Patent ID: 7843663

Claim:
A storage cartridge retention device, comprising: a deep storage slot for storing at least one storage cartridge through a front opening of the deep storage slot and for biasing the at least one storage cartridge as stored in the deep storage slot in a direction of the front opening of the deep storage slot; and a retaining gate external to the deep storage slot and movable relative to the front opening of the deep storage slot between a retaining position and a releasing position, wherein the retaining position of the retaining gate engages a front storage cartridge of the at least one storage cartridge to retain the at least one storage cartridge within the deep storage slot based on the bias of the at least one storage cartridge as stored in the deep storage slot in the direction of the front opening of the deep storage slot, wherein the releasing position of the retaining gate disengages the front storage cartridge to facilitate movement of the at least one storage cartridge within the deep storage slot based on the bias of the at least one storage cartridge as stored in the deep storage slot in the direction of the front opening of the deep storage slot, and wherein each storage cartridge is a tape cartridge, and wherein the retaining gate includes a catch interfacing with the at least one of the front tape cartridge and a cartridge accessor based on a storage operation between the front tape cartridge and the cartridge accessor.