US 7,119,982 B2 · Data cartridge library operable with a multipiece magazine, drive bay, user interface, an entry/exit port, and universal electronics bay · patentgrep

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Abstract

Disclosed is a data cartridge library operable with at least one data cartridge magazine, drive bay and universal electronics bay. The data cartridge library generally comprises a frame that defines an interior space wherein a multi piece-data cartridge magazine capable of holding a plurality of data cassettes, an adjustable drive bay for holding various form factor drives accessible by an operator through an opening in the drive bay to remove or insert drives, and a transport assembly for moving and inserting one of the data cartridges from a magazine to one of the drives, via a different opening in the drive bay, for data recording purposes can reside. The library can further comprise a user interface allowing a user to communicate with the library and an entry/exit port through which a magazine can be inserted/removed. The data cartridge library can also comprise a universal electronics bay, not comprised by the frame, which is capable of holding electronics other than a power supply.

Claims71

Dependent claims

A data cartridge library comprising:

a frame that defines an interior space;
a data cartridge magazine, operatively attached to said frame and located within said interior space, for providing a plurality of data cartridge storage spaces;
a drive, operatively attached to said frame and located within said interior space, for writing data onto a recording medium located within a data cartridge and/or reading data from said recording medium located within said data cartridge;
a transport assembly, operatively attached to said frame and located within said interior space, for moving a said data cartridge between said data cartridge magazine and said drive that might be located in said drive bay, wherein said transport assembly comprises a picker that is capable of grasping said data cartridge and an elevator for moving said picker;
an entry/exit port that allows an entry/exit port magazine to be moved between an exterior space that is outside of said frame and said interior space;
wherein said entry/exit port comprises a mount to which said entry/exit port magazine can be attached and from which said entry/exit port magazine can be detached, a guide for constraining said mount to move between a first position at which a user can attach/detach said entry/exit port magazine to/from said mount and a second position at which said transport assembly is capable of inserting/removing said data cartridge into/from said entry/exit port magazine attached to said mount, a motive device for providing a motive force for moving said mount between said first and second positions, and a first stop structure that is attached to said mount and engages a second stop structure to prevent said motive device from moving said mount beyond said first position;
and a quick release that allows said first stop structure to be readily detached from said mount so that said mount can be removed from the library.

4 more elements

A data cartridge library comprising:

a frame that defines a top surface, a bottom surface that is spaced from said top surface, and a side surface that extends between said top and bottom surfaces;
wherein said top, bottom and side surfaces define an interior space;
a data cartridge magazine, located within said interior space, that is capable of holding a plurality of data cartridges;
a drive, located within said interior space, for writing data onto a recording medium located within one of said plurality of data cartridges and/or reading data from said recording medium located within one of said plurality of data cartridges;
a transport assembly, located within said interior space, for moving one of said plurality of data cartridges between said data cartridge magazine and said drive, wherein said transport assembly comprises a picker that is capable of grasping one of said plurality of data cartridges and an elevator for moving said picker within a portion of said interior space;
and a user interface that is associated with said side surface and exposed to an exterior environment;
wherein said side surface comprises a displaceable portion that is capable of being placed in:
(a) an “open” state that allows a user to access said data cartridge magazine and said drive through said interior space, and (b) a “closed” state that prevents a user from accessing said data cartridge magazine and said drive through said interior space;
wherein said displaceable portion defines an opening for said user interface;
a user-actuatable connector that allows said user to:
(a) place said displaceable portion in said “closed” state, and (b) place said displaceable portion in said “open” state;
wherein said user-actuatable connector does not constrain said displaceable portion to rotate about an axis when moving between said “closed” and “open” states.

