Patent ID: 6943982
Filing Date: 2005-09-13
Classification: G11B

Abstract:
1. A lockout mechanism for preventing the insertion of a digital linear tape cartridge into a receiving slot of a cell of an input/output station of a device unless the cartridge is oriented with a rear side facing the slot and a right side with a cavity and a door hinge with a gap facing the lockout mechanism, comprising: a lever with a leading end, a trailing end, and an intermediate hinge member rotatably mounted on a side of the cell; a leading blade extending into the slot when the leading end of the lever is rotated toward the slot; a trailing blade extending toward the slot when the trailing end is rotated toward the slot; and means for urging the leading blade out of the slot; wherein at least a portion of one of the leading and trailing blades of the lever always extends into the slot as the lever is rotated; and wherein the leading blade is sized to fit within a clearance defined by said cavity and said gap in the cartridge when the leading blade is fully extended into the slot and the cartridge is passed through the slot wherein said lever further includes a wing which butts against a toggle bracket of the input/output station and thereby pushes the leading blade of the lever fully into the slot when a front side of the toggle bracket is closed; the lever includes a shoulder which butts against an outer surface of the cell and thereby limits the penetration of the trailing blade into the slot when a front side of the toggle bracket is open; said leading blade is about 1 mm thick, extends about 5 mm inward toward the slot, has a section centerline about 10 mm above a bottom surface of the slot, and includes a rear bezeled side extending outwardly toward said hinge member of the lever; and said trailing blade is about 3 mm thick at a base thereof and tapers down to about 1 mm at a tip, extends a maximum of about 12 mm inward toward the slot, has a section centerline about 15 mm above a bottom surface of the slot, and includes a rear bezeled side extending outwardly toward the trailing end of the lever.