Patents by Inventor DAVID J. ALTKNECHT

DAVID J. ALTKNECHT has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10658001
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a system comprising a motor and a disc selector mechanism. The disc selector mechanism is coupled to a bottom of a guide cage and maintained in a space below the cage. The disc selector mechanism comprises a shaft, transmission components, and a slide assembly that is laterally slidable along the shaft in response to the motor driving the transmission components. The slide assembly comprises a slide coupled to the shaft, a pivot bar coupled to the slide, and pick blades pivotally coupled to the pivot bar. A linear motion of the slide assembly along the shaft drives a linear translation of the pivot bar. The linear translation drives a pick blade of the slide assembly to move towards a side of the cage and out of the space and to pivot to a raised position to contact and lift a disc upwards into a disc gripper device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer
  • Patent number: 10600441
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a motor configured to drive a driving element within a housing. A pivoting element on a shaft is connected to the housing. The pivoting element is connected to a moveable jaw device and configured to force the moveable jaw device at any given moment towards or away from a face of a storage disc, as the pivoting element pivots about a first axis. A fixed jaw device is connected to the housing. The moveable jaw device and the fixed jaw device form a gripper device configured to clamp a particular portion of opposite first and second surfaces of a storage disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer
  • Patent number: 10580451
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion. The curved portion includes multiple ribs that define multiple disc slots. The disc slots are configured to hold multiple discs that are spaced apart by the ribs. The disc cassette further includes multiple index features positioned on an inside edge of the curved portion. The index features are configured to allow alignment of a kicker device of a disc retrieval unit (DRU) to a disc of the disc cassette to lift the disc into a disc gripper device without disturbing one or more other discs of the disc cassette that are adjacent to the disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 10546608
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a system comprising a motor and a disc selector mechanism. The disc selector mechanism is coupled to a bottom of a guide cage and maintained in a space below the cage. The disc selector mechanism comprises a shaft, transmission components, and a slide assembly that is laterally slidable along the shaft in response to the motor driving the transmission components. The slide assembly comprises a slide coupled to the shaft, a pivot bar coupled to the slide, and pick blades pivotally coupled to the pivot bar. A linear motion of the slide assembly along the shaft drives a linear translation of the pivot bar. The linear translation drives a pick blade of the slide assembly to move towards a side of the cage and out of the space and to pivot to a raised position to contact and lift a disc upwards into a disc gripper device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer
  • Publication number: 20190325911
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette except when rotated off the discs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 24, 2019
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 10438629
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. The disc cassette further includes a bottom side including track connectors configured to position the disc cassette relative to one or more track portions that hold the disc cassette in place. The disc cassette is slideable along the one or more track portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Publication number: 20190130939
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette except when rotated off the discs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 10242705
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette except when rotated off the discs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 10186295
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first jaw device, a second jaw device, and a disc sensor configured to sense presence of a storage disc between the first jaw device and the second jaw device. The first jaw device and the second jaw device form a gripper device configured to clamp a particular portion of a storage disc including an arc segment along an outer edge of adjacent surfaces of the storage disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 10127941
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to enable loading and/or unloading of a storage drive. The body has a first end, a second end, and a path extending from the first end to the second end. The body is configured to receive the computer readable storage device and maintain the computer readable storage device in a first position. The body is configured to passively change orientation from a first orientation to a second orientation responsive to contact from the computer readable storage device. The first orientation maintains the first position of the computer readable storage drive and the second orientation facilitates traversal of the computer readable storage device along the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler
  • Publication number: 20180294009
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to enable loading and/or unloading of a storage drive. The body has a first end, a second end, and a path extending from the first end to the second end. The body is configured to receive the computer readable storage device and maintain the computer readable storage device in a first position. The body is configured to passively change orientation from a first orientation to a second orientation responsive to contact from the computer readable storage device. The first orientation maintains the first position of the computer readable storage drive and the second orientation facilitates traversal of the computer readable storage device along the path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Publication date: October 11, 2018
    Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler
  • Publication number: 20180211691
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette except when rotated off the discs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 9984722
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 9741390
    Abstract: An optical disc drive includes a spindle connected to an optical assembly. A disc clamp device is configured to hold an optical disc on the spindle. A contiguous opening on at least two adjacent sides in a plane of a disc mount position intersect at a common corner of the optical disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 9741389
    Abstract: An apparatus includes one or more disc media cassettes configured to store multiple disc-based media. Multiple disc drives are configured to read and write data to the multiple disc-based media. A robotic delivery device is configured to transport a selected disc-based media to and from at least one disc drive of the multiple disc drives, and to transport the selected disc-based media directly to a spindle on the at least one disc drive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170232619
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a first jaw device, a second jaw device, and a disc sensor configured to sense presence of a storage disc between the first jaw device and the second jaw device. The first jaw device and the second jaw device form a gripper device configured to clamp a particular portion of a storage disc including an arc segment along an outer edge of adjacent surfaces of the storage disc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170236544
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Publication number: 20170236545
    Abstract: An apparatus includes one or more disc media cassettes configured to store multiple disc-based media. Multiple disc drives are configured to read and write data to the multiple disc-based media. A robotic delivery device is configured to transport a selected disc-based media to and from at least one disc drive of the multiple disc drives, and to transport the selected disc-based media directly to a spindle on the at least one disc drive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 9672863
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a motor configured to drive a driving element within a housing. A caliper is connected to the housing and configured to force a first jaw device toward a second jaw device based on movement of the driving element. A disc sensor is configured to sense presence of a storage disc and to limit insertion travel of a storage disc between the first jaw device and the second jaw device. The first jaw device and the second jaw device form a gripper device configured to clamp a particular portion of a storage disc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, John S. Best, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith
  • Patent number: 9633686
    Abstract: A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs and a platform portion abuts the curved portion. The platform portion and the curved portion each include multiple rib pairs configured to separate adjacent discs from touching one another, and to form a disc slot between each rib pair. Disc slots of the platform portion of the disc cassette are configured to provide a guide for disc removal from the disc cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Altknecht, Donald S. Bethune, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Steven R. Hetzler, Drew B. Lawson, Daniel F. Smith