Mini-cartridge adapter for adapting a mini-cartridge to an industry standard tape cartridge format

A mini-cartridge adapter for adapting a mini-cartridge containing a storage medium to a larger industry standard media cartridge appearance, the standard cartridge appearance having standardized features receiving a plurality of mechanical force-imparting elements of a media drive applied through a plurality of standard openings of a housing of a standard cartridge from a plurality of different directions, the mini-cartridge adapter including at least one internal force transfer mechanism for receiving a predetermined one of the force imparting elements through a standardized opening in a housing of the mini-cartridge adapter and for transferring a force from the predetermined one through a mini-cartridge housing to a structural element inside of the mini-cartridge which is functionally equivalent to a structural element of the standard cartridge.

A tape mini-cartridge adapter for adapting a tape mini-cartridge to a larger industry standard tape cartridge appearance, the standard cartridge being of a single-reel type having a standard internal reel and a standard tape leader and buckle mechanism, the standard cartridge having fixed structure for restraining the buckle mechanism at a standard position relative to a front opening of the standard cartridge, the mini-cartridge having an internal reel and a pivoting leader buckle guide member for engaging and restraining the buckle, the guide member normally presenting the buckle at a retracted position adjacent a front opening of the mini-cartridge, and displaceable to present the buckle at the standard position relative to a front opening of the standard cartridge, and the mini-cartridge adapter including pawl means for causing the guide member to displace from the retracted position to the standard position when the mini-cartridge is in the mini-cartridge adapter.

A tape media cartridge having a generally box-shaped housing with at least two major walls, a single reel for containing a coil of recording tape thereon, the reel being formed of plastic material and defining a bearing dimple having a contact point aligned with an axis of rotation of the reel, a plunger being formed of plastic material and having a flat face portion facing the bearing dimple, and a coil compression spring bearing between one of said two major walls and the plunger for transferring a bias force to the reel through the plunger at the contact point.

A tape cartridge having a box-shaped housing with at least two major walls, a reel containing a supply of recording tape coiled thereon, the reel having at least one flange adjacent one wall of the two major walls and a toothed spindle ring sized and positioned for engagement by a standardized spindle ring of a tape drive, the said one wall defining an annular region of housing locking teeth adjacent an opening for receiving the toothed spindle ring generally flush therewith, bias spring means for applying a bias force from an other wall of the two major walls to the reel, the reel including an annular region of locking teeth engaging the housing locking teeth when the reel is spring biased into contact with the said one wall.

A tape cartridge having a box-shaped housing with at least two major walls, a single reel containing a supply of recording tape coiled thereon, the reel having at least one flange adjacent a said one wall of the two major walls and a toothed spindle ring sized and positioned for engagement by a standardized spindle ring of a tape drive, the tape housing having an elongated tape-access opening along a sidewall, the recording tape including a leader and a tape buckle, and the tape cartridge including a pivoting tape leader guide for engaging and restraining the tape buckle when the tape is fully wound on the reel, the pivoting tape leader guide for presenting the tape buckle in at least two different positions relative to the housing.