Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information... – Including threading
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-02
2003-07-15
Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3654)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information...
Including threading
C242S338400, C242S357000, C360S095000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06592063
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a linear tape storage system represented by DLT (Digital Linear Tape) or LTO (Linear Tape Open) and, in particular, to a method of confirming that a supply leader tape drawn out from a tape cassette (tape cartridge) and a take-up leader tape having one end connected to a take-up reel are properly chucked.
A linear tape storage system of the type has been developed as a backup for a computer system. A variety of linear tape storage systems have heretofore been proposed. For example, a digital linear tape drive as the DLT is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,862,014 or the like.
The digital linear tape drive (hereinafter may simply be called “driving device”, “tape drive”, or “drive”) is adapted to receive a tape cartridge (hereinafter may simply be called “cartridge” or may be called “cassette”) having a single reel (supply tape reel) and includes a take-up reel in the interior thereof. When the tape cartridge is loaded in the driving device, a magnetic tape is pulled out from the tape cartridge to be taken up by the take-up reel through a head guide assembly (HGA). The head guide assembly serves to guide to a magnetic head the magnetic tape (hereinafter may simply be called “tape”) pulled out from the tape cartridge. The magnetic head exchanges information between it and the tape. Typically, the head guide assembly comprises an aluminum plate having a boomerang-like shape and a plurality of large guide rollers, six in number, comprising bearings.
The head guide assembly is also called a tape guide assembly and is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,585. An example of the guide roller is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-100025.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,574 for example, a tape drive typically comprises a generally rectangular housing having a common base. The base has two spindle motors. The first spindle motor has a spool (take-up reel) permanently mounted to the base and the spool is dimensioned to accept a magnetic tape streaming at a relatively high speed. The second spindle motor is adapted to receive a removable tape cartridge. The removable tape cartridge is manually or automatically inserted into the drive via a slot formed on a housing of the drive. When the tape cartridge is inserted into the slot, the cartridge is engaged with the second spindle motor. Prior to rotation of the first and the second spindle motors, the tape cartridge is connected to the permanently mounted spool by means of a mechanical buckling mechanism. A number of rollers (guide rollers) positioned between the tape cartridge and the permanent spool guide the magnetic tape as it streams at a relatively high speed back and forth between the tape cartridge and the permanently mounted spool.
The digital linear tape drive of the above-mentioned structure requires a pulling device for pulling the tape from the supply tape reel to the take-up reel. Such pulling device is disclosed, for example, in International Publication No. WO86/07471. According to the publication, take-up leader means (first tape leader) is coupled to the take-up reel. To the tape on the supply tape reel, supply tape leader means (second tape leader) is fixed. The first tape leader has a tab formed at its one end. The second tape leader has a locking hole. The tab is engaged with the locking hole. The take-up leader means (first tape leader) may be called a take-up leader tape while the supply tape leader means (second tape leader) may be called a supply leader tape.
Furthermore, a mechanism for joining the first tape leader to the second tape leader is required. Such joining mechanism is disclosed, for example, in International Publication No. WO86/07295.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-100116 discloses “Structure of Leader Tape Engaging Part” capable of locking an end of a leader tape (second tape leader) to a tape end hooking part of the tape cartridge without requiring a tab protruding on a lateral side of the leader tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,857,634 discloses a lock system for preventing the rotation of the take-up reel of the tape drive when the tape cartridge is not inserted into the drive.
The tape drive further comprises a tape head actuator assembly. The tape head actuator assembly is positioned between the take-up spool and the tape cartridge along a tape path defined by a plurality of rollers. In operation, the magnetic tape streams back and forth between the take-up spool and the tape cartridge, coming into close proximity to the head actuator assembly while streaming along the defined tape path. An example of the magnetic head actuator assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,793,574 mentioned above.
On the other hand, as the tape cartridge to be received in the digital linear tape drive, one example is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-149491.
As described above, when the tape cartridge (cassette) is loaded in the tape drive, it is necessary for the take-up reel to pull the tape from the supply tape reel of the tape cartridge. To this end, the supply leader tape must be caught by the take-up leader tape. Such catching operation is called “chucking”. The chucking is carried out by the use of a buckle.
FIG. 1
shows a take-up leader tape
10
connected to a take-up reel.
FIG. 2
shows a supply leader tape
20
fixed to a tape on the supply tape reel.
As illustrated in
FIG. 1
, the take-up leader tape
10
has one end formed into an enlarged tab
12
supported by a stem portion
11
. Near to the enlarged tab
12
, a positioning hole
13
is formed. To the positioning hole
13
, a finger-like protrusion of a buckle, which will later be described, is fitted. On the other hand, as illustrated in
FIG. 2
, the supply leader tape
20
has a locking hole
21
formed at its one end. By engaging the tab
12
with the locking hole
21
, the chucking is carried out.
Referring to
FIG. 3
, description will be made of the structure of a tape drive.
FIG. 3
is a perspective view of the tape drive illustrated in the state where an upper cover is removed.
The tape drive
30
is adapted to receive a tape cartridge (not shown) and includes a take-up reel
31
in the interior thereof. The take-up reel
31
may be called a spool. The tape drive
30
comprises a generally rectangular housing (gear chassis)
32
having a common base
32
a
. The base
32
a
has two spindle motors (reel motors)
33
and
34
. The first spindle motor
33
has the spool (take-up reel)
31
permanently mounted to the base
32
a
. The spool
31
is dimensioned to accept a magnetic tape (not shown) streaming at a relatively high speed. The first spindle motor
33
may be called a take-up reel motor. The second spindle motor
34
is adapted to receive the removable cartridge (not shown). The second spindle motor
34
may be called a supply reel motor. The removable cartridge is manually or automatically inserted into the drive
30
via a slot
32
b
formed on the housing
32
of the drive
30
along an inserting direction depicted by an arrow A.
When the tape cartridge is inserted into the slot
32
b
, the cartridge is engaged with the second spindle motor (supply reel motor)
34
by a loading mechanism which will later be described. Prior to rotation of the first and the second spindle motors
33
and
34
, the tape cartridge is connected to the permanently mounted spool
31
by means of a mechanical buckle
35
. A number of rollers (guide rollers)
36
positioned between the tape cartridge and the permanent spool
31
guide the magnetic tape as it streams at a relatively high speed back and forth between the tape cartridge and the permanently mounted spool
31
. The housing
32
comprises a sheet metal chassis made of an iron-based magnetic material.
The tape drive
30
further comprises a magnetic tape head actuator assembly (hereinafter may simply be called “actuator assembly”)
40
. The actuator assembly
40
is positioned between the take-up spool
31
and the tape cartridge along a tape path (not shown) defined by the roll
Tamura Kazuya
Tatsumi Naoki
Zweighaft Jimmy
Frishauf Holtz Goodman & Chick P.C.
Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd.
Nguyen John Q.
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