Winding – tensioning – or guiding – Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information... – Cartridge system
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-28
2001-10-23
Rivera, William A. (Department: 3653)
Winding, tensioning, or guiding
Unwinding and rewinding a machine convertible information...
Cartridge system
C242S338200, C242S340000, C242S342000, C360S095000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305631
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a high performance tape cartridge. More particularly, the invention is directed toward a tape cartridge which devotes a high percentage of its volume to tape storage, and to a tape drive for this cartridge.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Tape is a known medium or media for the storage of audio, video, and computer information. The information is typically written to and read from the tape magnetically and/or optically. Such tapes are available spooled on individual hubs and in single or dual hub tape cassettes/cartridges. The tape path for any type of tape cartridge and tape drive includes a tape head in close proximity to the tape. Many tape cartridges include an opening through which a tape head from a tape drive is inserted. The tape in a single hub tape cartridge also has an opening through which tape passes. The tape is accessed through the opening and then mechanically threaded through an external tape path and spooled onto a take-up hub after insertion into a tape drive device. The tape head has one or more transducer elements for writing to and/or reading from the tape.
Cassettes or cartridges including tape are commonly used to back up computer information from all types of computer systems. In work environments, tape is used to back up data or information on a regular basis. Tape and tape cartridges store vast amounts of data. In some instances, tape cartridges are used in a library which includes a tape drive coupled with a picking mechanism and a storage area for storing a number of tape cartridges. The tape cartridges in the storage area are accessible by the picking mechanism. The picking mechanism is controlled so that the picking mechanism picks a selected tape cartridge from it
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F particular position in the storage area, and inserts the tape cartridge into the tape drive when the information on the particular tape cartridge is requested. The picking mechanism removes the tape cartridges from the tape drives and returns them to the storage area when the information is no longer needed.
When analyzing the different digital recording cartridges on the market, all have advantages and weaknesses. In general, there are two types of tape cartridges—the tape cartridge with a single hub and the tape cartridge with a double hub. The single hub cartridges have good capacities and low price, but have longer access times. In other words, it takes longer to get to the data than with a center park two hub cartridge.
In tape libraries, two hub cartridges with center park are preferred for their superior access time performance. Two hub cartridges which are center parked have better access time to data but have very little volume of the cartridge devoted to tape and therefore are less efficient in terms of using space. Two hub cartridges have either half the length of tape on one hub and the other half of the tape on the other hub in a two hub cartridge; or the full tape on one hub with the other hub empty; or portions of the tape of the full tape on one hub and portions of the full tape on the other hub. In this manner, the data is, at most, half the length of the tape away from its center parked position. The volume of tape compared to the volume of the cartridge is low since there are generally tape guides and other pins for providing a tape path within the cartridge. The additional pins and tape guides provide tape tracking but add to the cost of the cartridge and to the complexity of manufacture. Since each hub must have the capacity to hold the entire length of tape within the two hub cartridge on each of the hubs, tape capacity is lost since each hub is not filled with tape. In other words, each hub must have capacity in the event the entire tape is shuttled to one or the other of the hubs. The result is that a small percentage of the volume of the cartridge is tape. Generally, the volume of the cartridge devoted to tape is in the range of 7% to 10% of the total volume of the cartridge. Newer style, center park cartridges are generally costly. The many parts required add to the complexity of manufacture of the cartridges.
The recording capacity per cartridge is becoming increasingly important especially in tape library systems. As a result, there is a need for a two hub cartridge which can be center parked so that access to data is short. In addition, there is a need for a two hub cartridge which can hold a high volume of tape so that volumetric efficiency of the tape cartridge and the tape library which uses such a cartridge can be increased. In addition, there is a need for a cartridge which is easy to manufacture and which can be made inexpensively.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A tape cartridge includes a first rotatable hub and a second rotatable hub. A flexible recording tape is wound upon the first rotatable hub and the second rotatable hub. The first hub is wound so that it is substantially full of the flexible recording tape. The second hub is also wound so that it is substantially full of the flexible recording tape. The flexible recording tape is wound on the first hub in a first direction and wound upon the second hub in a second direction. The flexible tape between the first rotatable hub and the second rotatable hub crosses a plane including the axis of rotation of the first hub and a point on the line defining the axis of rotation of the second hub. Both the first rotatable hub and the second rotatable hub are removable from the cartridge. The hubs have a flange with a conical edge which nests into a first opening in the tape cartridge with a conical receiving surface and a second opening in the tape cartridge with a conical receiving surface. The conical edges have a plurality of reliefs therein to form conical teeth within each of the first and second hub. The conical teeth of one of the hubs engages the reliefs of the other hub. The teeth of one of the conical edges of the hubs can be unevenly spaced to lessen the distance needed to have the first and second hub engage one another. The cartridge also includes a base, a latch for engaging the first rotatable hub and the second rotatable hub. The latch is attached to the base. A cartridge cover covers the latch and base and also attaches to the base. The tape cartridge is placed into a tape drive for reading and writing to tape media within a tape cartridge.
The tape drive includes a transducing head for reading representations of data from the tape and for writing representations of data to the tape, and an apparatus for removing the first hub and second hub from the tape cartridge. The tape drive also includes a first spindle attached to a first arm and a second spindle attached to a second arm. A first arm moves the first spindle between a hub receiving position and a functional position. Similarly, a second arm moves the spindle between a hub receiving position and a functional position. In the functional position, the first spindle and the second spindle position the tape near the transducer in a transducing relationship. Each of the spindles may include a hub flange extension which aids in winding tape onto the first hub and the second hub. The hub flange extensions also provide capacity to the first hub and the second hub so that substantially all of the tape within the two hub tape cartridge can be placed on one of the first hub and the second hub. The tape drive may also include tape packers for each of the first hub and the second hub. The tape packers would be mounted onto a third arm and a fourth arm. The tape drive includes a mechanism for disengaging the latch on the tape cartridge. The tape drive also includes an apparatus for moving the portion of the tape cartridge other than the first hub and the second hub and the tape wound thereon, relative to the first hub and the second hub. In other words, the hubs can be dropped away from the cartridge or the cover and base can be lifted off the first hub and second hub.
In operation, the tape cartridge is positioned so that a first hub engages the a first spindle and so that the second hub engages a seco
Boberg Arne B.
Erickson Leif O.
Imation Corp.
Levinson Eric D.
Rivera William A.
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