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US 5,995,320 AGranted
Horizontally oriented autoloader for data storage cartridges
AssigneeStorage Technology Corporation
InventorTimothy C . Ostwald
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AssigneeStorage Technology Corporation
InventorTimothy C . Ostwald
Estimating the term…
The horizontally oriented autoloader for data storage cartridges orients the data storage cartridges in a horizontally oriented loading bin, and occupies a vertical space consistent with the vertical dimensions of the associated cartridge drive. These features of the present autoloader thereby enable multiple autoloader equipped cartridge drives to be mounted in a vertical stack. This increases the effective utilization of the computer center floor space. In addition, the bookshelf design of the autoloader trays allows for easier loading and unloading of cartridges, with the data storage cartridges being maintained in the same order and orientation as they were in the manual storage racks from which they were removed. The horizontal data storage cartridge movement mechanism is spring loaded to attain higher performance without motor drive. Furthermore, smaller motors are used in the data storage loading mechanism than in the vertically oriented autoloader systems to implement the necessary autoloader functions while consuming less power.
An autoloader apparatus for automatically loading data storage cartridges into an associated cartridge drive via a cartridge input aperture formed in said cartridge drive, comprising:
A method of operating an autoloader apparatus that automatically loads data storage cartridges into an associated cartridge drive via a cartridge input aperture formed in said cartridge drive, wherein said autoloader apparatus comprises a cartridge loading mechanism fixably mounted juxtaposed to said cartridge input aperture, having a first side and a second side, for receiving a data storage cartridge via said first side for loading said data storage cartridge into said associated cartridge drive via said cartridge input aperture, said first side and said second side being located on opposite sides of said cartridge loading mechanism along a horizontal axis, said method comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.