Importance

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Abstract

An automated cartridge library (30) has plural cartridge receiving units which are precisely locatable so that a transport device (300) can accurately move a cartridge (90) between at least two of the cartridge-receiving units. The cartridge-receiving units and/or calibration cartridges inserted therein have an indicia (190) which is of contrasting reflectivity, the indicia having at least two sides (191, 192) which meet at a vertex (193). An illumination source (340) on the cartridge transport device makes two sweeps (Y1, Y2) of an illuminating beam over the indicia. Illumination transitions as detected by a sensor (350) during the two sweeps are used to determine a location of the indicia vertex (193). In the case of a cartridge-receiving unit being a multi-celled cartridge magazine, a rear wall (220) of the magazine has an aperture (222) for each cell. A mounting surface (60) upon which the magazine is mounted has a reflective portion (130) which is exposed through the aperture of the rear wall of the magazine when a cartridge is not in a predetermined cell in the magazine. To detect absence of a cartridge or a magazine, the illumination source directs an illuminating beam toward a predetermined position. A cartridge absence sensor (350) detects illumination reflected from the reflective portion of the mounting surface when the predetermined position is devoid of either a cartridge or a magazine.

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First Claim