METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSFERRING ENERGY BETWEEN ROBOTIC MECHANISMS IN AN AUTOMATED STORAGE LIBRARY

摘要

A storage library includes a first robotic mechanism (12a) having an energy coupler (84, 86) and a second robotic mechanism (12b) having an energy coupler. The storage library further includes tracks disposed adjacent to media object storage cells for enabling access to each of the media object storage cells, and powered rails associated with the tracks for providing energy. The first robotic mechanism is movable toward the second robotic mechanism to enable the energy coupler of the first robotic mechanism to couple with the energy coupler of the second robotic mechanism to transfer energy from the first robotic mechanism to the second robotic mechanism. The energy couplers of the first and second robotic mechanisms couple together to transfer energy from the powered rails to the second robotic mechanism. The energy couplers of the first and second robotic mechanisms couple together to transfer energy between on-board energy sources.