Storage cell and magazine

1. A storage cell that accommodates a plurality of data cartridges in a row, comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed storage area that accommodates i) a first one of the data cartridges stored in a rear storage position adjacent a closed rear end of the housing and remote from an open end of the housing, and ii) a second one of the data cartridges stored in a front storage position adjacent the open end of the housing and remote from the closed rear end of the housing, the rear storage position and the front storage position defining a row,

said housing having a side surface, the side surface extending from the open front end to the closed rear end of the housing and defining an edge of the rear storage position and a corresponding edge of the front storage position;

a side surface hole located on the side surface; and

a regulating member that regulates storage of a maximum number of the data cartridges that can be stored, the regulating member being located on the side surface, said regulating member comprising a protruding contact part connected to a lever, and a biasing element that biases the protruding contact part to protrude from the side surface hole into the rear storage position, the lever and the biasing element rotatable,

wherein the first data cartridge is storable in the rear storage position by entry into the open end of the housing, movement through the front storage position, and movement past the side surface hole into the rear storage position,

wherein the lever is biased by the biasing element so that the protruding contact part rotates to extend through said side surface hole and extend into the storage area to thereby form a blockage,

wherein, with the protruding contact part extended through said side surface hole into the storage area to form said blockage, the protruding contact part blocks the movement of the second data cartridge past the side surface hole and rearwards to thereby prevent complete insertion of the second data cartridge to regulate the storage of the maximum number of the data cartridges that can be stored within the enclosed storage area defined by the housing.

2. The storage cell as set forth in claim 1 , wherein,

the side surface hole is located at a first position on the side surface along where the side surface defines the edge of the rear storage position,

the side surface hole defines a division of the rear storage position into a front portion and a rear portion,

the regulating member is located at a second position on the side surface along where the side surface defines the edge of the rear storage position,

the lever and the biasing element are rotatable about a common rotation center,

the first data cartridge is storable in the rear storage position by entry into the open end of the housing, movement through the front storage position, movement through the front portion of the rear storage position, and movement past the side surface hole into the rear portion of the rear storage position,

the lever is biased by the biasing element so that the protruding contact part rotates about the rotation center to extend through said side surface hole and extend into the storage area within the rear storage position to thereby form said blockage at the division of the rear storage position into the front portion and the rear portion, and

with the protruding contact part extended through said side surface hole into the storage area to form said blockage, the protruding contact part blocks the further movement of the first data cartridge past the side surface hole and into the rear portion of the rear storage position to thereby prevent complete insertion of the first data cartridge into the rear storage position to regulate the storage of the maximum number of the data cartridges that can be stored within the enclosed storage area defined by the housing.

3. The storage cell as set forth in claim 1 , wherein all of said maximum number of said data cartridges are stored when regulation by said regulating member is cancelled.

4. A magazine that is capable of storing a plurality of said storage cell as set forth in claim 1 in a side by side manner.

5. A storage cell that accommodates a plurality of data cartridges in a row, comprising:

a housing defining an enclosed storage area that accommodates i) a first one of the data cartridges configured to be stored in a rear storage position adjacent a closed rear end of the housing and remote from an open end of the housing, and ii) a second one of the data cartridges configured to be stored in a front storage position adjacent the open end of the housing and remote from the closed rear end of the housing, the first rear storage position and the second front storage position defining a row,

said housing having a side surface, the side surface extending from the open front end to the closed rear end of the housing and defining an edge of the rear storage position and a corresponding edge of the front storage position;

a side surface hole located at a first position on the side surface along where the side surface defines the edge of the rear storage position, the side surface hole defining a division of the rear storage position into a front portion and a rear portion; and

a regulating member that regulates storage of a maximum number of the data cartridges that can be stored, the regulating member being located at a second position on the side surface along where the side surface defines the edge of the rear storage position, said regulating member comprising a protruding contact part connected to a lever, and a biasing element that biases the protruding contact part to protrude from the side surface hole into the rear storage position, the lever and the biasing element rotatable about a common rotation center,

wherein the first data cartridge is storable in the rear storage position by entry into the open end of the housing, movement through the front storage position, movement through the front portion of the rear storage position, and movement past the side surface hole into the rear portion of the rear storage position,

wherein the lever is biased by the biasing element so that the protruding contact part rotates about the rotation center to extend through said side surface hole and extend into the storage area within the rear storage position to thereby form a blockage at the division of the rear storage position into the front portion and the rear portion, and

wherein, with the protruding contact part extended through said side surface hole into the storage area to form said blockage, the protruding contact part capable of blocking the further movement of the first data cartridge past the side surface hole and into the rear portion of the rear storage position to thereby prevent complete insertion of the first data cartridge into the rear storage position to regulate the storage of the maximum number of the data cartridges that can be stored within the enclosed storage area defined by the housing.