External desktop dock for a cartridge-based data storage unit

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United States Patent

McCormack

(io) Patent No.: (45) Date of Patent:

US 7,386,868 B2 Jun. 10,2008

(54) EXTERNAL DESKTOP DOCK FOR A

CARTRIDGE-BASED DATA STORAGE UNIT

(75) Inventor: Patrick McCormack, Costa Mesa, CA (US)

(73) Assignee: Quantum Corporation, San Jose, CA (US)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 365 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 11/183,143

(22) Filed: Jul. 14, 2005

(65) Prior Publication Data

US 2007/0014080 Al Jan. 18, 2007

(51) Int. CI.

G11B 33/02 (2006.01)

(52) U.S. CI 720/657; 439/152; 439/157;

439/160; 361/686

(58) Field of Classification Search 361/679,

361/683, 685, 94, 212, 220, 390, 391, 395, 361/399; 720/630,636-638,657,639; 360/99.01, 360/99.02, 99.03, 96.51, 97.01, 99.06, 99.07;

439/67, 77, 152, 157, 160, 680, 681, 638, 439/650,651; 358/906,909; 369/291,292; 235/492, 441; 292/194, 219, 203, 210, 304, 292/DIG. 11, 201, 216 See application file for complete search history.

(56) References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

D383,452 S * 9/1997 Thompson et al D14/368

6,375,484 Bl 4/2002 Shimada

6,540,528 B2 4/2003 Brodsky et al.

6,545,865 B2 4/2003 Zamora et al.

6,722,895 Bl 4/2004 Brodsky et al.

6,771,448 B2 8/2004 Blair et al.

6,978,903 B2* 12/2005 Son et al 211/26

2002/0167755 Al * 11/2002 Staley et al 360/99.06

2003/0128454 Al 7/2003 Basham et al.

2005/0036285 Al * 2/2005 Lee et al 361/683

2005/0060731 Al* 3/2005 Aoyama et al 720/651

2006/0010285 Al * 1/2006 Georgis 711/111

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

EP 0 653 759 A2 5/1995

* cited by examiner

Primary Examiner—Lisa Lea-Edmonds

Assistant Examiner—Nidhi Desai

(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Mark James Spolyar

(57) ABSTRACT

An external docking station for a removable data storage unit, allowing it to communicate with a computer system via a standard interface connection, such as a USB connector. In one implementation, the present invention provides a docking station that, in a locked or closed mode, locks a removable data storage unit into place via a latch. In one implementation, the docking station includes a motorized, geared lever assembly that simultaneously unlocks and ejects the removable data storage unit from the docking station. In one implementation, a spring biases the latch to maintain the docking station in an open position for receipt of a removable data storage unit. In one implementation, after the user presses the eject button, the present invention delays ejection of the removable data storage unit until the hard disk drive is no longer in use, thereby preventing possible damage to the drive media and/or read-write heads.

24 Claims, 7 Drawing Sheets