WO1993018513A1

WO1993018513A1 - Anti-jam system for removable cartridge data storage device and cartridge

Info

Publication number: WO1993018513A1
Application number: PCT/US1993/002040
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bin-Lun Ho; Joseph E Davis
Original assignee: Syquest Technology, Inc.
Priority date: 1992-03-10
Filing date: 1993-03-09
Publication date: 1993-09-16

Abstract

An anti-jam system (20) for a removable cartridge storage device (22) can accept a cartridge (24) containing data includes an anti-jam cam arrangement (34) which is mounted on a door (30) of the data storage device (22). As the door (30) is moved to a closed position, the anti-jam arrangement (34) engages a recess (61) in the cartridge (24) in order to urge the cartridge into the final registration position in the drive (22).

Description

ANTI-JAM SYSTEM FOR REMOVABLE CARTRIDGE DATA STORAGE DEVICE AND CARTRIDGE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to data storage devices which have removable cartridges in which the data is stored.

RELATED CASES This case is related to a case entitled "REMOVABLE CARTRIDGE DISK DRIVE WITH CARTRIDGE INTERLOCKING AND SPINDLE MOTOR TELESCOPING MECHANISM" which was filed on June 28, 1991 and given U.S. Patent Serial No. 07/723,452, which patent application is assigned to Syquest Technology, Inc., the present assignee and. which application is incorporated herein by reference. Claim is made to the priority of this filing date and this referenced application to the full extent allowed by the U.S. patent-laws.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With removable media, data storage devices such as disk drives which can accept a cartridge containing a disk upon which data is stored and also other types of removable cartridge storage devices which contain removable media for storing data, there is a need for ensuring that the cartridge is properly and repeatably seated in the data storage device without the cartridge becoming misaligned or jammed. Jamming can occur, for example with a disk drive having a door, when the door is used to urge the cartridge into a final position inside of the disk drive. For the case of a disk drive having a spindle motor, it is possible for the cartridge to be jammed between the cartridge receiving mechanism inside of the disk drive, the spindle motor and the cartridge door. This can occur, for example, after a user has finished with and powered down the drive and ejected the cartridge in the drive but then subsequentially decides to reinstall the cartridge back into the drive by closing the door. In this situation, it may be possible to jam the cartridge into the disk drive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to ensuring that a removable cartridge is repeatedly installed in a removable media data storage device so that the cartridge does not jam in the data storage device.

In an aspect of the invention, an anti-jam system is provided for a removable cartridge data storage device and a cartridge which is accepted into the device in order to access data stored on the cartridge. The anti-jam system comprises the removable cartridge data storage device having a housing, a door and a mechanism for movably mounting the door to the housing so that the door can be moved between an open position and a closed position relative to the housing. Alternatively, the door may be implemented simply as a front actuating handle. The removable cartridge data storage device further includes a projection from the door for preventing the cartridge at least partially accepted into the drive from becoming jammed in the housing as the door is moved from the open position to the closed position. The method further includes the cartridge having a recess for accepting the projection in order to allow the projection to urge the cartridge into the housing as the door is moved to the closed position.

In another aspect of the invention, the projection can urge the cartridge into the housing and then the projection can be deflected so as to maintain the cartridge urged against the housing in the final registration position.

In another aspect of the invention, the projection includes a front end for initially contacting the cartridge in order to urge the cartridge into the housing and a cam surface which follows the front end and subseguentially biases the cartridge to a final registration position in the housing.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the projection is substantially V-shaped having a first leg and a second leg which come together to form a front end of the projection and with one of the first and second legs secured to the door. The other of the first and second legs is spaced from the door.

In another aspect of the invention, the cartridge of the anti-jam system has upper and lower major surfaces with a rear side located between the upper and lower major surfaces and with a recess located in the rear side and in the lower major surface. With the cartridge having right and left sides located between the upper and lower major surfaces, and with the right and left sides joined to the rear side, the recess is located substantially adjacent to one of the right and left sides.

In another aspect of the invention, the recess includes a first surface which can contact the projection to allow the projection to urge the cartridge into the disk drive. The recess includes a second surface which can contact the projection in order to allow the projection to bias the cartridge into the final position in the drive. The projection is deflected by the second surface and biases the cartridge in finally position during the drive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 depicts a partial side-view of the anti-jam system of the invention with a disk drive and a cartridge.

Figures 2 through 4 depict sequential views of the anti-jam system of Fig. 1 with a disk drive door moving to a more closed position.

