Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information... – Including threading
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-26
2001-06-05
Nguyen, John Q. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information...
Including threading
C242S332700, C242S587100, C242S587200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06241171
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to magnetic tape recording. More particularly, it relates to a tape drive having an assembly that eliminates the conventional buckling process, including a buckling mechanism and a take-up leader.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The constantly increasing operational speeds of digital computers are creating a demand for corresponding increases in the data storage capacities of magnetic tape recording and reproducing systems, while maintaining the special requirements of high speed digital tape systems. As shown in
FIG. 1
, a typical single reel magnetic tape drive
10
includes a baseplate
11
, a take-up reel
15
, a take-up leader
50
attached thereto, a read/write head
16
, control circuits (not shown), and an opening
17
defined in a face plate
12
for receiving a tape cartridge
20
. In
FIG. 1
, the tape drive
10
is shown with the tape cartridge
20
and the take-up leader
50
being buckled to a tape leader
30
. In addition, an enclosure covering the top of the drive
10
is removed in
FIG. 1
to show the internal components described above.
By way of example, a section of a typical take-up leader
50
is shown in
FIG. 2
b
. The take-up leader
50
includes a nose
51
and neck
55
defined at one end while the other end of the take-up leader
50
is attached to the take-up reel
15
.
A typical tape cartridge includes a housing, a supply reel, and a fixed length of magnetic data storage tape attached thereto. A tape leader
30
is attached at one end of the data storage tape while the other end of the tape is attached to the supply reel hub. The cartridge is inserted into the tape drive to store the desired information thereon, and removed and stored in a secure location. A tape cartridge is typically four and one-tenth inches square and one inch high.
FIG. 2
a
shows a typical tape leader
30
including a tape leader hoop
39
. The hoop
39
includes a notch area
32
. The hoop
39
is dimensioned to enable the take-up leader nose
51
and a take-up leader neck
55
to pass therethrough. The notch area
32
is further dimensioned to enable the neck
55
to pass therethrough, but prevent the nose
51
from passing therethrough. Thus, in a “buckled” position, the nose
51
is locked against the notch area
32
.
As an example,
FIG. 3
represents a typical buckling process wherein, as a cartridge
20
is inserted into a tape drive, the tape leader
30
and take-up leader
50
are buckled by a buckling mechanism
25
. The process of buckling/unbuckling the take-up leader
50
with the tape leader
30
is described in detail in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/666,854 and is incorporated herein by reference. In addition, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,662,049 and 4,720,913 provide examples of prior tape buckling arrangements and structures. The contents of which are also incorporated herein by reference.
Unsuccessful buckling is a costly source of drive failure. Two of the more common buckling failure modes are “leader runaway” and “half-buckling”. Leader runaway occurs when the leaders are not completely locked, and the take-up leader unbuckles before the tape leader has been pulled into the take-up reel. Half-buckling occurs when only one ear of the take-up leader nose engages and locks to the tape leader hoop and often results in leader runaway. Leader runaway is a failure that cannot be fixed by the end user and requires the tape drive to be returned to the drive manufacturer for repair. Causes of buckling related drive failures are commonly related to the buckling mechanism design and/or the integrity of the take-up leader.
Thus, there exits a hitherto unsolved need for an improved, simple and cost efficient tape drive assembly for coupling a tape leader to a tape drive take-up leader that eliminates the use of a buckling mechanism and take-up leader, thereby eliminating the possibility of buckling related drive failures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION WITH OBJECTS
A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved tape drive that overcomes limitations and drawbacks of the prior art by eliminating the use of a conventional take-up leader and buckling mechanism.
More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tape drive with a take-up reel having features enabling a tape leader to be coupled and locked thereon as well as features enabling the tape leader to be transferred from a tape cartridge to the take-up reel.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method for urging a tape cartridge tape leader through a tape drive tape path and into locking engagement with a tape drive take-up reel without the use of conventional take-up leader and conventional buckling mechanism.
In accordance with principles of the present invention, a leaderless tape drive includes a take-up reel having a locking slot for locking a tape leader thereon and rollers for feeding the tape leader from the cartridge through an enclosed tape path and into a locking position with the take-up reel. A leader guide end member and the enclosed tape path ensure that the tape leader is transferred from the cartridge to the take-up reel despite the possibility of leader curl. As a cartridge is inserted into the tape drive, the tape leader is presented in position to be pinched between a motorized roller and an idle roller. As the motorized roller rotates, the idle roller rotates in concert to urge tape leader through the tape path and into the locking slot of take-up reel. Motorized roller stops when a sensor, located adjacent the leader guide end member, senses an indicator (e.g. magnetic indicator), signifying that the tape leader is in position to be locked with take-up reel. A predetermined rotation of take-up reel engages a locking member, defined on the take-up reel hub, with tape leader.
These and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed descriptions and studying the various figures of the drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2022807 (1935-12-01), Hagerty
patent: 3589637 (1971-06-01), Wagner
patent: 3740001 (1973-06-01), Wroblewski
patent: 3794254 (1974-02-01), Tarasenko et al.
patent: 3797776 (1974-03-01), Umeda et al.
patent: 4662049 (1987-05-01), Hertrich
patent: 4679747 (1987-07-01), Smith
patent: 4720913 (1988-01-01), Hertrich
patent: 5173828 (1992-12-01), Tanzer et al.
patent: 5216556 (1993-06-01), Steinberg et al.
patent: 5414585 (1995-05-01), Saliba
patent: 5634609 (1997-06-01), Glover et al.
Nguyen John Q.
Quantum Corporation
Roeder Steven G.
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