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AssigneeStorage Technology Corporation
InventorsGerald B. Lammers, Patrick M. Barton, Lynn C. Jacobs, Michael V. Konshak
Estimating the term…
A reel brake of a magnetic tape single-reel cartridge is released by a contact member positioned in non-rotational contact with the reel brake release button to prevent wear, vibration and noise in the mechanism. One embodiment places a spindle in a centering cone of a hub which operatively engages the tape reel. The centering cone rotates relative to the spindle which is in stationary contact with the release button. A second embodiment involves use of a non-rotating center shaft of a motor which has a rotor that rotates about the shaft. The stationary shaft contacts the release button. A third embodiment extends a stationary post through a hollow rotating motor shaft to contact the release button.
In a tape drive mechanism including a motor and a drive hub connected to be rotated about a rotational axis by the motor, the drive hub adapted for rotating a tape reel of a tape cartridge about a rotational axis which is the same rotational axis as the hub, the cartridge having a rotationally stationary reel brake located at the rotational axis of the tape reel for preventing the rotation of the reel until released;
A method of releasing a rotationally stationary reel brake at the rotational center of a tape reel in a tape cartridge to allow rotation of the tape reel after release of the reel brake, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.