The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 07, 2001
Filed:
Apr. 26, 1995
Mark H. Helmick, Ventura, CA (US);
Qualstar Corporation, Canoga Park, CA (US);
Abstract
A cassette handling system has a plurality of storage units each storing a plurality of cassettes and at least one tape drive unit. A carrier assembly transports a cassette from one unit to another by extracting the cassette from one of the units and inserting the cassette into another unit. An engaging assembly with a pair of couplers is mounted on a carrier of the carrier assembly. The couplers engage the cassette and hold the cassette above a reference platen on the top of the carrier. The reference platen defines a position from which the cassette is insertable into the units without obstruction. The engaging assembly disengages the cassette onto the reference platen and immediately re-engages the cassette in an accurately determined vertical position. The cassette is then inserted into the desired unit. The carrier assembly also has a threaded shaft which is tensioned for avoiding or damping vibration due to the movement of various components thereof.