123results about "Carrier container guidance" patented technology

A storage cartridge retention device employs a deep storage slot for storing one or more storage cartridge(s) through its front opening and biases the stored storage cartridge(s) in a direction of its front opening. The storage cartridge retention device further employs a retaining gate external to the deep storage slot and movable relative to the front opening of the deep storage slot between a retaining position and a releasing position. The retaining position engages a front storage cartridge to retain the storage cartridge(s) within the deep storage slot based on the bias of the storage cartridge(s) in the direction of the front opening of the deep storage slot, and the releasing position disengages the front storage cartridge to facilitate movement of the one storage cartridge(s) within the deep storage slot based on the bias of the storage cartridge(s) in the direction of the front opening of the deep storage slot.

A storage library includes cells supported within a frame for holding media elements. A robot assembly is operable for moving toward the cells and manipulating media elements held by the cells. The robot is containable within a module which is removably mountable to the frame to provide modular replacement and removal of the robot from the frame. The robot is contained within the module as the module is mounted to the frame and moves out from the module to move toward the cells and manipulate media elements held by the cells while the module is mounted to the frame. The module is removably dismounted out of the frame while the robot is contained within the module to provide the modular removal of the robot. The module is removably mounted into the frame while a new robot is contained within the module to provide the modular replacement of the robot.

A cartridge mis-insertion preventing mechanism, comprising: a cartridge tray into which a cartridge is insertable; a loader plate into which the cartridge tray is insertable; a cartridge locking mechanism for locking the cartridge to the cartridge tray; a loading locking mechanism for preventing the cartridge tray and the loader plate from being inserted into a loader guide plate; and a restricting mechanism for changing the loading locking mechanism from a lock state to an unlock state only when the cartridge has been inserted into the cartridge tray in a correct direction; wherein the cartridge tray and the loader plate are inserted into the loader guide plate along with the cartridge when the cartridge is further inserted after the loading locking mechanism has been changed from the lock state to the unlock state; wherein before the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge tray, the cartridge locking mechanism is in an unlock state; wherein when the cartridge tray and the loader plate along with the cartridge have been inserted into the loader guide plate, the cartridge locking mechanism is changed from the unlock state to a lock state; and wherein before the cartridge is inserted into the cartridge tray, the loading locking mechanism is in the lock state.

A library apparatus includes cells. A positioning mechanism serves to position a carriage relative to the cells within an operating region adjacent to a standby region. A transporting mechanism drives the carriage toward the standby region. A swaying mechanism allows grasping fingers on the carriage to go around an object lying on the movement path of the grasping fingers when the transporting mechanism carries the carriage to the standby region. The grasping fingers acts to hold an object within the cell. If the positioning mechanism malfunctions, the transporting mechanism transfers the carriage to the standby region. Even if an object exits on the movement path of the grasping finger, the carriage is allowed to keep moving because the swaying mechanism allows the grasping finger or fingers to sway around the object on the movement path. The carriage thus reliably reaches the standby region.

According to an embodiment, a cartridge sensor shaft is allowed to butt against the vicinity of a positioning hole and is shifted toward the positioning hole. A coordinate offset error is then calculated based on a difference between the moving distance from the portion against which the cartridge sensor shaft butts to the portion at which the cartridge sensor shaft enters the positioning hole and the expected moving distance. The coordinate offset is adjusted by the calculated error. Further, in order to reduce measurement error, the cartridge sensor shaft is allowed to butt from both side of the positioning hole and shifted to detect the edges of the positioning hole, thereby calculating the coordinate offset error based on the two moving distances and two expected moving distances.

A library apparatus includes a cell unit having a plurality of cells arrayed in a matrix, a holder to insert the storage medium to one of the cells or extract the storage medium from the cell, and a position controller to move the holder over the cell unit in X-axis and Y-axis directions to position the holder at a desired position. The holder has a reading unit configured to acquire data of the edges on both sides of each cell. The position controller determines each position of the cells on the basis of the data of the edges acquired at a plurality of positions while moving the holder in a predetermined direction from a predetermined position of the cell unit.

