Patent EP0351221A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0351221A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Apparatus including dual carriages for storing and retrieving information containing discs and method
Assignee: Cygnet Systems Inc
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Filing: 1989-07-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A technique for storing and retrieving information-containing discs using two independently operated disc transferring carriages is disclosed herein. The two carriages (26,28) are used to transfer discs (18) between storage compartments (16) forming part of an overall disc and drive library (12) and one or more disc drives (22) disposed within their own drive compartments (20) also forming part of the disc and drive library (12). In one specific embodiment, the two carriages (26,28) are moved vertically and hoizontally on separate tracks (32,34) between two confronting library arrangements (12,14).
Inventors
- 👤 Paul Hug
- 👤 Graham Slater
- 👤 Bill Umeda
- 👤 Paul A. Yesnosky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 13:36
CPC Classifications
G; G11; G11B; G11B17/00; G11B17/22; G11B17/225; G11B27/00; G11B27/002; G11B2220/00; G11B2220/20; G11B2220/40; G11B2220/41
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus for storing and retrieving information containing discs, comprising: (a) a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) first carriage means for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) second carriage means separate from said first carriage means for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; and (d) means for moving said first and second carriage means independent of each other in order to cause said first and second carriage means to transfer information-containing discs between compartments of said library such that said first carriage means can be used to transfer one disc into or out of one of said storage or drive compartments while said second carriage means is used to independently transfer a second disc into or out of a different one of said storage or drive compartments.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
194 words
An apparatus for storing and retrieving information containing discs, comprising: (a) a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) first carriage means for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) second carriage means separate from said first carriage means for transferring an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; and (d) means for moving said first and second carriage means independent of each other in order to cause said first and second carriage means to transfer information-containing discs between compartments of said library such that said first carriage means can be used to transfer one disc into or out of one of said storage or drive compartments while said second carriage means is used to independently transfer a second disc into or out of a different one of said storage or drive compartments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said means for moving said first and second carriage means includes separate first and second horizontal track arrangements and first and second means for supporting said first and second carriage means for movement on said first and second track arrangements, respectively.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein each of said means for supporting a given one of said carriage means includes a vertically extending main support post mounted for movement to and along a respective one of said track arrangements and means supporting said given carriage means for movement to and along said post, whereby each of said carriage means is simultaneously movable along its track arrangement and up and down its post in order to move between compartments of said library.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3 wherein said library compartments are arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows vertically aligned on top of one another so as to also define a plurality of vertical columns, and wherein said first and second track arrangements are both located in front of said compartments in parallel relationship with said horizontal rows of compartments, so that said posts extend parallel with said columns of compartments.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
93 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 2,3 or 4 including a second discs and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows vertically aligned on top of one another so as to define a plurality of vertical columns, said second library being positioned in confronting, parallel relationship with said first-mentioned library with said first and second track arrangements, said first and second carriage means, and said first and second means for supporting said carriage means disposed between the two libraries.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
103 words
An apparatus according to Claim 5 wherein each of said carriage means includes a carriage frame for containing an information-containing disc and means for pulling said disc into and pushing it out of the carriage frame through the front end of the frame, and wherein each of said means for supporting a given one of said carriage means includes means for rotating the frame of that carriage means l80°about a vertical axis in order to place its front end in confronting relationship with either of said libraries, whereby to transfer an information-containing disc between that given carriage means and either of said libraries.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
An apparatus according to Claim 6 wherein each of said means for supporting a given one of said carriage means includes means for rotating the frame of that carriage means l80°about a horizontal axis in order to be able to alternate the way in which a disc is placed in a disc drive, whereby either side of a two-sided information-containing disc can be acted upon by a disc drive having a single read/write head.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein each of said carriage means includes a disc engaging and disengaging mechanism movable within its associated frame between the front end of the latter and its back end in order to pull a disc into and push it out of the frame.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to any of claims 4 to 8 wherein at least one of said storage compartments of at least one of said libraries includes means for gaining access to that compartment from its back end for placing an information-containing disc into and removing it from that compartment outside the library.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said means for moving said first and second carriage means includes horizontal track means and first and second means for supporting said first and second carriage means for movement on said track means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to Claim 10 wherein said track means includes separate first and second horizontal track arrangements and whereby said first and second means for supporting said first and second carriage means support said first and second carriage means on said first and second tracks, respectively.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
81 words
