Cartridge tape drive having vacuum auto-threading

An auto-threading magnetic tape drive for use with a removable tape cartridge comprising:

• a base;
• a take-up reel rotatably mounted on the base;
• a magnetic head assembly mounted on the base;
• means defining a generally enclosed continuous flowpath along the base between an upstream portion of the flowpath and the take-up reel and extending past the magnetic head assembly;
• a cartridge having a generally enclosed housing and a supply reel mounted within the housing, the supply reel having a length of magnetic tape wound thereon and terminating in a leading end, the housing having a tape exit port through which the leading end of the length of magnetic tape may exist the housing and an air intake port;
• means for releasably mounting the cartridge on the base with the tape exit port at the upstream portion of the flowpath;
• means mounted on the base for selectively rotating the supply reel and the take-up reel;
• and
• vacuum means for drawing air through the air intake port and through the housing, the tape exit port and the flowpath to pull the leading end of the length of tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel as the supply reel is rotated by the means for selectively rotating to unwind the tape therefrom;
• the housing of the cartridge having a pivotable door therein, the door covering the tape exit port when the cartridge is not mounted on the base and being operative to pivot away from and open the tape exit port to the upstream portion of the flowpath when the cartridge is mounted on the base by the means for releasably mounting.

An auto-threading magnetic tape drive for use with a removable tape cartridge comprising:

• a base;
• a take-up reel rotatably mounted on the base;
• a magnetic head assembly mounted on the base;
• means defining a generally enclosed continuous flowpath along the base between an upstream portion of the flowpath and the take-up reel and extending past the magnetic head assembly;
• a cartridge having a generally enclosed housing and a supply reel mounted within the housing, the supply reel having a length of magnetic tape wound thereon and terminating in a leading end, the housing having a tape exit port through which the leading end of the length of magnetic tape may exit the housing and an air intake port;
• means for releasably mounting the cartridge on the base with the tape exit port at the upstream portion of the flowpath;
• means mounted on the base for selectively rotating the supply reel and the take-up reel;
• and
• vacuum means for drawing air through the air intake port and through the housing, the tape exit port and the flowpath to pull the leading end of the length of tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel as the supply reel is rotated by the means for selectively rotating to unwind the tape therefrom;
• the means for selectively rotating the supply reel and the take-up reel including a motor coupled to the base, a drive pulley mounted on the motor, an idler pulley movably mounted on the base, means normally biasing the idler pulley for movement in a direction away from the drive pulley, an endless belt encircling the drive pulley and the idler pulley, and a driven pulley disposed at the bottom of the housing of the cartridge and coupled to the supply reel, the driven pulley being operative to engage the endless belt between the drive pulley and the idler pulley when the cartridge is mounted on the base by the means for releasably mounting so as to be driven by the motor via the drive pulley and the endless belt.

An auto-threading magnetic tape drive for use with a removable tape cartridge comprising:

• a base;
• a take-up reel rotatably mounted on the base;
• a magnetic head assembly mounted on the base;
• means defining a generally enclosed continuous flowpath along the base between an upstream portion of the flowpath and the take-up reel and extending past the magnetic head assembly;
• a cartridge having a generally enclosed housing and a supply reel mounted within the housing, the supply reel having a length of magnetic tape wound thereon and terminating in a leading end, the housing having a tape exit port through which the leading end of the length of magnetic tape may exit the housing and an air intake port;
• means for releasably mounting the cartridge on the base with the tape exit port at the upstream portion of the flowpath;
• means mounted on the base for selectively rotating the supply reel and the take-up reel;
• and
• vacuum means for drawing air through the air intake port and through the housing, the tape exit port and the flowpath to pull the leading end of the length of tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel as the supply reel is rotated by the means for selectively rotating to unwind the tape therefrom;
• the means for selectively rotating the supply reel and the take-up reel including a motor having a shaft, means for pivotably coupling the motor to the base beneath the cartridge for upward and downward movement, a drive coupling mounted on the motor shaft, a driven coupling disposed at the bottom of the housing of the cartridge and coupled to the supply reel and means for selectively providing upward and downward movement of the means for pivotably coupling to provide engagement of and disengagement of the driven coupling by the drive coupling.

A magnetic tape cartridge for use with a magnetic tape drive having vacuum operated automatic tape threading comprising:

• a generally enclosed housing having a pair of opposite edges:
• a supply reel mounted within the housing and having a generally circular outer periphery;
• a door located within a portion of the housing adjacent the generally circular outer periphery of the supply reel, the door being selectively movable into an open position to provide a tape exit port in the housing;
• an air inlet port in a portion of the housing adjacent the generally circular outer periphery of the supply reel and spaced-apart from the door, the air inlet port being operative to cause air to flow into and through the housing and around a portion of the supply reel when the door is moved into an open position and the tape exit port is coupled to a vacuum source;
• the door extending along a portion of one of the pair of opposite edges of the housing, being mounted to pivot along an axis at the end of the one of the pair of opposite edges and having a lobed portion thereof extending beyond the axis at the end of the pair of opposite edges and adapted to pivot the door into an open position when engaged.

A magnetic tape cartridge for use with a magnetic tape drive having vacuum operated automatic tape threading comprising:

• an enclosed housing;
• a supply reel mounted within and substantially completely enclosed within an interior of the housing and having a generally circular outer periphery;
• a door located within a portion of the housing adjacent the generally circular outer periphery of the supply reel, the door being selectively movable into an open position to provide a tape exit port in the housing;
• and
• an air inlet port in a portion of the housing adjacent the generally circular outer periphery of the supply reel and spaced-apart from the door, the air inlet port being operative to cause air to flow into and through the housing and around a portion of the supply reel in response to the door being moved into an open position to couple a vacuum source to the interior of the housing via the tape exit port.

An auto-threading magnetic tape drive comprising:

• a base;
• a supply reel mounted on the base for rotation about a first axis, the supply reel having a length of magnetic tape wound thereon and terminating in a leading end;
• a take-up reel mounted on the base for rotation about a second axis generally parallel to the first axis;
• a magnetic head assembly mounted on the base;
• means defining a generally enclosed continuous flowpath along the base between the supply reel and the take-up reel and extending past the magnetic head assembly;
• vacuum means for drawing air through the flowpath from the supply reel to the take-up reel to pull the leading end of the tape from the supply reel to the take-up reel as the supply reel is rotated to unwind the length of tape therefrom;
• and
• means for rotatably driving the supply reel in a first direction to unwind the length of tape therefrom and for simultaneously rotatably driving the take-up reel in a second direction opposite the first direction to wind the length of tape from the supply reel thereon.