Appeal No. 1997-4444
Application 08/427,884
This is a decision on appeal under 35 U.S.C. § 134 from
the final rejection of claims 1 and 4-28. The amendments
after final have not been entered (Examiner's Answer, page 2).
We affirm-in-part.
BACKGROUND
The disclosed invention is directed to a precision
cassette handling system and method having a reference surface
which accurately positions a cassette on the reference surface
before it is inserted into a tape drive unit or a storage
cell. This eliminates the uncertainty in the position of the
cassette after it is withdrawn from a tape drive unit or
storage cell. When the cassette is withdrawn from a tape
drive or storage cell by mechanical couplers, the couplers
release the cassette onto the reference surface and
immediately re-engage the cassette.
Claim 4 is reproduced below.
4. A cassette handling system, comprising:
at least two ports in which a cassette is
receivable, one of said ports being occupied by the
cassette, one of said ports being vacant;
a movable carrier assembly for transporting the
cassette from said occupied port to said vacant port,
said carrier assembly including an engaging assembly for
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