Appeal No. 1998-2514
Application No. 08/426,917
BACKGROUND
The disclosed invention is directed to a automated cassette library apparatus for
transferring video cassettes from positions on shelves to video cassette players, and
returning the cassettes to the shelves. Claim 1 is reproduced below.
1. An automated cassette library apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a plurality of cassette shelves, each cassette shelf of said plurality of
cassette shelves being disposed horizontally within said housing;
a plurality of cassette players, each cassette player of said plurality of
cassette players being disposed horizontally within said housing; and
a cassette transport unit disposed horizontally within said housing, said
cassette transport unit having a cassette carrying cavity therein and including a
plate having a longitudinal axis which extends in the direction of a first axis, said
plate having a cassette supporting segment and being movably mounted to said
cassette transport unit, first means disposed in said cassette carrying cavity for
selectively transferring said cassette supporting segment in the direction of said
first axis from a position below a cassette shelf of said plurality of cassette shelves
to a position within said cassette carrying cavity in a first mode and from a position
within said cassette carrying cavity to a position below a cassette shelf of said
plurality of cassette shelves in a second mode; second means disposed in said
cassette carrying cavity for selectively transferring a cassette in the direction of a
second axis which is perpendicular to said first axis from said cassette carrying
cavity into a cassette player in a third mode and from a cassette player into said
cassette carrying cavity in a fourth mode; and third means disposed in said housing
(a) for selectively transporting said cassette transport unit in the direction of a third
axis, which is perpendicular to said first axis and said second axis, and relative to
said plurality of cassette shelves and said plurality of cassette players when said
cassette supporting segment is disposed within said cassette carrying cavity; (b)
for selectively transporting said cassette transport unit in the direction of said third
axis, at the beginning of said first mode when said cassette supporting segment is
disposed below said cassette shelf, to move said cassette supporting segment
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