Figure 5 depict the embodiment of Fig. 1 with the door of the disk drive in the fully closed position.

Figure 6 depicts a front view of the invention of Fig. 1 with the door fully opened as taken relative to reference line 6-6 in Fig. 2.

Figure 7 depicts an exploded plan view of the invention taken along reference 7-7 in Fig. 6.

Figure 8 depicts an assembled view of the components shown in Fig.7.

Figures 9 through 10 depict left, front and right side views of the anti-jam cam of the invention of Fig. 1 with Fig. 10 depicting the same angle of view of the anti-jam cam as shown in Fig. 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the figures and in particular Fig. 1, the anti-jam system 20 of the invention is depicted. In a preferred embodiment, the anti-jam system 20 includes a removable cartridge disk drive 22 and a removable cartridge 24 similar to those described in the above related case. The disk drive includes a housing 26 which defines a cartridge receiver 28. A disk drive door 30 is pivotally mounted at ι Jvot point 32 to the housing 26. The door can pivot from a fully opened position, as shown in Fig. 1, to a fully closed position as shown in Fig. 5.

On the door 30 is mounted the anti-jam cam arrangement 34 of the invention. As can be seen more clearly in Figs. 9, 10 and 11, this anti-jam cam arrangement is preferably of one piece molded construction and preferably made of flexible material such as a plastic, such as polycarbonate. It is to be understood that metals and other materials can be used to fashion this arrangement 34 and that the arrangement 34 can be fabricated out of several pieces that are secured together.

The anti-jam cam arrangement 34 includes a base 36 which is secured to the door 30 using screws 38 which are disposed through ports 40 of the door 30 and through threaded bores 42 of the anti-jam cam arrangement 34. The anti-jam cam arrangement 34 further includes an upstanding tab 44 which has a bore 46 defined therethrough. Further, the anti-jam cam arrangement 34 includes the anti-jam cam 48 upstanding from the base 36 and spaced from the tab 44.

Preferably as disclosed in the above related case, the upstanding tab 44 is secured by means of a rivet and a sleeve 51 to a door linkage 50 which is in turn is secured to an actuator arm link. As disclosed in the above related and incorporated case, the closing of the door urges the door link and the actuating arm link rearwardly into the disk drive causing a spindle motor to move relative to and seat against the baseplate of the disk drive in order to properly engage the hub of the disk drive preparatory to the spindle motor spinning a disk contained on the cartridge up to the desired operating speed.

The anti-jam cam 48, in a preferred embodiment, is substantially V-shaped and includes first and second legs 52, 54 which meet at a front end 56. Give this construction, legs 52, 54 are flexible and deflectable with respect the base 36. As can be seen in Fig. 9 for example, leg 52 is secured to the base 36 while leg 54 ends at point spaced from the base 36. As can be seen in Figs. 9 and 11, first leg 52 includes a recess camming surface 58 which is located in back of front end 56. Recess camming surface 58 is separated from the front end 56 by a shoulder 60.

The second leg 54 has a curved end 55 which fits partially around a rivet and a sleeve 51 located in bore 46 that secures door linkage 50 to tab 44. This curved end 55 resists a tendency of the anti-jam cam arrangement 34 to bend as it urges the cartridge into the disk drive. The curved end 55 engages rivet and sleeve 51 and prevents the anti-jam cam arrangement 34 from bending back toward door 30. The curved end 55 also ensures that the cam is positioned below the cartridge as in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1, the cartridge 24 is depicted partially sectioned to reveal the recess 61 of the anti- jam system 20 formed in the cartridge 24. The cartridge 24 includes a rear side 62 flanked by right and left sides 64, 66 (Fig. 6) . Right and left sides 64, 66 are substantially perpendicular to the rear side 62. The cartridge 24 further includes top and bottom substantially planer and parallel sides 68, 70 (Fig. 6) . The recess 61 is formed partially in the rear side 62 and partially in the bottom side 70 of the cartridge adjacent to the right side 64 as shown in Fig. 6. As can be seen Figs. 1 through 5, the recess 61 includes a first surface 72 which is used by the projection or front end 56 of the anti-jam cam 48 to urge the cartridge into position. The recess 61 further includes a second surface 74 which, in a preferred embodiment, includes an edge which is contacted by the recessed camming surface 58 of the anti-jam cam 48, deflecting the recessed camming surface 58 and thus the anti-jam cam 48 and thereby biasing the cartridge into the final seating position in the disk drive as shown in Fig. 5.

