Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-12
2001-05-08
Mullen, Thomas (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C361S689000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06229440
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a cartridge door system for a removable data storage device.
The rapid growth of digital content and the convergence of information and communications technologies are driving the growth of affordable, high-capacity data storage solutions. For example, modern multimedia applications such as video editing and immersive imaging can generate large files. Numerous data storage solutions, each differing in architecture, capacity, performance, reliability, and cost, have evolved to quench users' thirst for economical and high capacity data storage systems.
Generally, data storage devices can be stand-alone units that communicate with a computer system by cable, or they can be internal units that occupy a slot, or bay, in the computer system. Since applications such as video editing and immersive imaging can generate files that are each multi-gigabytes in size, disk drives of the type that accept removable disks have become increasingly popular. These disk drives are also convenient since users can incrementally add storage capacity as needed and/or use the removable disks as back-up copies.
For purposes of convenience and protection, the platter or disk may be mounted within a shuttle, which in turn is positioned inside an enclosure or a cartridge. During operation, the cartridge is inserted into an insertion port of the drive. The insertion port typically has a door that is opened to receive a cartridge. A button, or similar type of manually-actuated member, is provided to permit the user to open the door of the device for the insertion and/or removal of compact disks. The behavior of the computer in response to the actuation of this button varies, in dependence upon the current state of the computer system. For example, in computers that employ the Macintosh Operating System, when no disk is present in the drawer, actuation of the button causes the drawer to open, so that the user can insert a cartridge. Thereafter, when the door is closed, the computer's operating system reads descriptive information from the volume and stores that information in memory in a process called mounting. Once a cartridge has been mounted, the manually operated button is disabled, and the user is not able to eject the cartridge by merely actuating the button. This functionality prevents inadvertent releases of the cartridge while information is being accessed from it, for example.
After the cartridge has been inserted into the port, the shuttle is moved inside the drive, and the platter or disk is then conveyed to a predetermined position. At this point, the cartridge can be removed. The drive door is then secured or locked to prevent a user from “prying” with the drive when it is operating.
When the user is finished using the platter or disk, an electronic or manual command is issued to open the drive door to expose the port. The cartridge is inserted into the port, causing the platter or disk to be moved back into the shuttle that in turn is retracted back inside the cartridge. Once the shuttle is secured inside the cartridge, the cartridge can then be removed by the user. After the cartridge has been removed, the door is again secured to protect components inside the drive against damage.
SUMMARY
The invention provides an apparatus that opens, closes and locks a door. The apparatus includes a linkage adapted to actuate the door, the linkage having a handle with a notch and an edge; a flag having a pin mounted thereon, the pin being adapted to engage the edge when the door opens and to be seated in the notch when the door is locked; and a lever to actuate the flag.
Implementations of the invention include one or more of the following. A preload lever can be connected to the lever. The preload lever can be spring-loaded. A torsion spring can be connected to the flag. The flag includes an arm adapted to enable or disable a signal to indicate door status. A door motion detector can be connected to the arm. A drive processor can receive the output of the detector. The detector can be an opto-coupler having a recess to receive the arm. A cam-gear can be connected to the lever. The cam-gear can drive the lever through a predetermined path.
Advantages of the invention include one or more of the following. The invention provides a simple, low-cost and reliable system for opening, closing, preloading and locking a drive door. The drive door can be held open without damaging the drive system. The drive door also self-locks during a normal operating condition when the drive door closes and during an abnormal operating condition when the door is forced or jammed open and subsequently released. The invention safely releases the drive door at predetermined safe operating positions to prevent damage to the media caused by inappropriate cartridge insertions or ejections. Thus, the invention protects against damaging sensitive components internal to the drive if they collide with any foreign objects associated with the insertion of an incompatible object.
The invention also provides a natural logical user interface for both personal and library applications with the drive. The interface requires that the cartridge be removed and the drive door be locked before the drive can continue operation.
The invention also provides a sensing system to notify the drive that the door has been secured. This information is used to by a drive controller to enable data access and other operations such as mounting the drive volume after a cartridge has been accepted.
The aforementioned advantages are achieved without increasing the complexity of the drive, thereby increasing the performance and reliability of the entire system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4794587 (1988-12-01), Cordiano
patent: 5264986 (1993-11-01), Ohgami et al.
patent: 5305180 (1994-04-01), Mitchell et al.
patent: 5347425 (1994-09-01), Herron et al.
patent: 5717571 (1998-02-01), Helot
patent: 5959834 (1999-09-01), Chang
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Mullen Thomas
TeraStor Corporation
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