Abstract: A disk drive for a data storage cartridge includes a picker arm for opening a shutter on the cartridge, thereby exposing a data storage disk, as said cartridge is inserted into said disk drive. The picker arm is pivotable about a pin and is spring-biased to an extended position such that the picker arm points generally towards a door of said disk drive. The picker arm has a feature adapted to engage the shutter when the cartridge is inserted into said disk drive. The picker arm rotates about the pin from the extended position to a retracted position, the shutter being in an open position when engaged by the picker arm in its retracted position.

Abstract: A disk drive includes a housing, a cartridge tray, and a cam plate. The cartridge tray is adapted to hold a cartridge that includes a data storage disk. The housing has a pair of vertical cartridge tray pin slots which hold tray pins that are part of the cartridge tray. The cam plate includes a pair of cam slots formed at an oblique angle to the cartridge tray pin slots. The tray pins extend through the cam slots into the cartridge tray pin slots. Movement of the cam plate back and forth causes the tray pins and cartridge tray to move vertically between a loaded position, where data can be read from or written to the data storage disk, to an unloaded position. The use of two cartridge tray pins allows the cartridge tray to rotate about an axis defined by the tray pins, and this action assists in locating the cartridge precisely in a repeatable position, in contact with a plurality of datums, when it is fully loaded.

Abstract: A data storage cartridge is positioned in a disk drive. The cartridge is positioned in the X and Y dimensions by contact between an alignment opening in the cartridge and an XY alignment pin in the disk drive and in the theta (rotational) dimension by contact between an edge of the cartridge and a theta datum in the disk drive. The cartridge is positioned in the Z dimension by contact between the cartridge and at least three Z datums.

Abstract: Some storage library systems use servo motors to control positioning of the hand assembly for removal of an ejected cartridge from a tape drive. This and other methods of positioning the hand assembly may be inaccurate or time consuming, and may inadvertently result in pushing the cartridge too far into the tape drive. The present invention provides a storage library system including a tape drive for receiving, reading and ejecting cartridges, wherein the tape drive has a front face. A locator plate is attached to the front face. The locator plate has a stall limit surface. A robotically-movable hand assembly is operative to retrieve ejected cartridges from the tape drive. The robotically-movable hand assembly includes a stall limit feature protruding therefrom for abutting against the stall limit surface to limit movement of the hand assembly toward the tape drive to properly space the hand assembly with respect to the tape drive for removing cartridges from the tape drive.

Abstract: A compact high speed gripper assembly includes a simple design with minimal components while providing flexibility for grasping variously sized cartridges. The gripper assembly includes a frame, a rotary solenoid secured to the frame, and first and second gripper jaws movably connected to the frame for movement in opening and closing directions for gripping a cartridge. Each gripper jaw includes a cam surface formed thereon. First and second followers are driven by the rotary solenoid and engaged with the respective cam surface for actuating jaw movement.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling a cartridge having a cartridge notch formed therein in a storage library system includes a hand frame adapted for receiving cartridges and a reach carriage assembly movable along the hand frame assembly. A latch arm assembly is pivotally connected to the reach carriage assembly and includes a latch tooth thereon for selectively engaging the cartridge notch. The latch arm assembly is pivotally movable between a latching position, wherein the tooth is positioned for engagement in the notch, and a put position wherein the latch arm is positioned for pushing the cartridge out of the hand frame. Cam devices are provided for pivoting the latch arm assembly between the put position and latching position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for auditing cartridges and empty cells in a storage library system including a plurality of cells for storing cartridges and further including a robotically actuated hand assembly. A line-scan camera is secured to the hand assembly, and a visible pattern is positioned within each cell such that the visible pattern is readable by the line-scan camera when the line-scan camera is moved to a position adjacent the particular cell if the cell is empty. The visible pattern is positioned such that the presence of a cartridge within the particular cell would prevent viewing of the visible pattern within the cell by the line-scan camera. The line-scan camera is operated in a manner to search for the visible pattern within each cell for auditing numbers of cartridges and empty cells in the storage library system.

Abstract: An apparatus for latching and ejecting cartridges from a cartridge tape drive in a storage library system includes a robotically actuated hand assembly. The apparatus comprises a pin extending from the hand assembly and a rotatable lever extending from the cartridge tape drive. The rotatable lever is pivotable between a first position in which the cartridge is locked in the tape drive and a second position in which the cartridge is ejected from the tape drive. The pin is operative to engage the rotatable lever for pivoting the lever between the first and second positions when the hand assembly is robotically actuated. A visible pattern is applied to the rotatable rod and offset from the axis of rotation of the rod such that the pattern appears to move into and out of alignment with the camera target as viewed by a line-scan camera when the rod rotates between the first and second positions. Accordingly, the status of the tape drive may be easily attained.