G11B17/225

Method and system for selecting and moving a single disc in an optical disc library

One embodiment provides a system comprising a motor and a disc selector mechanism. The disc selector mechanism is coupled to a bottom of a guide cage and maintained in a space below the cage. The disc selector mechanism comprises a shaft, transmission components, and a slide assembly that is laterally slidable along the shaft in response to the motor driving the transmission components. The slide assembly comprises a slide coupled to the shaft, a pivot bar coupled to the slide, and pick blades pivotally coupled to the pivot bar. A linear motion of the slide assembly along the shaft drives a linear translation of the pivot bar. The linear translation drives a pick blade of the slide assembly to move towards a side of the cage and out of the space and to pivot to a raised position to contact and lift a disc upwards into a disc gripper device.

Actuator tip calibration for robotic optical storage system

A calibration system includes a moveable arm configured for movement within an optical disc storage system. A disc kicker device includes an actuator and an actuator tip that contacts an optical disc. The disc kicker device is connected to the moveable arm. The calibration system performs a calibration operation to calibrate the actuator at the actuator tip to correct displacement error.

Rail-based media transport robot for disk cartridge data storage library
11915728 · 2024-02-27 · ·

A data storage disk cartridge library system includes a rack having an array of bays, at least some housing disk media cartridges and/or media drives, and a pair of horizontal and vertical guide rails bordering each bay. A media transport robot includes fixed-position drive wheels at each corner for driving the robot along the guide rails, and pivoting guide wheels corresponding to each drive wheel for guiding the drive wheel horizontally along a horizontal guide rail and vertically along a vertical guide rail. With each guide wheel coupled with a horizontal guide rail the robot can travel horizontally on the rack, and with each guide wheel coupled with a vertical guide rail the robot can travel vertically on the rack. Electrical power can be supplied to the robot via the guide rails, and gear portions of the wheels mechanically interface with a mechanical portion of the guide rails.

Room-scale data storage library with independently scalable components

In some embodiments, a room-scale data storage library includes shelf robots and movable shelves on a floor of the room-scale data storage library. The shelf robots move the movable shelves between storage locations on the floor of the room-scale data storage library and drive bays comprising drives and mechanisms to move the data storage devices between the movable shelves and the drives. In such a system, different type of components, such as movable shelves, data storage devices, drives, drive bay robots, etc. may be independently scaled up or down, to include more such components, providing flexibility to fully utilize the components of the room-scale data storage library.

Object handling apparatus
11897149 · 2024-02-13 · ·

An apparatus for handling electronic components such as hard disk drives. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a main body defining an interior space with an open front; a drive system that propels and positions the apparatus along horizontal surface; a fan system mounted within the interior space and positioned to blow air down into the interior space; a first gripper apparatus that engages an equipment drawer of an electronics rack; and a second gripper apparatus that grips and removes a target electronic component from a target position located within the equipment drawer, wherein at least a back surface of the main body includes perforations so that sufficient air flow generated by the fan system flows through the perforations to maintain cooling of electronic components in the equipment drawer when the equipment drawer is in the extracted position.

Disc library storage system

The invention discloses a disc library storage system including a disc library, a disc drive tower and a disc transport device. The disc library is for placing multiple discs. The disc drive tower includes multiple disc drives for reading/writing data. The disc transport device is used for moving the discs to the disc drive tower from the disc library and moving the discs to the disc library from the disc drive tower.

OBJECT HANDLING APPARATUS
20240123626 · 2024-04-18 ·

An apparatus for handling electronic components such as hard disk drives. In one aspect, the apparatus includes a main body defining an interior space with an open front; a drive system that propels and positions the apparatus along horizontal surface; a fan system mounted within the interior space and positioned to blow air down into the interior space; a first gripper apparatus that engages an equipment drawer of an electronics rack; and a second gripper apparatus that grips and removes a target electronic component from a target position located within the equipment drawer, wherein at least a back surface of the main body includes perforations so that sufficient air flow generated by the fan system flows through the perforations to maintain cooling of electronic components in the equipment drawer when the equipment drawer is in the extracted position.

DISC STORAGE CASSETTES

A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette except when rotated off the discs.

Disc storage cassettes comprising track connectors

A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. The disc cassette further includes a bottom side including track connectors configured to position the disc cassette relative to one or more track portions that hold the disc cassette in place. The disc cassette is slideable along the one or more track portions.

Information reproduction method and information reproduction apparatus

An information reproduction apparatus includes plural magazines in which optical discs are set, plural drives for performing recording and reproduction on an optical disc set therein, a changer mechanism that transports a magazine between its setting position and one or more drives and mounts and remove a prescribed optical disc or discs in and from the one or more drives by performing either one of a single move process and a multi-move process, and a controller. The controller judges whether to conduct the single move process or the multi-move process based on a reading data list and use statuses of the respective drives.