Quantum Corporation

Mitsumi Electric Company Ltd.

Peter A Johnson

John C Owens

Ryan S Porter

Scott Ryan Patterson

Kim M Thomas

David Ray Berry

Alexander Chan

Sam Wen

Christopher Lee Felton

Thua Nang Dai

Gary Eugene Sadler

Theodore James Oade

Paddy Eliot Collins

Dominic John Maglia

Pat Eliot Collins

Tomoaki Sakaguchi

Dominic John Maglin

A media cartridge autoloader is disclosed which includes a media cartridge picker having a turntable capable of supporting a media cartridge and rotating to change the orientation of the media cartridge. A turntable rotating mechanism configured to rotate the turntable and a media cartridge transport mechanism configured to transport the media cartridge onto and off of the turntable are provided on the turntable. A mail slot through which the media cartridge is inserted or ejected, a media drive into which the media cartridge is loaded, and a media cartridge storage section configured to store the media cartridge are provided. The mail slot, the media drive, and the media cartridge storage section are arranged around the media cartridge picker. The media cartridge picker includes a turntable lifting mechanism that raises and lowers the turntable.

Media cartridge autoloader

The tape cartridge autoloader library system comprises at least one read/write tape drive, a tape cartridge picker, a single tape cartridge interface, and at least one pair of tape cartridge transport magazines within a compact form factor that fits into a standard library rack mount of cabinet. The autoloader/library system is a complete tape cartridge library that stores, manages, and automatically exchanges a plurality of tape cartridges between the tape drive unit, the single cartridge interface, and the tape cartridge transport magazines. The tape cartridge transport magazines are each configured to receive and store a plurality of individual tape cartridges in a horizontal relationship. The tape cartridge transport magazines also transport the individual tape cartridges within the tape cartridge transport magazine so that a specific one of the tape cartridges is in position for selection by the cartridge picker. The cartridge picker is configured to rotate to position the cartridge picker to exchange the individual tape cartridges with one of the tape drive, the tape cartridge transport magazines, and/or the single tape cartridge interface. The single cartridge interface is configured to receive individual tape cartridges for either storage in one of the tape cartridge transport magazines or read/write operations in the tape drive.

Automated tape cartridge autoloader/library system

A tape cartridge autoloader library system including at least one read/write tape drive, a tape cartridge picker, a single tape cartridge interface, and a pair of tape cartridge magazines within a compact form factor that fits into a standard library rack mount. The autoloader/library system is a complete tape cartridge library that stores, manages, and automatically exchanges a plurality of tape cartridges between the tape drive, the single cartridge interface, and the pair of tape cartridge magazines. The tape cartridge magazines are each configured to receive and store a plurality of individual tape cartridges in a horizontal relationship. The tape cartridge magazines transport the individual tape cartridges within the tape cartridge magazines so that an individual one of the tape cartridges is in position for selection by the cartridge picker. The cartridge picker rotates to exchange tape cartridges between one of the tape drive, the pair of tape cartridge magazines, and/or the single tape cartridge interface. The single cartridge interface exchanges individual tape cartridges between an operator and the autoloader/library system.

Compact form factor for an automated tape cartridge autoloader/library system

The tape cartridge transport magazine receives and stores tape cartridges in a horizontal orientation relative to the tape cartridge transport magazine to achieve a substantially smaller form factor. Once loaded into the magazine, the tape cartridges are shuffled in a vertical closed loop within the magazine so that any one of the tape cartridges can be positioned for selection by a cartridge picker. During shuffling within the magazine, individual tape cartridges are not flipped or reoriented, but remain properly oriented for selection by the cartridge picker. When used with a tape cartridge autoloader/library system as disclosed herein, a pair of interchangeable magazines can be utilized to store and provide tape cartridges for selection by a rotating cartridge picker.

Tape cartridge transport magazine for an automated tape cartridge autoloader/library system

Growing community of inventors

Black Forest, CO, United States of America

Peter A Johnson