Movable flexible ribbon cable and support band assembly

A robotic media storage library comprising:

• an elongated framework modularized along a horizontally extending length and having a wall of receptacles for containing media units and at least one media drive;
• a track along said wail and an electrically powered accessor for riding on the track, the accessor being capable of transporting media units between receptacles and/or said drive;
• at least one elongated flexible ribbon cable having a first end fixed in relationship to the framework for receiving electrical power and a second end which is fixed to the accessor and is movable therewith for delivering said electrical power to the accessor,
• the flexible ribbon cable being curved along its length to form a loop between said first and second ends and having first and second length portions which extend from the loop;
• the elongated framework having first and second ends along a horizontally extending length of the framework and being divided into a plurality of separated modules along its length;
• and
• the first end of the flexible ribbon cable being fixedly connected with respect to the framework intermediate said first and second ends of the framework.

A movable flexible ribbon cable support band assembly for a robotic media storage library wherein the library has a vertical wall of receptacles for containing media, a track and an electrically powered accessor movable horizontally along the track for accessing the media, the assembly comprising:

• at least one flexible ribbon cable having a first end, which is adapted to be fixedly connected to the library at a location along said track for receiving electrical power and a second end which is adapted to be connected to said accessor for delivering power to the accessor;
• an elongated support band having a first end which is adapted to be fixedly connected to the library at said location along said track, and a second end which is adapted to be connected to said accessor;
• the flexible ribbon cable and the support band being substantially coextensive and substantially engaging one another along their lengths;
• each of the flexible ribbon cable and the support band having a cross section, as seen perpendicularly across its respective length, which is cupped with one of the flexible ribbon cable and the support band being cupped in a complementary fashion within the other one of the flexible ribbon cable and the support band;
• and
• the flexible ribbon cable and the support band adapted to be curved along their lengths to form a loop between said location and the accessor, each of the flexible ribbon cable and the support band having first and second length portions which extend horizontally from a respective loop.