A protection-cover opening / closing mechanism for a digital still camera includes an electromagnet having stator around which an electromagnetic coil is formed and a movable member, a first lever to which the movable member is pivotally attached at a first end portion and which receives a rotational force, a second lever which is able to reciprocate on a stationary member, which is engageable with a second end portion of the first lever, and which is pressed toward an initial position thereof. While a CD-R is being operated, current is applied to the electromagnetic coil to restrain the movable member on the stator and thereby prevent the first lever from rotating, and the movement of the second lever in the direction away from the initial position is limited due to the engagement between the first lever and the second lever, thereby locking a protection cover at a closed position.

A disk drive includes a main frame; a cartridge slidably installed in the main frame; a plurality of trays stacked in the cartridge and slidably installed therein; an elevation unit for controlling a height of a turn table; a tray selecting unit for locking each tray to a state that each tray can be loaded or unlocking a specific tray among a plurality of locked trays to draw it out of the main frame; a loading unit for loading the specific tray, among the plurality of trays locked by the tray selecting unit to reproduce / record a disk by means of an optical pick-up unit, onto the turn table; and a driving unit for driving the cartridge, the elevation unit, the tray selecting unit and the loading unit.

A library apparatus includes cells. A positioning mechanism serves to position a carriage relative to the cells within an operating region adjacent to a standby region. A transporting mechanism drives the carriage toward the standby region. A swaying mechanism allows grasping fingers on the carriage to go around an object lying on the movement path of the grasping fingers when the transporting mechanism carries the carriage to the standby region. The grasping fingers acts to hold an object within the cell. If the positioning mechanism malfunctions, the transporting mechanism transfers the carriage to the standby region. Even if an object exits on the movement path of the grasping finger, the carriage is allowed to keep moving because the swaying mechanism allows the grasping finger or fingers to sway around the object on the movement path. The carriage thus reliably reaches the standby region.

Disclosed is a deck for a magnetic recording / reproducing apparatus. The deck has a chassis in which a plurality of structures constituting a mechanical mechanism for loading a tape and recording or reproducing information; and a switch / sensor circuit board in which a plurality of switches and sensors constituting an electronic mechanism for detecting an operation of the deck and a state of the structures. The switch / sensor circuit board is formed of a PCB and assembled to a lower surface of the chassis.

Disclosed is an improvement in a record player for turning the information stored on a cassette tape or a compact disc back into the original forms including a recording medium loading mechanism and an associated loading motor. It comprises means responsive to insertion of the recording medium for rotating the loading motor, thereby allowing it to generate the counter electromotive force, and a detection-switching device responsive to generation of the counter electromotive force for changing its conductive condition. Then, the loading motor is allowed to start and pull in the cassette or compact disk until it has been put in the loading position.

A tape drive apparatus, tape extraction apparatus and tape cartridge that enable a reliable chucking and chucking release, and a stable carrying of a tape being extracted from a cartridge. The apparatus includes a carrying mechanism for extracting the tape as a recording medium from the cartridge where the magnetic tape is stored, and for carrying the magnetic tape to be wound up onto a takeup reel provided on the drive apparatus.

A video cassette recorder has a recorder body with an outer case, a bottom plate, and operating parts mounted in the recorder body. The recorder includes a depression partially formed on the bottom plate which corresponds to the operating parts to lower the positions of the operating parts for minimizing the size of the video cassette recorder.

Embodiments include systems and methods for buckling in a loader assembly of a tape storage drive. Some implementations translate driving forces of an elevator of the loader assembly into driving forces that act on a pusher plate of a buckling mechanism in both buckling and unbuckling directions. For example, a plate interface can couple the pusher plate with the elevator in a manner that translates rotational motion of the elevator's drive gear into a lateral driving force that drives the pusher plate between its home and buckling positions. Certain implementations also include a home holding mechanism for removably securing the pusher plate in the home position when the elevator is in its unloaded position.