Spring clip leader and housing for magnetic tape
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsDavid Berman, William M. Dyer, A. David Erpelding, Wayne I. Imaino, Ronald R. Labby
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system, according to one embodiment, includes: a plurality of tape reels; and a tape drive configured for reading data from tape stored on at least one of the plurality of tape reels. At least some of the tape reels have a tape wound thereon and a spring-like clip coupled to a free end of the tape. Moreover, the clip is selectively positionable in a wrapped position where the clip wraps around a portion of the tape when the tape is wound onto the reel, thereby holding the portion of the tape in place on the reel.
Claims9
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of tape reels;
- and
- a tape drive configured for reading data from tape stored on at least one of the plurality of tape reels,
- wherein at least some of the tape reels have a tape wound thereon and a spring-like clip coupled to a free end of the tape, the clip being selectively positionable in a wrapped position where the clip wraps around a portion of the tape when the tape is wound onto the reel, thereby holding the portion of the tape in place on the reel,
- wherein the spring-like clip has a rounded profile along a longitudinal length thereof when decoupled from the tape and in the absence of any external forces.
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of tape reels, wherein at least some of the tape reels have a tape wound thereon and a spring-like clip coupled to a free end of the tape, the clip being selectively positionable in a wrapped position where the clip wraps around a portion of the tape when the tape is wound onto the reel, thereby holding the portion of the tape in place on the reel;
- a tape drive configured for reading data from tape stored on at least one of the plurality of tape reels;
- a chuck for rotating the at least one reel;
- and
- an optical detector for detecting an orientation of the clip when the chuck rotates the reel.
A system, comprising:
- a plurality of tape reels;
- and
- a tape drive configured for reading data from tape stored on at least one of the plurality of tape reels,
- wherein at least some of the tape reels have a tape wound thereon and a spring-like clip coupled to a free end of the tape, the clip being selectively positionable in a wrapped position where the clip wraps around a portion of the tape when the tape is wound onto the reel, thereby holding the portion of the tape in place on the reel,
- wherein at least one surface of the clip has a surface feature for reducing surface friction of the clip by reducing a surface area of the clip in contact with the tape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.