Horizontally oriented autoloader for data storage cartridges
US5995320A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 3, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 30, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 3, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11B17/221
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
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.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.