Tape handling apparatus
AssigneeCetec Corporation
InventorsBarrett P. Bingaman, Richard G. Krum, James R. Williams
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tape handling apparatus for storing an endless loop of tape in a bin and moving the tape from the bin exit past a reproduce head assembly to the bin entrance for use in duplication of the tape. A tape handling apparatus with a tape injection assembly at the bin entrance for injecting tape into the bin and a tape removal assembly at the bin exit for removing tape from the bin, with the tape being driven through the tape injection assembly to reduce the tape forward speed as it enters the bin, and with the tape being pulled from the bin by the reproduce head assembly through the tape removal assembly for establishing tension in the tape.
Claims27
In a tape handling apparatus for storing an endless loop of tape in a bin and moving the tape from a bin exit past a reproduce head assembly to a bin entrance, the improvement including in combination:
- a tape injection assembly positioned at said bin entrance for injecting tape into said bin, and including
- tape injection drive means for moving said tape at a first forward speed, and
- an entrance guide wall defining a curved tape path between said tape injection drive means and said bin entrance, which curved tape path is concave when viewed from the bin,
- said entrance guide wall including separating means for separating the tape from said guide wall as the tape moves therealong, and with said guide wall spaced from the remainder of the tape handling apparatus providing an open space for said tape separation, and
- with said tape injection drive means positioned to move the tape toward and along said entrance guide wall producing a curved tape path and a serpentine tape shape reducing the tape forward speed prior to entering said bin.
In a tape handling apparatus for storing an endless loop of tape in a bin and moving the tape from a bin exit past a reproduce head assembly to a bin entrance, the improvement including in combination:
- a tape injection assembly positioned at said bin entrance for injecting tape into said bin, and including
- tape injection drive means for moving said tape at a first forward speed, and
- an entrance guide wall defining a curved tape path between said tape injection drive means and said bin entrance,
- with said tape injection drive means positioned to move the tape along said entrance guide wall producing a curved tape path and reducing the tape forward speed prior to entering said bin, and
- with said entrance guide wall having a plurality of air openings therein, and with said apparatus including air supply means for supplying air under pressure to said entrance guide wall air openings, and
- wherein said air openings define air paths at an oblique angle to said entrance guide wall surface providing air flow from said wall in the tape downstream direction.
In a tape handling apparatus for storing an endless loop of tape in a bin and moving the tape from a bin exit past a reproduce head assembly to a bin entrance, the improvement including in combination:
- a tape injection assembly positioned at said bin entrance for injecting tape into said bin, and including
- tape injection drive means for moving said tape at a first forward speed, and
- an entrance guide wall defining a curved tape path between said tape injection drive means and said bin entrance,
- with said tape injection drive means positioned to move the tape along said entrance guide wall producing a curved tape path and reducing the tape forward speed prior to entering said bin;
- and
- a tape removal assembly positioned at said bin exit for removing tape from said bin, and including
- first and second exit guide walls joined at a corner to form an exit pocket, with a set of vacuum openings in each of said exit guide walls, and
- vacuum supply means for supplying a vacuum to each of said sets of vacuum openings,
- with said reproduce head assembly including reproduce drive means for moving said tape along an exit path from said bin through said bin exit and said pocket to said reproduce head assembly.
In a tape handling apparatus for storing an endless loop of tape in a bin and moving the tape from a bin exit past a reproduce head assembly to a bin entrance, the improvement including in combination:
- a tape removal assembly positioned at said bin exit for removing tape from said bin, and including
- first and second exit guide walls joined at a corner to form an exit pocket, with a set of vacuum openings in each of said exit guide walls, and
- vacuum supply means for supplying a vacuum to each of said sets of vacuum openings,
- with said reproduce head assembly including reproduce drive means for moving said tape along an exit path from said bin through said bin exit and said pocket to said reproduce head assembly.
In a tape handling apparatus for storing an endless loop of tape in a bin and moving the tape from a bin exit past a reproduce head assembly to a bin entrance, the improvement including in combination:
- a tape removal assembly positioned at said bin exit for removing tape from said bin, and including
- first and second exit guide walls joined at a corner to form an exit pocket, with a set of vacuum openings in each of said exit guide walls, and
- vacuum supply means for supplying a vacuum to each of said sets of vacuum openings,
- with said reproduce head assembly including reproduce drive means for moving said tape along an exit path from said bin throgh said bin exit and said pocket to said reproduce head assembly,
- with a curved exit wall at said bin exit with said exit wall having a plurality of vacuum openings therein, and additional vacuum supply means for supplying a vacuum to said exit wall vacuum openings and applying tension to said tape between said curved exit wall and said reproduce drive means.
In a tape handling apparatus for storing an endless loop of tape in a bin and moving the tape from a bin exit past a reproduce head assembly to a bin entrance, the improvement wherein said reproduce head assembly includes
- first and second air bearings,
- first and second vacuum drive capstans, and
- a magnetic head assembly,
- with said air bearings and drive capstans positioned to define a tape path from said bin exit past said first air bearing, said first drive capstan, said head assembly, said second drive capstan and said second air bearing to said bin entrance, with the carrier side of said tape facing said drive capstans and with the magnetic material side of said tape facing said air bearings and said head assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.