Dual fixed-finger picker for data cartridges

Abstract

A picker for a computer information storage library. The computer information storage library includes at least one computer information drive, storage locations for data cartridges, a picker and a transport mechanism. The picker includes a sleeve for holding a cartridge and a moveable thumb. The transport mechanism provides displacement in two orthogonal dimensions for the picker. The moveable thumb provides displacement in a third dimension orthogonal to the movement of the transport mechanism. Data cartridges include two openings in a bottom surface. The thumb includes fixed fingers with bent tips that engage the openings in the bottom surface of the data cartridges. Data cartridges are removed from a drive or storage by hooking the tips of the fingers into the data cartridge openings, and then moving the thumb relative to the sleeve to pull the cartridge into the sleeve. The picker also includes a rigid thumb for pushing a data cartridge out of the sleeve and into a drive or into a storage location. In addition, data cartridge drives of interest have a cartridge alignment and spindle engagement mechanism that is activated mechanically by a handle on the front of the drive. The picker also includes a handle manipulation spring that is used to raise and lower the handle on the drive.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.