Filenet Corporation

Arthur A Roth

Paul Cary

Michael Rudy

Gary S Anderson

In a system for storing and retrieving cartridges, a plurality of cartridges are placed in plural slots of diverse location and orientation. A rotatable carriage contains a first and second gripping mechanism, either of which extends to engage and slidably retract a cartridge from a first storage slot into the carrriage. The carriage can rotate the cartridge to the orientation of a second slot. A vertical and horizontal transport mechanism moves the carriage to the second slot whereupon the position and orientation of the carriage with respect to the second slot is verified. The gripping mechanism then retractably extends and releases the cartridge into the second slot, whereupon the gripping mechanism retracts into the carriage. The use of a first and second gripping mechanism allows expedited manipulation and transportation of the cartridges. Sensors verify the alignment of the carriage with respect to the various slots.

Optical storage and retrieval device

In a system for storing and retrieving cartridges, a plurality of cartridges are placed in plural slots of diverse location and orientation. A rotatable carriage contains a first and second gripping mechanism, either of which extends to engage and slidably retract an cartridge from a first storage slot into the carriage. The carriage can rotate the cartridge to the orientation of a second slot. A vertical and horizontal transport mechanism moves the carriage to the second slot whereupon the position and orientation of the carriage with respect to the second slot is verified. The gripping mechanism then retractably extends and releases the cartridge into the second slot, whereupon the gripping mechanism retracts into the carriage. The use of a first and second gripping mechanism allows expedited manipulation and transportation of the cartridges. Sensors verify the alignment of the carriage with respect to the various slots.

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Santa Ana, CA, United States of America

Arthur A Roth