Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080273261 | MEDIA CARTRIDGE STORAGE DEVICE FOR AN AUTOLOADING DATA STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM - A cartridge storage device for a data storage and retrieval system according to one embodiment comprises a housing having a front and a back positioned on opposite ends of the housing; a plurality of cells in the housing, each cell adapted for receiving a media cartridge; and a drive mechanism for selectively driving the cells towards a front opening in the front of the housing, the front opening allowing insertion and retrieval of the cartridges from the cells. | 11-06-2008 |
20090040653 | VARIABLE SPRING-FORCE MECHANISM FOR ADVANCING TAPE MEDIA CARTRIDGES IN A DEEP SLOT CELL - An apparatus to generate a spring force increasing in accordance with a quantity of tape media cartridges stored in a deep slot cell. The apparatus may include a deep slot cell, a biasing element including a torsion spring, and an advancement element. The deep slot cell may store one or more cartridges. The biasing element may generate a spring force toward the front of the deep slot cell such that the spring force generated increases in accordance with a number of cartridges stored in the cell. The advancement element may be positioned to apply the spring force to the cartridges, thereby advancing the cartridges toward the front of the deep slot cell. | 02-12-2009 |
20090213490 | PASS-THROUGH MECHANISM FOR LINEAR TAPE LIBRARY - A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string. | 08-27-2009 |
20100027209 | STORAGE SLOT FOR PORTABLE DATA STORAGE CARTRIDGES - A storage slot for multiple data storage cartridges, comprising a planar member having a first end, a second end, a side interconnecting the first end and the second end, and a gate moveably connected to the side at the first end of the planar member, wherein the gate can be moved between a closed position and an open position. The storage slot farther comprises a secondary catch moveably disposed between the first end and the second end. When the gate is disposed in a closed position, the secondary catch is disposed in a retracted orientation, and when the gate is disposed in an open position, the secondary catch is disposed in an extended orientation. | 02-04-2010 |
20100053803 | BREADTH SPREADING PLACEMENT OF DATA STORAGE CARTRIDGES IN MULTI-CARTRIDGE DEEP SLOT CELLS OF AN AUTOMATED DATA STORAGE LIBRARY - In an automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear, and having accessor(s) configured to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport data storage cartridges with respect to the multi-cartridge deep slot cells and with respect to other elements of the automated data storage library; filling at least the frontmost tier of vacant at least selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells in the selectively extracting, placing and transporting step in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, while leaving other tiers vacant. If the frontmost tier is full, a data storage cartridge is placed into the one of the selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells having the factored greatest number of tiers available to place a data storage cartridge. | 03-04-2010 |
20100053880 | DEPTH SPREADING PLACEMENT OF DATA STORAGE CARTRIDGES IN MULTI-CARTRIDGE DEEP SLOT CELLS OF AN AUTOMATED DATA STORAGE LIBRARY - In an automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear, and having accessor(s) configured to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells and with respect to other elements of the library. If all tiers of the selected cells except the rearmost tier are full, added cartridges are placed to fill the rearmost tier of an evenly spread selection of the cells. | 03-04-2010 |
20100058374 | PLACEMENT OF DATA STORAGE CARTRIDGES IN SINGLE CARTRIDGE SLOTS AND IN MULTI-CARTRIDGE DEEP SLOT CELLS OF AN AUTOMATED DATA STORAGE LIBRARY - In an automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear; having a plurality of single cartridge storage slots; and having accessor(s) configured to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport data storage cartridges with respect to the multi-cartridge deep slot cells and the storage slots, and with respect to other elements of the automated data storage library; and, if a data storage cartridge is recently used by and is to be demounted from a selected other element of the automated data storage library: first, extracting another data storage cartridge from the storage slots, vacating one of the storage slots; and second, extracting, transporting and placing the demounted data storage cartridge in the vacated storage slot. | 03-04-2010 |
20110224823 | PASS-THROUGH MECHANISM FOR LINEAR TAPE LIBRARY - A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string. | 09-15-2011 |
20120082533 | CELL ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION CARRIAGE - A carriage with a cell carrier engages and retains a vertically driven cell so that the cell and its contents, such as a data storage cartridge, may be moved laterally from one linear library to another. A portal engagement device of the cell carrier includes a movable rack so that a pinion of the cell may move up or down the rack, and has pins that, when the device is down, engage a library vertical portal having a fixed rack. A cam state machine of the cell carrier guides a spring loaded cam follower hook of the cell in a pattern to lock the hook in position and, when hooked, attempted downward movement of the vertically driven cell moves the portal engagement device upward to disengage the pins of the portal engagement device from the vertical portal. The carriage may then transport the cell to another vertical portal. | 04-05-2012 |
20120148379 | PASS-THROUGH MECHANISM FOR LINEAR TAPE LIBRARY - A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string. | 06-14-2012 |
20120236434 | BREADTH SPREADING PLACEMENT OF DATA STORAGE CARTRIDGES IN MULTI-CARTRIDGE DEEP SLOT CELLS OF AN AUTOMATED DATA STORAGE LIBRARY - An automated data storage library having a plurality of multi-cartridge deep slot cells, each configured to store a plurality of data storage cartridges arranged in sequential order of tiers from front to rear, and having accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the cells; operating the accessor(s) to selectively extract, place and transport cartridges with respect to the multi-cartridge deep slot cells and with respect to other elements of the automated data storage library; filling at least the frontmost tier of vacant at least selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells in the selectively extracting, placing and transporting step in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, while leaving other tiers vacant. If the frontmost tier is full, a cartridge is placed into the one of the selected multi-cartridge deep slot cells having the factored greatest number of tiers available to place a cartridge. | 09-20-2012 |
20120259453 | PASS-THROUGH MECHANISM FOR LINEAR TAPE LIBRARY - A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string. | 10-11-2012 |
20120259454 | PASS-THROUGH MECHANISM FOR LINEAR TAPE LIBRARY - A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string. | 10-11-2012 |
20120265334 | PASS-THROUGH MECHANISM FOR LINEAR TAPE LIBRARY - A pass-through mechanism that couples a first linear tape library string to a second linear tape library string is maintained. A first robotic assembly associated with the first linear tape library string places a tape from the first linear tape library string into the pass-through mechanism. The pass-through mechanism moves the tape to a position where the tape can be removed by a second robotic assembly associated with the second linear tape library string. The second robotic assembly removes the tape from the pass-through mechanism and places the tape into the second linear tape library string. | 10-18-2012 |