9 more elements

A multi-piece data cartridge magazine that is suitable for use with a data cartridge library comprising:

a channel structure that defines an interior space that is capable of accommodating a plurality of data cartridges;
wherein said channel structure comprises a first side with a first side interior surface and a first side exterior surface;
wherein said channel structure comprises a second side with a second side interior surface and a second side exterior surface;
wherein said second side is separated from said first side;
wherein said channel structure comprises a back side with a back side interior surface and a back side exterior surface;
wherein said back side extends between said first and second sides;
wherein said first side interior surface, said second side interior surface, and said back side interior surface define said interior space;
wherein said first and second sides define at least a portion of an opening for the insertion/extraction of one of said data cartridges into/from said interior space;
said channel structure comprising:
a first channel structure that forms at least a portion of said back side;
a second channel structure that forms at least a first portion of said first side and at least a second portion of said second side;
and a coupler for connecting said first and second channel structures wherein said coupler comprises:
a first coupler element associated with said first channel structure;
and a second coupler element associated with said second channel structure and capable of engaging said first coupler element.

11 more elements

A data cartridge library comprising:

a frame that defines an interior space;
a data cartridge magazine, located within said interior space, that is capable of holding a plurality of data cartridges;
a drive bay, located within said interior space, capable of accommodating a plurality of full-height drives and half-height drives wherein two half-height drives is substantially dimensionally equivalent to one full-height drive;
a transport assembly, located within said interior space, for moving a one of said plurality of data cartridges between said data cartridge magazine and a one of said drives that might be located in said drive bay, wherein said transport assembly comprises a picker that is capable of grasping one of said plurality of data cartridges and an elevator for moving said picker;
wherein said drive bay defines a first drive space that extends between a first drive space first opening and a first drive space second opening and is capable of accommodating a first full-height drive;
wherein said drive bay defines a second drive space that extends between a second drive space first opening and a second drive space second openings and is capable of accommodating a second full-height drive;
wherein said first drive space first opening allows said transport assembly to insert/retract one of said plurality of data cartridges into/from one of said drives that is located in said first drive space;
wherein said first drive space second opening allows a user to install/remove one of said drives into/from said first drive space;
wherein said second drive space first opening allows said transport assembly to insert/retract one of said plurality of data cartridges into/from one of said drives that is located in said second drive space;
wherein said second drive space second opening allows said user to install/remove one of said drives into/from said second drive space;
wherein said drive bay comprises a partition mount for supporting a partition that divides said first drive space into first and second half-height drive spaces that are each capable of accommodating one of said half-height drives.

8 more elements

A data cartridge library comprising:

a frame that defines an interior space;
data cartridge space, located within said interior space, for providing data cartridge storage locations for at least two data cartridges;
drive space, located within said interior space, for providing drive locations for at least two drives;
transport assembly space, located within said interior space, for operationally accommodating a picker and an elevator capable of moving one of said data cartridges between any of said data cartridge storage locations in said data cartridge space and any of said drive locations in said drive space;
power supply space, located within said interior space, for accommodating power supplies;
circuitry space, located within said interior space, for accommodating circuitry for distributing power and controlling said transport assembly;
and a universal bay, located within said interior space, that defines a universal space that is capable of accommodating electronic circuitry other than said electronic circuitry that is located in said circuitry space and that does not comprise said frame, said data cartridge space, said drive space, said transport assembly space, said power supply space or said circuitry space.

4 more elements

A data cartridge library comprising:

a frame that defines an interior space;
a data cartridge magazine, operatively attached to said frame and located within said interior space, for providing a plurality of data cartridge storage spaces;
a drive, operatively attached to said frame and located within said interior space, for writing data onto a recording medium located within a data cartridge and/or reading data from said recording medium located within said data cartridge;
a picker that is capable of grasping said data cartridge, releasing said grasped data cartridge, inserting said grasped data cartridge into a one of said data cartridge storage spaces in said data cartridge magazine, inserting said grasped data cartridge into said drive, retracting said grasped data cartridge from one of said data cartridge storage spaces in said data cartridge magazine, and retracting said grasped data cartridge from said drive;
and an elevator for moving said picker such that said picker can perform grasping, retracting and inserting operations in the moving of said data cartridge between any one of said data cartridge storage spaces and said drive;
and wherein said elevator comprises:
an electric motor;
an elevator carriage have a first end and a second end that is separated from said first end;
a first drive system for applying a force to said first end of said elevator carriage;
a second drive system for applying a force to said second end of said elevator carriage;
and a shaft for transferring a force from said first drive system to said second drive system.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.