Abstract: The present invention relates to: stabilizing a holographic disk medium against vibrations by engaging at least one of surface of a disk medium when coupled to a disk medium coupler and during recording or reading holograms to or from the disk; stabilizing the disk medium proximate the outer peripheral portion thereof, coupling and uncoupling the disk medium to and from the disk medium coupler and causing the stabilizing means to engage the disk medium when coupled to the disk medium coupler; imparting an axial offset proximate the peripheral portion to deflect a record and/or read portion of the disk medium towards a normal record and/or read plane when coupled to the disk medium coupler, and optionally stabilizing the disk medium against vibrations; and stabilizing the disk medium against vibrations when rotatably mounted on or within a data storage cartridge.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge is described. The cartridge may include a housing having a top, a bottom, a front side, a back side, a first lateral side, and a second lateral side, said housing having a first media access aperture on the top of the housing; and a data storage medium contained within the housing, the data storage medium including a disk with a top and a bottom; wherein the front side of the housing contains a first segment of reduced thickness adjacent to the first media access aperture.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge and a method of opening a data storage cartridge are provided. The cartridge includes: a storage medium; a housing having at least one media access aperture, the storage medium being provided within the housing such that at least one media access aperture exposes a surface of the storage medium; and a shutter assembly movable from a closed position to an open position. The shutter assembly includes: a cover configured to cover at least one media access aperture when the shutter assembly is in the closed position and to expose at least one media access aperture when the shutter assembly is in the open position; and a shutter cam coupled to the cover, said shutter cam including a lock assembly and a cam portion. The method includes unlocking a lock in the shutter assembly using a shutter opener; and sliding the shutter assembly into an open position using the shutter opener.

Abstract: A data drive and a method of operating a data drive are provided. The data drive includes a drive base; a data transfer mechanism coupled to the drive base; a carriage assembly for receiving a cartridge containing a data storage medium; and a carriage assembly actuator coupled to the drive base for translating the carriage assembly to expose a plurality of radial positions of the data storage medium to the data transfer mechanism. The method includes receiving a data storage cartridge containing a rotatable data storage medium into a carriage assembly; translating the carriage assembly across a data transfer mechanism; and reading data from the data storage medium using the data transfer mechanism as the carriage assembly is being translated across the data transfer mechanism.