Disc storage cassettes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019130939-A1
Application number	US-201816234359-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 27, 2018
Priority date	Feb 17, 2016
Publication date	May 2, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A disc cassette includes a curved portion configured to hold multiple discs. A platform portion abuts the curved portion. A movable bale is configured to maintain discs securely in the disc cassette except when rotated off the discs.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A disc cassette comprising:
a curved portion configured to hold a plurality of discs; and a bottom side including one or more track connectors configured to position the disc cassette relative to one or more track portions that hold the disc cassette in place, wherein the disc cassette is slideable along the one or more track portions.

2 . The disc cassette of claim 1 , wherein the one or more track connectors include one or more non-flexible portions that fit within the one or more track portions.

3 . The disc cassette of claim 2 , wherein the one or more non-flexible portions are lodged in one or more mating grooves in the one or more track portions.

4 . The disc cassette of claim 2 , wherein the one or more non-flexible portions fix a horizontal position and a rotational orientation of the disc cassette.

5 . The disc cassette of claim 2 , wherein the one or more non-flexible portions comprise one or more wedge-shaped fingers.

6 . The disc cassette of claim 5 , wherein the one or more wedge-shaped fingers are arranged on the bottom side of the disc cassette in rows, and the one or more wedge-shaped fingers include one or more flat coupling surfaces that are pressed against a top surface of the one or more track portions in response to pressure of the one or more wedge-shaped fingers against one or more mating surfaces in one or more dovetail slots included in the one or more track portions.

7 . The disc cassette of claim 6 , wherein the one or more wedge-shaped fingers include a first set of wedge-shaped fingers positioned at about a back of the bottom side of the disc cassette and a second set of wedge-shaped fingers positioned at about a front of the bottom side of the disc cassette, the first set of wedge-shaped fingers are longer and have more compliance than the second set of wedge-shaped fingers, and the second set of wedge-shaped fingers are shorter and stiffer than the first set of wedge-shaped fingers.

8 . The disc cassette of claim 7 , wherein the second set of wedge-shaped fingers control lateral and angular positions of the disc cassette.

9 . The disc cassette of claim 1 , wherein the one or more track connectors include one or more flexible portions for gripping the one or more track portions.

10 . The disc cassette of claim 9 , wherein each flexible portion comprises a wedge-shaped spring.

11 . The disc cassette of claim 9 , wherein each flexible portion comprises a flexible finger.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Altknecht David J
• Bethune Donald S
• Dyer William M
• Erpelding A David
• Hetzler Steven R
• Lawson Drew B
• Smith Daniel F

Classifications

• G11B17/08

  from consecutive-access magazine of disc records · CPC title

• G11B23/0323

  for disc-packs · CPC title

• G11B17/28

  the magazine having a cylindrical shape with horizontal axis · CPC title

• G11B17/038 Primary

  Centering or locking of a plurality of discs in a single cartridge · CPC title

• G11B23/0325

  comprising latching or movable handling devices (G11B17/038 takes precedence) · CPC title