Patent ID: 6433954
Filing Date: 2002-08-13
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A tape cartridge holder for holding a plurality of 8 mm tape cartridges that each have: (a) a housing for retaining a tape on which data can be recorded and from which data can be retrieved, the housing having a housing top side, housing bottom side that is substantially parallel to the housing top side, a housing first lateral side, a housing second lateral side that is substantially parallel to the housing first lateral side, a housing front side and a housing back side that is substantially parallel to the housing front side, (b) a u-shaped door that is operatively connected to the housing, and when closed, protects the tape, and when open, exposes the tape so that data can be written on or read from the tape, the door having a door first side that forms a portion of said housing first lateral side, a door second side that forms a portion of said housing second lateral side and is substantially parallel to the door first side, a door third side that extends between the door first side and the door second side and forms a substantial portion of said housing front side; (c) the housing first lateral side and the housing second lateral side respectively having a first gripper notch and a second gripper notch that are used by a gripper mechanism to insert/extract an 8 mm tape cartridge into/from the holder; (d) the door first side and the door second side respectively having a first light path window and a second light path window that are used to determine when the door is open and closed; (e) a portion of the housing top side and a portion of the door third side define an asymmetric ramp surface that is disposed at an angle to the remainder of the housing top side so that the housing is asymmetric about a transverse axis of the 8 mm tape cartridge; (f) a switch for use in opening the door that is located adjacent to the door first side; and (g) the housing second lateral side includes a recess that is located between the door second side and the second gripper notch, the tape cartridge holder comprising:a box structure with an interior space for accommodating a plurality of 8 mm tape cartridges; wherein said box structure includes a bottom wall with a bottom wall interior surface and a bottom wall exterior surface; wherein said box structure includes a side wall that is operatively attached to said bottom wall, extends from said bottom wall to a side wall terminal edge, and has a side wall interior surface and a side wall exterior surface; wherein said bottom interior surface and said side wall interior surface define said interior space; wherein said side wall terminal edge defines an opening for the insertion/extraction of 8 mm tape cartridges into/from said interior space; wherein said box structure includes a plurality of partitioning structures for dividing said interior space into a plurality of slots with each of said plurality of slots capable of accommodating a single 8 mm tape cartridge and having a first side that is defined by said side wall and a second side that is defined by said side wall, separated from said first side, and substantially parallel to said first side; a retaining structure associated with at least one of said plurality of slots and located substantially adjacent to said second side of said at least one of said plurality of slots so as to be able to engage the recess of an 8 mm tape cartridge located between the door second side and the second gripper notch so as to retain the 8 mm tape cartridge in the tape cartridge holder and for not engaging the second light path window, any portion of the housing first lateral side, or any portion of the door first side of the 8 mm tape cartridge; and an orientation structure associated with said at least one of said plurality of slots with which said retaining structure is associated, said orientation structure for inhibiting the insertion of 8 mm tape cartridges that are unproperly oriented such that said retaining structure cannot engage the recess of an 8 mm tape cartridge.