Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval – Record medium – In container
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-02
2001-06-12
Evans, Jefferson (Department: 2652)
Dynamic magnetic information storage or retrieval
Record medium
In container
Reexamination Certificate
active
06246542
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to data cartridges and in particular to a data cartridge of magnetically recorded tape with a single reel that is capable of recording on both sides of the tape.
2. Background Art
Data cartridges containing one or more spools of magnetic media tape are well known in the prior art. The data cartridges are typically mounted in a tape drive unit and the spools are rotated by a spindle motor at selected speeds by the tape drive unit. In some data cartridges, the magnetic tape is simply conveyed internally within the cartridge from one spool to another. In other data cartridges, the magnetic tape is spooled out of the cartridge and onto a take-up reel located on the drive unit. In either configuration, one side of the tape is usually read or written to by a magnetic head located adjacent to the cartridge.
In the prior art, attempts have been made to improve the efficiency of data cartridges. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,519, a cassette of two-sided magnetic tape has two reels which circulate the tape within the cartridge. Both sides of the tape are accessed through a pair of oppositely-facing windows in the cassette. A similar design is disclosed in Japanese patent JP53-144710. In that patent, the two-sided magnetic tape of a cassette is drawn out of the cassette through two opposite openings so that both sides of the tape can be read and/or written to by the tape drive.
A third example is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,975, where a cartridge tape has a single reel of two-sided magnetic tape, and two oppositely-facing tape access windows. Apparently, the reel winds and unwinds the tape at its outer tape diameter and inner hub diameter simultaneously to make use of the single reel. In order to access both sides of the tape, the tape is twisted 180 degrees at two different locations inside the cartridge. Although these designs are workable, an improved, more reliable data tape cartridge is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A magnetic media tape data cartridge has a housing with a spool of magnetic tape wound on the spool. The tape is two-sided so that information can be recorded on both sides. The sides of the tape maintain an orthogonal planar orientation relative to the axis of the spool at all times. The housing has separate openings for accessing each side of the tape. A leading end of the tape protrudes through a third opening in the housing for offloading the tape onto a take-up reel. A door is pivotally mounted to the housing at each of the first two openings for covering and uncovering each side of the tape. The tape cartridge also has an indicator for indicating which side of the tape is being recorded or accessed.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3974975 (1976-08-01), Holmes
patent: 4000519 (1976-12-01), Turk
patent: 4924338 (1990-05-01), Stacey
patent: 5906324 (1999-05-01), Adams et al.
patent: 5963395 (1999-10-01), Rudi
patent: 5979814 (1999-11-01), Childers
patent: 53-144710A (1978-12-01), None
Bracewell & Patterson L.L.P.
Evans Jefferson
International Business Machines - Corporation
Martin Robert B.
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