As can be seen in Figs. 1 through 5, the recess 61 is substantially rectangular in shape and includes secondary inner recess 76 which is located in a corner, part of which is defined by first surface 72. This inner recess 76 is used, in a preferred embodiment, to ensure that the rounded front end 56 of the anti-jam cam 48 has sufficient clearance as it urges the cartridge into its final registration position. Further, this recess can be used to extract the cartridge from the drive should the cartridge become stuck in the final registration position. A rigid hook (not shown) could engage recess 76 in order to pry the cartridge out of the drive. A similar recess 80 with a secondary inner recess 82 is located in both the rear side and the upper side (Fig. 6) . This recess 80 is somewhat offset from recess 61 and located more toward the middle of the rear side 62 of the cartridge. Recess 82 can also be used to pry the cartridge from the disk drive should the cartridge become stuck in this final registration position.

It is to be understood that in an alternative preferred embodiment, that the recess camming surface is recessed slightly more than the above embodiment so that once the shoulder 60 clears the recess 61 in the cartridge, the recess camming surface 58 of the anti-jam arrangement 48 does not bias the cartridge in the cartridge's final resting position.

In this alternate preferred embodiment, the anti-jam cam 48 of the invention is not deflected in the final position as shown in Fig. 5, but is either just touching or spaced from the cartridge in the final registration position so as not to influence the cartridge. In this embodiment, the cartridge is retained in the housing by other mechanisms such as disclosed in the above-referenced related case.

Industrial Applicability

The anti-jam system 20 of the invention operates as follows. With the cartridge partially inserted into the drive and preferably in the ejected position shown in Fig. 1, which occur if the cartridge were rejected from the drive in the above related case, the door 30 can be sequenced from the fully opened position as shown in Fig. 1 through the intermediate positions shown in Fig. 2 through 4 to the final closed position of Fig. 5. As this occurs, the anti-jam 48 contacts the first surface 72 of the recess 61. The anti-jam cam 48 is rigid enough to urge the recess 61 and thus the cartridge 24 into the cartridge receiver 28 of the disk drive 22 as shown in the figures.

As the door is moving from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5, the anti-jam cam 48 is deflected downwardly by the second surface or edge 74 such that it deflects relative to the base 36. This deflection means .that the anti-jam cam 48 is slightly biased against the cartridge 24 and thus biases the cartridge in the final registration position. With such an arrangement, the possibility that the cartridge will be jammed in the receiver of the disk drive between the door and the spindle motor which is translated into engagement with the cartridge by the above-referenced door linkage and actuating arm link is eliminated. Thus, the cartridge can be accurately and repeatably inserted into the disk drive without jamming.

It is to be understood that data storage devices other than disk drives will benefit from the use of the anti-jam system of the invention.

Other aspects of the present inventions can be obtained from a review of the appended figures and the claims.

It is to be understood that other embodiments of the present invention can be fabricated and come within the spirit and scope of the claims.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A removable cartridge data storage device for accepting a cartridge in order to access data stored in the cartridge, the device comprising: a housing; a door; means for movably mounting the door to the housing so that the door can be moved between an opened position and a closed position relative to the housing; and means projecting from the door adapted for preventing a cartridge at least partially accepted in the device from becoming jammed in the housing as the door is moved from the opened position to the closed position.

2. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means including a spring.

3. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means including a finger; and said projecting means including means for deflectably mounting said finger to said door such that said finger can urge a cartridge into said housing and then be deflected so as to bias a cartridge against the housing.

4. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means including means for urging a cartridge into said housing and means for allowing said urging means to be deflected so as to bias a cartridge against said housing.

5. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means including means for urging a cartridge into said housing.

6. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means includes a front end for initially contacting a cartridge in order to urge a cartridge into the housing, and a recessed surface which follows the front end and does not influence the cartridge with the cartridge located in a retained position in the housing.

7. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means being deflectably mounted to said door so that as the door is closed said projecting means is deflected.

8. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means being substantially V- shaped.

9. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 1 including: said projecting means having a first leg and a second leg which come together to from a front end of the projecting means which can contact and urge a cartridge into the housing, and with one of the first and second legs secured to the door.

10. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 9 including: said projecting means with said first leg secured to said door such that said projecting means is deflectable as a cartridge is urged into the housing, said front end for initially urging a cartridge into the housing and said first leg defining a recess surface located behind the front end for not influencing the cartridge with the cartridge located in a retained position in the housing.

11. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 9 including: said first leg secured to said door; said second leg being shorter than said first leg and being spaced from said door; said first leg defining a cam surface located between the front end and the door with the front end for initially urging a cartridge into the housing and the cam surface for finally biasing a cartridge into the housing, and wherein said projecting means is flexible.

12. An anti-jam system for a removable cartridge data storage device and a cartridge which is accepted into the device in order to access data stored in the cartridge, the anti-jam system comprising: said data storage device having: a housing; a door; means for movably mounting the door to the housing so that the door can be moved between an opened position and a closed position relative to the housing; and means projecting from the door for preventing the cartridge at least partially accepted in the device from becoming jammed in the housing as the door is moved from the opened position to the closed position; and said cartridge having a recess means for accepting said projecting means in order to allow the projecting means to urge said cartridge into said housing as the door is moved to the closed position.

13. The system of claim 12 further including: said cartridge having upper and lower major surfaces with a rear side located between said upper and lower major surfaces and with the recess means located in said rear side and said lower major surface.

14. The system of claim 13 further including: said cartridge having right and left sides located between said upper and lower major surfaces and jointed to said rear side with the recess means located substantially adjacent to one of the right and left sides.

15. The system of claim 12 further including: said recess means including a first surface which can contact the projecting means to allow the projecting means to urge the cartridge into the disk drive; and said recess means including a second surface which can contact the projecting means to allow the projecting means to bias the cartridge in a final position in the disk drive.

16. The system of claim 15 further including: said recess means wherein said first surface is substantially parallel to the door with the door in the closed position.

17. The system of claim 15 further including: said recess means including a first surface which can contact the projecting means to allow the projecting means to urge the cartridge into the device; and said recess means including a first edge^'which can contact the projecting means to allow the projecting means to bias the cartridge in a final position in the device.

18. The system of claim 17 further including: said recess means wherein said first surface is substantially parallel to the door with the door in the closed position; and said first edge is defined in the lower major surface.

19. The system of claim 12 including: said projecting means including means for contacting said recess means in order to urge the cartridge into said housing and means for allowing said contacting means to be deflected so as to bias the cartridge against said housing.

20. The system of claim 12 including: said projecting means including means for contacting said recess means in order to urge the cartridge into said housing.

21. The system of claim 12 including: said projecting means includes a front end for initially contacting said recess means in order to urge the cartridge into the housing, and a recessed surface which follows the front end and does not influence the cartridge with the cartridge in a retained position in the housing.

22. The system of claim 12 including: said projecting means being deflectably mounted to said door so that as the door is closed said projecting means is deflected by said recess means defined in the cartridge.

23. An anti-jam cartridge for insertion in a removable cartridge data storage device which device has a housing, a door, a mechanism for movably mounting the door to the housing in order to allow the door to be moved from an opened position to a closed position, and a projection extending from the door for urging the cartridge into the housing, said anti-jam cartridge comprising: a recess means for accepting a projection on a door of a data storage device in order to allow the projection to urge said cartridge into a data storage device as a door of a data storage device is moved to a closed position.

24. The anti-jam cartridge of claim 23 further including: said cartridge having upper and lower major surfaces with a rear side located between said upper and lower surfaces and with the recess means located in said rear side and said lower major surface.

25. The anti-jam cartridge of claim 24 further including: said cartridge having right and left sides located between said upper and lower surfaces and jointed to said rear side with the recess means located substantially adjacent to one of the right and left sides.

26. The anti-jam cartridge of claim 23 further including: said recess means including a first surface which is adapted to contact a projection from a data storage device to allow the projection to urge the cartridge into a data storage device; and said recess means including a second surface which is adapted to contact a projection to allow the projection to bias the cartridge in a final position in a data storage device.

27. The anti-jam cartridge of claim 26 further including: said recess means wherein said first surface is substantially parallel to a door of a data storage device in the closed position.

28. The anti-jam cartridge of claim 26 further including: said recess means including a first surface which is adapted to be contacted by a projection from a door of a data storage device to allow a projection to urge the cartridge into a data storage device; and said recess means including a first edge which is adapted to contact a projection to allow the projection to bias the cartridge to a final position in a data storage device.

29. The anti-jam cartridge of claim 28 further including: said recess means wherein said first surface is substantially parallel to a door of a data storage device in a closed position; and said first edge is defined in the lower major surface.

30. The removable cartridge data storage device of claim 9 including: said first leg being secured to the door and means for restricting the movement of the second leg so as to restrict the movement of the projecting means.