Low inertia capstan

A low inertia capstan for use in a digital magnetic tape transport comprising:

• a generally cylindrical hub rotatable about a central axis thereof;
• a pair of at least partially conical web elements mounted at opposite sides of the hub for rotation therewith, said web elements having a spacing therebetween in the vicinity of the hub which is greater than a spacing therebetween in the vicinity of a rim and being circumferentially rigid to maintain a rim rotationally fixed relative to the hub and having thin walls which may be substantially flexed without permanent deformation;
• and
• a hollow, generally cylindrical rim mounted on the pair of partially conical web elements, the rim including a pair of radial flanges on the inside thereof disposed between and adjacent respective ones of the conical web elements.

A capstan for use in a digital magnetic tape transport comprising:

• a generally cylindrical hub;
• a hollow, generally cylindrical rim generally concentrically disposed about the hub, the rim having a thin, cylindrical outer circumference and being capable of substantial flexure without permanent deformation;
• and
• at least one generally circular plastic web disposed between and mounting the rim on the hub to maintain circumferential and axial rigidity between the rim and hub during tape transport operation.

A resiliently deformable capstan for driving magnetic tape in a digital tape transport comprising:

• in inner hub;
• an elastic outer rim disposed concentrically about the inner hub;
• and
• means connecting the outer rim to the inner hub in a manner inhibiting substantially all relative motion therebetween in a circumferential direction of rotation while permitting substantial axial motion of the outer rim relative to the hub without permanent deformation of the capstan, said means including a pair of at least partially conical web elements mounted at opposite sides of the hub.

A capstan for driving magnetic tape comprising:

• a generally cylindrical inner hub;
• a resiliently deformable outer rim disposed concentrically about the inner hub;
• and
• a pair of thin, at least partially conical web members mounted in spaced apart relationship concentric with the inner hub and connected to maintain the hub and rim in a predetermined relationship, said web members having substantial rigidity with respect to relative motion between the rim and hub in a circumferential direction of rotation and being resiliently deformable in response to relative motion between the rim and hub in other directions.