Mail slot data cartridge exchange system for use with a data storage system

A mail slot data cartridge exchange system for a data storage system, comprising:

• a drawer mounted to the data storage system so that said drawer can be moved between a retracted position and an extended position, said drawer being sized to hold at least one data cartridge;
• a drawer stop index member operatively associated with said drawer so that movement of said drawer stop index member corresponds to movement of said drawer;
• and
• lock apparatus mounted to said data storage system, said lock apparatus being switchable between a locked state and an unlocked state, said lock apparatus engaging said drawer stop index member when said lock apparatus is in the locked state and when said drawer is in a regulated extended position, said regulated extended position corresponding to a position of said drawer stop index member.

A mail slot data cartridge exchange system for a data storage system, comprising:

• drawer means mounted to the data storage system so that said drawer means can be moved between a retracted position and an extended position;
• cartridge magazine means for holding at least one data cartridge, said cartridge magazine means being sized to be removably received by said drawer means, at least a portion of said cartridge magazine means being exposed when said drawer means is in the extended position to allow a system operator to access said cartridge magazine means when said drawer means in the extend position;
• drawer stop index member means operatively associated with said drawer means so that movement of said drawer stop index member means corresponds to movement of said drawer means;
• and
• lock means mounted to said data storage system for engaging said drawer stop index member means when said lock means is in a locked state and when said drawer means is in a regulated extended position, said regulated extended position corresponding to a position of said drawer stop index member means.

Drawer extension regulator apparatus for regulating a location of an extended position of a drawer mounted to a chassis, comprising:

• a plurality of drawer stop index members operatively associated with the drawer so that said plurality of drawer stop index members move with the drawer as the drawer is extended from the chassis, each of said plurality of drawer stop index members corresponding to a discrete drawer extension position;
• a lock member mounted to the chassis, said lock member being moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, said lock member engaging at least one of said plurality of drawer stop index members when said lock member is in the locked position;
• an actuator operatively associated with said lock member, said actuator moving said lock member between the locked position and the unlocked position;
• and
• a drawer position sensor operatively associated with the drawer and said actuator, said drawer position sensor sensing a position of the drawer with respect to the chassis.

A mail slot data cartridge exchange system for a data storage system, comprising:

• a drawer mounted to the data storage system so that said drawer can be moved between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions;
• a plurality of drawer stop index members mounted to said drawer, each of said plurality of drawer stop index members corresponding to a discrete drawer extension position of the plurality of extended positions;
• a lock member mounted to the data storage system, said lock member being moveable between a locked position and an unlocked position, so that when said lock member is in the locked position, said lock member engages at least one of said plurality of drawer stop index members to prevent said drawer from being further extended while at the same time allowing said drawer to be moved to the retracted position;
• an actuator operatively associated with said lock member, said actuator moving said lock member between the locked position and the unlocked position;
• and
• a drawer position sensor operatively associated with the drawer and said actuator, said drawer position sensor sensing a position of the drawer with respect to the retracted position.

A method for accessing at least one data cartridge contained in a data storage system, comprising:

• providing the data storage system with a drawer sized to receive at least one data cartridge, the drawer being moveable between a retracted position and a plurality of extended positions;
• providing the drawer with a drawer extension regulator apparatus, the drawer extension regulator apparatus allowing the drawer to be extended to a selected one of the plurality of extended positions;
• extending the drawer from the retracted position;
• actuating the drawer extension regulator apparatus to stop the extension of the drawer when the drawer has been extended to a selected one of the plurality of extended positions;
• and
• returning the drawer to the retracted position without further actuating the drawer extension regulator apparatus.