Electronic data connector of data storage cartridge and associated cartridge drive

• US 20060044674A1
• Filed: 08/27/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Imation Corporation (Glassbridge Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Robert C., Spychalla, Leo W., Marion, Jack L., Groel, Peter L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,508,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/97.10
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 23/049 Cassettes for special applications not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/122 Arrangements for providing electrical connections, e.g. connectors, cables, switches
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/714 with contacts abutting directly the printed circuit; Button contacts therefore provided on the printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/2421 using coil springs

Abstract

A data storage cartridge comprising a hard drive and a cartridge housing. The hard drive includes a non-tape storage medium and an electronic data connector including a plurality of connection pads for accessing the non-tape storage medium. The cartridge housing substantially encloses the hard drive. The plurality of connection pads are transversely accessible by a cartridge drive.

Claims

1. A data storage cartridge comprising:

a hard drive including;

a non-tape storage medium,

an electronic data connector including a plurality of connection pads for accessing the non-tape storage medium,

a cartridge housing substantially enclosing the hard drive;

wherein the plurality of connection pads are transversely accessible by a cartridge drive.

2. The data storage cartridge of claim 1, wherein the hard drive defines a recess between a first portion of the plurality of connection pads and a second portion of the plurality of connection pads, the recess being configured to interact with a protrusion of the cartridge drive to facilitate alignment of the electronic data connector with the cartridge drive.

3. The data storage cartridge of claim 1, wherein the hard drive defines an extension feature configured to interact with the cartridge drive to prevent overloading of the connection pads.

4. A cartridge drive for selectively receiving a data storage cartridge including a housing substantially enclosing a hard drive, the hard drive including a non-tape storage medium and an electronic data connector, the cartridge drive comprising:

a drive connector for electrically connecting with the electronic data connector, the drive connector including;

a plurality of pins each configured to transversely contact a corresponding one of a plurality of connection pads of the electronic data connector to at least one of read data from and write data to the non-tape storage medium.

5. The cartridge drive of claim 4, wherein the cartridge drive is a tape drive emulator.

6. The cartridge drive of claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of pins includes a plurality of compliant pins.

7. The cartridge drive of claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of compliant pins includes a barrel and a plunger at least partially housed within the barrel, wherein the plunger selectively slides with respect to the barrel.

8. The cartridge drive of claim 4, wherein the cartridge drive further comprises:

a motor configured to load the data storage cartridge toward the plurality of pins.

9. The cartridge drive of claim 8, wherein the motor is configured to load the data storage cartridge toward the plurality of pins to a predefined parameter limit.

10. The cartridge drive of claim 4, wherein the drive connector further includes:

a mounting block configured to partially receive and to maintain each of the plurality of pins within the cartridge drive.

11. The cartridge drive of claim 10, wherein the mounting block defines a protrusion configured to interact with the hard drive to facilitate alignment of the plurality of pins with the electronic data connector.

12. The cartridge drive of claim 11, wherein the mounting block defines an interface pad spaced from the protrusion configured to interact with the hard drive to additionally facilitate alignment of the plurality of pins with the electronic data connector.

13. The cartridge drive of claim 10, wherein the cartridge drive is configured to load the data storage cartridge toward the plurality of compliant pins, and further wherein the mounting block defines at least one surface configured to interact with the hard drive to decrease overdriving of the data storage cartridge toward the drive connector.

14. The cartridge drive of claim 13, wherein the at least one surface is sized and shaped to decrease overdriving of the data storage cartridge by interacting with an extension feature of the heard drive.

15. A data storage system comprising:

a data storage cartridge including;

a hard drive including a non-tape storage medium and an electronic data connector including a plurality of connection pads for accessing the non-tape storage medium, and

a cartridge housing substantially enclosing the hard drive;

a cartridge drive for selectively receiving the data storage cartridge, the cartridge drive including;

a drive connector for electrically connecting with the electronic data connector, the drive connector including a plurality of pins each configured to transversely contact a corresponding one of the plurality of connection pads to at least one of read data from and write data to the non-tape storage medium.

16. A method of electrically connecting a cartridge drive with a data storage cartridge, the data storage cartridge including a housing maintaining a hard drive, the hard drive including a non-tape storage medium and an electronic data connector, the method comprising:

aligning the electronic data connector with a drive connector of the cartridge drive;

loading the data storage cartridge to move the electronic data connector toward the drive connector;

transversely interfacing the drive connector with a plurality of connection pads of the electronic data connector;

accessing the non-tape storage medium to at least one of read data from and write data to the non-tape storage medium.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein loading the data storage cartridge includes loading the data storage cartridge to a zero-penetration point of the electronic data connector and the drive connector.

18. The method of claim 17, the method further including:

additionally loading the data storage tape a predetermined distance beyond the zero-penetration point of the electronic data connector and the drive connector.

19. The method of claim 17, the method further including:

additionally loading the data storage cartridge until a parameter limit is reached, wherein the parameter limit includes one or more of a predetermined level of motor current, a predetermined amount a motor travel, and a hard stop.

20. The method of claim 16, further including:

determining if communication is established between the cartridge drive and the hard drive; and

applying additional load to the data storage cartridge when no communication between the cartridge drive and the hard drive is established between the cartridge drive and the hard drive.