Patent ID: 6983469
Filing Date: 2006-01-03
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A data storage system, comprising: at least one module housing, said module housing having a front chamber and a rear chamber, said front and rear chambers running parallel to a front side of the module housing and extending across a width of the module housing; an open shaft being arranged between the front chamber and the rear chamber, said shaft extending across the width of the module housing; the front chamber houses at least two storage modules to hold storage media, the rear chamber houses at least one function module for the data storage media, at least one transfer unit arranged in the shaft, said transfer unit having a vertically traveling elevator and a horizontally traveling carriage, said carriage travels on the elevator between the front chamber and the rear chamber, said carriage having a grip mechanism for removing or depositing the data storage media; wherein the shaft is open on its upper side and its lower side so that an integral open shaft is created through all module housings when two or more module housings are stacked on top of one another.