An arrangement according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 wherein each of said means for supporting a given one of said carriage means includes a vertically extending main support post mounted for movement to and along said track means and means supporting said given carriage means for movement to and along said post, whereby each of said carriage means is simultaneously movable along its track means and up and down said post in order to move between compartments of said library.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus according to Claim 12 wherein said library compartments are arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows vertically aligned on top of one another so as to define a plurality of vertical columns, and wherein said track means is located in front of said compartments in parallel relationship with said horizontal rows of compartments, so that said posts extend parallel with said columns of compartments.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein said disc and drive library includes a library arrangement in which at least some of said library compartments are arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows vertically aligned on top of one another so as to also define a plurality of vertical columns.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
95 words
An apparatus according to Claim 14 wherein said disc and drive library includes a second library arrangement in which some of said library components are arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows vertically aligned on top of one another so as to define a plurality of columns, said first-mentioned library arrangement and said second library arrangement being disposed in confronting, parallel relationship with one another, and wherein said means for moving said first and second carriage means independent of each other includes means for moving said carriage means vertically and horizontally between said library arrangements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
106 words
An apparatus according to Claim 15 wherein each of said carriage means includes a carriage frame for containing an information-containing disc and means for pulling a disc into and pushing it out of the carriage frame through the front end of the frame, and wherein each of said means for supporting a given one of said carriage means includes means for rotating the frame of that carriage means 180° about a vertical axis in order to place its front end in confronting relationship with either of said library arrangements, whereby to transfer an information-containing disc between that given carriage means and either of said library arrangements.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to any preceding Claim wherein said track means extend horizontally beyond said library and into a maintenance area horizontally to one side of said library and wherein said moving means includes means for moving said carriage assemblies along said track means and into said maintenance area for servicing.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) providing first and second separate carriages, each of which is designed to transfer an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; and (c) independently operating said first and second carriages for simultaneously transferring first and second given discs between compartments of said library, whereby said first carriage can be used to transfer one of said given discs into or out of one of said storage or drive compartments while said second carriage means is used to independently transfer a second disc into or out of a different one of said storage or drive compartments or whereby said first carriage means can be used to transfer one of said given discs between a first pair of compartments while said second carriage means is used to simultaneously transfer a second given disc between different pair of compartments.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
201 words
A method of storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) providing first and second separate carriages, each of which is designed to transfer an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; and (c) independently operating said first and second carriages for simultaneously transferring first and second given discs between compartments of said library, whereby said first carriage can be used to transfer one of said given discs into or out of one of said storage or drive compartments while said second carriage means is used to independently transfer a second disc into or out of a different one of said storage or drive compartments or whereby said first carriage means can be used to transfer one of said given discs between a first pair of compartments while said second carriage means is used to simultaneously transfer a second given disc between different pair of compartments.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
90 words
A method according to Claim 18 wherein said disc and drive library includes first and second, confronting library arrangements, each of which has some of said compartments arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows vertically aligned on top of one another so as to define a plurality of vertical columns, and wherein said step of transferring information-containing discs between said compartments includes the step of transferring said discs between two compartments which are in one of said library arrangements or which are located in different ones of both said arrangements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A new method according to Claim 19 including the step of independently moving said carriages horizontally beyond said library arrangements for servicing in the maintenance areas located to one side of said arrangement.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) providing a carriage which is designed to transfer an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) operating said carriage moving it along track means extending beyond said library and into a maintenance area to one side of said library for transferring a given disc between compartments of said library; and (d) periodically moving said carriage on said track and into said maintenance area for servicing therein.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
133 words
A method of storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) providing a carriage which is designed to transfer an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) operating said carriage moving it along track means extending beyond said library and into a maintenance area to one side of said library for transferring a given disc between compartments of said library; and (d) periodically moving said carriage on said track and into said maintenance area for servicing therein.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
131 words
An apparatus for storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising: (a) a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) a carriage which is designed to transfer an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) means for operating carriage moving it along track means extending beyond said library and into a maintenance area to one side of said library for transferring a given disc between compartments of said library; and (d) means for periodically moving said carriage on said track and into said maintenance area for servicing thereon.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
131 words
An apparatus for storing and retrieving information-containing discs, comprising: (a) a disc and drive library including a plurality of individual storage compartments for storing information-containing discs and at least two drive compartments, each containing a disc drive for storing information on and retrieving information from said discs; (b) a carriage which is designed to transfer an information-containing disc between any two of said storage compartments or between a disc drive and any one of said storage compartments; (c) means for operating carriage moving it along track means extending beyond said library and into a maintenance area to one side of said library for transferring a given disc between compartments of said library; and (d) means for periodically moving said carriage on said track and into said maintenance area for servicing thereon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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