Patent ID: 6061321
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
A deck lock mechanism, adapted to be installed in a locker accommodating a plurality of pairs of decks, each deck being designed to process a storage medium within a cartridge and being drawable from the locker, for preventing each pair of decks from being concurrently drawn from the locker when only one deck of each pair is intended to be drawn, said deck lock mechanism comprising:for each said pair of decks,(a) a first locking mechanism, supported on an inside wall of a locker and responsive to the drawing and inserting of the first deck as an intended deck to selectively come into and out of a locking engagement with a second deck as an unintended deck, for inhibiting said unintended one deck in a mechanical manner from being drawn from the locker when said intended first deck is drawn from the locker, said first locking mechanism being responsive to the inserting of said first deck to release said second deck from the locking engagement; and(b) a second locking mechanism substantially identical in structure and operation with said first locking mechanism, said second locking mechanism being supported on the inside wall of the locker, and operatively connected with said first locking mechanism such that said second locking mechanism is responsive to the drawing and inserting of said second deck as the intended deck to selectively come into and out of a locking engagement with said the first deck as the unintended deck, for inhibiting said unintended other deck in a mechanical manner from being drawn from the locker when said intended second deck is drawn from the locker, said second locking mechanism being responsive to the inserting of said second deck to release said first deck from the locking engagement.