted such that said vertical leg is positioned adjacent to said first electromagnetic coil, said second electromagnetic coil is positioned to attract one of said data storage elements and said first electromagnetic coil is positioned to attract said vertical leg of said L-shaped roller gate flipper;
• and
• said second electromagnetic coil, upon being energized, for magnetically attracting one of said data storage elements for the purpose of withdrawing said data storage element from said cartridge storage apparatus.

A method for unloading a data storage element from a storage compartment having a low friction sliding plane, first and second cartridge library sides and a roller gate disposed above said sliding plane on said storage compartment, said roller gate retaining said data storage element in said storage compartment, said data storage element having a magnetically attractable portion, the method including the steps of:

• providing a carriage sleeve for holding and transporting a data storage element;
• providing a picker assembly having first and second electromagnetic coils and a roller gate flipper activated by said second electromagnetic coil;
• moving said picker assembly forward in said carriage sleeve and toward said data storage element;
• energizing said first electromagnetic coil to magnetically attract said data storage element;
• energizing said second electromagnetic coil to activate said roller gate flipper to raise said roller gate and release said data storage element to permit removal of said data storage element;
• and
• upon removal of said data storage element, deenergizing said second electromagnetic coil to lower said roller gate from a raised second position to a lowered first position solely under the force of gravity.

An automated storage library for storing and retrieving computer data storage elements comprising:

• one or more drive units capable of reading data from said data storage elements;
• a plurality of storage compartments for holding said data storage elements;
• each one of said storage compartments further comprising a low friction sliding plane having a rear end and a forward end and a roller gate disposed above said sliding plane and in close proximity to said forward end of said sliding plane, said roller gate retaining one of said data storage elements in one of said storage compartments;
• and
• a picker mechanism, said picker mechanism further including a coil carriage, a roller gate flipper having a magnetically attractable portion, and a first electromagnetic coil and an energy source for energizing said first electromagnetic coil, energization of the first electromagnetic coil causing the roller gate flipper to raise the roller gate from a first position retaining one of said data storage elements in one of said storage compartments to a second position not retaining said one of said data storage elements in said one of said storage compartments, subsequent de-energization of the first electromagnetic coil causing said roller gate to lower from the second position to the first position solely under the force of gravity.

An automated storage library for storing and retrieving computer data storage elements, said data storage elements having a magnetically attractable portion, the automated storage library comprising:

• one or more drive units capable of reading data from said data storage elements;
• a plurality of storage compartments for holding said data storage elements;
• each one of said storage compartments further comprising a low friction sliding plane having a rear end and a forward end and a roller gate disposed above said sliding plane and in close proximity to said forward end of said sliding plane, said roller gate retaining one of said data storage elements in one of said storage compartments;
• and
• a picker mechanism, said picker mechanism further including a coil carriage, an L-shaped roller gate flipper and first and second electromagnetic coils and an energy source for energizing said first and second electromagnetic coils, said L-shaped roller gate flipper having a magnetically attractable vertical and a horizontal leg and being mounted such that said vertical leg is positioned adjacent to said first electromagnetic coil, said second electromagnetic coil is positioned to attract one of said data storage elements and said first electromagnetic coil is positioned to attract said vertical leg of said L-shaped roller gate flipper, energization of the first electromagnetic coil causing the roller gate flipper to raise the roller gate from a first position retaining one of said data storage elements in one of said storage compartments to a second position not retaining said one of said data storage elements in said one of said storage compartments.

A method for unloading a data storage element from a storage compartment having a low friction sliding plane, first and second cartridge library sides and a roller gate disposed above said sliding plane on said storage compartment, said roller gate retaining said data storage element in said storage compartment, said data storage element having a magnetically attractable portion, the method including the steps of:

• providing a carriage sleeve for holding and transporting a data storage element;
• providing a picker assembly having first and second electromagnetic coils and an L-shaped roller gate flipper, said L-shaped roller gate flipper having a magnetically attractable vertical and horizontal leg and being mounted such that said vertical leg is positioned adjacent to said second electromagnetic coil, said first electromagnetic coil is positioned to attract said data storage element and said second electromagnetic coil is positioned to attract said vertical leg of said L-shaped roller gate flipper;
• moving said picker assembly forward in said carriage sleeve and toward said data storage element;
• energizing said first electromagnetic coil to magnetically attract said data storage element;
• and
• energizing said second electromagnetic coil to activate said roller gate flipper to raise said roller gate and release said data storage element.