Abstract: The present invention provides loading and unloading mechanisms, and data drives for data storage cartridges. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms for a data storage cartridge may: operate in a manner such that the drive door of the data drive may be fully closed before the disk medium is exposed, e.g., before opening of the associated shutter of the cartridge; be powered by the same drive motor assembly that is used to move or transport the cartridge to the optical head assembly used for writing and/or reading of data from the disk medium of the cartridge; and may fit within a standard configuration for a data drive. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms, as well as the data drives, may provide reliable operation, ease of assembly, and of the parts and components necessary for the reliable operation, and positive data cartridge positioning, as well as minimizing backlash in the drive motor/gear assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides loading and unloading mechanisms for data storage cartridges, drive door mechanisms for data drives, and data drives comprising such loading and unloading and/or drive door mechanisms. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms, drive door mechanisms and/or data drives, of the present invention can operate in a manner such that the drive door of the data drive is fully closed before the disk medium is exposed, e.g., before opening of the associated shutter of the cartridge. An embodiment of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanism of the present invention can be powered by the same drive motor assembly that is used to move or transport the cartridge to the optical head assembly used for writing and/or reading of data from the disk medium of the cartridge. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms and drive door mechanisms of the present invention can fit within a standard configuration for a data drive.

Abstract: Even when a tilt error is caused in a holographic memory in a direction perpendicular to a surface including optical axes of a signal beam and a reference beam, the signal beam and the reference beam are allowed to enter the holographic memory at adequate angles relative thereto at all times by suppression of the tilt error. During recording and reproducing operations, the reference incident angle of the reference beam in the radial tilt direction is detected based on a received light state. A tilt actuator for displacing the holographic memory medium in the radial tilt direction is driven to adjust an incident angle of the reference beam in the radial tilt direction to the reference angle Sr. Then, the signal beam and the reference beam are emitted to the holographic memory medium to execute the recording and reproducing operations.

Abstract: An electromechanical shutter device comprising a base member and a shutter assembly comprising: an electrical current source member; a shutter member movable between a light beam blocked position and a light beam passed position; a light beam blocking member associated with the shutter member; a shutter coil associated with the shutter member which generates an electromagnetic force when energized; at least one magnet which generates a magnet flux directed towards and intersecting the shutter coil; electrically conductive means connecting the electrical current source member to the shutter member for passing electrical current to energize the shutter coil and to control movement of the shutter member between the light beam blocked and passed positions; wherein when the shutter coil is energized, an electromagnetic force is generated that interacts with the magnetic flux to thereby cause movement of the shutter member between the light beam blocked and light beam passed positions.

Abstract: The present invention provides loading and unloading mechanisms, and data drives for data storage cartridges. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms for a data storage cartridge may: operate in a manner such that the drive door of the data drive may be fully closed before the disk medium is exposed, e.g., before opening of the associated shutter of the cartridge; be powered by the same drive motor assembly that is used to move or transport the cartridge to the optical head assembly used for writing and/or reading of data from the disk medium of the cartridge; and may fit within a standard configuration for a data drive. Embodiments of the cartridge loading and unloading mechanisms, as well as the data drives, may provide reliable operation, ease of assembly, and of the parts and components necessary for the reliable operation, and positive data cartridge positioning, as well as minimizing backlash in the drive motor/gear assembly.

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: Even when a tilt error is caused in a holographic memory in a direction perpendicular to a surface including optical axes of a signal beam and a reference beam (radial tilt direction), the signal beam and the reference beam are allowed to enter the holographic memory at adequate angles relative thereto at all times by suppression of the tilt error. A reference tilt hologram for specifying a reference incident angle of the reference beam in a radial tilt direction is recorded in advance on a holographic memory medium. During recording and reproducing operations, the reference beam is emitted to a recording position of the reference tilt hologram and the reference incident angle (reference angle Sr) of the reference beam in the radial tilt direction is detected based on a received light state. A tilt actuator (19) for displacing the holographic memory medium in the radial tilt direction is driven to adjust an incident angle of the reference beam in the radial tilt direction to the reference angle Sr.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed which are operable to determine a capacitance associated with at least one piezoelectric element in an dual actuator disk drive. The capacitance information is used to adjust a driver used to drive the piezoelectric element. Capacitance is determined by supplying a predetermined current into the piezoelectric element(s) for a predetermined time period. A voltage associated with the piezoelectric element(s) is measured following the predetermined time period. The capacitance of the piezoelectric element(s) is then calculated based on the measured voltage, the current supplied, and the predetermined time period.

Abstract: A disk drive utilizes a track dependent variable write fault gate for each of the transducers within the drive. By deriving a 3 sigma distribution across the repeatable run out (RRO) and the non-repeatable run out (NRRO), a position error signal (PES) is derived which varies in magnitude across the stroke of the transducers and which has a slope used to derive variable write fault gate thresholds for the tracks associated with each transducer. As the stroke of the transducer moves from the outer diameter (OD) to the inner diameter (ID), the magnitude of the write fault gate thresholds may be decreased relative to the PES, and track density and capacity may increase where PES and write fault gate thresholds are low. The invention thus maintains a constant hard error recovery margin across the stroke.