Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record transport with head stationary during transducing – Tape record
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2002-04-02
Tupper, Robert S. (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record transport with head stationary during transducing
Tape record
C360S095000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06366425
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a storage system comprising a storage device and a storage container which can be loaded into the storage device, and in which the storage container has a bottom surface and contains at least one storage medium and has access means in the area of at least one container surface, the access means enabling the storage medium to be accessed, and in which the storage device comprises movable holder means constructed to hold a storage container, and comprises guide means constructed to guide the holder means so that the holder means can be guided between a loading position, in which the storage container can be loaded into the holder means, and an operating position, in which the storage container occupies an operating position, said guiding being effected along an inclined guide path in such a manner that the holder means is movable out of the loading position in a first direction of movement, and into the operating position in a second direction of movement which extends transversely to the first direction of movement, and comprises storage processing means which serves to process the storage medium contained in the storage container and which is in operative engagement with the storage medium via the access means of the storage container after the movement of the holder means in the second direction of movement into the operating position.
The invention further relates to a storage device into which a storage container can be loaded, the storage container having a bottom surface and contains at least one storage medium and has access means in the area of at least one container surface, the access means enabling the storage medium to be accessed, the storage device comprising movable holder means constructed to hold a storage container, and which comprises guide means which are constructed to guide the holder means so that the holder means can be guided between a loading position, in which the storage container, can be loaded into the holder means, and an operating position, in which the storage container occupies an operating position, said guiding being effected along an inclined guide path in such a manner that the holder means is movable out of the loading position in a first direction of movement, and into the operating position in a second direction of movement which extends transversely to the first direction of movement, and storage processing means which serves to process the storage medium contained in the storage container and which is in operative engagement with the storage medium via the access means of the storage container after the movement of the holder means in the second direction of movement into the operating position.
The invention further relates to a storage container having a bottom surface and containing at least one storage medium and having access means in the area of at least one container surface, the access means enabling the storage medium to be accessed, the storage containers being loadable into a storage device, which comprises movable holder means constructed to hold a storage container, and guide means constructed to guide the holder means so that the holder means can be guided between a loading position, in which the storage container can be loaded into the holder means, and an operating position, in which the storage container occupies an operating position, said guiding being effected along an inclined guide path in such a manner that the holder means is movable out of the loading position in a first direction of movement, and into the operating position in a second direction of movement which extends transversely to the first direction of movement, and storage processing means which serves to process the storage medium contained in the storage container and which is in operative engagement with the storage medium via the access means of the storage container after the movement of the holder means in the second direction of movement into the operating position.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a storage system of the type defined in the first paragraph and such a storage device of the type defined in the second paragraph, as well as such storage container of the type defined in the third paragraph, are known, for example, from the International Patent Application WO 98/44499 A1, and corresponding U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/054,109, filed Apr. 2, 1998. In the solution known from said patent document, the storage container is formed by a cassette, namely, a magnetic-tape cassette in which the storage medium is a magnetic tape wound onto a rotationally drivable supply reel accommodated in the cassette. According to the known solution, the storage processing means is formed by a reel drive device, which, in a manner known per se, comprises a rotationally drivable reel disc having tooth-like drive means which can be brought into operative engagement, i.e., in driving engagement, with tooth-like counter means and which is in driving engagement when the cassette is in its operating position. According to the known solution, the supply reel in the cassette and the device-mounted reel drive device enter into operative engagement, i.e., into driving engagement, when the holder means, which contain the cassette, is moved in the second direction of movement, but the correct mutual positioning of the supply reel and the reel drive device depends strongly on the instantaneous position of the cassette in the holder means and, consequently, on the instantaneous relative position of the supply reel of the cassette with respect to the reel drive device. This may lead to an inexact mutual positioning of the supply reel and the reel drive device, and to a delayed engagement of the supply reel and the reel drive device, but this is undesirable and, in the worst case, may lead to problems when driving of the supply reel begins.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to preclude the afore-mentioned problems and to provide an improved storage system of the type defined in the first paragraph, and an improved storage device of the type defined in the second paragraph, as well as an improved storage container of the type defined in the third paragraph, using simple means, in which care has been taken that the operative engagement between the device-mounted storage processing means and the storage medium in the container always proceeds in an exact and trouble-free manner.
According to the invention, in order to achieve this object, a storage system of the type defined in the first paragraph, is characterized in that the storage container includes container-mounted positioning means, and the storage device includes device-mounted positioning means, and the container-mounted positioning means and the device-mounted positioning means are constructed to cooperate with each other and to position the storage container with respect to the storage processing means in directions which extend parallel to the bottom surface of the storage container, and the container-mounted positioning means and the device-mounted positioning means are constructed and arranged in such a manner that during the movement of the holder means from the loading position into the operating position, the storage container can be positioned already at the end of the movement in the first direction of movement and during the subsequent movement in the second direction of movement with the aid of the positioning means which cooperate with each other, before the holder means has reached the operating position and before the storage processing means enters into operative engagement with the storage medium in the storage container.
According to the invention, in order to achieve the aforementioned object, a storage device of the type defined in the second paragraph is characterized in that the storage container includes container-mounted positioning means, and the storage device includes device-mounted positioning means and the container-mounted positioning means and the device-mounted positioni
Kletzl Franz
Ruyten Henricus
Tupper Robert S.
U.S. Philips Corporation
Waxler Aaron
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