Sheldon H Helms, 711477 Planeta Way, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

5277540, Jan 11, 1994

Jan 13, 1992

7/819279

Sheldon H. Helms - Longmont CO
Lester M. Yeakley - Boulder CO

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

B25J 1500

414751

The gripper mechanism includes two fingers hingeably attached to a support and operable by means of a spring to grasp an object with a predetermined amount of force and a solenoid to open the fingers and release the object The gripper mechanism is enclosed by a substantially rectangular box-like enclosure which includes a plurality of compliant guides to align and support an object retrieved from an object storage location by the finger gripper mechanism. Each of these four guides consist of an elongated L-shaped guide finger that is attached to the enclosure by a spring mechanism to enable the guide finger to translate in directions that are normal to the opening in the enclosure. The end of the guide fingers adjacent the opening in the enclosure support the object as it is being retrieved and are tapered in order to provide a funneling capability to account for misalignments between the object that is retrieved and the precise center lines of the enclosure. The spring mechanism also functions to automatically reposition the object once it clears the object storage location to a position that is substantially centered within the enclosure.

6092754, Jul 25, 2000

Mar 25, 1999

9/276330

Christopher Rathweg - LaFayette CO
Sheldon Helms - Longmont CO

Quantum Corporation - Milpitas CA

G03B 138

2423324

An improved tape drive is provided herein. The tape drive includes a cartridge receiver and a buckler. The cartridge receiver receives a cartridge having a cartridge leader. The buckler selectively retains a drive leader of the tape drive. The tape drive and cartridge include an improved buckle which securely couples the drive leader of the tape drive to the cartridge leader of the cartridge. As provided herein, the buckler includes a pair of spaced apart buckler retainers which selectively engage a buckle bar of the drive leader. The buckler selectively moves the buckle bar relative to the cartridge leader to couple the drive leader to the cartridge leader.

5513947, May 7, 1996

Jan 13, 1992

7/820099

Sheldon H. Helms - Longmont CO
Lester M. Yeakley - Boulder CO

Storage Technology Corporation - Louisville CO

B25J 1512

414751

This apparatus comprises a mechanically simple and lightweight tractor mechanism for use with a robotic object handling system to retrieve objects from a plurality of object storage locations. A finger gripper mechanism is used to grasp an object with a predetermined amount of force. The finger gripper mechanism is enclosed by a substantially rectangular box-like enclosure. The finger gripper mechanism is attached to a carriage which is moveable along one axis of the rectangular enclosure on a pair of tracks, which tracks are located one on each of two opposite sides of the interior of the enclosure. The carriage rides on these tracks and is transported from a retracted position entirely within the enclosure to an activated position juxtaposed to an opening in the enclosure by a tractor mechanism that makes use of a pair of toothed belts, each belt being juxtaposed along the length of one of the tracks on which the carriage slides. The use of the two toothed belts enables the precise positioning of the carriage and prevents the finger gripper mechanism from binding as it slides along the pair of tracks.

5971310, Oct 26, 1999

Sep 8, 1998

9/149759

George Saliba - Northboro MA
Satya Mallick - Milford MA
An Quach - Worcester MA
Larry Albrecht - Louisville CO
Sheldon Helms - Longmont CO
Chan Kim - Holliston MA
Neil Stanick - Whitinsville MA
Christopher Rathweg - LaFayette CO

Quantum Corporation - Milpitas CA

G03B 158

2423324

A tape drive and cartridge are provided herein. The tape drive and cartridge include an improved buckle which securely couples a take-up leader of the tape drive to a cartridge leader of the cartridge. As provided herein, the buckle includes a first buckle component and a second buckle component which securely retain the take-up leader to the cartridge leader. More specifically, the first buckle component includes a buckle bar and the second buckle component includes a pair of spaced apart receivers which engage the buckle bar to securely retain the take-up leader to the cartridge leader. Importantly, the unique buckle provided herein inhibits leader runaway and has improved durability.