Abstract: Embodiments presented herein provide a removable disk library system. The removable disk library system, in embodiments, comprises an array of removable disk drive bays and a movable connector system. Each removable disk drive bay can hold a removable disk drive cartridge. The movable connector system can be positioned behind the array of removable disk drive bays where the movable connector system can access the connector of the removable disk drive cartridges. In embodiments, the movable connector system includes a movable connector assembly that can automatically connect to the connector at the rear of the removable disk drive.

Abstract: A recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a recording medium accommodation table including recording medium accommodation portions each capable of accommodating a recording medium, a recording medium drive unit on which the recording medium is removably mounted and which is capable of performing recording and/or reproduction of an information signal onto and/or from it, a mechanical chassis that supports the recording medium accommodation table to freely rotate and also support the recording medium drive unit to be movable, a drive-moving unit that moves the recording medium drive unit closer to and away from the recording medium accommodation table, and a recording medium transport unit that transports the recording medium between a recording medium mounting and removing position of a recording medium-mounting portion and a recording medium accommodation position of the recording medium accommodation portions.

Abstract: When data of image information is compressed and is recorded on a recording medium, additional information about the image information is recorded in a conveniently usable state. There is provided read/write unit information as a unit of reading and writing the compressed image information to the recording medium. The read/write unit information contains a plurality of units of decoding and reproducing unit information that comprises one frame (or one field) of the image information. At least one piece of decoding and reproducing unit information is subject to compression encoding through the use of only image information in the decoding and reproducing unit. In the read/write unit information, there is multiplexed and recorded additional information about the decoding and reproducing unit information for a plurality of units within the read/write unit in an extractable manner separately from the compressed image information.

Abstract: The capacity of a rack-mounted storage library having a media element handling assembly is expanded by mounting a panel segment to a rack side such that the panel segment faces the rack interior. At least one of media element housing cells and a media player are supported on the panel segment such that the cells and the player face the rack interior. The library capacity is increased by mounting another panel segment having cells or a player to another rack side. The panel segments are mounted to the rack sides independent of one another or are connected together prior to being mounted to the rack sides. The handling assembly moves through the rack interior to load media elements held by cells into a player. The panel segments may be mounted to the rack sides at the same or different rack length positions.

Abstract: Media storage devices for retaining data media are provided. In one of many possible embodiments, the media storage device comprises a housing having a plurality of slots configured to receive a plurality of data media, a plurality of spring retention members extending from the housing, and a spring mechanism attached to the housing. The spring mechanism includes a plurality of fingers and a plurality of elongate spring tabs. Each of the plurality of fingers extend into one of the plurality of slots and are configured to engage one of the plurality of data media when received in the slot. Each of the plurality of elongate spring tabs have an aperture and are configured such that one of the plurality of spring retention members extending from the housing engages the aperture.

Abstract: Media storage devices for retaining data media are provided. In one of many possible embodiments, the media storage device comprises a housing having a plurality of slots configured to receive a plurality of data media, a plurality of spring retention members extending from the housing, and a spring mechanism attached to the housing. The spring mechanism includes a plurality of fingers and a plurality of elongate spring tabs. Each of the plurality of fingers extend into one of the plurality of slots and are configured to engage one of the plurality of data media when received in the slot. Each of the plurality of elongate spring tabs have an aperture and are configured such that one of the plurality of spring retention members extending from the housing engages the aperture.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for retaining at least two different sizes of data cartridges in a storage magazine. A frame assembly defines a chamber in the storage magazine. The chamber is dimensioned to receive the largest of the two different sizes of data cartridges therein. A cartridge referencing member is mounted to the frame assembly and is resiliently displaceable within the chamber. The cartridge referencing member applies a biasing force to a data cartridge received therein to retain the received data cartridge in a registration position within the chamber to keep it from floating into an unknown position within the interior of the chamber.

Abstract: Media storage devices for retaining data media are provided. In one of many possible embodiments, the media storage device comprises a housing having a plurality of slots configured to receive a plurality of data media, a plurality of spring retention members extending from the housing, and a spring mechanism attached to the housing. The spring mechanism includes a plurality of fingers and a plurality of elongate spring tabs. Each of the plurality of fingers extend into one of the plurality of slots and are configured to engage one of the plurality of data media when received in the slot. Each of the plurality of elongate spring tabs have an aperture and are configured such that one of the plurality of spring retention members extending from the housing engages the aperture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a library apparatus capable of enhancing the coupling accuracy and the positioning accuracy among a plurality of lockers to bring up the traveling accuracy and positional accuracy of an accessor within a passage penetrating the lockers so that the accessor can surely accomplish the insertion/extraction of a cartridge into/from a storage rack or a deck. For this purpose, a supporting member which holds a rail for guiding the accessor along a direction of coupling the plurality of lockers within the passage is installed in the coupling direction for each of the lockers, and a positioning groove in which a bar-like tool is fitted when positioning the adjacent lockers with respect to each other is made in an end portion of the supporting member in the coupling direction. This invention is applicable to a large-capacity external memory system storing a large number of cartridges such as magnetic tape cartridges and optical disk cartridges.

Abstract: In a mass storage library, an input/output station for inserting cartridges into and out of the library includes a door pivotally mounted to the station through cams that pivotally rotate a toggle bracket having fingers, one for each cartridge cell in the input/output station. Each cartridge used at least in the input/output station includes a cartridge orientation indicator in the form of a recess at one top edge of each cartridge. After inserting the cartridges into the cells of the input/output station, the door is closed rotating the toggle bracket and its fingers into the recess of each cartridge. The door will close if all of the cartridges have the recess correctly oriented to permit the fingers to clear the cartridges.

Abstract: There will be provided a wrong insertion prevention device for a cartridge type recording medium capable of reliably preventing a cartridge type recording medium from being inserted into each unit cell in the reverse direction.

Abstract: Tray supporting a recording medium is transferred horizontally to a designated destination component and stored in the destination component along with the recording medium. The tray has one end facing the destination component and this one end has a surface slanted with respect to a front wall surface of an entry/exit of the destination component. With the provision of such a slanted end surface, even when the tray being transferred comes into collision with the front wall, the tray is allowed to gradually slide along the wall surface into the destination component. As a consequence, the recording medium supported on the tray can be smoothly passed into the destination component.